private pilot training - recommendation?

[Nazgul]

Did mine in 42 hrs, around $ 3K. In 1990. Not sure what the hourly rates are locally now.

Don

 

[Cameramonkey]

Did mine in 42 hrs, around $ 3K. In 1990. Not sure what the hourly rates are locally now.

Don

Damn. We're damn good. I think I got mine in 45-48.

 

[Leadeye]

Flying was fun, but after 20+ years, old age, thirsty engines, expensive ADs, and high rent hangers I finally gave it up. Something I never thought I would do when I was flying. I was once told that if it flies, floats, or $$$$$ you are better off renting.

 

[dnurk]

Semi-necro bump for the pilots.

I am considering starting starting training up at Indy Executive primarily due to the convenience factor and ability to fly without going into Class B space at KIND (although I plan to fly through there during some training obviously)

My question for for the INGO pilots....how would you rbe commend picking a individual instructor? I'm guessing Montgomery Aviation has a number of CFIs working there. Do you actually try to schedule "interviews" with a number of them to see who you get along with? Try to pick an older one who isn't looking to bank hours for commercial?

Id love to hear your thoughts INGO.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Dont sweat the class B. I trained at Eagle Creek and you REALLY have to work at it to touch KIND's airspace. Its a total non issue.

 

[avboiler11]

IND is Class C airspace, not B...though it is among the busier Charlies in the country, especially during a FedEx arrival or departure bank. Indy Exec (It'll always be Terry to me!) has nice facilities and should provide you a good environment to train in.

I would definitely recommend getting an instructor and sticking with him/her for the duration of your training. I also would not be opposed to a younger pilot building flight time toward an airline job; that does not mean they will provide poor instruction. As a young CFI I caught plenty of crap from older clients (I had to have a very frank conversation with a cardiovascular surgeon at a med school/teaching hospital when I was 19 about how in the airplane, I was the attending and he was the intern) but I was motivated and worked 110% to provide the best possible quality of instruction tailored to each client's personality, skill set and needs.

 

[rob63]

FWIW, I never finished my license because I had a young instructor that was banking hours. Unfortunately for me, he got a commercial job just as I was about ready to take my exam. I never found another instructor that was willing to just pick up at that point, they weren't going to sign off on me without starting over from pretty much the beginning. I decided I had accomplished as much with it as I was ever likely to anyway and it just wasn't worth the cost of starting over.

 

[avboiler11]

I never found another instructor that was willing to just pick up at that point, they weren't going to sign off on me without starting over from pretty much the beginning.

That is asinine...especially if you were staying with the same training provider (ie. flight school). One training flight and maybe an hour on the ground should have allowed a competent CFI to determine your skill, proficiency and knowledge in regards to the PTS. From a liability perspective I can understand a Part 61 CFI wanting a flight or two to polish you up prior to signing you off for the checkride...but "starting over"? Nope, that's bunk and I hate that it happened to you.

 

[dnurk]

FWIW, I never finished my license because I had a young instructor that was banking hours. Unfortunately for me, he got a commercial job just as I was about ready to take my exam. I never found another instructor that was willing to just pick up at that point, they weren't going to sign off on me without starting over from pretty much the beginning. I decided I had accomplished as much with it as I was ever likely to anyway and it just wasn't worth the cost of starting over.

Sorry to hear you had that experience. Sucks to have gotten that far and never finished it up.

Its never too late, you know. I've been an aviation buff since I was a kid and have been putting flight training off for decades. I'm 45 now and just finally committing to it.

 

[4651feeder]

...My question for for the INGO pilots....how would you rbe commend picking a individual instructor? I'm guessing Montgomery Aviation has a number of CFIs working there. Do you actually try to schedule "interviews" with a number of them to see who you get along with? Try to pick an older one who isn't looking to bank hours for commercial?

Id love to hear your thoughts INGO.

Start by asking those same questions at Montgomery to determine if you're comfortable with the answers. My guess is they'll go out of their way to provide assuring answers and suggestions as they appear to be aggressive in recruiting new students.

I learned as a twenty sumthng year old from a salty ole retired Marine pilot with years of real life experience and the end turned out well; your results may vary. Now that I think about it, living in a rural area with few choices at the time; I don't think I had any other realistic options.

 

[Trigger Time]

Don't know if Darrel Schrader is still instructing at Shelbyville, but he was a first rate professional instructor for primary and instrument.

hes a great guy as is sherri. they were/are lifelong family friends. I haven't spoke to them in quite a long time sadly.
i got half way through to get my license and had other things come up (a job) that stopped it. My brother got his though. I want to go back and get my license. It was enjoyable

 

[historian]

NECRO-Bump!

Scheduled my Physical for a couple weeks out. Going to get started on this whole thing! I've always wanted to fly, so here we go!

 

[injb]

NECRO-Bump!

Scheduled my Physical for a couple weeks out. Going to get started on this whole thing! I've always wanted to fly, so here we go!

If you mean your medical examination, be careful with that. Once the examiner accesses your form, they *have* to make a decision and denials are very hard to reverse. If there's anything that could be an issue, talk to an aviation doctor who specializes in hard cases first. You don't need to be certified until you solo anyway.

 

[historian]

If you mean your medical examination, be careful with that. Once the examiner accesses your form, they *have* to make a decision and denials are very hard to reverse. If there's anything that could be an issue, talk to an aviation doctor who specializes in hard cases first. You don't need to be certified until you solo anyway.

Yeah. There are two that do them, and they tell everyone not to go to the one because all he does is screw up paperwork.

 

[historian]

If you mean your medical examination, be careful with that. Once the examiner accesses your form, they *have* to make a decision and denials are very hard to reverse. If there's anything that could be an issue, talk to an aviation doctor who specializes in hard cases first. You don't need to be certified until you solo anyway.

Kids, don't follow your dreams. BP was too high, so I'm not going to get to fly. Guess that's a wrap.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Kids, don't follow your dreams. BP was too high, so I'm not going to get to fly. Guess that's a wrap.

Have you considered the “light sport” license? No medical required. But you also have a few more restrictions—at least you can fly though.

 

[Basher]

What was it, if I may ask? Statins aren’t disqualifying, so you should be able to work through things.

You don’t even want to know my story about getting a medical. The short version: took us over a year and a half, around $8,000 out of pocket before we even got approved, and several days of cognitive testing. It was a nightmare, but now I’m a heli flight instructor, so you CAN win if you’re willing to fight…

 

[historian]

What was it, if I may ask? Statins aren’t disqualifying, so you should be able to work through things.

You don’t even want to know my story about getting a medical. The short version: took us over a year and a half, around $8,000 out of pocket before we even got approved, and several days of cognitive testing. It was a nightmare, but now I’m a heli flight instructor, so you CAN win if you’re willing to fight…

194/142

Doc said I have to be on meds for 3 months before I can get approved.

 

[Basher]

194/142

Doc said I have to be on meds for 3 months before I can get approved.

Holy crap, that’s high!

I get white coat syndrome so I’ve seen readings as high as 150/90 in the office, but that usually drops down to the mid-130s over low- to mid-80s (still a tad high but not alarming in any way) with a second reading.

Get on the meds, get the BP lowered and stabilized, and go try again!

 

[injb]

Did you actually get a denial, or did you find out about the issue first? You should talk to Dr Bruce Chen (http://www.aeromedicaldoc.com/). He posts at https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/ (the medical section).