RalphInCA
Cleared for Takeoff
Looking to the combined wisdom of this board to help me decide which direction I should go with my flight training. Here is my situation:
Originally earned my PPL in the early 1980s. Got about 200 hours and then had to stop flying because "life got in the way". Kids, mortgage, career.
Returned to flying about 4 years ago, got another 25 or so hours with an instructor flying a Remos. He had just signed me off to fly on my own, and I lost my job and had to stop flying. Bummer.
Now, four years later I am finally in a position to start flying again.
Today I visited a couple of airports around here to start learning about my flight instruction options. Seems I have three options.
1. SoCal Flying Club at KPOC is a fairly professional outfit with some nice airplanes (Diamond D40s) and a few Cessnas. CFIs are employed by the club. Typical Part 61 outfit where the emphasis is getting the student flying and using an instruction approach that is tailored to the student.
I spoke to a CFI there and what he wanted to was get me up in the airplane, assess my skills and then tailor a move forward plan from there.
2. Global Air Academy at KPOC did not have as nice airplanes (a fleet of three well used 172s, including a 172RG), or as nice an office, but the Chief CFI and business owner, talked much more about having me become the best pilot I can possibly be then how fast we can get flying. He suggested I spend a lot of time learning on the ground, through books, and other means (including "Chair flying" in front of a picture of the 172 cockpit) before we get to the airplane. His approach was to learn how to do the maneuvers and how to fly the airplane on the ground, and then use air time to reinforce what was learned on the ground.
3. Foothill Flying Club at KCCB was a typical flying club. They have a wide range of aircraft from 152s to Bonanzas, but they do not employ any CFIs. They have a list of CFIs that I could call. Flight instruction would be between me and the self employed CFIs. Whole feel of this place was more "good ol Boy" and grassroots than the other two places.
What would you do?
My goal is to become current, and then get my instrument rating. Not in any hurry. Wouldn't bother me to spend a year or more doing the above, since I consider the training as much fun as actually flying somewhere.
Originally earned my PPL in the early 1980s. Got about 200 hours and then had to stop flying because "life got in the way". Kids, mortgage, career.
Returned to flying about 4 years ago, got another 25 or so hours with an instructor flying a Remos. He had just signed me off to fly on my own, and I lost my job and had to stop flying. Bummer.
Now, four years later I am finally in a position to start flying again.
Today I visited a couple of airports around here to start learning about my flight instruction options. Seems I have three options.
1. SoCal Flying Club at KPOC is a fairly professional outfit with some nice airplanes (Diamond D40s) and a few Cessnas. CFIs are employed by the club. Typical Part 61 outfit where the emphasis is getting the student flying and using an instruction approach that is tailored to the student.
I spoke to a CFI there and what he wanted to was get me up in the airplane, assess my skills and then tailor a move forward plan from there.
2. Global Air Academy at KPOC did not have as nice airplanes (a fleet of three well used 172s, including a 172RG), or as nice an office, but the Chief CFI and business owner, talked much more about having me become the best pilot I can possibly be then how fast we can get flying. He suggested I spend a lot of time learning on the ground, through books, and other means (including "Chair flying" in front of a picture of the 172 cockpit) before we get to the airplane. His approach was to learn how to do the maneuvers and how to fly the airplane on the ground, and then use air time to reinforce what was learned on the ground.
3. Foothill Flying Club at KCCB was a typical flying club. They have a wide range of aircraft from 152s to Bonanzas, but they do not employ any CFIs. They have a list of CFIs that I could call. Flight instruction would be between me and the self employed CFIs. Whole feel of this place was more "good ol Boy" and grassroots than the other two places.
What would you do?
My goal is to become current, and then get my instrument rating. Not in any hurry. Wouldn't bother me to spend a year or more doing the above, since I consider the training as much fun as actually flying somewhere.