LOOKING FOR EXPERIENCED CFI&acft rental san francisco bayarea.

M

markair

Filing Flight Plan
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Oct 3, 2025
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mark
i am looking for a cfi willing too work w/older returning pilot like me from long non current.
also for a rental acft w/in a budget.having difficulties hopefully too resolve.have had all 3 faa medicles
transioned too basic med.any advice appreciated.im in san francisco calif.
 
You might check out KAPC (Napa). I did my PPL there with Bridgeford Flying Services. They aren't there anymore but I see on their website that there is an outfit called Mike Smith Aviation, who probably took over their flight school. You have a few other North Bay options though.
 
Sac Arrow said:
You might check out KAPC (Napa). I did my PPL there with Bridgeford Flying Services. They aren't there anymore but I see on their website that there is an outfit called Mike Smith Aviation, who probably took over their flight school. You have a few other North Bay options though.
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thanks i remember bridgeford.it will be quiet a ways from where i live but will try.
 
Many options near the city. Depending on your neighborhood and the times that you want to train- closest options may be San Carlos (where I’d recommend San Carlos flight center and Derek Vjelby or Herb Patten) or Oakland (Oakland aero club) a good friend is taking lessons towards his primary at OAC, abd recommends his current and older instructor.
I’ve rented and gotten instruction at Flying particles (Livermore, highly recommended but it’s further from S.F. and traffic is tedious), half moon bay flying club, California airways and suburban in Livermore, SCFC, and in South Bay.

Feel from to DM w/specific questions if that’s helpful.
 
Sac Arrow said:
You might check out KAPC (Napa). I did my PPL there with Bridgeford Flying Services. They aren't there anymore but I see on their website that there is an outfit called Mike Smith Aviation, who probably took over their flight school. You have a few other North Bay options though.
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thanks,tried scfc,was escourted out by the chief pilot(discriminates against older pilots and wants young students for aliline bound).am at half moonbay but the c-172 is a corrosion bucket,other acft flown alot and showings signs of abuse.(once met herb,great cfi).flew from koak yrs ago never heard oak aero club.any thanks for responding.will try an ownership like 1/3rd.
 
markair said:
thanks,tried scfc,was escourted out by the chief pilot(discriminates against older pilots and wants young students for aliline bound).am at half moonbay but the c-172 is a corrosion bucket,other acft flown alot and showings signs of abuse.(once met herb,great cfi).flew from koak yrs ago never heard oak aero club.any thanks for responding.will try an ownership like 1/3rd.
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West Valley Flying Club also has a location at San Carlos (as well as Palo Alto, where they have a lot more planes), and I never saw any indication of age discrimination. (I was 79 when I took my last flight.) They have many good instructors. I can specifically recommend Lou Dietz, who is the instructor I flew with most often in recent years.

Instructors

wvfc.org wvfc.org
 
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I am having trouble imagining a chief pilot escorting out a paying customer for the sole crime of being old.

Every aviation event I've gone to in the last two decades has looked like box of Q-tips. "old" is "default" in this game.

I'd fly the corrosion bucket. The repair bills won't be yours so who cares?
 
Palmpilot said:
West Valley Flying Club also has a location at San Carlos (as well as Palo Alto, where they have a lot more planes), and I never saw any indication of age discrimination. (I was 79 when I took my last flight.) They have many good instructors. I can specifically recommend Lou Dietz, who is the instructor I flew with most often in recent years.

Instructors

wvfc.org wvfc.org
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This is what I was going to suggest. I see Jason Miller isn't on their list any more, but Max Trescott is, and he's excellent. He's not "budget" but you get what you pay for.
 
Palmpilot said:
West Valley Flying Club also has a location at San Carlos (as well as Palo Alto, where they have a lot more planes), and I never saw any indication of age discrimination. (I was 79 when I took my last flight.) They have many good instructors. I can specifically recommend Lou Dietz, who is the instructor I flew with most often in recent years.

Instructors

wvfc.org wvfc.org
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thank you i have a budget and heard about lou and how good he is but he is @$150 per hr. whate i meant in earlier comment on discrimination,meant scfc is a part 141 school and want young students for the airlines and nor older pilots like me who wants a flt review and flies for pleasure.
 
markair said:
thank you i have a budget and heard about lou and how good he is but he is @$150 per hr. whate i meant in earlier comment on discrimination,meant scfc is a part 141 school and want young students for the airlines and nor older pilots like me who wants a flt review and flies for pleasure.
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I don't think "budget" and "Bay Area" go together.

Another possibility at Palo Alto is Advantage Aviation, although the instructors there seem to be in the same price range. Maybe Hayward, Reid-Hillview, or Watsonville?
 
There are several flight schools in Hayward. Use Google and call around.
 
jim rush said:
There are several flight schools in Hayward. Use Google and call around.
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Palmpilot said:
I don't think "budget" and "Bay Area" go together.

Another possibility at Palo Alto is Advantage Aviation, although the instructors there seem to be in the same price range. Maybe Hayward, Reid-Hillview, or Watsonville?
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you are right,since i left the cockpit back in 1993 it has changed a lot i admit in the bay area.sorry too have waist the time of those on this site.considering no longer pursueing flying
 
schmookeeg said:
I am having trouble imagining a chief pilot escorting out a paying customer for the sole crime of being old.

Every aviation event I've gone to in the last two decades has looked like box of Q-tips. "old" is "default" in this game.

I'd fly the corrosion bucket. The repair bills won't be yours so who cares?
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as an a&p retired and if you saw the acft you would think other wise sir with due respect.some area,s of the wing,s and tail section,s corrosion
have holes thru the skin.NO OTHER MEMBER OF THE CLUB IS FLYING IT???
 
markair said:
you are right,since i left the cockpit back in 1993 it has changed a lot i admit in the bay area.sorry too have waist the time of those on this site.considering no longer pursueing flying
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Giving up so soon?
 
Dana said:
Giving up so soon?
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THANKS DANA DON,T WANT TOO BUT THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA AIRPORTS AND AIRSPACE IS SO CONJESTED AND POLITICES GALORE.MANY SCHOOLS/CLUB,S STILL WANT F.A.A CLASS 1-3 MEDICALS DUE TO INSURANCE LOGISTIC,S.OWNERSHIP ONLY BUT THAT TOO IS VERY EXPENSIVE.I,ve BEEN IN GENERAL AVAITION OVER 55 YRS KNOW AND NOT THE WAY IT USE TO BEE SOME 40-60 YRS AGO.
 
markair said:
THANKS DANA DON,T WANT TOO BUT THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA AIRPORTS AND AIRSPACE IS SO CONJESTED AND POLITICES GALORE.MANY SCHOOLS/CLUB,S STILL WANT F.A.A CLASS 1-3 MEDICALS DUE TO INSURANCE LOGISTIC,S.OWNERSHIP ONLY BUT THAT TOO IS VERY EXPENSIVE.I,ve BEEN IN GENERAL AVAITION OVER 55 YRS KNOW AND NOT THE WAY IT USE TO BEE SOME 40-60 YRS AGO.
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West Valley accepts BasicMed. They also have a Cessna 162 light sport aircraft at Palo Alto, which does not require a medical to fly, just a driver's license. (I don't know what their stance on Mosaic is, because that went into effect after I stopped flying.)

Most things cost more than they did 55 years ago, not just flying!
 
San Carlos flight center, California airways, and suburban air all accept basic med.
 
SFDukie said:
Many options near the city. Depending on your neighborhood and the times that you want to train- closest options may be San Carlos (where I’d recommend San Carlos flight center and Derek Vjelby or Herb Patten) or Oakland (Oakland aero club) a good friend is taking lessons towards his primary at OAC, abd recommends his current and older instructor.
I’ve rented and gotten instruction at Flying particles (Livermore, highly recommended but it’s further from S.F. and traffic is tedious), half moon bay flying club, California airways and suburban in Livermore, SCFC, and in South Bay.

Feel from to DM w/specific questions if that’s helpful.
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was walked out by herb and dan haydan (chief pilot).told need too go somewhear else.filed law suit thru aopa legal svc.at hearing san carlos flt cntr argument they are a flight school and work w/young students seeking airlines and not older pilots flying recreational. i flew for pan am from 1985 thru 1992(airline shut down) as a flt engineer. thanks for info,may hang it up and quite flying all together. thanks
 
Dana said:
Giving up so soon?
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if you flown/been away for some time(30 yrs) and know you can fly again,well bay area just not accepting too older experience despite being away from left seat awhile.
 
I sure do hate the "Politics Galore" when I start up my plane and go flying in the San Francisco Bay area. Some towers won't even give me a clearance before chanting "Heil Kamala" and cackling thrice on frequency. :rolleyes:

They should change "Resignation" to "Defeatism" in the FAA hazardous attitudes list.
 
markair said:
scfc only a flt school does not accept older retired pilots who need curenttcy
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I think we must be talking about two different places.
San Carlos Flight Center absolutely rents to older pilots, not actively working on another rating.
I know because that describes me. And I’ve gotten my last two BFRs at SCFC. Contact Derek Vjelby or Herb Patten (contact info here- https://sancarlosflight.com/team )
 
SFDukie said:
I think we must be talking about two different places.
San Carlos Flight Center absolutely rents to older pilots, not actively working on another rating.
I know because that describes me. And I’ve gotten my last two BFRs at SCFC. Contact Derek Vjelby or Herb Patten (contact info here- https://sancarlosflight.com/team )
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He said Herb was one of the two guys who "walked him out". I'm guessing we're not getting the whole story here.
 
OP this is totally you on Zuckbook isn't it? You're coming to my field soon. You and Air Wagner should get lunch sometime and fly some of those legendary secondary minimums together.
looks like its one of oakland flyers c-152. i applied a few months ago to fly but life issues still in the way.jim sorry this happened to you and your airplane hope pilot is alright.AFTER I SORT THINGS OUT AS WELL AS CARE FOR ELDERLY PARENT WILL SET UP WITH LOU(cfi)as soon as i can.
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Not trying to hijack the thread but...

I'm a FAA PPL based in Mexico. I will be in the Bay Area on business next month. I'm considering a Mooney for ownership but I've never flown one. Anyone know where I could rent one with a CFI kind of like a familiarization flight?
 
I don't think I've ever seen an M20 for rent/club anywhere ever.
 
schmookeeg said:
I don't think I've ever seen an M20 for rent/club anywhere ever.
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I got my commercial in a rental Mooney in Watsonville, CA about 11 years ago. It was a nice J model, and fun to fly. The flight school sold it about a year later because it wasn’t being used that much.

I moved to Florida eight years ago, and the first time I flew somewhere down here, guess what Mooney was on the ramp?
 
schmookeeg said:
I don't think I've ever seen an M20 for rent/club anywhere ever.
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Oh, I've seen several come and go over the years. It appears that as of today, assuming their web sites are up to date, the options are:

Flying Clubs:
Flying Particles, KLVK Livermore, CA, M20J, $180/hr plus $18.50/half day
Denver Flyers, KBJC, Denver/Broomfield, CO M20J, $190/hr
Central Iowa Flying Club, KDSM Des Moines, IA, Two M20Js for $159/hr dry
Wings of Carolina Flying Club, KTTA Sanford (Raleigh), NC, Two M20Js for $201/hr wet

Rentals:
Du Bois Aviation, KCNO Chino, CA, M20B for $195/hr wet
Yosemite Aviation, KMPI Mariposa/Yosemite, CA, M20F for $185/hr wet
Rocky Mountain Flight School, KBJC Denver/Broomfield, CO M20C for $138/hr wet
Minot Aero Center, KMOT, Minot, ND, M20J for $265/hr wet
Ace Pilot Training, KABE Allentown, PA, M20C for $215/hr wet
Air Mods Flight Center, N87 Trenton-Robbinsville, NJ, M20J for $205/hr wet

@rene86mx Unfortunately, the Mooneys in the Bay Area seem to be all gone. The one at Yosemite Aviation is the closest to the Bay Area, and according to Google that's a 2:45/166 mile drive from SFO. Depending on where you're going to be in the Bay Area you may be able to knock part of that drive, but it's gonna be a hike in any case. Maybe you could rent something else in the Bay Area and fly over there, it's only around a 100nm flight from most of the popular rental airports in the Bay Area.
 
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