Chris L wrote:
Hello, I know virtually nothing about flying, but am planning on
getting a private flying license. I have already talked to a few of
the schools in and around the Tukwila/Renton Washington area, and want
to know which is the best all around school.

(1) Pro-Flight Aviation Inc uses a relatively quiet airport (Renton),
but it's still close to Sea-Tac International airport. It seems to be
the most cost effective, has only 3 teachers, uses a DVD interactive
course as the ground school, and one person has told me they are not
very customer friendly. A person there said it's very very hard to
learn ground school material in a cram 2 weekend course.

I bought for $109.99 the "Virtual Test Prep an Aviation Ground School,
Private 08 Pilot" to study and prepare for the airplane private pilot
FAA Knowledge Exam by ASA. I also bought the book Guided Flight
Discovery Private Pilot by Jeppesen, because the owner of the company
said I would, basically, have to read certain sections.

(2) Galvin Flying Service is expensive, has 25 trainers, but uses the
busy (taxing time etc) Boeing airfield.

(3) Acuwings is also uses the quiet Renton airport, says they're more
customer friendly, will be "starting" a new/free ground training class
in Jan, use old aircraft (80's), will teach me on a Tomahawk. A person
there told me to learn from an instructor who I like.

(4) Wings Aloft has 15 to 20 instructors, requires a membership, and I
will call them back to talk to the right person.

(5) PremAir is open Monday through Friday, but I have to call them
back to see what they offer.

(6) Northway Aviation is about an hour away, so it's too far to drive.

It appears that I can get the license in about 6 months if I take
lessons two to three times a week (Saturday, Sunday, Monday) for about
an hour each time.

So what should I do,
Christopher Lusardi

P.S.: It's all for fun and remotely work related. But, I can be able
to pretend that I will to become an astronaut some day. [[:-))

I don't know the location and the specific schools in this discussion
but the general advice you have received from both Bob and Jim is
excellent and I wouldn't add anything to what they have already said
except to stress one factor they have covered; that being the most
important aspect of this equation involves the specific instructor you
choose after deciding on the venue.
I can't stress this strongly enough. The instructor you choose and what
you learn from that instructor will follow you into your tenure as a
pilot. If the instructor is poor, you can pass the test and will most
likely pick up on your own what it takes to be a good pilot in X amount
of time.
If the instructor is good, you will save all this "catching up" period
between the test and X and reaching X you will be leaps and bounds ahead
of where you would be had the CFI been bad.
Pick carefully. It's a VERY important decision!


--
Dudley Henriques