Winter Flight School Recommendations

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AK_Flyer

Filing Flight Plan
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Oct 26, 2022
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AK_Flyer
Looking for recommendations on a good flight school in nice winter flying conditions. I'm a 21 year old private pilot from Alaska. I have close to 300 hours TT and nearly 200 logged
in my own Cessna 140. Would love to keep flying it, but winter weather here will slow the flying down a lot. Looking to find a place for the winter where I can get my Instrument/
Commercial ratings in a faster manner. Arizona seems nice, but I have the ability to move anywhere if the right situation presents itself. My preference would be more of a Mom&Pop flight school, that has access to a simulator for instrument and would have the availability for me to fly daily. Any leads or recommendations would be very appreciated, thanks!
 
Florida Aviation Academy in Pompano FL (Ft Lauderdale area). They have housing available, Frasca sim, about 5 aircraft. They are a part 141 school so they are organized and can sometimes meet lower hour requirements for some ratings.
https://flaviationacademy.com/
 
P&N flight and charter in Clinton Iowa ,I have a Cherokee 140 I train my students in. I have access to IFR planes as well. We also have a Piper Arrow to do the complex portion of the Commercial Certificate. Scheduling is very flexible and very few delays.
www.facebook.com/ClintonFlying
www.fly-iowa.com
 
No offense to Gilbert or 21Whiskey, but my understanding is it's hard to get actual in the Midwest in the Winter due to the freezing level being at the surface most of the time.

I'm thinking you look down the West Coast where they have a marine layer and coastal fog, but are above freezing and generally have nice VFR inland.
Is that LA or San Fran or . . . I don't know. I've only read of this IMC utopia.

But you could take off inland VFR and fly in actual, fly a bunch of approaches, misses and holds in actual IMC without ice, and fly home and land VFR.
 
No offense to the flight schools in the north but being from Chicago it is a nightmare scheduling things in winter, low ceilings and cloudy days are a norm, you’ll spend half your time rescheduling lessons.

I would recommend Arizona or Florida, weather is more predictable there. Denver also has a lot of flight schools, like a ton! So those 3 would be on my list to explore.
 
Being in the PNW I solved my winter/weather issues via Golden Eagle / Arizona Aero Tech just west of Tucson @ KRYN field. I did my IR finish up in 2020 and I’m back this month to get my commercial certificate. Good weather, they have a cadre of DPE’s they can schedule and well maintain planes. Call and ask to speak w/ Tim the President or Scott Chief Pilot they are available and invested in their student’s success.


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Come down to Florida plenty of flight schools to choose from.there will be one that meets your needs. Beach water temp is down to 73 this week.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions, I will check them out. Still in the process of figuring out where would be a good fit.
 
Terry M - 3CK (Chicago) said:
No offense to Gilbert or 21Whiskey, but my understanding is it's hard to get actual in the Midwest in the Winter due to the freezing level being at the surface most of the time.
Click to expand...
I agree… even though I got 3 approaches in actual IMC in today (comfortably above freezing). As much as I love living and flying in the Midwest in the summer - I would not recommend it as a “go to” place for flight training in the winter.

- Martin
 
Add North Texas to your list. I live near KDTO but teach out of 52F. Have access to affordable 172 that can get your IRA and CPL done.
 
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