Don't wish to be a total wet blanket but please, you should consider it a little bit beyond the apparent cost of the flying/tuition.........
You're doing right by factoring in travel, accommodation, subsistence, but also take into account the quality and speed of the training that you will be getting, and how you will be viewed in terms of a qualified, competetent pilot when you get back to wherever you will be flying from regularly.
You may end up paying over the odds in the long run when conversions, extra tests, mandatory dual time (maybe imposed by your local club), local paperwork, etc get lumped on top of your apparent "bargain price".
Be careful also of paying lump sums up front then ending up fighting the school for flights, attention and service. In extreme cases people have paid up front thinking they were getting a bargain and the school has gone bust - or have sat around waiting for instructors and aircraft to be available.
I just heard a tale from a friend in the US who was going on a cropdusting course in the midwest somewhere. He agreed the package (but luckily didnt pay up front). When he got there, the owner of the outfit was away, and he heard such terrible tales about overcharging, poor maintenance & lax service from some local ex-customers that he promptly hightailed it, thanking his stars that he hadnt parted with any of his money.
Obviously, personal recommendations are good, but it may also be worth establishing the solvency of a place before parting with advance sums of money.
You can see comments on some schools using the
www.airnav.com/airports webpages. Select a city or airfield, scroll down till you get to the businesses on the field, and in some cases you'll see comments from punters - but some are obviously so glowing that they've been planted by the owners themselves!
You get what you pay for in this world. I sincerely hope though, that you get a good deal wherever you choose.
[ 24 August 2001: Message edited by: poetpilot ]