Flight school in Phoenix

[India Four Two]

sunside,

If I was going to Phoenix, I would not bother about getting an FAA license. I would spend the same amount of money for fewer hours with Budd Davidsson (http://www.airbum.com/BlogOnBDBio.html) in his Pitts S2A:
Pitts Special

While you are waiting to go there (or even if you don't go), listen to his podcasts, particularly his warbird experiences in the 70s with Junior Birchinall, a cropduster in Paris, Texas:
The Flight Journal Podcast with Budd Davisson - Flight Journal

or read his Pilot Reports:
Pilot Reports on fighters, bombers, antique aircraft and homebuilt aircraft