Exploring Flight School Options SMO, TOA, VNY

[Retro Manger]

Hello everybody,
this is my first official thread/post after my introductory one and I consider it my first 'real' thread.
Once again - thank you for having me here!

I am looking at some options for doing a flight review at one of the following airports: SMO, VNY or TOA.
TOA is a bit far from my current location, but I can fix that. I know they have cheap 152 there and even tiny, I love to fly that bird.
While researching, I found Santa Monica Flyers, about whom I don't know much, besides that their prices seems to be a bit steep. I can live with that for the review though.
For VNY, I've heard about Encore and that they have affordable planes, but that is all. Somewhere in the back of my head I think someone complained from them. Not sure though.

I will be doing review on a 61.75 and I am trying to avoid the option for being squeezed for money from the school. I have some experience in LA basin, but from what I've heard last decade much have changed and now things are more ruthless in terms of prices.
What I am looking for is an advise based on experience. Which one would you suggest and why?
I would prefer to fly in more relaxed area, that is why VNY seems to be better than TOA. SMO guys emailed and told me they are usually heading out for Malibu which should be fine.
TOA on the other hand is surrounded by airspace, which might cause some unnecessary stress, but the cheap 152 is tempting.
I am open to suggestions and would gladly clarify if any additional questions arise. Those are just airports that I thought of, there might be others that I haven't considered, so please advise!
Thanx

 

[Hippike]

Hi and welcome to POA,

I started my PPL training at SM Flyers. Lovely school but expensive AF. CFIs hourly rates are around $95-$110. They have sportcruisers, 172, 172RG and recently acquired an older lady, a 1977 C-182RG. The 172 hourly is $167, plus every time you land at SMO, it's additional $13. Also, if you pay by credit card, there is a 3% transaction fee. Apart from being on the $$$ side, I love them dearly and can't say one bad thing about them. Malibu practice area is where they take you for steep turns, stalls, etc.

My CFI left me mid-training, so I went to American Aviation at VNY to complete my training. Little family owned business with nice people, very laid back atmosphere. C-172 is about 160/h, CFI was $75. No landing fee at VNY and R16L is due to open tomorrow! Simi practice area is what we used but sometimes would head over the mountains to the Malibu p.area.

Also VNY based is Baymark Aviation. They are just awesome! I accidentally got involved with them. After I got my license, American Aviation sold "my" check ride plane to Baymark. I love that plane and wanted to keep flying it, so I called up Baymark and had a check out flight with them on the 172. Next year I plan on getting checked out in a low wing plane with them. They have Pipers, Grunman, 152 ($110/h) and my beloved 172 ($155/h). I think they might be raising prices come next year.

I heard bad things about Encore from two different students/pilots. Don't know Encore but two negatives were enough for me to stay away from that school.

Pacific Skies Aviation at TOA is where I did my complex and high performance endorsement on the school's turbo normalized C182RG. I loved PSA, the CFI was incredible, even though he was the youngest CFI I ever had (about 23) he was the best fit for me with his particular teaching style. Their airplanes are in neat condition. They also have 172, 152, Piper and the TR-182 (and animal crackers in the kitchen ).
I live in Santa Monica and didn't mind the drive to Torrance on weekend mornings, but the traffic on the way home sucked. We used the Palos Verdes practice area.

If you need more info, names, numbers - PM me

Good luck!

 

[Clip4]

Hello everybody,
this is my first official thread/post after my introductory one and I consider it my first 'real' thread.
Once again - thank you for having me here!

I am looking at some options for doing a flight review at one of the following airports: SMO, VNY or TOA.
TOA is a bit far from my current location, but I can fix that. I know they have cheap 152 there and even tiny, I love to fly that bird.
While researching, I found Santa Monica Flyers, about whom I don't know much, besides that their prices seems to be a bit steep. I can live with that for the review though.
For VNY, I've heard about Encore and that they have affordable planes, but that is all. Somewhere in the back of my head I think someone complained from them. Not sure though.

I will be doing review on a 61.75 and I am trying to avoid the option for being squeezed for money from the sczhool. I have some experience in LA basin, but from what I've heard last decade much have changed and now things are more ruthless in terms of prices.
What I am looking for is an advise based on experience. Which one would you suggest and why?
I would prefer to fly in more relaxed area, that is why VNY seems to be better than TOA. SMO guys emailed and told me they are usually heading out for Malibu which should be fine.
TOA on the other hand is surrounded by airspace, which might cause some unnecessary stress, but the cheap 152 is tempting.
I am open to suggestions and would gladly clarify if any additional questions arise. Those are just airports that I thought of, there might be others that I haven't considered, so please advise!
Thanx

I can only guess what doing a review under a 61.75 means, but a flight review requires you demonstrate skills and knowledge to the level of the certificate held.

 

[Retro Manger]

Hippike - Thanx! I will PM you with additional questions quite soon.
Clip4 - the review for 61.75 is a bit more in depth compared to a standard flight review for FAA PPL holders. At least its what I heard. It is logical, since it should be in between a standard checkride and a flight review.