I will second Phoenix flying school, they have great instructors there. I did my PPL there and i'm currently doing my IMC training with them. I have never had a complaint about that school nor the airfield. As previously stated you do get to know your aircraft's performance better. It's also good practice for very precise landings. I can say that I can comfortably land the aeroplane, where I want to land it, and that it is a skill that doesn't come too easy (at least for me).
Alex
