Flight school near Buda, TX
Watch Me Fly Academy is based at San Marcos Regional Airport (KHYI), roughly 20 minutes south of Buda on I-35. Students train across two glass-cockpit Technically Advanced Cessnas and an FAA-approved Redbird LD simulator, at fixed Smart Path package prices — $12,845 Private, $8,845 Instrument, $7,614 Commercial — with the ground course, spin training, mock checkride and FAA practical-test aircraft rental included. Your first flight is a $215 Discovery Flight.
- To
- KHYI · San Marcos Regional Airport
- Drive
- About 20 minutes south on I-35
Buda to the field.
About 20 minutes south on I-35 from Buda — the only part of the trip that happens on the ground.
What Buda students get here
One published price per certificate instead of an hourly meter — you know what a Private Pilot certificate costs before your first lesson, not after your fortieth.
Simulator time that actually counts: Dexter is an FAA-approved Redbird LD, so instrument approaches log and IFR currency holds, at roughly half the cost of flying the airplane.
A four-instructor team holding CFI, CFII and MEI, led by a Chief Flight Instructor who has been teaching since 1993 and who personally flies discovery flights.
Buda → KHYI · San Marcos Regional Airport
Flight training for Buda students
Fixed Smart Path package pricing — $12,845 Private, $8,845 Instrument, $7,614 Commercial — with aircraft, simulator, instructor time and the FAA practical-test aircraft rental (up to 3 flight hours) all inside the price.
- 01 Private Pilot LicenseWhere most students begin, and the foundation of everything else in aviation — flown here across two aircraft and a simulator rather than one airplane.
- 02 Instrument Rating (IFR)Often the most valuable rating a pilot can earn — how to manage complex situations, operate in changing weather and navigate the National Airspace System with precision.
- 03 Commercial Pilot License (CPL)The transition from recreational flying to professional aviation — precision, consistency and mastery of aircraft control, not simply accumulating hours.
- 04 Flight Instructor (CFI/CFII)Teach what you fly — and build high-quality hours doing it, with a direct track to instruct here.
- 05 Endorsements & Add-onsSpin endorsements, complex endorsements and proficiency training — the fundamentals most pilots only ever read about.
- 06 Ground School & Youth WorkshopsClassroom and online theory training alongside the flying — plus hands-on aviation days for kids and teens.
The training area Buda students learn over.
Every lesson flies from San Marcos Regional Airport (KHYI) over the San Marcos area — about 20 minutes south on I-35 from Buda.
Flight training near Buda: common questions
Something else about training from Buda? Call 737-256-7305.
How far is Watch Me Fly Academy from Buda?
About 20 minutes south on I-35 to 1807 Airport Dr., San Marcos, on San Marcos Regional Airport (KHYI).
How much does flight school cost near Buda?
Our fixed Smart Path Private Pilot package is $12,845, with 60 hours of training, 30 hours of instructor time, ground course, spin and upset recovery training, a mock checkride and the FAA practical-test aircraft rental included.
Where do Buda students usually park and check in?
The general aviation ramp off Airport Dr., on the east side of the field. Call 737-256-7305 before a first visit and we will tell you exactly which gate and where to meet your instructor — airports are confusing the first time and there is no reason to work it out in the parking lot.
Is The Flight Lab™ open to pilots who train elsewhere?
Yes. Dexter, our Redbird LD AATD, is available to pilots from any school and any experience level — instrument approaches, IFR currency, IPC preparation and mock checkrides. The Flight Lab™ also deploys to other airfields, schools and events across the region, so a Buda pilot can use it without changing where they fly.
Also serving nearby
Watch Me Fly Ready to fly, Buda?
Book a Discovery Flight — about 20 minutes south on I-35 from Buda to the field, and you're in the left seat.
Serving Austin · Kyle · Buda · New Braunfels