Hartford, CT area recommendations

jpower

jpower

Cleared for Takeoff
Joined
Mar 13, 2012
Messages
1,350
Location
Northern Virginia
Display Name
Display name:
James
Hello all!

It looks like I've secured an internship at Pratt & Whitney for the summer working in East Hartford, CT. I'm looking to rent for a while to get to my 50 (by then probably 40ish) hours of XC time and probably start working towards my instrument rating. I'm also looking to brush up on the stick and rudder fundamentals, because my flying lately has been pretty irregular.

Any recommendations of places to rent? Good flight schools? Specific CFIs? HFD looks like the closest airport to where I'll be, but I'd be willing to drive a bit for better planes (mainly in terms of price), better availability, or better instruction.

Thanks!
 
CapeCodJay said:
Do you know where you'll be living?
Click to expand...

Not yet. P&W has an arrangement with the University of Hartford, so it might be on their campus. Otherwise, I was poking around at West Hartford, but I really haven't started seriously looking. So any Hartford area living suggestions would be welcome as well :). I will have a car, though.
 
I live in West Hartford myself. It's really THE place to live if you're going to live near Hartford. Hartford is well, rough.
You may also want to look at Manchester & Glastonbury as other options.
Manchester will be cheaper and it is very convenient to highways, etc.

UofH's campus is nice, and it's in a decent area.

Keep me posted, I'll also post you some aviation info.
 
Jason - is there an FBO or fuel at IJD yet? I lived in Marlborough for 18 years . . .moved in 2010.

I'd guess your best bet is either Interstate Aviation in Plainfield or one of the flying clubs at HFD - the rental airplanes at PFC can be a little rough or expensive - If you want to work on grass strip and or tailwheel Simsbury is a neat little airport buried under the BDL Charlie. . . .
 
comanchepilot said:
Jason - is there an FBO or fuel at IJD yet? I lived in Marlborough for 18 years . . .moved in 2010.

I'd guess your best bet is either Interstate Aviation in Plainfield or one of the flying clubs at HFD - the rental airplanes at PFC can be a little rough or expensive - If you want to work on grass strip and or tailwheel Simsbury is a neat little airport buried under the BDL Charlie. . . .
Click to expand...

Too cool - no one knows where our neck of the woods is! Did you ever fly out of Salmon River (grass strip) in Marlborough?

Yes IJD has what you can at best call an FBO. It's a **** poor excuse for one. A charter jet company from the White Plains area is using IJD for hangar/mechanic space and they are "running" the FBO.
I really wish they had a better more GA friendly environment because it's really a great airport!
 
If you're staging out of P&W, have you looked at Brainard (kHFD)?
It's right across the river from where you are working -- almost a literal stone's throw.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if the company has a fling club. I'd start there. Or if UofH has one to....
 
CapeCodJay said:
Too cool - no one knows where our neck of the woods is! Did you ever fly out of Salmon River (grass strip) in Marlborough?

Yes IJD has what you can at best call an FBO. It's a **** poor excuse for one. A charter jet company from the White Plains area is using IJD for hangar/mechanic space and they are "running" the FBO.
I really wish they had a better more GA friendly environment because it's really a great airport!
Click to expand...

Well, is there fuel yet? I know both owners of Freedom Jets and the litigation it spawned - which closed down the fuel operation - I also heard that Sensenich got the short end of the stick too. Is the flying school back open yet?

I presume George is the only maintenance on field right now unless its kerosene powered -

I was there from 2000-2010 - I know everyone on field. . . .and their sordid histories. . . :D :D

And yeah, I flew my Cherokee in and out of Salmon River a couple of times in 2003 and 2004 - and in summer flew a rented Citabria in and out - nothing much at Salmon River unless you have a reason to be there - its 2 miles from 'town' with zero transport options except your feet.
 
comanchepilot said:
I'd guess your best bet is either Interstate Aviation in Plainfield or one of the flying clubs at HFD - the rental airplanes at PFC can be a little rough or expensive - If you want to work on grass strip and or tailwheel Simsbury is a neat little airport buried under the BDL Charlie. . . .
Click to expand...

Yeah, I noticed Interstate. Do they have good instructors and rates? It's weird...there don't seem to be any rental rates published online for any outfits in CT. I'll give them a call at some point to find out the latest rates.
 
I have lived in Farmington, Manchester and Rocky Hill.

If most of your time is spent in East Hartford, Manchester wouldn't be a bad place. It's a bit rough around the edges, but some of the old silk-mills have been converted into Loft Apartments and that area is mostly occupied by people who work in Hartford. Glastonbury is nice if you are into the suburban thing with well-to-do housewives pushing around strollers while wearing Uggs :D .

If you spend a lot of time at the University campus, West Hartford would really be the choice location. Hartford itself is a rough place, no redeeming features except for a good public library.

I dont know much about flying. Robertson airport in Plainville looks like a nice little GA airport. There is also a field in Simsbury, I dont know how much of a rental outfit is there. Back then they had a fairly active flying club with several aircraft .
 
I lived in Ellington CT for a bit near Rockville. Its been many years but the best thing about East Hartford is that it had a 10 Plex there was not much else there. As for living arrangments you might try to find a room to let at the old colt arms factory apartments, Bloomfield isn't too bad either. The city pretty much rolled its sidewalks up at night. I think your best bet is at Brainard HFD you could also try out Ellington (7B9) You will learn short fields if you fly there. They have a helicopter school but not sure about a flight school. if your going to find a rental there my guess is it would be a single person or very small outfit.
 
I am based at HFD and got my PPL ticket at PFC. It's really the only option among the airports for instrument training if you want real IMC work. 4B8 Robertson, Simsbury and others don't have tower, ILS, or long enough runway for instrument training n my opinion. PFC was a good flight school but they don't have enough instructors so you have to book them early. On the other hand they have plenty of planes and an Arrow which is lightly used and well equipped. You can get your complex with it. There's another flight school on the field it I don't have any experience with them. Feel free to PM me if you want more info.
 
Jps19602002@mac.com said:
4B8 Robertson, Simsbury and others don't have tower, ILS, or long enough runway for instrument training n my opinion.
Click to expand...

The nice thing about planes is: They can fly to places. Neither Simsbury nor Robertson have approaches, but you can fly to all those other airports that do have them within minutes.
 
AdamZ said:
I lived in Ellington CT for a bit near Rockville. Its been many years but the best thing about East Hartford is that it had a 10 Plex there was not much else there. As for living arrangments you might try to find a room to let at the old colt arms factory apartments, Bloomfield isn't too bad either. The city pretty much rolled its sidewalks up at night. I think your best bet is at Brainard HFD you could also try out Ellington (7B9) You will learn short fields if you fly there. They have a helicopter school but not sure about a flight school. if your going to find a rental there my guess is it would be a single person or very small outfit.
Click to expand...

Yeah that movie theater closed quite a while ago - just weeds now :yesnod:
 
CapeCodJay said:
Yeah that movie theater closed quite a while ago - just weeds now :yesnod:
Click to expand...

Wow is there anything left on the east side of the river. That was quite the place 20 years ago. I even recall going to the Vernon Cine for like a buck a movie.
 
AdamZ said:
Wow is there anything left on the east side of the river. That was quite the place 20 years ago. I even recall going to the Vernon Cine for like a buck a movie.
Click to expand...

A big white elephant of a football stadium that sits on what used to be the P&W company airport :mad: .
 
weilke said:
The nice thing about planes is: They can fly to places. Neither Simsbury nor Robertson have approaches, but you can fly to all those other airports that do have them within minutes.
Click to expand...

Yeah but if everywhere is socked in, IMC all over New England, you might be able to leave Robertson, but you won't make it back home again without any instrument approaches. So getting actual IMC becomes a challenge.

How much of a problem/benefit is getting actual time during training? Approaches to minimums?
 
jpower said:
Yeah but if everywhere is socked in, IMC all over New England, you might be able to leave Robertson, but you won't make it back home again without any instrument approaches. So getting actual IMC becomes a challenge.

How much of a problem/benefit is getting actual time during training? Approaches to minimums?
Click to expand...

Getting actual instrument time during training is invaluable. Flying under the hood is nothing like the real thing, I can't believe they even allow us to count it. Having lived in that area, for a while, I dont remember it being low IFR a whole lot, except for some stretches in deep winter. Sure, those days are a no-go if you are at a VFR field, unless you think ahead and reposition the plane anticipating a nice IMC day from the forecasts.

Today I went to shoot some approaches, ceiling was low enough for the approaches to count but high enough to depart the planes base VFR and pick up the clearance in the air. That field does have a VOR-A and a GPS approach, but it would have worked the same from a VFR field. The problem with departing Simsbury in the scuzz to get over to Bradley is the ridge in between. Same with Robertson.

It looks like they have surveyed the geography around Robertson in 2011 so they should get an approach at some point in the future.
 
I was doing a little more poking into this lately, and I see that CT Flight Academy at KHFD has more planes than I thought they did. They just got a new one too (well, new to them...it's a Tomahawk--their third, so it can't be that new) so it seems like they're probably a decently reputable business. Has anyone heard anything about them? Have any experience with them? It looks like their main business is catering to international flight training, and I don't even know if I can rent from them. However, I heard from my friends (erm...future summer employer) at Pratt & Whitney and depending on the rates, I might be able to swing an instrument rating. I have to be careful because I don't want to spend too much on the training and not have any left to fly with, but depending on the rates, it's conceivable.

I'm probably going to give them a call Monday...I just wanted to see if anyone here knows anything about them.
 
James,

Welcome to Pratt. I hope you enjoy the internship and get a lot out of the experience. You have probably heard that Pratt ends up hiring a lot of the interns that do well.
There is a flying club/partnership going on here. I think they are based out of HFD with an IFR Piper and an instructor. PM if you want and I will get you their contact info.
As someone said there isn’t much at Salmon River. I kinda like it though, its where I fly out of.

Matt
 
So the latest update: I just called over to the two facilities at KHFD, and their rental rates are astronomical. The inexpensive school is $160/hr for an IFR Warrior and $60/hr for "advanced instruction" for an instrument rating, but once you finish training, they don't let you rent. Whaaa? I just paid you guys lots of money to train me, and now I can't rent from you? Which means that I'd then have to go next door to the more expensive place. And let me tell you...this other place is absurd. I was quoted $215/hr including tax for a 172P. "But that includes fuel!" she says...right. Right. I could pay $133/hr at Robertson for the same airplane.....and that includes fuel too. What gives? That strikes me as absurd, and there's no way I'm flying with either of them.

Does anyone here have firsthand (or secondhand) experience with Interstate Aviation at Robertson? Also, they don't have any instrument approaches, and if I'm going to be getting my instrument rating, it seems like it would be good to have instrument approaches at my (temporary) home airport. This basically means that all my approaches to minimums would be under the foggles, if I'm not mistaken (which I very well may be). Any CFIIs care to comment?

Also, for those who missed this thread last time around...any other Hartford, CT area suggestions that won't cost me three arms and two legs per hour? I'm looking to build hours and potentially go for my instrument rating, though it's looking more and more like I may be doing my instrument rating at home in DC.

Oh and lastly...I'm also thinking about potentially doing some acro stuff or an ASES rating. Any recommendations for places / instructors up by Hartford?
 
You need to get off that trip that you need to have an instrument approach at your base airport. You could be based on a grass-strip in someones backyard and do an instrument rating. It is an aircraft, it can fly to places. For your lessons you are probably going to head to places like Windham, Waterbury, Tweed, Groton etc.

And it looks like Robertson is slated to get a GPS approach later this year.
 
weilke said:
You need to get off that trip that you need to have an instrument approach at your base airport. You could be based on a grass-strip in someones backyard and do an instrument rating. It is an aircraft, it can fly to places. For your lessons you are probably going to head to places like Windham, Waterbury, Tweed, Groton etc.

And it looks like Robertson is slated to get a GPS approach later this year.
Click to expand...

That's what I was wondering about...I just don't know. I've had some tell me that I won't get valuable experience shooting an approach down to minimums (you can't go anywhere to do that if you can't get the plane back), and I've had some tell me it doesn't matter. I don't mean to be on a trip...
 
jpower said:
That's what I was wondering about...I just don't know. I've had some tell me that I won't get valuable experience shooting an approach down to minimums (you can't go anywhere to do that if you can't get the plane back), and I've had some tell me it doesn't matter. I don't mean to be on a trip...
Click to expand...

As someone who has obtained his instrument rating, I tell you: It doesn't matter.

The days that you have that situation are few and far in between. As all the VFR students will have to cancel that day, the school may allow you and the instructor to relocate the plane to Bradley. That way they still get the hours and you get a bunch of actual.
 
weilke said:
As someone who has obtained his instrument rating, I tell you: It doesn't matter.

The days that you have that situation are few and far in between. As all the VFR students will have to cancel that day, the school may allow you and the instructor to relocate the plane to Bradley. That way they still get the hours and you get a bunch of actual.
Click to expand...

Excellent--thanks! And that does make sense.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top