7:47 Aviation, Inc. is a Part 61 general aviation flight school based at Cortland County​/​Chase Field Airport (N03) in Cortland, New York. Operated out of Main Hangar 1 on NYS Route 222, the school is a small, community-rooted operation with a distinctly personal character — the kind of flight school where the front desk is staffed by a friendly dog named Candy and the chief instructor has well over 10,500 hours of flight time, nearly 9,000 of which were accumulated as a full-time CFI.  Flight training at 7:47 Aviation is structured around flexibility and individual pace. The school operates under Part 61, meaning instruction is tailored to the student's schedule and goals rather than a fixed cohort syllabus. Core certificate offerings include Private Pilot training, and the school also serves current pilots seeking to build skills, stay current, or work through a flight review. For pilots on a budget, 7:47 Aviation offers flight training financing, reducing the upfront barrier for students who want to start without paying for the full program in advance.  A notable differentiator is the school's Cirrus capability. Chief instructor Jim Spaller has been flying and instructing in Cirrus aircraft since 2001 and holds the Platinum Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot (CSIP) designation — a credential reserved for the most experienced and vetted Cirrus instructors in the world. This makes 7:47 Aviation a legitimate destination for Cirrus owners or prospective Cirrus pilots in upstate New York seeking factory-aligned, high-quality glass cockpit transition or recurrent training.  Beyond structured flight training, the school offers introductory flights, sightseeing flights, aerial photography, aerial burials, and other general aviation services — rounding out its role as the primary GA operator on the field. The school also runs a youth aviation summer day camp, offering instructional flights to children as young as 9, which speaks to its community-engagement orientation.  7:47 Aviation is also listed with the International Aerobatic Club (IAC), indicating involvement in or connection to the aerobatic training community in New York State.

Home Airport(s)

Cortland County​/​Chase Field Airport ICAO: KN03 | IATA: CTX | FAA LID: N03   Located approximately one mile west of the City of Cortland, New York, in the town of Cortlandville. The airport covers 105 acres and sits at an elevation of 1,197 ft MSL. It is owned by the County of Cortland and operated by the Cortland County Highway Department.   Runway: Runway 06​/​24 — 3,400 ft × 75 ft (asphalt; non-precision instrument markings; PAPI on both ends; REIL on Runway 24; pilot-controlled MIRL via CTAF 122.8; GPS and VOR​/​GPS-A instrument approaches) No control tower. Uncontrolled airspace; CTAF​/​UNICOM 122.8. AWOS on field.   For flight training, N03 is a quiet, low-traffic general aviation field that suits the student-paced, Part 61 model well. The 3,400-foot runway is adequate for the PA-28 Cherokee family used in training and keeps pattern work straightforward. The uncontrolled environment means students develop self-reliance in radio communication and traffic awareness from early on, without the added cognitive load of a towered field. The elevation at nearly 1,200 ft MSL is worth noting for density altitude awareness during warm summer training days. Central New York weather brings genuine seasonal variety — students will encounter VFR conditions in summer and IMC-adjacent conditions in fall and winter — which provides a realistic and well-rounded training environment for pilots intending to fly year-round in the Northeast. The GPS and VOR​/​GPS-A approaches on Runway 24 support instrument training at the home field. The airport offers 100LL self-service fuel 24 hours via credit card, T-hangar and tie-down options, and on-field snow removal seven days a week — practical infrastructure for a year-round training operation.

Fleet and Facilities

Piper Cherokee 140 (×2) — Both aircraft have been upgraded with 160 hp engines and equipped with Garmin 430W GPS​/​NAV​/​COM systems. IFR certified and available for both flight training and rental. The Cherokee 140 is a proven low-wing trainer well-suited to private pilot through instrument rating work; the 160 hp engine upgrade improves climb performance and useful load relative to the stock 140 hp configuration.   PCATD Flight Simulator — A certified Personal Computer Aviation Training Device used to supplement flight training. Counts toward instrument rating logging requirements and provides a cost-effective environment for procedure practice, partial panel work, and scenario-based training.   On-site facilities include a dedicated ground training room, a laser-grade FAA knowledge test center, a full-service pilot lounge with Wi-Fi, and a pilot shop stocking charts, flight bags, and pilot accessories. Fuel (100LL) is available on the field, along with daily, weekly, and monthly tie-down rentals. The facility is located in Main Hangar 1, sharing the field with the airport's T-hangar complex.

Additional Notes

7:47 Aviation is a small operation by design, and that's a genuine strength for the right student. The chief instructor's depth — over 10,500 total hours, 50+ makes and models flown, and one of the highest CSIP designations Cirrus awards — is unusual for a school this size and in a market this small. Students in central New York who own or plan to fly Cirrus aircraft have few better local options for factory-aligned training.   The school's youth aviation camp and introductory flight offerings reflect a deliberate investment in community pipeline — building awareness and interest in GA among younger generations in the Cortland area.   Worth noting: the school's web presence is relatively modest and some published details (hours of operation, fleet specifics) may not be fully current. As with many small Part 61 schools, direct contact is the most reliable way to confirm current availability, rates, and scheduling.