SkyMachines' offers a unique
training experience:

• Although we also teach VFR pilots, SkyMachines is the only school that specializes in mountain instrument flight instruction
   
• Like the airlines and the military, we've proved that the best learning occurs in an intensive training environment over a few days. So, each training day with SkyMachines features 4-5 hours of flight instruction, 2-3 hours of ground instruction, and, if you're not too tired, 2-3 hours of self-study and practice. Exhausting? You bet! Rewarding? Absolutely!
   
• Like the military, we’ve proved using "EFIS" cockpits for instrument training cuts training time and makes positional awareness a snap, which is mandatory in the mountains! That's why, unless you're bringing your own airplane to train in, we recommend using our Diamond and Cessna aircraft with Garmin G1000 glass panels.
   

• We've proved that more learning occurs on one cross-country flight than five local flights. So all your flying with SkyMachines will be in the real world, from airport to airport. You'll enjoy the adventure of heading off cross-country on your first day, flying across northern New Mexico and into Colorado. You will visit 3-5 widely different airports each day (if you like, we can include AOPA's Top 5 Toughest Mountain Airports). You will learn all about mountain weather, terrain, aircraft and pilot limitations, avionics and autopilot operations, and much more.
   

• As ex-airline pilots, we believe that general aviation flying can be more safely accomplished if GA pilots follow some of the procedures and standards which were developed over 70 years of airline flying. For example, we stress the benefits of airline-style checklist procedures and extensive use of the autopilot.
   
• Operating turbocharged engines in the mountains requires a much greater level of planning than normally-aspirated engines. If you ever plan to fly a turbo'ed airplane, you'll enjoy our emphasis on proper turbocharger-related flying technique
   
• We tailor each training program to the student's skills and goals. You'll receive personal, one-to-one instruction from a seasoned instructor, not a recent flight-school graduate.