Best flight school in the USA?

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Tommy3

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Tom
Hi everyone--

I'm a fairly new Private Pilot currently living overseas. I'm going to take a week off in December and devote it completely to flying. I want to be a better, safer pilot. The training would include lots of dual time, I assume, and spin training would be nice too. In any case I'd like it all to be XC PIC in support of a future instrument rating (not a problem, no?)

Does anyone have suggestions about a first-rate flight school? Fair prices are important; even more are excellent and friendly instructors. I'm flexible on location; someplace where the weather will cooperate, I suppose.

I'd also be grateful for any suggestions about specific courses of instruction. I'm basically a newly-minted 75hr Private Pilot who's not flown in six months or so.

Thank you!
 
I can't suggest you the best flight school as it depends on what you have in your area and what you want to fly. If you don't already know I can explain how to get a list of flight schools in your area and then you can check them all out and make up your mind.

If you want the best available for aerobatics I'd recommend Tutima Academy (Sean Tucker's school). http://www.tutimaacademy.com/#/
But that's just my biost opinion.
 
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Right, so I'm living overseas and will be visiting the States. So I don't have an "area". I'll go anywhere.

I guess all things being equal I'd like to train in a tricycle-gear plane like the C152. But in the end I just want to be a better, safer pilot.


MachFly said:
I can't suggest you the best flight school as it depends on what you have in your area and what you want to fly. If you don't already know I can explain how to get a list of flight schools in your area and then you can check them all out and make up your mind.

If you want the best available for aerobatics I'd recommend Tutima Academy (Sean Tucker's school). http://www.tutimaacademy.com/#/
But that's just my biost opinion.
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I misread your OP and thought you were looking for aerobatics. Specifically what are you looking for? Just stick & rudder skills, IFR, mountain flying, ect...?

The reason why I'm asking is because the "best" schools specify in a specific type of training. For example a lot of people consider Embry-Riddle to be good but they wont teach you tailwheel unless you work for them.
 
I think it depends on a lot of factors such as how long you will be in the states. Will you be here for a limited amount of time or will you be here until you get your ticket. There are a lot of great schools in the U.S. and a lot that are willing to take your money. It sounds as if your looking for some customized training and if that is infact the case you may be better with an independant instructor who can work intensly with your scheudal.

This board is fortunate to have a few of those folks right here. Ted Dupuis in Pennsylvania , Jesse Angel in Nebraska and Ryan down in Texas. I am betting any of them can put together a fantastic program for you, help you locate lodging and help you secure and aircraft. You can send any a PM.

If your set on a traditional school, you will probably want to fly in Florida or the Southwest where you are likely to get the longest stretches of good weather although there are some fantastic schools all over the country. There is no BEST school.
 
Tom,

I'd be glad to help you, and I think that where I live (Pennsylvania) is an excellent place for flight training. Plus, I do a lot of routine XCs in piston twins, which you could come along on and would help you further.

Send me a PM and we can discuss what you're looking for, and see about coming up with a plan that would suit you.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Tom,

I'd be glad to help you, and I think that where I live (Pennsylvania) is an excellent place for flight training. Plus, I do a lot of routine XCs in piston twins, which you could come along on and would help you further.

Send me a PM and we can discuss what you're looking for, and see about coming up with a plan that would suit you.
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And PA is beautiful to fly over as well. Plus Ted is a damn good pilot.
 
If you r looking to build time and just spend a week or so to improve ur flying skills I would recommend area I know i.E. Northern California, Ahart in Livermore , Tradewind Aviation Reid Hill View airport in San Jose and finally my home airport Tracy, California
Skyview Aviation, very reasonably priced but older planes. U could also go on AOPA.org and look for some schools in Florida
 
AdamZ said:
And PA is beautiful to fly over as well. Plus Ted is a damn good pilot.
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I try to be a halfway decent instructor, too. ;)
 
I was first going to suggest taking an independent instructor (such as those mentioned) and a plane on a tour of the US. Then I noted you said "Fair prices are important." If you mean that literally, then my suggestion stands. If you mean you're looking for the lowest cost, then maybe not so much so. OTOH, you can turn it into a whole vacation and get some great training (and maybe even that IR) out of it! In December, I think that, even with Ted, you're more likely to be flying on a given day in the South than in the North. I would definitely take the opportunity to get some new (to you) airplane time, though. Go for a taildragger (despite your stated preference for nosewheel) or multi-engine. Or, as you suggest, do some spin and upset recovery training.
 
Tommy3 said:
Hi everyone--

I'm a fairly new Private Pilot currently living overseas. I'm going to take a week off in December and devote it completely to flying. I want to be a better, safer pilot. The training would include lots of dual time, I assume, and spin training would be nice too. In any case I'd like it all to be XC PIC in support of a future instrument rating (not a problem, no?)

Does anyone have suggestions about a first-rate flight school? Fair prices are important; even more are excellent and friendly instructors. I'm flexible on location; someplace where the weather will cooperate, I suppose.

I'd also be grateful for any suggestions about specific courses of instruction. I'm basically a newly-minted 75hr Private Pilot who's not flown in six months or so.

Thank you!
Click to expand...
The spin training for one will probably NOT be X/C most likely, so not all of the time would be X/C if you did that. If you did it carefully, you might be able to get the tailwheel endorsement and some spins in in a tailwheel airplane, and then you could combine some X/C with a high performance / complex rating with something like a 210. Also, you'd likely see more countryside in a faster plane. If you were just flying a plane X/C, an Archer II for instance will cruise faster than most 172s for about the same price.
A lot depends on your budget, the airplane rental costs, and other things. Weather can be a factor anywhere, but I'd suspect that down south would be more likely to have have decent weather in December.

Ryan
 
Picking a location where you are more likely to have good weather for the week is a good idea. Nevada, Arizona, Texas or Florida might be good areas. Flight Safety and Simuflight seem to be the gold standards in flight training. American Flyers is also has a very good reputation.

Here in north Texas, US flight academy is good for international students. They are doing a lot of training for China airlines right now. I'm not sure if they operate 24 hours/day but they might. Anytime day or night that I go by there they are open and operating.

Make sure that you jump through the security hoops before showing up.
http://www.flightsafety.com/fs_tsa_index.php
 
One thing you might look into since you will be here for only one week, is the typical weather for that week of the year in that location. It sure would be ashamed to spend the whole week weathered in.

My $0.02,
Doc
 
I'd recommend Southern California. You can't beat the weather or the sights, but rentals are expensive there.
 
AirDC said:
I'd recommend Southern California. You can't beat the weather or the sights, but rentals are expensive there.
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Agreed. If you coming here just to do your flight training look for something in the south west, you don't want to be ground for a week due to weather.
 
I am very happy with the flight school I use. www.TridentAircraft.com. This is a great place to fly too. Here is the airport http://www.aopa.org/airports/w29 There are all kinds of places to do XC's to the east of here. If you want Class Bravo experience or more then head west and there is all kinds of fun to be had. They have 152's, 172's, a Christen Eagle, Decathlon, 182 G1000, several Cirrus, and more.
 
yachtjim said:
I am very happy with the flight school I use. www.TridentAircraft.com. This is a great place to fly too. Here is the airport http://www.aopa.org/airports/w29 There are all kinds of places to do XC's to the east of here. If you want Class Bravo experience or more then head west and there is all kinds of fun to be had. They have 152's, 172's, a Christen Eagle, Decathlon, 182 G1000, several Cirrus, and more.
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Are you kidding me? Maryland in December?:yikes:
 
MachFly said:
I never flown in Maryland or Florida but I'd think Florida should be worse because of all the t-storms & hurricanes.
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They tend to be pretty predictable and localized. They're unlikely to wipe out an entire week of flying. On the northeast coast, however, you stand a pretty good chance of a longish stretch of poor weather. Now, Maryland may be far enough south to be able to avoid some of that, especially the icing concern that I'd have. But if you're betting your week-long vacation on being able to do some serious flying, I'd choose somewhere that's a surer bet then MD.
 
gprellwitz said:
They tend to be pretty predictable and localized. They're unlikely to wipe out an entire week of flying. On the northeast coast, however, you stand a pretty good chance of a longish stretch of poor weather. Now, Maryland may be far enough south to be able to avoid some of that, especially the icing concern that I'd have. But if you're betting your week-long vacation on being able to do some serious flying, I'd choose somewhere that's a surer bet then MD.
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I see, and I agree about the north east (used to fly around there). Sometimes you do have weeks when you wont be flying.
 
No hurricanes in December, and probably not many T-storms either in FL. But the safest place to get good flying weather for a week in Dec has to be the SW US, with AZ being the most likely option.
 
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