Where would you move for basic aerobatic training?

B

BuckRimfire

Filing Flight Plan
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BuckRimfire
Low TT private pilot, no current medical. I'm 59, likely to retire in a couple of years. My wife and I hope to move temporarily (renting a house or apartment for a few months to a year at a time) to a couple of different places in the US for variety, if her health allows (not gonna go into details on that). I did spins twice with an instructor in a Taylorcraft a couple of years after passing my Private checkride and enjoyed them. No other aerobatic experience. I'd like to refresh my fundamental proficiency then do some introductory aerobatic training.

So, if you could move anywhere in the US to be near an aerobatic instructor and rental aircraft (Decathalon?), where would it be. Other considerations would be semi-reasonable cost of living, if possible, not totally rural since my wife's favorite hobby is going on 90 minute walks through residential areas to look at houses. Climate is negotiable. I don't mind some snow, don't love oppressive heat and humidity but could put up with a lot for one summer, I suppoose.
 
Get an intro flight to acro before you make a life decision. A lot of people like the idea of acro, but find the physical experience less enjoyable.

There are good instructors all over the country. You probably don't need to move anywhere. But if you're looking for a reason, St Augustine FL has a top notch school with Patty Wagstaff. Florida weather from November to March is spectacular.
 
Second Patty Wagstaff. Great teacher. Great staff! Allan is terrific. St aug is aerobatic airport. nice walkable town. 45 mins from jacksonville if u need big city. reasonable prices. not in worst hurricane spots.
 
Ed Haywood said:
But if you're looking for a reason, St Augustine FL has a top notch school with Patty Wagstaff. Florida weather from November to March is spectacular.
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frfly172 said:
Come to Florida
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NOOOOO!!!! Florida is FULL! It’s much too crowded here, the traffic is awful, the gators will eat your dog, the canes will destroy your home, the skeeters will kill your spouse. Besides, it’s much too crowded! And there are too many people here!
 
Ed Haywood said:
Get an intro flight to acro before you make a life decision. A lot of people like the idea of acro, but find the physical experience less enjoyable.

There are good instructors all over the country. You probably don't need to move anywhere. But if you're looking for a reason, St Augustine FL has a top notch school with Patty Wagstaff. Florida weather from November to March is spectacular.
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Whoa. Taking instruction from someone famous sounds kinda intimidating! OTOH, I guess it sounds like a good idea, and a good story.
 
I flew this morning with a -900 density altitude, too.
Half Fast said:
New England sounds like a GREAT idea. Much much better than Florida. Seasonal color changes, delightful blizzards to kill off the mosquitoes, good chowder, people who talk funny,... Just the thing, and not nearly as overcrowded as Florida.
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I wouldn’t move anywhere for training. If you can afford to fly aerobatics, you can afford an airline ticket and a few nights in a hotel. It’ll be a fraction of the money you’ll spend flying over just the next few years, let alone lifetime.
 
You might want to take a look at the $3000 basic aerobatics course that airshow pilot Greg Koontz offers in Ashville, Alabama.

I understand that its a different type of experience-- flat rate covers everything, including room/board at his bed-and-breakfast. All individual instruction from Greg himself, and no air traffic delays-- you fly out of the grass strip next to the B&B.

https://gkairshows.com/basic.html
 
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I took my first aerobatics lesson in Palo Alto (KPAO) from Bill Hightower. It was a long, long time ago and I still remember - so it was impactful - Super Decathalon. Just after my first couple of lessons my job was transferred from Palo Alto, CA to Salinas, CA. I was despondent since, of course, Salinas (KSNS) wouldn’t have any aerobatics activity.
Turns out my hangar was a few doors down from Sean Tucker and we were just up valley from Wayne Handley. It all worked out
 
Half Fast said:
NOOOOO!!!! Florida is FULL! It’s much too crowded here, the traffic is awful, the gators will eat your dog, the canes will destroy your home, the skeeters will kill your spouse. Besides, it’s much too crowded! And there are too many people here!
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Stop it. All Floridians should welcome northern refugees.
OIP.jpeg

Missionaries however, have a history of being eaten.
 
Tehachapi, CA might be the perfect spot for you to consider, especially if you’re looking for great aerobatic training, fantastic flying opportunities, and a lower cost of living compared to the more urban parts of California.

First off, if you’re looking to get back into flying and build proficiency while diving into aerobatics, William J. Fox Field (KWJF) in Lancaster is home to Unhinged Aerobatics, a fantastic outfit that offers aerobatic training in a Decathlon. They specialize in everything from upset recovery to competition-style aerobatics, and you’d get top-notch instruction with plenty of airspace to work with.

Tehachapi itself is a gem—a small town with a great aviation community, nestled in the mountains but just an hour and a half from Los Angeles. It’s got a rich warbird and military flying scene, with plenty of historical aircraft flying out of Mojave (MHV) and Fox Field. If you enjoy watching rare airplanes fly, you’ll see everything from experimental aircraft to WWII-era warbirds in the area. Plus, the Edwards AFB and Mojave test community means you’re always in the midst of cutting-edge aviation developments.

The weather here is fantastic for flying—four seasons without the extremes. You’ll get cooler summers than the LA Basin thanks to the altitude (~4,000 ft.), and winters are mild with only occasional snow that melts quickly. Unlike the heavy marine layers you deal with near the coast, visibility is usually great, and you don’t have to contend with LA’s airspace every time you take off.

From a cost-of-living standpoint, Kern County is much more affordable than LA County, so you’d get more for your money while still being close to big-city amenities. Your wife would probably love walking around Bear Valley Springs, a beautiful gated community with rolling hills and fantastic houses to admire.

And if you ever want to challenge yourself with flying in the LA Basin, it’s an easy hop down to Burbank, Van Nuys, or Santa Monica. There are few places in the world where you can fly aerobatics in wide-open desert airspace one day and then transition over LAX at 5,500 feet the next!

If variety and good aviation opportunities are what you’re after, Tehachapi could be a perfect temporary home base to check off your aerobatic and flying goals while still offering a unique California experience. Let me know if you want more details—happy to help!
 
This place out of Aurora, IL (southwest side of Chicagoland) is pretty cool, and lets you solo their Extras once properly trained, plus they do warbirds too:

flygambit.com

Gambit Aviation - Exceptional Aircraft & Exceptional Flight Opportunities

Everything from basic-unlimited aerobatics, small-large radial engine and jet warbirds, all the way to helping you find, acquire, ferry, and train in your own aircraft.
flygambit.com flygambit.com
 
2-Bit Speed said:
Don't forget the sinkholes!!
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Yeah, if I was to move to Florida, I would RENT, not buy. At least most of the peninsula has very poor long-term prospects for not being a real-estate disaster. Not that I'll live long enough to see the worst of it, but I wouldn't buy into that market even for a few years. Don't want to catch a falling knife when the dull normals finally figure out that the market isn't going to be happy forever.
 
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TOTE said:
Tehachapi, CA might be the perfect spot for you to consider, especially if you’re looking for great aerobatic training, fantastic flying opportunities, and a lower cost of living compared to the more urban parts of California.

First off, if you’re looking to get back into flying and build proficiency while diving into aerobatics, William J. Fox Field (KWJF) in Lancaster is home to Unhinged Aerobatics, a fantastic outfit that offers aerobatic training in a Decathlon. They specialize in everything from upset recovery to competition-style aerobatics, and you’d get top-notch instruction with plenty of airspace to work with.

Tehachapi itself is a gem—a small town with a great aviation community, nestled in the mountains but just an hour and a half from Los Angeles. It’s got a rich warbird and military flying scene, with plenty of historical aircraft flying out of Mojave (MHV) and Fox Field. If you enjoy watching rare airplanes fly, you’ll see everything from experimental aircraft to WWII-era warbirds in the area. Plus, the Edwards AFB and Mojave test community means you’re always in the midst of cutting-edge aviation developments.

The weather here is fantastic for flying—four seasons without the extremes. You’ll get cooler summers than the LA Basin thanks to the altitude (~4,000 ft.), and winters are mild with only occasional snow that melts quickly. Unlike the heavy marine layers you deal with near the coast, visibility is usually great, and you don’t have to contend with LA’s airspace every time you take off.

From a cost-of-living standpoint, Kern County is much more affordable than LA County, so you’d get more for your money while still being close to big-city amenities. Your wife would probably love walking around Bear Valley Springs, a beautiful gated community with rolling hills and fantastic houses to admire.

And if you ever want to challenge yourself with flying in the LA Basin, it’s an easy hop down to Burbank, Van Nuys, or Santa Monica. There are few places in the world where you can fly aerobatics in wide-open desert airspace one day and then transition over LAX at 5,500 feet the next!

If variety and good aviation opportunities are what you’re after, Tehachapi could be a perfect temporary home base to check off your aerobatic and flying goals while still offering a unique California experience. Let me know if you want more details—happy to help!
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I even have relatives in SLO County, which is not too far away.

Not sure I want to move back to CA, though. One of my other hobbies is pistol shooting (see my handle). CA (and most of New England) are no bueno for firearms laws.
 
Hengelo said:
Highly recommend Jamie Pittman out of Oshkosh https://www.letsdiscoverflight.com/
Don't think you need to move there though lol.
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That sounds almost perfect. I did my primary training in a Piper Archer then got some tailwheel time in a Super Cub and a Taylorcraft, so doing some refresher in their Cherokee then trying the Super Decathalon would be sweet.

The almost part is the winter weather, of course. I'm originally from suburban Denver, so I'm not someone who thinks 40° F is "cold," but Wisconsin is COLD!!! But if I'm renting an apartment or a small house, I don't have to stay there when I get sick of it...
 
Nope. MidAtlantic area gets a damp cold that is miserable.

I have been to places with dry cold, like Kazakhstan and it feels different.
 
VT-1 appears to have been disestablished in the late 70s. There is a VT-2, 3 and 6 nearby in NAS Milton.

TW-1 is in NAS Meridian.

There is a VT-10 in NAS Pensacola….

I have been in VT-2, VT-10 and TW-1.
 
flibmeister said:
You might want to take a look at the $3000 basic aerobatics course that airshow pilot Greg Koontz offers in Ashville, Alabama.

I understand that its a different type of experience-- flat rate covers everything, including room/board at his bed-and-breakfast. All individual instruction from Greg himself, and no air traffic delays-- you fly out of the grass strip next to the B&B.

https://gkairshows.com/basic.html
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I flew with Greg in the early 2000s on a trip home to Alabama. I'd just started aerobatics, and we did an entire lesson on inverted spins.
 
Innsbruck, Austria has a great program in case you're feeling like an adventurous move.
 
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