Best flight schools for training in Florida?

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Tim Budagov

Filing Flight Plan
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Tim Budagov
Best flight schools for professional training in Florida?Your experience
Also what you think about ATP flight school?Thank you!
 
If you have ∞ money to blow ----> ERAU - Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University out of KDAB

More seriously though - You have quite a few options all over Florida. Try not to go through a puppy mill. Find a real flight school where you will benefit not just from being able to meet ACS standards.

Obligatorily I 100% advise against Atlas Aviation out of KTPF even though their Aircraft are very well maintained. I trusted them with my training for a rating and they disappointed me immensely by letting a CFI blatantly build hours off of me and not being committed to my training. They got mad I left and removed me from being able to rent from them as retaliation for refusing further training, cashing out my balance, and booking it to another school. Never even apologized to me. I won't let them forget that. To add more insult to injury they took over the FBO at Plant City KPCM recently where I had a good relationship with the previous owners and rented all the time from. Now I got alienated from there since Altas took over. Mike said "We'll call you" Never did. :sad:

But yea, someone might chime in here and might recommend a school they had a good experience with (or didn't). It should narrow your search down.

In Tampa area out of the 5 I've had experience with renting and/or getting instruction..... I would vouch for Tampa Bay aviation out of KPIE & KCLW. They're first to come to mind when I think of competent - family style - friendly - involved instruction. Couldn't think of a single sad moment with them.
 
I've heard a lot of bad things about ATP. They just want your money and if you don't move fast enough they will kick you out. I did my Private training at Eglin Aero Club at KVPS. They were great. There's another school just south at KDTS that I've had friends do their training there and they have good things to say about that school. I'm currently at Auburn's flight school. If you have any questions about that lmk. Where in Florida are you at?
 
There is one talked about in this book that might appeal to those on a strict budget and not too worried about aircraft condition or owner shenanigans.
 
Cirrus out of SRQ has a professional pilot program,linked to Liberty University. Ive only rented from them for a couple of flight reviews. Find them. to be professional.
 
Be careful with some of the schools booked full with foreign pilots. You can easily end up in the slow lane as they try to meet the contract time limitations. I’ve heard 3 similar stories recently.
 
I can’t speak from experience but I’d also be careful about the schools located within the POTUS TFRs. Could be a PITA as far as scheduling goes.
 
Any particular area of Florida that you are interested in? I can speak to more than a few from Palm Beach to Miami.
 
Tim Budagov said:
Best flight schools for professional training in Florida?Your experience
Also what you think about ATP flight school?Thank you!
Click to expand...
The outfit that I retired from (BristowGroup) has a flight school in Titusville, FL. Once called the Bristow Accadamy, now called U.S. Aviation Training solutions (USATS) They do ab inito SE & ME in a few Diamond A/C. Mostly they train in a fleet of helos. Schweizer 300, R-22's & BH 206B's.
I did difference training & recurrent training with Flight Safety, Int (FSI) at Palm Beach (KPBI). They do Sikorsky, Lear and Piaggio Avanti there. Awesome, Excelent. Great resteraunt just steps away.
Bob
 
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