Interesting to read about someone else's experience of gaining a PPL in Florida.
I signed up last year with Tailwheels Ect. a nice family owned flight school based then at Winter Haven (KGIF) west of Orlando -they have recently moved to Lakeland (KLAL)
I decided on training with Tailwheels after taking a few discovery flights with other schools. (we have a vacation home in Florida, so it was easy for me on one of my trips over to Florida to "Try before I buy" with flights at other flight schools)
Anyway I signed up with Tailwheels for their 2 weeks accelerated PPL course. And the first thing they did was organise me the Gleim Student kit for me to study back here in the UK in readiness for my next trip over to begin my course.
When I arrived back I was ready to take my FAA written exam and go through the TSA requirement process, and I have to say it was all done by the TSA very quickly and efficiently, I went to Jet Blue at Orlando Airport for my fingerprinting, and I had my TSA authorisation come through in a matter of days, so I was ready to start my flying on board a 172SP my choice of aircraft.
However half way through the second week of training just after my first solo, I had reached a stress level I wasn't happy with, maybe it was because of my age (63) that I could not compute all the information and flying skill requirements quickly enough, but I decided to call a halt to the training and take a break. I really felt I was not going to be ready for my check ride by the end of the week. And if I had scraped through the oral and practical of the checkride to be granted my PPL ticket, I certainly would not have considered myself a safe pilot.
Taking the break was the best thing I could have done, I came home to the UK and continued my studies, I even set up a petty good flight Sim in a spare room to assist me.
I returned to Florida in March/April of this year and continued my training on an hourly basis, I did two weeks during that stay, flying twice a day,I came home for a few weeks then went back in June/July for another 2 weeks of training, I feel much more relaxed doing it this way, I have time to absorb and enjoy what I am being taught.
I am currently on 55 hrs. 6 of them solo, I have done my night dual x/c requirement, and when I go back in September I am scheduled to do my dual long x/c and then my solo x/c and my CFI says I should be ready to take my checkride.
I admire those who can knock out the training in just a few weeks, but it was the ideal route for me, like I say maybe it is an age thing.