I'd like to be a pilot, advice needed!!

[wannabepilot]

oh yeah bigD?? you from a rival school or something?

bobbysamd, I'm not expecting too much, but it would be awesome if we were able to just keep one QB as the starter for the whole year... been doing a lot of research, those florida flight schools are way out of my range. I was thinking about getting the PPL locally but then maybe finishing up at a bigger school. Have you heard of the Airman Flight school in Norman? Just from reading their webpage it sounds pretty good: 20k and 5 months for the "pilot upgrade course" ( Instrument rating- Commercial pilot certification- Single- and Multi-engine ratings- Certified Flight Instructor, single engine rating- Certified Flight Instructor, instrument rating)

Anybody out there attended this place? They also say that the tuition is locked-in (you can take a little longer to pass a test and you still pay the same amount) and all-inclusive.

 

[bobbysamd]

Airman Flight School

oh yeah bigD?? you from a rival school or something?

I believe that my friend bigD is a Texas supporter.

Have you heard of the Airman Flight school in Norman? Just from reading their webpage it sounds pretty good: 20k and 5 months for the "pilot upgrade course" ( Instrument rating- Commercial pilot certification- Single- and Multi-engine ratings- Certified Flight Instructor, single engine rating- Certified Flight Instructor, instrument rating)

I have heard of Airman Flight School, which is at Max Westheimer Field, only a hop, skip and a jump from Soonerland. It has been around for many years. It is an accelerated school. It does the job.

I know one of the examiners who works regularly at Airman. I went to him for three practicals. He is a former FSDO manager who had a reputation for being a bear. He was tough, but he treated me very fairly and professionally. No complaints, and no worries if you are prepared. I sent my first instrument signoff to him and my student was accorded similar fair treatment.

The Oklahoma City area is a great training environment. You experience all four seasons. There is wind all the time, so you can really hone your crosswind landing skills and ground reference maneuvers. OKC is a terrific instrument environment. There are plenty of days of low, but safe IMC in which to fly ice-free and shoot approaches. Speaking of which, there are multiple versions of every type of approach in OKC. There are several different approaches at Wiley Post. I recall a VOR-C at Page that was interesting. Non-congested Class C and cooperative controllers. The Mike Monroney Center is in Oklahoma City, so if you have certificate or medical issuance hassles you can resolve them locally. If you want to fly in more congested airspace, the DFW Class B is a couple of hours or so away by 172.

Hope that helps. Go C.U.

 

[wannabepilot]

great, thanks for the info bobbysamd. That place sounds like it might be ok. I was just reading about the Mesa Pilot training place. They don't quote any prices on their web page but I would imagine it isn't cheap. They also say that graduates of the program with !!300!! hours get hired as FOs for mesa! Thats really impressive if it's true. Do you believe that?

Are there any accelerated schools like the the Airman flight school in Colorado? (I don't think I'm really finding a complete listing of the colorado flight schools)

Well, thanks again for your help bobbysamd...

 

[wannabepilot]

hmm, looking through the archives here it sounds like Mesa school isn't thought of very highly around here to say the least. I'm really new to all this, I don't quite understand the whole PFT thing. If you wanna PM me about Mesa feel free.

 

[Timebuilder]

You sound like a sharp guy. You probably are a sharp guy.

I'm sure you will perform due dilligence before you make a move.

That's good.

 

[bigD]

oh yeah bigD?? you from a rival school or something?

Not a rival school per se, but I was in Dallas for the Big 12 title game two seasons ago....d@mned Buffs!

 

[Mr. Irrelevant]

wannabe,


My Roommate did his CFI at Airman about 5 years ago. He was there no more than three weeks I believe. Hard work but I don't believe he felt the checkrides were your typical "sweat it out" type of checkride.

I would suggest as you said previously, just work on the private rating on your own time at the local FBO. If the $$$ isn't there and you want to continue part-time after the private, that's cool too. Don't feel any pressure to go to the big schools in Florida or elsewhere. You could get loans for far less $$$ and do the full-time program at your local FBO. The best instruction you could find may be at a Mom & Pop type flight school in your area.



Mr. I.

 

[bobbysamd]

MAPD

hmm, looking through the archives here it sounds like Mesa school isn't thought of very highly around here to say the least.

I wouldn't say that. I think opinion is mixed about MAPD. Opinions are mixed about most every name-brand flight school, with the exception, perhaps, of FSI. Offhand, I cannot recall seeing any negative comments about FSI for the price.

I instructed at both FSI and Mesa . Here's a link to the most recent Mesa thread. I did not mention Mesa initially because I thought it might be too expensive for you. But, it is down the road in Farmington, San Juan College is a North Central Association-accredited school, so you should be able to transfer credits, and there are loans.

Hope that helps a little more.

 

[wannabepilot]

Bigd, yeah, that was a great game (not as great as the Nebraska game a couple weeks earlier, greatest sporting event I've ever attended in my life) that texas team was really good, too bad Chris Simms was such a choker...

Thanks for the Airman info Mr. I, yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna go for the PPL at a local FBO.

Here's my plan of the day bobbysamd: Get PPL locally, then go to airman and do the pilot upgrade course, then do the PACE program at Mesa. Going this route vs. the ab-initio program at Mesa would probably save me in the neighborhood of 30k, would give me my CFI ratings, and theorhetically, take less time. What do you think??

 

[wannabepilot]

Anyone out there with experience in the PACE program? If so, tell me what you think. Are you given the same opportunities that the ab-initio people get?
Thanks