Flying School in Naples

[Dave Gittins]

Will be in Naples Florida for a week over New Year and like everywhere else I go, I'll want a fly round.

As I'm NPPL I need to fly with an instructor and anyway that keeps me safe and legal.

Looking to do a couple of hours with a bit of sightseeing and T & Gs at a couple of other fields.

Anybody any experience of the operators at KAPF ? Comments Recommendations ?

Thanks

DGG

[Flying Lawyer]

I did some flying at two schools whilst on holiday in Naples a couple of years ago.
I was entirely satisfied with customer service, aircraft and instructors at both schools and would happily use either again - but they were different so, ideally, visit both and decide which is more suited to you.

Naples Air Center
Richard Gentil (Owner) and all the FIs with whom I flew were friendly and helpful. I was happy to fly with whoever was available, sometimes at short notice, and was very satisfied with the instruction I received on each occasion.
The Warrior was old, as they usually are at UK flying schools/clubs, but that didn't bother me. I'm used to flying vintage aircraft a lot older than that. It performed and handled well and I had no reason to doubt that it was properly maintained. (Their C172s are newer but I wanted Warrior time.)

RexAir
The atmosphere was welcoming, helpful and professional. When I asked about the C172 I'd be renting for a trip to Key West a couple of days later I was invited to inspect their aircraft. The C172 I flew was in immaculate condition - one of the newest school/flying club aircraft I've ever flown. Their dedication to customer satisfaction was second to none that I've encountered over a few decades' flying in the UK and in several other parts of the world, including other states in the US.

BTW, although flying in America is much cheaper than in the UK the actual cost is often higher than appears in the advertised rates. It's important to establish before you fly precisely what will be charged and how it will be charged. Is there a fuel surcharge? If so, how much is it per hour?
UK schools don't usually charge for pre/post flight briefings but American schools commonly charge it as 'Ground Instruction'. If there is a charge, what is the rate? (Distinguishing between instruction and general conversation could be tricky. I haven't thought of a solution but if I was going to do a training course with an American school I would try to devise one.)
If you land away when dual, will you be charged for FI time on the ground? I haven't experienced that in the UK but American schools usually charge. If so, is it at full or reduced rate? (I don't know what NAC charge because I didn't land away; RexAir charge half-rate.)


I highly recommend a flight to Key West - fabulous scenery en route and an interesting place for lunch/to wander around. It's 2½-3 hours round-trip in a C172. We did some sight-seeing, and a touch and go at Florida Keys Marathon Airport on the way home, so it was 4 hours total.

Downwind at Key West International
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Florida%20Flying/P1010587_850.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Florida%20Flying/P1010600_web850.jpg
Base leg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Florida%20Flying/P1010622_web850.jpg
Overseas Highway - part of the famous Seven Mile Bridge

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/1920x1280/52548603.jpg


http://static.panoramio.com/photos/1920x1280/64891085.jpg


Tudor Owen

[Dave Gittins]

Many thanks for an interesting and informative post and some good sage advice.

I already have some comments by PM from somebody who did a PPL with Rexair last year so I think I know which way I'll be going. I don't have any particular preference of aeroplane. I currently fly a Diamondstar at Redhill but am equally at home in Pipers and Cessnas.

I am going to send out some emails and see what will work. Without wishing this to seem like any form of criticism, which it isn't, it seems there are some schools who are content to have guys like us rock up and want a one off flight and others who are intensively training pilots with professional intent and whose plans are a little less flexible.

I often find that flying someplace different gives me new opportunities. I flew an SR-22 in San Diego a couple of years ago and am attracted to an introduction to a Garmin 1000 equipped Cessna 182.

I was in Florida in June and flew a 172 from Opa Locka to a T & G at Marathon so the view of the Overseas Highway is very familiar ... I can hardly wait to be there again but from Naples may look to fly north towards Tampa for new scenery.

I overflew Ocean Reef Club on my from Opa Locka .. Wow .. that'd be a place to visit, but I'm too poor. Read about it in Dick Karls article in Flying earlier in the year.

Many thanks again

Dave Gittins

[alland2012]

A question for Tudor, when you flew down to Key West, did you track down the Gulf coast and then over the water directly to Key West or stay close to land and fly along to Keys ?

The reason I ask is it's flight I plan to do in the next few weeks while I'm over from the UK at my Florida home, and I am thinking rather than buy or borrow emergency kit for ditching in water, I should maybe consider the longer option of staying inland and flying the length of the Keys. I fly out of KLAL (Lakeland) or KGIF (Winter Haven) which are further north than Naples.

Great photos by the way..:ok:

[pmh1234]

What about Aircraft ? Europe-American Aviation (http://www.skystead.com/en/info/aircrafts/)

[treadigraph]

Alland, think Tudor's pics answer that one - one way a least! I flew as a pax from Naples to Key West and back a few years ago. We borrowed life vests from Naples Air Centre and there was some thought of going or coming back direct but as the guys at NAC said: "if you have to ditch, some of your fellow bathers may feel peckish!".

We flew down via Tamiami and back via Marathon and Everglades City (ouch! it was a tad bumpy on the approach and we arrived briefly rather than landed on the first approach, and went round from 50 feet on the second) and all in all it was very pleasant flight, with lovely scenery - and the only time I've ever seen a Twin Otter with floats.

[mikehallam]

F.L.

Re the photo's of the seven mile bridge.

The gap in the multi arched bridge is intriguing.

Do you know its story pls.?

mike hallam.

[PPRuNe Towers]

I suspect that gap is allied to a bit of movie history Mike.

Rob

[Flying Lawyer]

alland

Apart from the safety aspect, and the particular hazard already mentioned by Treadigraph :eek: , the longer route is more scenic than flying direct Key West.
We flew outbound over the Everglades and joined the Keys somewhere between Plantation Key and Islamorada. We returned via Key Largo.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Florida%20Flying/P1010537_850web.jpg
Overhead Everglades Airpark
It was an overcast morning so the picture doesn't do justice to the beauty of the area. The top of the photo shows part of 'Ten Thousand Islands' - a chain of small islands and mangrove islets off the coast. If you have time to spare I recommend visiting the Everglades. Fascinating, especially if you're interested in wildlife.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Florida%20Flying/EvergladesAirpark_850.jpg
(Not my picture)
Everglades Airpark is a pleasant quiet airfield. Airboats and yachts passing very close to the 15 threshold can be a little disconcerting at first!

Rob is correct.
The gap in the Old Seven Mile Bridge (south of Pigeon Key) was created during the filming of “True Lies” (1994).
By then, Monroe County and the Florida Department of Transportation (who own the bridge) had decided that portion of the old bridge would never be restored and agreed to the producers’ requests to allow a small portion of it to be blown up.

Friends of Old Seven (https://friendsofoldseven.org) is trying to raise funds (public and private) to re-open and preserve the old bridge.