need CFI in Los Angeles

bavreze

bavreze

Pre-Flight
Joined
Jun 3, 2015
Messages
42
Location
Los Angeles
Display Name
Display name:
bavareze
Hello,

I need to complete my commercial training and have a check ride.

I've been trying for the past 2 months here to find a reliable and available CFI that is ready to do the training in my Mooney M20C

So I have been at HHR, LGB and TOA and I spoke with all schools that are there and all CFIs that I found either:
- can only train in the school's airplanes
- do not know any DPE to schedule checkrides with
- are too busy
- are unfamiliar with Mooney

So do you guys know any recommendation for me?

Thanks!
 
bavreze said:
Hello,

I need to complete my commercial training and have a check ride.

I've been trying for the past 2 months here to find a reliable and available CFI that is ready to do the training in my Mooney M20C

So I have been at HHR, LGB and TOA and I spoke with all schools that are there and all CFIs that I found either:
- can only train in the school's airplanes
- do not know any DPE to schedule checkrides with
- are too busy
- are unfamiliar with Mooney

So do you guys know any recommendation for me?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

That’s really a shame.

School airplanes, I can see it. Independent instructor insurance is VERY expensive these days. A lot of independent time builders are flying without it and probably running a risk they’d never recover from, but they’re probably broke at typical CFI rates anyway, so they figure there’s no deep pocket to sue. LOL.

Not knowing the DPEs is ridiculous. Not knowing the DPEs schedules is a game of knowing MORE DPEs and having them on speed dial when a student is nearing readiness. But there’s a lazy subset of instructors who won’t call DPEs and help students get set up, and it seems to spread into some schools in certain areas and then take hold and students do all the work. I don’t mind saying a student should make some calls, but when things get weird (weather, aircraft goes out for MX, yadda yadda) students get really frustrated with that process real fast.

Too busy: Welcome to the “hiring time” at airlines. I don’t know a CFI that isn’t busy right now. Wait ten years and it’ll be the opposite again. LOL.

Unfamiliar with Mooney... that’s a shame also, but they aren’t all that common. I have M20C time and flew one quite a bit a long time ago and liked that airplane a lot. But I could see where these two year and gone instructors going off to the airlines will probably never see the inside of a Mooney in their entire career. Their loss. They’re neat airplanes. Definitely not flown like a Skyhawk.

You might extend your search a bit and be willing to fly the Mooney somewhere to where old Flight instructors hang out at old quiet airports. Someone out there is a Mooney specialist or has flown so many things they don’t care if it’s a Mooney or a Bo or a Cirrus or a... but school based CFIs are slammed right now and they’re going to fly the club airplanes. Piles of students.

My buddy who did his CFI last year and wanted to work “part time” at the local club ended up with five students dumped in his lap by CFIs leaving for airlines. That’s just reality right now. Unless the weather goes to complete crap, he’s busier than a one armed paper hanger.
 
Check with Garrett or Mike at Fun Outside Aviation at KFUL. Garrett owns the flight school and is a CFI, and Mike is a CFI that has a lot of experience in a many types of aircraft. I don’t know if either has time in a Mooney, but it couldn’t hurt to give them a call.
 
Brackett has a flight school with a Mooney. . . . its the one on the north west side of the field - asian name - but they have a Mooney which means they have someone with the requisite hours to sign someone off.
 
bavreze said:
Hello,

I need to complete my commercial training and have a check ride.

I've been trying for the past 2 months here to find a reliable and available CFI that is ready to do the training in my Mooney M20C

So I have been at HHR, LGB and TOA and I spoke with all schools that are there and all CFIs that I found either:
- can only train in the school's airplanes
- do not know any DPE to schedule checkrides with
- are too busy
- are unfamiliar with Mooney

So do you guys know any recommendation for me?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I'm an independent CFI in the LA basin area. I have commercial student experience in a Mooney and good DPE contacts. My availability is good as I'm part 135 pilot with no duty days for a while. Might be able to knock it out quickly depending on your schedule. French Valley, Corona, and Chino are the nearest airports to me. All would work. You can PM me if still in need. Either way, good luck.
 
Cable, Chino etc but I live in the west LA. I've been looking at santa monica, hawthorne, torrance. I have a few leads now, but if nothing works out then I will follow your advice and head East.

Thanks so much for the input!!!
 
just a follow up: found a cfi at LGB that knew a DPE in CMA (which was not the most convenient but the best option overall) ans I passed the CPL checkride yesterday. Yay!

thanks again!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top