Thanks, Mike. Have you had a good experience with Ron's flight school? I have heard that their focus on foreign students--those working for ATP status--dominates their behavior such that individual SP candidates are sort of forgotten. Anything to that?
The foreign professional pilot students are their big "money maker" right now and there is a lot of activity surrounding them. But the CFI's are what make the deal for the domestic students work.
I got my PPL through USFA and found that I had good access to my instructor, Dan Heilmann. While Dan did have 2 international primary students and 1 in the instrument/commercial stage, never did I feel that I was short changed. Only once or twice did a scheduling conflict come up. And we frequently got together after he was done for the day for a meal to go over various "ground school" items.
Ron primarily works with the domestic students. And he knows how to make sure you feel like you're getting your dollars worth and will listen to you if you don't feel that way. That is why he gets my referral.
(BTW; Dan is still there and also does a good job, but he has yet to be "officially" checked out to instruct in the Warrior. Which is how I met Ron.)
Last thoughts about the internationals -- They actually are a pretty interesting bunch. I wish there were more opportunities to meet them socially and get to know them and their culture.
I also have to give them props for doing an okay job on the radio when on the ground or coming into the pattern. I've heard a few mistakes and can tell by response time they are processing the information into Chinese and then figuring out how to respond in English. Fortunately most of the tower controllers are used to it and are good at keeping their cool. That's when you do your best to be at the top of your communication game and lessen their workload when dealing with you.
On timing your lessons, do your best to receive your dispatch clipboard and depart on the odd hour (7:00, 9:00, 11:00, etc). For some reason, the even hours are when the various shifts of internationals are ready to go and a big jam up can develop at the dispatcher desk and at the runup area.