USA PPL costs - looking for a no-frills school
A consideration - and a limitiation - of Pt 141 training is that the school *must* conduct the training strictly i.a.w. the approved Pt 141 syllabus. A school's pt 141 syllabus is approved by the FAA as a direct replacement for the regular pt61 training. It can include a reduction in total training time up to whatever amount is allowed under 14 CFR Part 141. No pt 141 syllabus is necessarily the same. It's all about getting the FAA to approve that school's own replacement for Pt 61 training, providing at least equivalent competency for the various licences & ratings.
If the school's syllabus says xyz ground training over 'x' hours will be used, then that is the one that must be used, for that period of time. Doesn't mean that you can't also self study from other sources but you still must do the specified amount & type of training i.a.w. the approved pt 141 syllabus.
Similarly the flight training. If their syllabus specifies a particular aircraft type (or even a specific airframe) then that's what must be used. If the syllabus specifies 'A' must be taught before 'B', then that's what has to happen - even if the weather is more suitable for 'B' that day. The syllabus will specify particular nav routes etc so you can't just have a navex to somewhere on a whim. Smart schools write their syllabi to give as much flexibility as possible subject to the FAA approving it, but still have to adhere to whatever is approved.
If the school's syllabus says xyz ground training over 'x' hours will be used, then that is the one that must be used, for that period of time. Doesn't mean that you can't also self study from other sources but you still must do the specified amount & type of training i.a.w. the approved pt 141 syllabus.
Similarly the flight training. If their syllabus specifies a particular aircraft type (or even a specific airframe) then that's what must be used. If the syllabus specifies 'A' must be taught before 'B', then that's what has to happen - even if the weather is more suitable for 'B' that day. The syllabus will specify particular nav routes etc so you can't just have a navex to somewhere on a whim. Smart schools write their syllabi to give as much flexibility as possible subject to the FAA approving it, but still have to adhere to whatever is approved.
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Lancashire & Florida
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi topperdoggle, May I ask how was your experience with Tailwheels? Have you obtained a PPL within 14 days? I want to know more about the details of accelerated PPL. Many thanks!!!
John Amundsen his Son Jonathan who owned and ran the business had a bust up went their seperate ways and the company was taken over by Internatioal Aero Academy, John is still working there as a Flight Instructor.
Same location at Lakeland KLAL same aircraft, but hopefully better organised.
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: hong kong
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As of a couple of months back Tailwheels is no more ...
John Amundsen his Son Jonathan who owned and ran the business had a bust up went their seperate ways and the company was taken over by Internatioal Aero Academy, John is still working there as a Flight Instructor.
Same location at Lakeland KLAL same aircraft, but hopefully better organised.
John Amundsen his Son Jonathan who owned and ran the business had a bust up went their seperate ways and the company was taken over by Internatioal Aero Academy, John is still working there as a Flight Instructor.
Same location at Lakeland KLAL same aircraft, but hopefully better organised.
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: north of barlu
Posts: 6,207
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My best advice about training in the USA would be to get away from the usual suspects in Florida and the west coast, these people are set up to take advantage of the high prices outside the USA and are located in the more attractive parts of the USA and these places have a higher cost of living. I did my FAA CPL/IR in Detroit, defiantly not the trendy part of the USA but I got good training, I was the only non American in the place, low accommodation costs with the cheaper cost of living was reflected in the prices charged for the flying.
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Barbados
Posts: 411
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The myth of the cheapie US PPL continues.
Yes, the bare costs are lower compared with most places in Europe etc. but factor in the international flights, the accommodation etc. and the saving is negligible.
The benefit of the US option is the weather - uninterrupted flying and that one is away from one's normal environment.
This intensive training means that one is not doing the two steps forward and one step back thing driven by weather and other delays as normal life gets in the way.
Most places with good weather in the US will get you done in four to six weeks - even me when did mine at 50.
Yes, the bare costs are lower compared with most places in Europe etc. but factor in the international flights, the accommodation etc. and the saving is negligible.
The benefit of the US option is the weather - uninterrupted flying and that one is away from one's normal environment.
This intensive training means that one is not doing the two steps forward and one step back thing driven by weather and other delays as normal life gets in the way.
Most places with good weather in the US will get you done in four to six weeks - even me when did mine at 50.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Israel
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi topperdoggle, May I ask how was your experience with Tailwheels? Have you obtained a PPL within 14 days? I want to know more about the details of accelerated PPL. Many thanks!!!
So after four days, I packed it in, partied with friends in Miami, and went home.
More here.