Need PPL Finish-Up (North Texas)

G

Gary R

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
Apr 29, 2015
Messages
4
Display Name
Display name:
Gary R
Greetings, from KGKY (Arlington, TX).

I am in need of someone to help me complete my Private, and figured I'd ask on this forum. This is my first post. Here are some of my unique particulars:

* Have a great CFI who I have been training with! However, he works at a flight school that has become very busy. The owner of the school has all but turned over all operations to my CFI. Getting booked with him for flight time is very tough to do these days. Sometimes 10-days to two weeks out.
* Have another CFI buddy I've known for over 30-years. He offered to help, when he was doing contract flying in Falcon Jets, etc. He got slow with that self-employed job, and now took a full-time gig. So his time is now extremely limited.
* As unique as it may sound, I own my own aircraft. I have a very clean, low-time Cessna 172 M, based at GKY.
* I am at about 90-hours, total time. From reading the regs, I need (at a minimum):

  • Two more hours of night
  • 30-more minutes of simulated instrument
  • Long cross-country
  • I have 7-hours of solo time, so the long c/c should meet the remaining requirements.
  • Prep for oral and practical
  • Have taken ground school, but need to brush up and go take written
So my situation is indeed, a bit unique. I own a plane that I'd like to obviously complete my training in. Based at Arlington (TX) Municipal. I am self-employed, so time is something I can easily schedule.

I am seeking a CFI who I can pay to help me complete this endeavor. Someone who could meet me in Arlington, schedule large blocks of time over however many days, and help me reach my goal of being ready for the check ride.

Do any of you know of someone who may have the time, and may wish to be hired to help me out?

I thank you for your time and/or suggestions!

* If you know of someone, please ask them to email me. I will check back in on this thread daily, but I get email instantly, wherever I may be.

Gary R
gary.robertson@sbcglobal.net
N9653Q
 
Last edited:
I would suggest using this time to finish studying for the written and taking it. Sorry, I'm not a CFI. I feel your pain; I've had my share of issues with CFIs.

Also, you might want to consider taking a couple weeks off from work and going to a different city to complete your training.
 
There has to be someone in the DFW area that you could use. Have you searched local flight schools in the area? What about American Flyers in Addison? Just a suggestion.
 
I finished up my private training at Addison, though that's a pretty good trek from Arlington.
 
Jounin on this board (Allen G.) would be an excellent fit for this.

Spike Cutler or Tyler Chapman might know some others.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the comments and suggestions, thus far.
Yes, I have checked local flight schools and those CFI's are all just as booked as my two buddies that I mentioned earlier. While Addison isn't too far by air, it's probably too far for a CFI to sign me off on for solo, to go pick him/her up @ Addison. In addition, there is a TON of VERY busy airspace (ie: DFW Airport, Love Field, etc.) between my home airport and Addison. Even if I was signed off to fly there, with my low experience, it would be pretty nervous flying for me. Some of the busiest airspace in the world is directly between me (at my home airport) and Addison. Flight following would be a must, with all the Class B, and with them vectoring me around all the congestion, it would indeed make for a rather long flight each way.
 
Would ideally like to find someone that could meet me at KGKY. And of course, if they had drive time ahead of them, I'd gladly compensate for that as well. I'm obviously not wanting to rent a plane to train in, when mine is just sitting here at Arlington. But if I had to, I surely would. I've thought about something that you'll mentioned earlier: maybe finding a place in Florida or somewhere. Go down there and fly my tail off for however many days, in a 6-pack C-172. And just get it done. That may be the easiest route.
 
I got a name I'll PM you another CFI's name that might work.
 
In some cities in the U.S., instructors don't have enough students, and the planes spend a lot of time just sitting on the tarmac. You might want to try one of those cities, and hammer out your remaining time there. For example, Kansas City.
 
Gary, I feel your pain at your stage of training.
However, that's where fellow pilots can help out!
I am in Nuevo California (or as others might know it: Austin, TX). We have several flights schools here and they are not booked much right now. Especially during the week.
You mentioned that you are self-employed and thus can make your own schedule. That is the best part. If you need just 0.5 under the hood and 2.0 at night dual, that can be accomplished in one evening. And your long X/C can be done in the morning (also while it's cool and not bumpy as heck). Quick study in the afternoon and checkride next day? :)

How about I come pick you up in my Cherokee and we fly your 172 down here? I have no problems in class B or C. And when you're done, YOU fly us back to Dallas so that I can pick up my Cherokee. :) And of course, YOU would be logging 1+ hour of PIC on the way back. ;)

PM me if interested.
 
ScottVal said:
In some cities in the U.S., instructors don't have enough students, and the planes spend a lot of time just sitting on the tarmac. You might want to try one of those cities, and hammer out your remaining time there. For example, Kansas City.
Click to expand...

Right up the road as the crow flies is Jesse, CFI. He doesn't work much! :lol:
 
I know an independent in Granbury GDJ.
He will sign you off to fly to his field for training.
He is a great instructor. lemme know.
 
If you want to work long weekends at it, you might try Brazos valley Flight service out of College station. Easterwood field. You could relocate the plane for a month with a friend and create a program to finish.
 
Given self employed (realize this doesn't mean your not busy)
Given owned airplane
Given the hours you already have
Given where you are at requirements wise

I would get the written out of the way. Schedule a 2-3 days with a CFI anywhere reasonably close (someone could help you relocate the plane) and just knock it out. With a check ride scheduled to quickly follow.

Seems like you could wrap this up in a couple weeks.
 
ya sounds like a written and a weekend with a CFI could easily knock this out..you could combine many of those remaining requirements onto 1 flight , finish the solo time and go right into checkride prep.

several small airports in Ft worth and places like Rockwall all have CFI's that Im sure could help you
 
Most excellent advice, folks. I truly appreciate it. And Big Bad Lou, your offer is very generous, too (sounds like a lot of fun, too)! I've given it a lot of thought....what I need to do first and foremost, is keep watching Martha (for those of you who have the King videos), keep studying the Gleim course, and then knock out this darn written. I will get it out of the way and behind me. Then once that is done, I will either contact Lou or one of the options you'll have offered.
Many thanks to everyone!
 
Another option is Huffman Aviation at Spinks... pretty easy drive, and or sign off to fly your own plane over.

They may drive to you for instruction but would probably charge you for the transit time (and you flying to them is more fun)
 
Not far from GKY is JWY and Big A Aviation. www.bigqaviation.com. All of their planes are taildraggers, but I bet they'd reason you in yours. And they've got a DPE on staff.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top