San Francisco flight schools

[VictorTangoBravo]

Hi there,

I am looking to do an intensive ppl course in the states sometime early next year. I have no previous flight experience (apart from one hour intro flight) and would like to get the course completed in 4 to 6 weeks. Can anybody recommend a good FTO in the San Fran, San Jose and surrounding areas?

I have obviously done my own research via google etc but personnal experience of any school would be much appreciated.

Cheers

[tdbristol]

Hi,

I visited TradeWinds Aviation at Reid-HillView (KRHV) airfield summer last year, just near San Jose (East side of 101); thoroughly recommend them.

2505 Cunningham Avenue
San Jose CA 95148
(408) 729 5100
[email protected] ([email protected])

I was due to fly with them twice when visiting, cancelled once due to the weather, plus I ended up visiting a few more times.

I was really impressed with them. They seemed to me extremely professional instructors; from my limited experience I rated them as far more knowledgable and professional than many UK instructors I have come across. I flew with a guy called Aaron Bell who I thought was excellent, but pretty hard to get hold of.

Most of their aircraft are pretty new; all of them seemed immaculate, mainly Cessna 172. I flew a G1000 172, as I wanted to try out a glass cockpit (fully equipped with TCAS etc.)

RHV seems a good location to train; fully equipped airfield but clearly GA; long wide runways (two parallel); towards the south of the SF bay so close to CAS of San Jose and SFO to get that experience but not right in the middle; easy to fly south e.g. to do touch and gos at Watsonville (which is what I did).

[slatch]

Seeing you are setting a time limit, LVK or one of the valley airports would be a better choice. While RHV is covered in Status, LVK is clear. You will spend alot of mornings at RHV, PAO, SQL and HWD waiting for clear skies.

Checkout Ahart at LVK, they have a good rep.

http://www.ahart.com/newWeb/aboutAhart/about_ahart.htm

[VictorTangoBravo]

Thanks for all replies.

[Aerocadet]

Hello!

Does Tradewinds Aviation accept international students under the M-1 visa?

Are there a lot of students enrolled there?

Thanks!;)