At KPNE since 2015
Built in Philadelphia, for Philadelphia
GQ Aviation exists to give more people a clear, personal path into the cockpit, right here at Northeast Philadelphia Airport.
Our story
From North Philly to the flight deck
GQ Aviation was founded by Faisal Husein, who grew up in North Philadelphia and went on to fly commercial airliners for Mesa Airlines and JetBlue.
In September 2015 he opened GQ Aviation at Northeast Philadelphia Airport, renting aircraft to local pilots. In January 2019 GQ became a flight school with a simple mission: train students in the skills they need to earn a pilot certificate, and find the people in our region with a passion for flying. The industry needs new pilots, and Philadelphia is full of people who could be one.
Since then, our students have completed months of training on the way to their certificates, and our instructors have introduced hundreds of guests to flying through discovery flights and city tours.
We are proud to be a minority-owned flight school, and we work to make aviation feel within reach for everyone in our community.
Our checkride sign-offs are led by an FAA Gold Seal flight instructor. The FAA awards the Gold Seal to instructors with a proven record of students passing their checkrides on the first try.
Recognition
Honored by Philadelphia City Council
On June 15, 2023, City Council adopted Resolution 230535 honoring GQ Aviation for nearly a decade of service as a premier flight school at the Philadelphia Northeast Airport, and recognizing its leadership in promoting diversity in Northeast Philadelphia and the aviation industry.
Students trained in months-long programs toward their pilot certificates, as cited by the resolution.
Recognized as the only minority-owned private flight school in the Northeast corridor.
What we stand for
How we train
Safety first
Every decision, from scheduling to go/no-go calls, starts with safety.
Personal
Training shaped around each student's goals, schedule and learning style.
Professional
Airline-informed standards, habits and checklists from your very first lesson.
Open doors
Outreach that shows Philadelphians aviation is a real career within reach.
Come fly with us
Visit the airport, meet the team and take the controls.