| Learning to fly is an exhilarating experience and it is | | | | flying job when he has the hours necessary to do so, |
| important to know how to pick a flight school so you | | | | leaving you mid-training to find a new flight instructor |
| can ensure your experience is as good as possible. | | | | that knows nothing about you, where you are in your |
| My name is Scott Morris. I am a CFI/CFII at Ace Flight | | | | training or your personal flying characteristics. This will |
| School. Below you will see my 3 crucial tips on picking | | | | significantly slow down your flight training and cost you |
| a flight school. | | | | a lot more money. Ace Flight School has two |
| | | | instructors who are dedicated to your flight training, not |
| 1. Equipment - The equipment in which you will be | | | | the hours they receive from it. |
| training is probably one of the most important areas in | | | | 3. Cost - Cost will vary between flight schools |
| picking your flight school. Cessna 172's are the most | | | | depending on where the flight school is located, the |
| common training aircraft, but just saying Cessna 172 is | | | | type of airport used and equipment used. A flight |
| like saying, "I drive a Toyota Corolla." Ok, that's great, | | | | school at a large airport in a big city that uses nice |
| what year? What condition is it in? What features | | | | aircraft will cost more than a flight school at a small |
| does it have? I've seen too many flight schools that | | | | airport that uses junkers - or will it? This is where your |
| use 1960's Cessna training aircraft that do not have | | | | research will come into play. Some flight schools try to |
| any form of modern instruments and look like | | | | charge top dollar for substandard locations and aircraft. |
| something out of a wrecking yard. There are many | | | | Look around the area in which you want to learn to fly |
| different types of aircraft that schools are using as | | | | and weigh all the factors to see if they are charging a |
| trainers. For example, at Ace Flight School we use | | | | fair price. Also, be very aware of hidden costs. With |
| new Diamond aircraft as our trainers, both of which | | | | fuel prices going out of control it is very common to |
| are newer than 2001, have a color moving map GPS | | | | see a very fair hourly rate for an aircraft with fine print |
| and use a newer airframe design that saves fuel and | | | | that specifies a 20% fuel surcharge on top, making is a |
| increases speed. Bottom line, do your research and | | | | not so fair rate. Ask about landing fees - some larger |
| don't get stuck with a piece of junk! | | | | airports charge a fee for every landing done at that |
| 2. Flight Instructors - There are two breeds of flight | | | | airport, which will obviously add up. At Ace Flight |
| instructors and flight schools: flight instructors who are | | | | School, be operate out of an airport less than 10 miles |
| teaching to build hours and there are flight instructors | | | | outside of the Reno-Tahoe International Airport that |
| that simply like to teach. As yourself this question - | | | | does not have a control tower (meaning less time to |
| "Would I rather have an instructor that cares more | | | | get into the air = saving money), no landing fees are |
| about hours, or an instructor that cares more about | | | | charged, fuel is always at a competitive price and our |
| me?" Simple, right? A flight instructor that is there to | | | | bottom line aircraft rental rates are always clearly |
| build hours won't hesitate to move on to the next big | | | | known (no surcharges of any kind). |