International Students
Silverhawk Aviation Academy is pleased to provide helicopter flight training to International Students through the M-1 student visa program. The M-1 visa allows you to attend a flight school in order to complete a full-time flight instruction curriculum. Our nationally recognized FAA Part 141 training courses are specially designed to maximize the training time allotted to non-immigrant students in addition to meeting the requirements set by the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Immigration.
The process for getting an M-1 student Visa to train at Silverhawk Aviation begins in your own country by following these steps:
- Contact Silverhawk Aviation Academy
- Register with the TSA
- Apply for Training with the TSA
- Obtain official fingerprints
- Apply for Training with Silverhawk
- Receive and Complete your Acceptance Packet from Silverhawk
- Receive your Embassy Package and visit your US Embassy
Please feel free to contact us anytime throughout the process if you have questions.
1. Contact Silverhawk Aviation Academy
Contact Silverhawk Aviation Academy at fly@silverhawkaviation.net and let us know that you plan to do your flight training with us. We will assist you with all your questions and concerns regarding the M-1 Visa process.
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2. Register with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
You are required to register with the TSA. Registration begins by creating a candidate account on the Alien Flight Student Program web site. Go to www.flightschoolcandidates.gov and click on "Create New Student Account" in the upper right corner to register. Fill out all the necessary information. You will need a passport to complete this portion of the application. After you complete the registration, you will receive an email with your new user ID and Password so that you may enter the TSA Application website.
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3. Apply for training with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
Next, you will go through a TSA application process. Go to www.flightschoolcandidates.gov and login with the User ID and Password obtained in Step 1. Click the button "Begin a NEW Training Application" and complete the online form.
While filling out the application, you will select Silverhawk Aviation Academy as your flight school. Under Flight Training Details submit the following:
- Name of the School: Silverhawk Aviation Academy
- Course Name: Private Pilot or Instrument Rating.
(If you have no prior flight time then you would need to register for the Private Pilot course)
- Course ID : PPL01 for private or IFR01 for instrument
- Course Description: Private Pilot or Instrument Rating .
(If you have no prior flight time then you would need to register for the Private Pilot course)
- Aircraft Type: R-22, R-44
- Training Request Category: 3
- Training Request Date: Your training dates.
(It is better to overestimate the completion times.)
- Do not click on the tab for recurrent training at any time. This will put your application on hold.
Name of the School: Silverhawk Aviation Academy
If you have any problems with the registration process, please contact us at fly@silverhawkaviation.net or 208.453.8577.
Complete the rest of the TSA application including uploading or emailing your passport to TSA. Submit your application. After the TSA receives all your information, the TSA will direct you to pay a $130.00 Application Processing Fee by Credit Card. Once you have completed the TSA application, TSA will send Silverhawk Aviation Academy an e-mail to validate your request. You will also receive information from the TSA once you are validated, including a request for fingerprints. This will be taken care of in step 4.
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4. Obtain Official Fingerprints
You must have your fingerprints taken at a TSA-approved location and sent to the TSA. Please note that there may be an additional charge for this service. The TSA process can be a little faster if the US Embassy in your particular country will submit the fingerprint cards to the TSA, however, not all countries will do this. If your Embassy will not, just bring the cards into the US when you enter and we will have you fingerprinted at the Caldwell police department upon your arrival. If your American Embassy agrees to do your fingerprints, you are not allowed to touch the cards afterwards. The Embassy will submit the fingerprint cards by mail to the TSA with the address written on the cards.
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5. Complete Silverhawk Aviation Academy Application for International Students:
After the TSA process has been started, you can submit the following information to Silverhawk by either e-mail, fax or parcel post:
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6. Receive and Complete your Acceptance Package from Silverhawk Aviation
After we receive your application materials, you will be notified of your acceptance to Silverhawk Aviation Academy and we will send you the following items:
- The Acceptance Letter from us to you
- The Silverhawk International Procedures with the Silverhawk Acceptance Form attached
- The Silverhawk Approval letter
- The completed I-20
- Signed school contract acknowledging that your agree to our procedures.
After you are accepted, you will need to :
- Complete and sign the Silverhawk Acceptance Form from your Acceptance Package
- Download, print and complete the I-901 form. The SEVIS fee is $200. You can pay this online using a credit card or by mail using a check or money order. Remember to keep your receipt for your use at the visa interview.
- Official record of schooling or other educational achievement (Photocopies are acceptable)
- Proof of financial ability to apply all educational expenses and support for yourself and any dependents with you during your stay in the United States. An officer from your bank will need to certify in a letter that your funds on deposit for educational and living expenses are acceptable and at least equal to the amount shown on your enrollment agreement.
We will send you a package with all your paperwork and information you will need for your Embassy via express mail.
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7. Receive your Embassy Package and Visit your US Embassy
You are now ready to visit the American Embassy with your package. The package is complete with several items you will need in order to be approved for entry to the United States, including the I-20 / M-1 Visa Application. Follow the information carefully, so you won't have any issues while at the Embassy, and don't forget to bring all of the items that are in your package, including your I-901 form that you have completed along with your Visa Application
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If M-1 Visa is secured, Silverhawk will notify you of the date that you will need to report to school. It is important to coordinate this date carefully with your travels because if you do not show up on the specified date, you may be terminated and the I-20 / M-1 Visa will be cancelled.
Please plan to fly into Boise International Airport [KBOI] in Boise, ID, during normal business hours (9:00AM - 6:00PM) when possible. This will allow you to take advantage of our complimentary transportation—a representative from the school will meet you at the airport and bring you to the school. You will need to notify us of your flight arrival time, airline, and flight number.
If you are unable to travel to Boise, please let us know so we can help you arrange for the necessary transportation to Caldwell.
Once you arrive, if you still need to be fingerprinted, we will take you to the police department to have that done. (You will not be able to begin the flight portion of your training until TSA has officially approved you. We will get an e-mail from TSA when we can initiate flight training.)
Next, we will introduce you to the flight school and enroll you into the program. We will then bring you to housing and you will be able to get situated and brought to the grocery store to purchase your food.
Other important information an international student and resident aliens MUST know:
- All International Students training on the I-20/ M1 Visa, MUST be full time students and train at least five days per week. The student will be given their full time schedule by the Assistant Chief Pilot.
- All International Students MUST be 17 years old to earn and hold a Private Pilot License.
- All International Students MUST be 18 years old to earn and hold a Commercial Pilot License.
- All International Students MUST be able to Read, Speak, Write and Understand English.
- All International Students MUST be able to pass and hold a Class II FAA Medical Examination.
- ALL International Students WILL be photographed at the start of their flight training program.
- Medical insurance MUST be obtained. Due to the high cost of medical care, the student must purchase medical/health insurance to cover his stay in the United States. Silverhawk Aviation Academy can recommend an insurance company for that purpose. You may obtain the required insurance through your home country.
International Cell Phones:
Our housing facilities are equipped with local land line phones (to keep the students rent low). Students can only make local calls. You can use prepaid phone cards, or call home collect. If you will want a cell phone, plan to pay at least a $500.00 deposit with the cell phone companies in the USA. International cell phones typically do not work in the USA, and you should research your phone's capabilities. To purchase a US Cell phone with a contract, you will need a social security number or you may be required to leave a very large deposit.
Thank you for choosing Silverhawk Avition Academy. We are very excited to have you come to our country for your flight training.We look forward to flying with you. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions and/or with assistance with the International Student process.
Catherine Rad Weber
Owner and Operator
Silverhawk Aviation Academy |
