Looking for CFI in the Springfield, MO area

R

Rob

Filing Flight Plan
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Rob
I'm a high time student pilot (started and ran out of money several times in the past couple of decades) in southwest Missouri. I last flew about 5 years ago and was getting close to a checkride, but my instructor ended up leaving the business and the area and I never got hooked up with anyone new. I'm curious if there are any good flight instructors who own their own plane in the area. I'm trying to figure out what it would take to get back into it and hopefully finish up a PPL. Have flown out of both KSGF and 3DW, though I prefer 3DW, it's a fun little airport. Anybody know anyone at Springfield Downtown who teaches and would rent out an aircraft after finishing?

Thanks, Rob
 
Rob said:
I'm a high time student pilot (started and ran out of money several times in the past couple of decades) in southwest Missouri. I last flew about 5 years ago and was getting close to a checkride, but my instructor ended up leaving the business and the area and I never got hooked up with anyone new. I'm curious if there are any good flight instructors who own their own plane in the area. I'm trying to figure out what it would take to get back into it and hopefully finish up a PPL. Have flown out of both KSGF and 3DW, though I prefer 3DW, it's a fun little airport. Anybody know anyone at Springfield Downtown who teaches and would rent out an aircraft after finishing?

Thanks, Rob
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While I didn't do my stuff out SGF or 3DW my instructor was from there. Lived in fay'ville for a spell, Carl Chapman. Used to live in Bios d'arc. Taught both at SGF and 3DW. Hopefully it's not the same one Tim PM'd you. I thought he was great and was sad when he moved back to SGF.
 
I know a guy in Joplin, but nobody in Springfield. That's probably, what, an hour drive? Too far, I'm guessing.
 
nope...that's not my "wal-mart CFI".

Another option is Tom Richards...Diana's husband. He's not right in Springfield though...he's in Lamar, likely too far.

Another option is Aurora. They used to have a very active aviation community when I lived in that area. And if Rob lives on the SW side of Springfield, it's pretty easy to get to.
 
Jr Hampton said:
Used to live in Bios d'arc.
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Close! ;)

Bois D'Arc....pronounced "bow dark".

In French it means "wood of the bow." (aka: the "hedge apple" or "Osage orange" tree)

In Missouri Ozark speak it means "town full of backwards white rednecks!" :)
 
bradg33 said:
I know a guy in Joplin, but nobody in Springfield. That's probably, what, an hour drive? Too far, I'm guessing.
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Yeah, Joplin has a very active aviation community also. And yeah, it's a long hour, especially since the airport is way up on the N side of town.

I took my PPL check ride in Joplin in 2002. Nice guy....don't recall his name...would have to look at my logbook.
 
timwinters said:
Close! ;)

Bois D'Arc....pronounced "bow dark".

In French it means "wood of the bow." (aka: the "hedge apple" or "Osage orange" tree)

In Missouri Ozark speak it means "town full of backwards white rednecks!" :)
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LOL no kiddin. I never could understand where he was saying he was from until I looked at his logbook one day. And I thought Arkansas was bad.. That was way back in 07.
 
Ha ha. I've heard of the bad one, I'd add that to one I used to have as a next door neighbor, without naming names I would say my former neighbor was notorious around the area in the late 80's and early 90's, and he was also not Carl Chapman, no worries. :) Thanks for the responses everyone. I've considered the drive to other cities. I really enjoyed flying out of 3DW and it's very close for me (right down the block) so it made for easy flights before work. I might look into travel to Joplin/Bolivar/Aurora and the like if I can schedule something with at least a couple of hours of flying per day. I've flown out of all three airports during an illustrious career as a student pilot and enjoyed them all. Took ground school and solo'd out of Aurora back in the 90's. Thanks everyone. :)
 
3dw is a great airport. It teaches you how to jog around towers in the traffic pattern!
 
That's no joke. That TV tower will keep you paying attention. :p Never was as big a deal as I thought it'd be though. The one next to my work about two miles away from the airport snagged a plane though.
 
You may have done this already, but go nose around the airport, ask other pilots, FBO, etc if they know of anyone. Or, call that "bad" CFI and ask if he knows of anyone, besides him as you heard he's a complete ahole jerk, or just add your own, whatever.
 
Rob said:
The one next to my work about two miles away from the airport snagged a plane though.
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That was over by Evangel wasn't it?

I remember the local media playing up how great of a pilot he was because everyone survived. Yeah, right, great pilots hit cell towers every day... :rolleyes1:
 
timwinters said:
That was over by Evangel wasn't it?

I remember the local media playing up how great of a pilot he was because everyone survived. Yeah, right, great pilots hit cell towers every day... :rolleyes1:
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Yeah. I didn't want to rain on everyone's parade, but I remember that day and it was not a surprise when the weather closed in. It seemed to me they'd have been better off landing at the big airport or just not flying that day at all, but it was a Friday and I'm guessing maybe they were in a hurry to get home and didn't want to mess with cabs, ferrying the next day, etc and pushed it more than they should have. That tower is 300 feet tall and a full 2 miles from the airport. I got the feeling he kept dropping down to stay under the clouds and at some point just found himself at 300 feet over midtown, not a great place to be. I am glad everyone survived and it's fine to give the guy praise for keeping his head and landing in basically a backyard, but it just seemed to me that was a situation he shouldn't have been in at all.
 
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