Training in North Philly

[gibbons]

One of our scholarship recipients will finish her PPL next week (two months total time!). She leaves after that to go to college at Bryn Athyn which I understand is about 6 miles NE of the NE Philly Airport. She wants to start her instrument training while in college.

Any input on good schools or instructors in that area? I'll pass them along.

Thanks.

 

[Anthony]

Hortman at PNE. Period. And she can train in the wonderful Grummans.

 

[poadeleted3]

If she's near NE Philly Airport, I'd definately use Hortman. It's a fantastic FBO, they go out of their way to make their customers happy, and have a ton of planes. She can train in Grumman trainers, 150s, Skyhawks, or Warriors. They've also got some beautiful Tigers on the line, including some new ones, Archers, Arrows, some twins, and even a Tobago. I really can't recommend them highly enough.

A couple others possibilities would be Wings Field, another FBO that sets the standards for customer service, with 5 Skyhawk SPs, two new Archer III's, two DA20s, a C150,an Arrow and a twin on the line, with rumors of some DA40s on the way. That might be a bit of a drive, though, depending on where she ends up living. Also, I believe Gary from POA is involved with the new FBO at Quakertown, if we want to throw some support at fellow board members, but that would also be a bit of a drive. They've got one brand new, glass panel Skyhawk SP on the line, with at least one more coming, IIRC.

Finally, though N10 would really be out of the way unless she lives out toward the western burbs, I'll plug the flight instructor who finished me up, Barb Reeder. An excellent, experienced teacher with a knack for communicating how things should be done. They don't have fancy new planes, though. 5 152s and two Skyhawks. Availability of the 152 is excellent. The planes are heavily used and show it, but are safely maintained.

http://www.hortmanaviation.com/DesktopDefault.aspx

http://www.wingsfield.com/

 

[poadeleted20]

I agree -- Hortman. And ask if Robert Johnson is available -- I helped train him at UMES.

 

[gibbons]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll pass it along.

 

[Len Lanetti]

Chip,

Route 232 (I think it is also called Huntington Pike) intersect with the Roosevelt Blvd right near Northeast Airport (PNE). Probably about a 15 to 20 minute, drive from the college. Hortman is a very good choice. Part 141 for instrument and commercial is available there. They have always (well at least back to '79) used standard curriculums, have simulators available and liberal check out and rental policies.



Phone number 215-969-0311.



Len

 

[AdamZ]

Chip, I received both my ppl and my instrument ticket at Hortman Aviation @ North East Philly Airport. Contrary to some other posts she will not be able to get her IR in either the Grumman Trainers or the 150s as they are not IFR certified, She can of course use the Warriors, Archers, Some of the 172, Tobago or Arrows if she wants to get into the complex. The have a Saratoga as well Although the fleet is generally older Hortman has some new Tigers but they will rarely let you train in them they use those for pilots on X-Cs

I have also flow quite a lot at Wings KLOM which is about equal distance from Bryn Athen as KPNE. Perhaps a little longer but time is equal as you don't have to fight traffic. At Wings they have a pretty new fleet of 172 and Archer IIIs with GPS and moving maps. Archers have the Garmin set up and 172s the bendix. Each School has a Seminole. Wings has two DA 20s I believe one is IFR certified as is the 150 they have. The 150 also has a GPS belive it or not. They also have a Nice Straight tail Lance. Wings is expecting a New 172 and Archer III w/ glass panel and a DA-40. The Manufacturer is taking their time delivering them.

I'm curious as to what college she is going to. I grew up VERY close to Bryn Athen. The only school I know of is the Church New School, which I understood was only a primary and high school. I also invite you to contact me off line via email or Private message as I can give you a lot more information about both flight schools. I know excellent CFI's at both. I think Quakertown UKT and Perkiomen N10 will be way to far for her. I will be happy to introduce her to the aviation community out here. Drop me a line.

 

[Nav8tor]

If she lives on campus either PNE or Wings will be convient. I did part of my instrument training at PNE (finished up at wings). PNE is great because it has numerous approaches both precision and non precision. Trenton (TTN) is 15 miles away and also has numberous approaches. The nice thing is that the approaches for 6 at TTN and the approaches for 24 at PNE are parallel to each other and spaced about 5 miles apart so they form a kind of a racetrack pattern. You can fly one approach to TTN, go missed, then fly one to PNE, go missed there, fly another to TTN and so on. You can fly a relatively large number of approaches per hour.

 

[Len Lanetti]

Contrary to some other posts she will not be able to get her IR in either the Grumman Trainers or the 150s as they are not IFR certified,

Just a minor point...not posting it to be a nit picker....technically an aircraft does not have to be IFR certified to be used for instrument training in VMC.

Note that if things are still the way they were back when I was an airport bum...Hortman typically uses a Warrior or similar for the majority of the instrument work. I do remember seeing one curriculum that used the Grumman for the initial instrument attitude flying stuff (A & B patterns for example), a Warrior for the approaches and an Arrow for the dual instrument cross country work. For my instrument rating I followed that curriculum except that I stuck with the Warrior for the cross country work.

The instrument instructor I used also made sure we did some actual while preparing for the ticket. That was done in the Warrior. Don't know for sure but I'd be willing to bet that is still an option at Hortman (highly desirable option).

Len

 

[poadeleted3]

Just a minor point...not posting it to be a nit picker....technically an aircraft does not have to be IFR certified to be used for instrument training in VMC.

snip

And you can save $20 hr using the smaller planes

 

[AdamZ]

It has changed a bit Len. Hortman would not permit me to do any of my IR work in the Grumman trainers. I like the Tigers but picked the Warrior to do my training in b/c it was the most cost effective. About the first 20 hours of IR training at Hortman is done in the FTD. Belive me after that you are itching to get back into a real plane. IIRC the FTD rents perhour at the same rate as the Warrior.

 

[Gary]

Hortman at PNE. Period. And she can train in the wonderful Grummans.

Pretty much true. From Bryn Athyn, PNE has the best facilities and the best choice of aircraft. Wings is doable but a bit more of travel than PNE. N10 and UKT are way out there, as far as travel is concerned. Trenton may be a possibility but I don't have any personal experience there.

 

[Len Lanetti]

It has changed a bit Len.

It has been awhile. I just filled out insurance form that requested dates and hours so I had a little trip through log book memory lane.

I like the Tigers but picked the Warrior to do my training in b/c it was the most cost effective.

Ditto. After the intial air work I used the Warrior (2932X) for the same reason. I stayed with the Warrior for the cross country work 'cause it was cheaper than the Arrow (2811M). I also didn't think flying an Arrow for a flight consisting mostly of cruise flight was going to teach me anything about a complex aircraft (ie 4 prop adjustments and 4 gear lever touches in 2.4 hours isn't worth the extra bucks).

About the first 20 hours of IR training at Hortman is done in the FTD. Belive me after that you are itching to get back into a real plane. IIRC the FTD rents per hour at the same rate as the Warrior.

FTD or simulator wasn't an option at the time.

I did enjoy the hood work, especially the fast paced approaches using the PNE - TTN racetrack that someone else mentioned.

Len

 

[Nav8tor]

Pretty much true. From Bryn Athyn, PNE has the best facilities and the best choice of aircraft. Wings is doable but a bit more of travel than PNE. N10 and UKT are way out there, as far as travel is concerned. Trenton may be a possibility but I don't have any personal experience there.

Gary,

Are you personally involved with the new FBO at UKT? I had the impression from your earlier thread that you were just and interested observer.

 

[Gary]

Gary,

Are you personally involved with the new FBO at UKT? I had the impression from your earlier thread that you were just and interested observer.

Not financialy involved. The new FBO is being started and run by a number of the local pilots that I join for Sunday morning breakfast runs ($100 eggs!). Provide some moral support and hopefully some rental $$ in the new C-172's. I really hope that it is a success, we need some more traffic to keep the place viable, it gets waaay to quiet at times.

Even though the wing is attached wrong, the new C-172's are really quite nice.

Gary

 

[AdamZ]

Amen Len. I agree with everything you said. Plus I also got my IR in 2932X

 

[gibbons]

I went flying with Annika the other day and now it seems she has only one type of airplane on the brain. Anyone up there give instrument training in an Extra ?

 

[gibbons]

I'm curious as to what college she is going to. I grew up VERY close to Bryn Athen. The only school I know of is the Church New School, which I understood was only a primary and high school.

Adam,

I understand that she's going to attend Bryn Athen College of The New Church (http://www.brynathyn.edu/). I know nothing about it. I'm passing along the feedback from here directly to her, so any input you can provide (on the board or via PM or e-mail) will find its way to her.

Thanks.

 

[Anthony]

I grew up VERY close to Bryn Athen.

Then you should know how to spell it.

And I live in Colorado.

 

[pete177]

Any of you NJ/Philly boys find cross keys to be a bit tricky? Narrow runway, high trees both ends, funny cross at the para hanger? I've had some harrowing experiences there both taking off and landing in the mooney.