WJRFlyBoy writes:
It's time to stop talking and start doing so I would appreciate any advice
on how to assess a flight school, instructor, pricing and any other
suggestions.

Things which helped me, and things which I wish I did:

- once you find an instructor or three which you like chatting with on
the ground, go for a demo flight with them. See if you like their
teaching style in the air. It is much easier to say to someone "I
decided to go with someone else" if they know you are just trying them
out and you have not yet committed to a single instructor.

- before starting your training, figure out your money. It really
sucks to reach solo, then have to stop flying for a while while you
save up for some more flight time, then have to redo a bunch of the
pre-solo work because your skills have become rusty and you have moved
to a new town. You are better off if you set aside $10-$15k up front
before starting your training. (If you are lucky, you won't have to
spend it all -- but may as well be prepared.)

- exceptional instructors are hard to come by (that's why they are
exceptions). Once you find one, you may find that their schedule is
really packed, so it is hard to get lessons scheduled with them. If
you tend to be busy too, make sure you choose an instructor who's
schedule is compatible with yours.

- if you can, try to fly twice a week (at least). Less than that and
you may start to get rusty between lessons, and it will take longer to
learn.

- try to find "mentors". If you can find someone in your area who
just got their certificate, they should be able to give you hints
about training in your area. It is good to know how often you should
expect lessons to be cancelled due to weather, how reliable certain
schools or instructors are, etc. You are most likely to get accurate
answers to your questions from someone who is not about to ask you for
lots of money. Also, someone who finished recently (or is still in
training) may have more immediately relevant information about schools
and instructors than someone who got their licence many years ago.

Chris