Western Flight Acadamy, Colorado ?

stagecoachco

stagecoachco

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Steamboat Springs, CO
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Tony B
Does anyone know anything about Western Flight Academy?

It looks like I am going to have to do my flight training on the Front Range. The comunity college that WAS offering flight training out of Hayden has cancelled the program due to lack of intrest.:(

From what I looked at on the internet, it seems that Western has the most reasonable rates for rentals (I really don't want to do my training on in a glass cockpit plane). They even have a 152 that goes for $65 wet. I think I am going to go down on Saturday to check them out, and maybe even take a lesson.

I checked out a flight school out of Eagle and they wanted $185 wet for a g1000 C172 plus $85 per hour for a flight instructer. He told me that their students average between $15,000 and $20,000 for their VFR PPL :eek:.
 
15-20 K OUCH. PM Anthony Amorosi on this board he flew out of front range he can give you some info
 
This school is in Broomfield?
http://www.westernairflightacademy.com/

Even if you paid a $200 per hour for both a plane and CFI, that comes up to $12,000 for 60 hours before the checkride.

They show this which is a bit short on time so expect closer to 50 hours:
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Dual Instruction 40 hours..................[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]@ $123 per hour[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Solo flight 15 hours..........................[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]@ $ 83 per hour[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ground instruction for flight 15 hours...[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]@ $ 40 per hour[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Supplies (books, charts, headset)...........[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]$350[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]FAA [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Written Exam......................................[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]$ 80[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Check ride (Examiner + airplane).............[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]$468[/FONT]
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I think $8500 is a more realistic estimate. It can vary depending on your performance. You can save a lot just by putting a lot of time into home study. The CFI will need some ground time with you logged and endorsed but you can get that just during pre-flight and post-flight sessions. If they use CATS for testing, you can get a $10 coupon on the AOPA site.

Flying a 152 will save some but keep in mind if that will work for you and an instructor. Weight is an issue first. Size and comfort follows. For you alone, a 152 may work well during your solo practice and for cross-country flghts. The last issue to consider in a 152 is it will handle things in high density altitude. I've heard rumors that's a bit of a problem in Colorado. :)

Good Luck with your plan!
 
Western Flight Academy is at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (the airport formerly known as Jeffco). My acro instructor rents an office from them but is not otherwise affiliated. I know at least one person who formerly instructed at Western and one who got their private there. As far as I can recall they seemed satisfied but I don't know much more than that. Metro Airport has a number of other flight schools too and it's much closer to you than Front Range Airport. Of course I wouldn't call Metro "close" to Hayden.
 
Tony, is this career-oriented or just want to learn how to fly? are you planning to move down to metro Denver or commute? If commuting, what are your plans for numbers of lessons and exhaustion (this is a heck of a commute!)? Have you spoken with the airport or FBO manager at SBS? I know that there is at least one CFI who does training there (Joe Birkinbine) but there may be others.
 
ejensen said:
Also, Kremmling used to have a 172 and instuctor. Not sure of current status.
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Last time I stopped in there about a year ago and spoke to Doug (?) the guy who runs the FBO, he said it was gone, but who knows, they might have found something else.

I also remember there being a flight school at Rifle-Garfield County, but that was also a few years ago.
 
Steamboat does have a flight club. The club owns a C172XP. I checked the online schedule, and it looks like it would be pretty hard to get time in the plane. I am afraid that it would end up extending the time to get my PPL as I would only be able to fly once a week or even once every other week. They even have a rule that Student Pilots can only schedule a few weeks in advance. I guess the other Pilots were having trouble getting time in the plane. It makes sense from a fairness prospective, but would make getting my PPL a much longer endevour. (Of course as soon as I get my ticket, I will be joining the club)

I am only getting the license for pleasure, no career. I have definately thought hard about the commute, but I did it before (every sunday) for 5 months. I am pretty driven, and when I put my mind to something, I am willing to endure some hardship to get it.

As far as using the 152, I talked to a CFI at Western today, and they limit the weight to 200lbs each person. Since both me and the CFI are 165 each it should work out, at least for spring while the temps remain cool. As summer comes, I may have to transition into the 172 due to density altitude. That would be fine with me, as I would like to make that transition anyway. I figure the more I use the 152, especially for stick and rudder skills, the more I will save.

The other thing I liked about Western is that thier fleet has some variety. From the 152, to several 172s, indcluding a 172XP with a G430, all the way to Cirrus SR22s. About the only thing they don't have is a glass panel Cessna, but I really want to learn on Steam anyway.

I used the AOPA "Find a Flight School" and other than Rangley, the next closest that I saw was in Denver.

I scheduled my first lesson for tomorrow, so I will see first hand what Western is all about.

Thanks for all the advice!!!!!!!

Tony
 
I might also suggest that you look at Grand Junction (GJT) for a flight school. It would be a shorter drive than to the front range, and I'd be hard pressed to think they do not have a flight school there. The weather may also be more consistent then some of the high mtn airports.

Here are a couple which popped up on Google.

www.strandflying.com
www.parkwestair.com
 
colomtnflyer said:
I might also suggest that you look at Grand Junction (GJT) for a flight school. It would be a shorter drive than to the front range, and I'd be hard pressed to think they do not have a flight school there. The weather may also be more consistent then some of the high mtn airports.

Here are a couple which popped up on Google.

www.strandflying.com
www.parkwestair.com
Click to expand...

I did check out GJ. Went as far as driving down and talking to one of the schools. The main difference for me is that I know several people in the Denver area, and no one in the GJ area. I actually like the drive to GJ better (about the same as getting to Wheat Ridge), but with having friends in Denver, that tipped the scales.

Thanks for the idea though!!!!
 
Do you need/have to stay in Colorado? If not, Skyline aeronautics in St.Louis offers a 20 week PPL course for $7500.00. One of my close friends is an instructor there. Check out their website. [SIZE=-1]

www.skylineaero.com
[/SIZE]
 
Commute from Steamboat to BJC. I don't think so. If that were gonna be the plan, it would cost tons less to fly closer to Steamboat regardless of rental rates. Plus, that very long drive would often be for naught with cancellations due to front range winter wx. BJC is as great airport, but it is a LONG way from Steamboat.
 
Baron 55 said:
Commute from Steamboat to BJC. I don't think so. If that were gonna be the plan, it would cost tons less to fly closer to Steamboat regardless of rental rates. Plus, that very long drive would often be for naught with cancellations due to front range winter wx. BJC is as great airport, but it is a LONG way from Steamboat.
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Note he has accommodations in Denver? I don't get the impression he's married. :)

Besides, if he studies his butt off during the week, he can get in two to four lessons over a weekend and knock this out pretty quick. Take week off or a four day weekend and do the last few flights just before the ride... it's doable. Especially for the self-employed achiever. :)
 
Ken,

Thanks for the support!!! That is exactly my plan. I spent a few hours down there yesterday, and even did a short first lesson. My instructer is willing to do two lessons a day. So if I spend the weekend down there, that would be four lessons (weather permitting). My instructer also says he is up by 5:00am everyday, so I could call him re: WX before making the drive. And it is practically March, so spring is on its way.

As far as gas for the drive, I amortize that in the first hour of flight. So as long as I fly for more than one hour per trip, I am saving money.

I REALLY want to get my license, so I am willing to do what it takes.
 
stagecoachco said:
I checked out a flight school out of Eagle and they wanted $185 wet for a g1000 C172 plus $85 per hour for a flight instructer. He told me that their students average between $15,000 and $20,000 for their VFR PPL :eek:.
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$85 for a flight instructor??? Wow, that is insane. That is what we rent our 172s out for. I would wonder how much of that the instructor ends up with?
 
Maxmosbey said:
$85 for a flight instructor??? Wow, that is insane. That is what we rent our 172s out for. I would wonder how much of that the instructor ends up with?
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You don't think we're worth it? Gosh, I'm offended! :hairraise:
 
When I was living in the Denver area I ran across a lot of students from Metro that were in their flying program. Don't know much about it though.

http://www.mscd.edu/~aviation/
 
Anthony said:
When I was living in the Denver area I ran across a lot of students from Metro that were in their flying program. Don't know much about it though.

http://www.mscd.edu/~aviation/
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Metro State College (as opposed to Metro Airport) has a aviation degree program but they don't have any airplanes. The students take flying lessons at the local FBOs and flying clubs.
 
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