Pilot training and clubs around Buffalo, NY

[eMKay]

New member, first post. I want to finally start flying, always wanted to, could never afford it. Anyway, I live in Buffalo and there are 4 schools near me, closest to furthest away
K90 Buffalo Airfield - Lindsay Aviation (phone call unreturned so far, very close to me, 3 miles)
BUF BNIA - Prior Aviation (busy airport with big scary planes, good or bad?)
BQR Lancaster - Bob Miller Flight Training (beautiful newer Cessnas, more expensive than the others)
IAG Niagara Falls airport - BRP Aviation (inexpensive, but far awat)

Anyone have any experience with any of these? Also know of any clubs around the area?

Thanks

 

[Mike Boehler]

How about 0G0 (North Buffalo Suburban) in Lockport. I did my long CC there in 1992 (yikes). It was a nice GA airport with the mix if big Airport traffic mixed in close by.

They don't have flight school ops there anymore??(are they all old and dead since I did my solo?)

 

[eMKay]

How about 0G0 (North Buffalo Suburban) in Lockport. I did my long CC there in 1992 (yikes). It was a nice GA airport with the mix if big Airport traffic mixed in close by.

They don't have flight school ops there anymore??(are they all old and dead since I did my solo?)

I didn't check with them, they are pretty far away.

 

[AdamZ]

New member, first post. I want to finally start flying, always wanted to, could never afford it. Anyway, I live in Buffalo and there are 4 schools near me, closest to furthest away
K90 Buffalo Airfield - Lindsay Aviation (phone call unreturned so far, very close to me, 3 miles)
BUF BNIA - Prior Aviation (busy airport with big scary planes, good or bad?)
BQR Lancaster - Bob Miller Flight Training (beautiful newer Cessnas, more expensive than the others)
IAG Niagara Falls airport - BRP Aviation (inexpensive, but far awat)

Anyone have any experience with any of these? Also know of any clubs around the area?

Thanks

First off welcome to POA. Hanging out here will in my opinion help you learn more faster ( so long as you listen to nothing we have to say:wink2 Seriously there is some great information and support to be found on POA.
Now as for your question.

Buffalo Airfields Identifier is 9G0 not K90 just an FYI. Their Airnav listing indicates in one of the posts that the field is not attended on Week Days so perphaps thats why you didn't get a call back but on the other hand I don't know how you can run a flight school only on the weekends.

As for your concern regarding KBUF well don't be concerned unless the cost is through the roof. Its only a class C airport and the fact that it has jets is not a big deal folks here have flown into Philly International, JFK, Boston Logan and others with the big boys. Do not in anyway let that freak you out.

BQR has a good rep but I know nothing personally about it other than what I have heard.

Try driving to all four airports and visit the flight schools and hang around and see what you like and don't like. Don't let anyone start selling you they are THE school if you want to go to the airlines or any of that junk.

Also keep in mind that just because a flight school has older planes in no way indicates that they are not well maintained.

Also check out some flying clubs in the area. Often they will have CFI members and you can get some good rates and top quality instruction. Also there will likely be a member or two that may take you under your wing. I see on google there is a club at Lancaster http://www.wnyfc.com/aircraft.htm

Best of Luck and let us know how it works out and where you enroll.

 

[eMKay]

First off welcome to POA. Hanging out here will in my opinion help you learn more faster ( so long as you listen to nothing we have to say:wink2 Seriously there is some great information and support to be found on POA.
Now as for your question.

Buffalo Airfields Identifier is 9G0 not K90 just an FYI. Their Airnav listing indicates in one of the posts that the field is not attended on Week Days so perphaps thats why you didn't get a call back but on the other hand I don't know how you can run a flight school only on the weekends.

As for your concern regarding KBUF well don't be concerned unless the cost is through the roof. Its only a class C airport and the fact that it has jets is not a big deal folks here have flown into Philly International, JFK, Boston Logan and others with the big boys. Do not in anyway let that freak you out.

BQR has a good rep but I know nothing personally about it other than what I have heard.

Try driving to all four airports and visit the flight schools and hang around and see what you like and don't like. Don't let anyone start selling you they are THE school if you want to go to the airlines or any of that junk.

Also keep in mind that just because a flight school has older planes in no way indicates that they are not well maintained.

Also check out some flying clubs in the area. Often they will have CFI members and you can get some good rates and top quality instruction. Also there will likely be a member or two that may take you under your wing. I see on google there is a club at Lancaster http://www.wnyfc.com/aircraft.htm

Best of Luck and let us know how it works out and where you enroll.

Thanks for the reply! The club link is awesome thanks, it's a lot cheaper than owning a plane, I don't think my CFO (wife) would allow me to own a sailboat (or two) and an airplane at the same time.

Checking out all of them is a good idea too, maybe I'll take rides with all 4. I did hear back from Prior Aviation, they have Piper Warriors and a Cessna 172 which is what the club has. This quote from them has me a little confused "Prior has two new Piper Warrior III aircraft, purchased in May, 2001. We
also have the use of an older Warrior II. In addition, we have a Cessna
172RG which is used for Commercial students and for those people wishing to
get experience in a complex aircraft."

Now excuse my ignorance but I'm not familiar with Pipers, but just going by pictures, it's a low wing sporty plane, and the Cessna 172 is more complicated? Training in a Piper Warrior II is the cheapest followed by the Cessna and the Warrier III's. Do they let you switch between planes during training? Because I can't think of anything more fun than flying lots of different planes

 

[eMKay]

Thanks Adam, I checked out the club link, it looks awesome, just what I was looking for. I also heard back from Prior and am scheduling a flight with them. I might do the same with all of them. Prior has Piper Warriors (2 new ones!) an older one and a 172, the club also has Pipers which is convenient, I'd like to try them all , can't think of anything more fun than flying many different planes. I posted a similar response yesterday but it never showed up

 

[eMKay]

I met with Gary Stevens at Prior Aviation for three hours yesterday, they are a part 141 and their rates are actually very reasonable. Lindsay Aviation never got back to me, WNY Flying club never got back to me either. Maybe they all hibernate in the winter? Whatever, I have my first lesson scheduled with Gary at Prior on Wednesday morning (weather permitting, we couldn't go out yesterday) I'm going to shoot for one lesson a week as budget allows, Gary said that should take about a year so I'll conservatively say next spring I should have my private.

I am doing this for fun and possibly as a career in the industry (not necessarily as a pilot, more likely a mechanic), we'll see how it goes. I would like to be an instructor at the most, no desire to fly for the airlines. I am also considering getting an A&P certification, to pay the bills I am currently an A level auto tech who is tired of working on cars.