Accelerated Instrument Training

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explrlamb

Filing Flight Plan
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Explrlamb
I'm close to pulling the trigger on scheduling accelerated instrument training. I can find lots of folks saying good and bad things about various programs however very few indicate how long ago they completed the training. I live relatively close to Gatts but recently I've seen some reviews that indicate the quality has changed or it has been sold in the last couple of years. I'm looking for anyone that has gone through Gatts in the last couple of years to share their experience. If Gatts doesn't work out I'm looking at OBX with Scott Best which has lots of good reviews recently but is much further away from me. Any comments/reviews from recent attendees to either or other great programs would be greatly appreciated.
 
I did GATTS and was happy with what I got. My instructor was really the only contact I had with them. I definitely learned in less total hours than it would have taken doing 2 - 3 times/week. It was also really hard at that pace. Both GATTS and Scott Best were booked out pretty far. I'm the opposite to you, Scott is much closer to me. I ended up going with GATTS because they had an opening first. Not sure post COVID what the lead times look like. I believe the person who started GATTS is not as involved, and his son is doing more. Again, I really only dealt with my instructor, so it kind of didn't matter.
 
Regardless of who you go through, I say go for it. I used a local flight school that offered the same & was quite happy with them & my decision to go accelerated at the end. Albeit I paid a steeper price than what OBX-Scott Best is charging... His website makes it look like a nice operation that’s dedicated to folks like us-regular pilots who want their IFR & he has a passion for it.

Personally even more so than private, there’s no reason to dawdle for IFR. The knowledge skills, procedures, information are just as easy to forget during week to week lessons as were the manual flying skills during PPL. Come in with a passed test and good online ground school to be already immersed in some of the lingo/chart reading and it clicks together well. (Although there are some hit-the-wall days of overload too)
 
Some time ago when I was considering an accelerated course, I was looking at OBX and Scott Best. They were booked up until this fall (this was back in the winter when I was looking). I decided to go a more local, drawn out route, so I didn't end up going with them. But about a month ago, I got an email from Scott's wife Lisa letting me know that Scott is going to retire and run the school full-time. Which was opening up more slots for students. Their school looks really good and they were super helpful even though I didn't end up training with them. Lisa even sent me a bunch of study material for when I was taking my written. Just super nice people.
 
From my personal experience, avoid GATTS and go with Scott if those are the two you are selecting.
 
Check out Marsh Flying Services out of El Dorado, KS. I can't comment on IFR training I only flew with Caleb one time for 2.0 when I was on vacation in KS. I was a low time student looking to get another CFI's perspective and just log some time on vacation. Def learned a ton in 2.0 and landed on a short soft field for the first time in Beaumont. IMO it would be worth a google search and a phone conversation at the very least... Just my .02
 
OP is near Omaha....

@Matthew and @ja_user ... do you know anyone in the Central Plains that might accommodate him other than GATTS?
 
There is a guy at 1k1, can’t remember his name.
 
My experience with Gatts was fantastic but it was more than 5 years ago. Like Hang4, other than scheduling the training before I started, almost all of my interaction was with my instructor. He was great but I’d be shocked if he hadn’t moved on to the airlines since then.

gary
 
Just remembered this one....

http://www.venturenorthaviation.com near Duluth, MN

I know of a few folks who have gone there for IFR, CPL, and CFI-I. All said very good things about this operation.

But call now if you want a slot before the deep of winter happens. They are very popular.... Back in February (before COVID), I called for CFI initial and was told they were booked solid for 6-months.
 
I did mine with PIC (www.iflyifr.com i think). Very satisfied, but that was maybe 12-13 yrs ago. Showed up to my house with this crappy looking old fashioned analog trainer box and I thought ‘ugh what is this.’ Worked just fine for teaching procedures. In-air portion was great, we did not shy away from wx. You do have to absolutely clear the decks for 10 days though. Don’t think you willbe answering emails or taking conference calls in the evening. You are immersed. I sent the fam out of town for most of it and that turned out to be wise.

I would absolutely make the same choice. Then follow it up with an IFR flying experience with Field Morey, Doug Stewart, or similar offering.
 
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