CFI \ CFII \ MEI Training

[vlamgat]

Hi guys,
Can anyone suggest where in the Orlando \ Florida area are the best facility to do the CFI\CFII\MEI certificates. I know that the cheapest is not always the best route ro go but I am also counting the Dollars.
Thanks in advance.
Vlamgat.

 

[BoDEAN]

Sanford, Deland or if not to far, Ormond Beach may be good bets.

 

[bobbysamd]

CFI training in Central Florida

FlightSafety Academy in Vero will do it for you. I worked there several years ago and trained initial CFI students. You''ll get excellent training from a name-brand school. You'll also pay for it, too.

Any major flight school in Florida, e.g. Comair, Pan Am, All-ATPs, American Flyers, etc., will work with you. It's all business to them. Just call for a quote.

Good luck with your choice.

 

[Kaman]

Hello,
I went through the ATP program at Craig Field in Jax, FL. It's an excellent program, but you need to be proficent before you go down there because it's a rapid fire program and your in and out the door in two weeks.
They have two programs, one for folks that have the 15 hours PIC in ME, and those like myself that completed their Comm/ME at ATP and immediatly rolled into the "Total CFI" program. It's 13.5 hours in the Seminole and 5 in the C-172 for your CFI-A add-on.
One thing thats a little different is the sequence of events in accomplishing your checkride(s). They fly you down to Ft. Lauderdale or Stuart for your intial CFI-ME and CFII checkrides. ATP pays for your plane ticket and hotel. When you return to Jax you complete your training in the C-172 for the CFI-A. It's a basic review of the PVT/COMM stuff and your spin training, which I might add is a BLAST! I loved spinning the 172 and it's a big confidence builder too. You'll go out and do power on spins, power off clean/dirty, cross controlled stalls and "bone-head" recoveries. In other words the instructor will simulate "Dilbert" in the left seat and induce some god awful looking manuver leading to a spin entry and you recover. Again, big fun and I learned alot.
When you go down there part of the training is a three day ground school with Walt Schamel. Walt is a retired FAA inspector and is one of ATPs Trng managers. He is also a DPE for the Orlando FSDO. Walt is not only an excellent instructor, but a fine gentleman that I think we would all do good to emulate him and follow his example. He will endorse the ground instruction and your preparation for the checkride. In most cases it's Walt that signs you off. At last count he is at 95% for intial CFI passing their first attempt.
Finally, don't expect anyone to hold your hand down there. You'll get out of the program what you put into it. A lot of time is spent going over lesson plans, and critiquing them. Keep in mind too that EVERY checkride is an open-book test. You'll go into the checkrides with your resources, and are EXPECTED to use them. I recommend printing out all the applicable AC for the CFI, COMM and PVT and putting them in a binder. AC61-65D is our bible and the FAA expects you to refer to it when you fill-out endorsements EVERYTIME. Realistically, we know that veteran CFIs that know it backwards and fowards probably don't anymore.
Equipment, facilities, instructors: Equipment is well-maintained, facilites are very nice and you'll like the atmosphere alot of interesesting folks to chit-chat with on a given day. The airport is pretty good too and has all the approaches, and a good place to teach students to be professional pilots. Instructors...Generally speaking they are pretty good. Some are low-time and not very experienced in so-called "real world" flying but they know the ATP procedures and the Seminole backwards and fowards. ATP borrows a lot of tried and true methods from the airlines and military programs to construct their syllabus. Which is centered around the "Integrated Flow" concept. In other words the checklist is much better organized than Piper's which frankly, sucks.
Good luck with your training! It's the toughest thing you'll ever do in flying (At least for me at this point in my neophyte career).

Regards,

ex-Navy rotorhead

 

[bobbysamd]

Walt Schamel

I don't know the ATP program at JAX but I know and have worked with Walt Schamel.

I first knew Walt seventeen years ago in Oklahoma City. He was a fed at the Monroney Center who taught and standardized DEs. Walt was (and still is) a CAP member and was our Wing Stan/Eval officer, in charge of training and standardizing squadron check pilots. I became a squadron check pilot. Walt created a course for us that was virtually identical to his DE course; the only difference was that it was shorter. I attended the course and helped put it on in my capacity as an Assistant Wing Check Pilot.

Walt's course was extremely valuable to me. I later became a stage check pilot at ERAU and because of Walt's first-class training and the experience I gained standardizing check pilots and giving Form 5 rides in CAP I knew exactly what I was doing when I began giving stage checks to Riddlers.

Walt Schamel sets a great example, for instructors and examiners. I recommend highly that he be sought out for your training and/or your practical.

 

[teach2fly]

Try Air Orlando Aviation at Orlando Executive Airport..they have an awesome group of folks over there...visit the school and take a look at their airplanes...you can also get those flight instructor ratings cheaper. They have CFI's pretty much from everywhere...Comair, FSI, Embry Riddle, FIT, American Flyers..etc...take your pick