Finding a flight instructor

Thanks for your help. But honestly Florida isn't where I want to go,
I'd prefer to find an instructor in the area of California, Nevada or
New Mexico. Money isn't an issue at all, I pay more if I get the
instruction I want, but I want to avoid the experience I made with my
last flight school (quite good instructor that now works for an airline
but shabby planes and a too much $$$-oriented way of working). I want
to get instructions in a high performance/complex airplane and also get
some spin training as well.

I had a look at the Airnav.com website but only could find a search
engine for airports. Am I missing something?

Tom

I had some of my hrs in C-152s and C-172s at a flight school in
California. Before I went to them I searched the web with google and
mailed every flight school I could find. Most of them answered, but
honestly from most of them who answered I got the impression that the
main priority is my money. That's one reason I want to avoid flight
schools as much as possible and go with an independent instructor
instead.

Tom

Tom wrote:
I had some of my hrs in C-152s and C-172s at a flight school in
California. Before I went to them I searched the web with google and
mailed every flight school I could find. Most of them answered, but
honestly from most of them who answered I got the impression that the
main priority is my money. That's one reason I want to avoid flight
schools as much as possible and go with an independent instructor
instead.

Tom

Find FBOs in your area of interest and look at their web pages. Most
list the price per hour for each of their planes and for instructors.
So you'll see "solo" or "dual" rates listed. I think you will be very
lucky to get free instuction. One of the advantages of becoming a CFI
is that you can charge for your time to help pay for food, etc.

You might check out one of the specialty schools, like the "Top Gun" schools
that teach you dogfighting and aerobatics in T34's or other ex military
aircraft.

We have a fellow near us who gives dual in his Stearman. It is legally a
"high performance" aircraft. His has a 300 HP Lycoming for power. Of
course its "high performance" is still 90 mph! :-) But then, it is really a
blast to fly ...

Highflyer
Highflight Aviation Services
Pinckneyville Airport ( PJY )

"Tom" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello! I'm living in europe, but now I decided to take the step and
become a real pilot with everything and such. I want to travel to the
United States next summer and get some flight training there. I already
have some flight time (~40hrs) on C-152s, C-172 and some much more
powerful planes. Being a pilot also helps me with my career (I'm
working in aerospace). I don't want to go to a flight school but
instead pay a free instructor to teach me. But I couldn't find anything
on the net, I only found flight schools. Can someone here help me or
give me some advice? What I'm looking for is a free experienced
instructor (ex-military or active military pilot preferred) located
somewhere in the California, Nevada or New Mexico area. If he has it's
own high performance plane that would be even better.

Does anyone know where I can look for a suitable instructor? Or perhaps
someone already can recommend a instructor.

Tom

As a CFI, I thought I'd throw my .02 in here. I assume Tom means
"independent" when he says "free instructor." I doubt you'd find an
instructor to fly for free... You can't go wrong weather-wise if you
train in the southwest. Biggest issue is the heat if you're going to be
training during the summer. Get out early in the morning before the
temps reach triple digits and/or fly in the early evening (or both if
you're REALLY motivated, but don't burn yourself out).

As far as training in high-performance & complex aircraft - that will
wait until you have the PPL. There's no sense in complicating the
process (and spending more $$) by getting into a 182 or Arrow before
you've got your license. IMO you can't beat a Warrior or 172 for a
primary trainer. The reality is no flight school will rent a high
performance or complex acft to a brandy-new pilot until the minimum
flight hours and HP/complex time requirements have been met (insurance
mandates)

Dogfighting and aerobatics in T34s and Stearmans are fun but the point
here is to get the PPL finished in a reasonable amount of time without
breaking the bank.

Wooly

Hello Wooly,

As a CFI, I thought I'd throw my .02 in here. I assume Tom means
"independent" when he says "free instructor."

Exactly. Holy ****, now I realize that I made a mistake by writing
"free" instead of "independent". So everybody here probably thinks I'm
looking for free (means: at no cost) instruction. No, that's definitely
not what I want. I really want an independent instructor who is not
bound to a flight school .

Sorry for the confusion, my english isn't too god at all.

I doubt you'd find an
instructor to fly for free...

Certainly not. But even if there would be one I doubt that it would be
worth it for both sides.

You can't go wrong weather-wise if you
train in the southwest. Biggest issue is the heat if you're going to be
training during the summer. Get out early in the morning before the
temps reach triple digits and/or fly in the early evening (or both if
you're REALLY motivated, but don't burn yourself out).

That's no problem, I know the heat thing from the time I had in CA on a
flight school.

As far as training in high-performance & complex aircraft - that will
wait until you have the PPL. There's no sense in complicating the
process (and spending more $$) by getting into a 182 or Arrow before
you've got your license. IMO you can't beat a Warrior or 172 for a
primary trainer. The reality is no flight school will rent a high
performance or complex acft to a brandy-new pilot until the minimum
flight hours and HP/complex time requirements have been met (insurance
mandates)

When I was in CA I flew with C-152 and C-172 on the first day, and
after the second day we moved to a PA-28 Arrow II for most part of the
remaining instruction (and a PA-34 Seneca for the other part). The
instructor was quite good, the school was not. I know that it's
difficult to find high performance/complex airplanes to rent for
not-yet pilots, but I'd be ready to pay a bit more per hr because so I
not only get instructions and regular flying hours but also
complex/high performance time which I had to build up separately
otherwise.

That's another reason why I think an independent instructor would be
better for me, because this would allow us to get planes from
everywhere and not only what the flight school offers.

Dogfighting and aerobatics in T34s and Stearmans are fun but the point
here is to get the PPL finished in a reasonable amount of time without
breaking the bank.

Right, and due to the accidents that happened in these dog fight
"schools" (especially with the T-34) I don't have too much trust in
them. It looks more like huge videogame in real-life for people that
had a overdose of the "Top Gun" movie. I'd prefer a ex-military
instructor because of his experience, not because I want to play dog
fights in the air.

Tom

Freelance= independent, so you were not to far away from the
correct English words.

Some military pilots have no experience outside the
military. Look for a CFI with experience as a 135 charter
pilot and as many other areas of aviation as you can.
Military pilots from the 40 and early 50s learned in Cubs
and Stearmans. Recent military pilots may have never flown
off grass, some can't even find a grass strip. Military
pilots are trained very well to do what they do, you may
want to elect several different CFIs as you progress in your
training. The CFI who is great in your private training may
not have any mountain experience or have flown in cold
weather. Some CFIs fly only to get the hours needed for the
right seat in a 737, others fly because they love airplanes
and like to teach. All CFIs pass the tests, but the test
are minimums and all pilots and CFI are not created the
same. Bottom line, find someone you get along with because
it is a lot like getting married without the sex.


--
Merry Christmas
Have a Safe and Happy New Year
Live Long and Prosper
Jim Macklin
"Tom" wrote in message
oups.com...
| Hello Wooly,
|
| As a CFI, I thought I'd throw my .02 in here. I assume
Tom means
| "independent" when he says "free instructor."
|
| Exactly. Holy ****, now I realize that I made a mistake by
writing
| "free" instead of "independent". So everybody here
probably thinks I'm
| looking for free (means: at no cost) instruction. No,
that's definitely
| not what I want. I really want an independent instructor
who is not
| bound to a flight school .
|
| Sorry for the confusion, my english isn't too god at all.
|
| I doubt you'd find an
| instructor to fly for free...
|
| Certainly not. But even if there would be one I doubt that
it would be
| worth it for both sides.
|
| You can't go wrong weather-wise if you
| train in the southwest. Biggest issue is the heat if
you're going to be
| training during the summer. Get out early in the morning
before the
| temps reach triple digits and/or fly in the early
evening (or both if
| you're REALLY motivated, but don't burn yourself out).
|
| That's no problem, I know the heat thing from the time I
had in CA on a
| flight school.
|
| As far as training in high-performance & complex
aircraft - that will
| wait until you have the PPL. There's no sense in
complicating the
| process (and spending more $$) by getting into a 182 or
Arrow before
| you've got your license. IMO you can't beat a Warrior or
172 for a
| primary trainer. The reality is no flight school will
rent a high
| performance or complex acft to a brandy-new pilot until
the minimum
| flight hours and HP/complex time requirements have been
met (insurance
| mandates)
|
| When I was in CA I flew with C-152 and C-172 on the first
day, and
| after the second day we moved to a PA-28 Arrow II for most
part of the
| remaining instruction (and a PA-34 Seneca for the other
part). The
| instructor was quite good, the school was not. I know that
it's
| difficult to find high performance/complex airplanes to
rent for
| not-yet pilots, but I'd be ready to pay a bit more per hr
because so I
| not only get instructions and regular flying hours but
also
| complex/high performance time which I had to build up
separately
| otherwise.
|
| That's another reason why I think an independent
instructor would be
| better for me, because this would allow us to get planes
from
| everywhere and not only what the flight school offers.
|
| Dogfighting and aerobatics in T34s and Stearmans are fun
but the point
| here is to get the PPL finished in a reasonable amount
of time without
| breaking the bank.
|
| Right, and due to the accidents that happened in these dog
fight
| "schools" (especially with the T-34) I don't have too
much trust in
| them. It looks more like huge videogame in real-life for
people that
| had a overdose of the "Top Gun" movie. I'd prefer a
ex-military
| instructor because of his experience, not because I want
to play dog
| fights in the air.
|
| Tom
|

Tom wrote:
That's no problem, I know the heat thing from the time I had in CA on a
flight school.

I thought you said you went to northern California (Reid-Hillview
as a matter of fact); in that case, believe me, you don't
know what the heat thing is yet :-) (it can get a lot worse than
that)

That's another reason why I think an independent instructor would be
better for me, because this would allow us to get planes from
everywhere and not only what the flight school offers.

you can find free-lance instructors who operate from multiple clubs
in the Bay Area (the place you already know); I suppose it is not
uncommon.

--Sylvain

On 21 Dec 2005 15:14:32 -0800, "Tom" wrote:

Right, and due to the accidents that happened in these dog fight
"schools" (especially with the T-34) I don't have too much trust in
them. It looks more like huge videogame in real-life for people that
had a overdose of the "Top Gun" movie.

I think you're headed in the right direction. If you find an old
codger out there without a military background, don't pass him by just
because of that.

z

Right, and due to the accidents that happened in these dog fight
"schools" (especially with the T-34) I don't have too much trust in
them. It looks more like huge videogame in real-life for people that
had a overdose of the "Top Gun" movie.

I think you're headed in the right direction.

Well, I want to fly and not playing jeopardy with my life. Besides
that, I simply find it silly playing "Top Gun" in the air in old
airplanes that probably have been overstressed several times which a
high probability of suffering from a structural failure.

If you find an old
codger out there without a military background, don't pass him by just
because of that.

Certainly not. But the reason I would prefer a military pilot is that I
can benefit from his experience the same way as say a student who aimes
at ATPL could benefit from the experience of an airline captain. As I
said getting flight instructions is not only there for pleasure (of
course it's a very big part pleasure also since I really love flying!)
but also a benefit for my job. Sorry that I can't go too deep into
details but I probably won't spend that much hours in a Cessna or Piper
after I have a CPL certificate (which is my final goal).

Happy New Year!

Tom