Private pilot plan

[Newflyer]

Hi there folks, I've taken lessons on and off for the past months, but never really getting into a groove of learning. This is in part due to finances, and also that my instructor is by far the most popular at the FBO I fly at. My question is this, first, is there a place like ATP or other training place, where you can just get your PPL without having to go through their airline prep course too? And second, if there is, is that a better idea than going to the local FBO where I can't guarantee that I'll be able to fly every day?

 

[Metro752]

Just tell the FBO what your goals are, and if they can't meet them, go shopping for another flight school.

A LOCAL FBO should be able to have an instructor fly with you everyday if YOU want to fly everyday. If they cannot, or will not, then it's not the place for you. Having the "popular" chatty instructor has its downsides, and if you don't like it, it's your money.

Think about yourself and your goals. That FBO's scheduling problems are not yours. Would you fly on ABC Airline if they could only fly on a day you weren't able to go? Nope!

 

[Newflyer]

Yeah, his schedule is pretty much full for the next two weeks in terms of when he can instruct, as I can see that on the FBOs website. And that's the way it has been for the past couple of months, I have to schedule a lesson about a month in advance just to fly at a reasonable time of day.

 

[Rythm3]

American Flyers seems to be a decent place to go in, get your license and then get out. My girlfriend got her Private License at the ADS location, and did it in a minimal amount of time. The price was kind of high, on the other hand.

http://www.americanflyers.net/

 

[Newflyer]

Rythm3, was the program one where she stayed at a location there and it was almost a "camp" of sorts? And if you don't mind me asking, how much did it send up costing?

 

[CX880]

Dude, there are thousands of starving instructors out there looking for students. I know it's hard because I've had to dump one of my instructors but get the courage to fire your instructor, belive me they won't be heart broken. Find someone who doesn't have any students or is just starting out. I chose the most popular guy at my FBO, but mostly because he was the first guy I talked to. After waiting as many as 14 days between lessons, I dumped his ass and went with some one who litteraly just got his CFI certificate and was desperate for students. The only downside was that I felt like I was teaching him sometimes because he was new. That said, there was no big difference as far as instructing is concerned. Also it sounds like you don't have the money. I would suggest you have ALL the money ready before you flight train. Forget about AMR flyers, I've heard it's a real $hitty school and a waste of time

 

[Newflyer]

CX, that's exatly the situation I had. I chose the most popular guy because he was the first I talked to. Are you saying choose the newest instructor at that FBO, or look for a free-lance instructor?

 

[jaxpilot]

definitely let the school and CFI know your goals. Most instructors think the students would like to fly 2-3 times a week, and we often expect less because most students work and have families. If you would like to fly more than this, let them know and either they will accomodate you or possibly switch you to another instructor with less students.

 

[CX880]

Try to go for the cheapest and newest guy you can find. If you go with a new guy, chances are he will have all the regs fresh in his mind, where as older guys with more experience tend to go by memory. For example, my first instructor who was the busiest guy there told me to memorise the checklists, instead of using them for all items. The new guy, made me use the checklist for every single item check. If possible set a contract or agreement about payment or flying times. New guys tend to offer discounts or flat rates instead of hourly pay so they can try to get students.

 

[Flying Ninja]

CX, that's exatly the situation I had. I chose the most popular guy because he was the first I talked to. Are you saying choose the newest instructor at that FBO, or look for a free-lance instructor?

You can look up CFIs on AOPA's web site. That's how I was able to locate MANY instructors in my area. I sent out emails and contacted every one of them and asked them a laundry list of questions. The one that came back with the best responses got me as his customer. And I was very happy for it.

As a side note, just remember that all the ground stuff (including your written) can be self taught. I read Rod Machado's Private Pilot Manual and was kicking ass on practice written exams. You can use your CFI to brush up on areas that a book doesn't describe well or you are having a hard time conceptualizing. Doing the ground work yourself (no pun intended) will save you a lot of ground school time that you don't have to pay for.

As for flight training, be sure both you and your CFI have a definite set of goals to accomplish toward your certification. I did a lot of joy riding with my CFI throughout my Private training. It took longer to get my certification, but I had a lot of fun.

Stay away from training schools if you can. They're often a lot more expensive. Support the local businesses and CFIs. Oh, and find yourself a flying club that will let you use their birds for your training. Flying clubs tend to be cheaper as far as flight time is concerned.

Best luck in your training!