...and a b****r to find by air too - even if you know it's there!
I trained with Phoenix at Netherthorpe as well as an IMC and the still CFI does my IMC renewals even though I now fly from a long strip of tarmac 10 nms away. They're a top bunch and the instructors were universally professional, competent and friendly. I recently saw one of my former instructors instructing at SAC and there has been movement in both directions over the years. Other than price I don't think there's anything to choose between the two and Phoenix must be among the cheapest hourly rates in the counrty. Most Phoenix Flyers are social member of SAC (at much lower cost than flying members), which gives them access to the club house, but there was always free tea and coffee (albeit in scummy cups) at Phoenix.
Basically, which school you use will be a personal choice and both are good and both will teach you proper short field technique which you will never learn properly on a long tarmac runway.
Grass field, but underlain by sandy soil, so rarely waterlogged. 24 is 3 deg uphill, so all the water's at the bottom in any event
In my day we used 150s, like real men. None of this 'guarantee to get you over the hedge nancy 130 hp Aerobat' nonsense. Where's the thrill in knowing on every take-off that you aren't going to crash?
But seriously, the Aerobats are great little trainers (extremely well maintained in-house) and you can learn basic aerobatics if you like. It's mainly been visiting aircraft through the hedge with pilots who simply didn't do the maths on a hot and high day. I think the rare Phoenix accidents have all been on landing - either your usual student drop-in or (on the occasion the much loved Sierra Lima came to grief) following an engine failure in the circuit when the FI just managed to get on to the field.
Try Netherthorpe and enjoy whichever school you use.
24R