Best Flight School in San Diego!?..
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: USA
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Best Flight School in San Diego!?..
Hi Everyone,
I am american but have done my training so far in Europe. Got my PPL from Cyprus, done my atpl ground courses with pass marks in Oxford and have 132 hours. however I am going to continue my training under FAA rules, as I realized Americans can not find job in EU due to immigration reasons. So I am planning to do my IR/CPL/ME in San Diego. Have looked into AAA( American Aviation Academy, California Flight Academy and Scandinavian aviation Aviation Academy( SAA), and few other small schools. would like to ask if anyone has been to any of those schools, and if you aviators could suggest the best available school in san diego. Of course price is a major concern, but I am really looking for great instructors and good and friendly environment. Please share your oponions and experiences, which is really valuable.
Thank you for your time!
I am american but have done my training so far in Europe. Got my PPL from Cyprus, done my atpl ground courses with pass marks in Oxford and have 132 hours. however I am going to continue my training under FAA rules, as I realized Americans can not find job in EU due to immigration reasons. So I am planning to do my IR/CPL/ME in San Diego. Have looked into AAA( American Aviation Academy, California Flight Academy and Scandinavian aviation Aviation Academy( SAA), and few other small schools. would like to ask if anyone has been to any of those schools, and if you aviators could suggest the best available school in san diego. Of course price is a major concern, but I am really looking for great instructors and good and friendly environment. Please share your oponions and experiences, which is really valuable.
Thank you for your time!
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Aloft
Age: 46
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
MissAviator,
Do you have a university degree? If not, get one.
Second, don't stop with the CPL/ME/IR rating. Get your CFI's as well. Just out of flight school with 250 hours under your belt you will be very hard pressed to find single engine piston work.
When you hit the 500-700 hour mark you may be lucky and be able to do someting along the lines flying for a skydiving company or doing banner towing or aerial surveying.
Remember, if you want to go to the regionals, you will have to have your ATP. In the States we don't have anything called a Frozen ATPL (which is just a commercial certificate).
With that being said, I would choose a school based on whether or not I could find employment with them as a CFI after training was done.
Good luck!
Do you have a university degree? If not, get one.
Second, don't stop with the CPL/ME/IR rating. Get your CFI's as well. Just out of flight school with 250 hours under your belt you will be very hard pressed to find single engine piston work.
When you hit the 500-700 hour mark you may be lucky and be able to do someting along the lines flying for a skydiving company or doing banner towing or aerial surveying.
Remember, if you want to go to the regionals, you will have to have your ATP. In the States we don't have anything called a Frozen ATPL (which is just a commercial certificate).
With that being said, I would choose a school based on whether or not I could find employment with them as a CFI after training was done.
Good luck!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: USA
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The BigD.
many thanks for your reply, great info. Yes I already got bachelor degree in banking and finance, and my aim is to become a CFI for sure.
It's just I am looking for a school who provide better instructors. I have had been victim of a few psycho Instructors who had really demotivated me and wasted my flight hours and money. on the other had I had great instructors too who helped me ALOT...
many thanks for your reply, great info. Yes I already got bachelor degree in banking and finance, and my aim is to become a CFI for sure.
It's just I am looking for a school who provide better instructors. I have had been victim of a few psycho Instructors who had really demotivated me and wasted my flight hours and money. on the other had I had great instructors too who helped me ALOT...
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: USA
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
hi
tnx for reply, i tried to reply earlier but it is not up yet, yes i have a bachelor degree and planning to do CFI. my other question is about citations. I have heard even with less than 1000 one can get a job on citation. is that true?
tnx for reply, i tried to reply earlier but it is not up yet, yes i have a bachelor degree and planning to do CFI. my other question is about citations. I have heard even with less than 1000 one can get a job on citation. is that true?
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Aloft
Age: 46
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It is possible to get a job on Citations with less than 1000 hours; but the key is networking. I wouldn't count on it, as in put all of my eggs in that basket. I would get my CFI, instruct and if you get a Citation job - awesome.
With regards to instructors; my advice would be to go visit each of the schools personally (if you are in a position to do so) and get a feel for them. And most importantly; talk to the students (not just the admissions people). They will tell you about any serious problems or issues they may have had or are having with the school.
With regards to instructors; my advice would be to go visit each of the schools personally (if you are in a position to do so) and get a feel for them. And most importantly; talk to the students (not just the admissions people). They will tell you about any serious problems or issues they may have had or are having with the school.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: USA
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
thank you again for your reply. I will come back to states soon, I have already contacted different schools and got the feeling who are more into assisting the students and who are more into money. I heard good feedback with no exception about California flight academy, the rest never satisfied all the student. In case someone has any comment about CFA would be helpful.
but thanks again
but thanks again
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Between a rock and a hard place
Posts: 1,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Used to work for SAA. At the time they were focusing mostly on ab-initio training programs, European and Chinese customers. I know some guys that came on special programs with specific needs were down prioritized in favor of the ab-initios when the capacity couldn't meet the demand, i.e. they were short of planes/instructors. But lots of things have changed since then including new owners. Like most places the instructors are fresh taking it as a stepping stone in their career. Used to be many Swedish instructors but today I think there's only a handful left. All colleagues were very nice guys/gals, the odd ones with poor attitude did not last long. Unfortunately a seemingly nice instructor can turn into a tyrant inside the plane. Very nice facilities and good helpful maintenance department. Student services was run by a lovely woman. Think she's still there. Some old students came back as instructors, although it was not a given right. They still had to go through the interview process. Some went to CFA or AAA too.
Great place to fly in SoCal, lots of good memories and I do wonder why I left it sometimes. An afternoon trip to Catalina island or a weekend in Las Vegas (yes, we were allowed to do them and students paid the hotels). Happy hour at Moondoggies in PB, $2 a drink was something unheard of for a Swede. And I still cannot eat Mexican food coz it just doesn't taste the same anywhere else.
Great place to fly in SoCal, lots of good memories and I do wonder why I left it sometimes. An afternoon trip to Catalina island or a weekend in Las Vegas (yes, we were allowed to do them and students paid the hotels). Happy hour at Moondoggies in PB, $2 a drink was something unheard of for a Swede. And I still cannot eat Mexican food coz it just doesn't taste the same anywhere else.
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Madagascar
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
CFA
Hi MissAviator,
I just completed all my training at CFA. My sister is still finishing hers there (I can put you in touch if you want)
I have to say, I loved it there. They do have a lot of students, and could use a few more planes, but they are doing a great job overall.
I started from scratch in March 2013 and was out with my PPL, IFR, and CME in November 2013. I flew everyday and studied like a mad man, but completed everything I wanted.
If you need more specific info, I would be glad to share.
I just completed all my training at CFA. My sister is still finishing hers there (I can put you in touch if you want)
I have to say, I loved it there. They do have a lot of students, and could use a few more planes, but they are doing a great job overall.
I started from scratch in March 2013 and was out with my PPL, IFR, and CME in November 2013. I flew everyday and studied like a mad man, but completed everything I wanted.
If you need more specific info, I would be glad to share.
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: glendale
Posts: 819
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
missaviator:
Plan on being an instructor through 1500 hours
Try going to smaller airfields and smaller flying schools. Anything with ''academy'' in it might not be for you.
Assuming you speak english well, why not go to the smallest airport you can find, with a place you have never heard of, and at least check them out.
Oh, and plan on being poor for many years.
Plan on being an instructor through 1500 hours
Try going to smaller airfields and smaller flying schools. Anything with ''academy'' in it might not be for you.
Assuming you speak english well, why not go to the smallest airport you can find, with a place you have never heard of, and at least check them out.
Oh, and plan on being poor for many years.
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Western USA
Posts: 555
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oh, and plan on being poor for many years.
Try and fail? Possible. Never try? Failure is a given.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: USA
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have contacted the SAA. seems great but i felt they are more into ab-initio student, same story everywhere. and modular program is at least 10000 $ more expensive than other schools. I'm glad u had a great time there
thanks for sharing your experience.
thanks for sharing your experience.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: USA
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Im glad you did great in your training. I am mainly concerned with instructors. the last thing you want is an instructor who freaks you out. and is there any chance they hire their students as CFI if they do well in their training?
Thank again
Thank again
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: not @ home
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"is there any chance they hire their students as CFI if they do well in their training?"
Yes. They prefer someone who's gone through the training program than someone off the street.
Yes. They prefer someone who's gone through the training program than someone off the street.
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: glendale
Posts: 819
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would not trust any school that said they would hire you as a flight instructor if you learned there.
One place I learned, many years ago, didn't hire me even though I had done com/inst.multi cfi there.
Found another job at an airport 8 miles away and then the first place went out of business.
As to instructors, YOU call the shots. Don't pay up front and you ALWAYS have the power about which instructor you want or get.
I've seen instructors frighten students too much instead of helping them learn.
One place I learned, many years ago, didn't hire me even though I had done com/inst.multi cfi there.
Found another job at an airport 8 miles away and then the first place went out of business.
As to instructors, YOU call the shots. Don't pay up front and you ALWAYS have the power about which instructor you want or get.
I've seen instructors frighten students too much instead of helping them learn.
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: London
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi MissAviator,
Did you decide which school to train with? I've been doing similar research with the aim of going to San Diego later this year. PM me if you prefer - it would be great to share the info we have found.
Diamond
Did you decide which school to train with? I've been doing similar research with the aim of going to San Diego later this year. PM me if you prefer - it would be great to share the info we have found.
Diamond
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: California
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi MissAviator and DiamondC: I live in San Diego, and taught at SAA some years ago. I was among that weird group of instructors who actually loves instructing, and I found SAA to be one of the best schools I have seen. I also worked with TransPac in Phoenix, teaching in their KingAir program, which was the final training phase for Chinese pilots before returning to their airlines. Both of these schools place a high emphasis on structured "airline-style" procedural training, and if your goal is airline flying, these schools will prepare you and look very good on your resume.
An advantage SAA has is the opportunity for flight time in actual instrument conditions, not just "hood time". San Diego regularly experiences a nice gentle cloud layer called "marine layer", which is an excellent opportunity for training. It was always a treat to share that first flight into clouds with a student!
An advantage TransPac has is a great opportunity to be hired as an instructor and fly your fanny off building flight time. They have a lot of contracts with Chinese airlines, and no shortage of students. In aviation, you need to always plan your next two career moves, so it isn't unreasonable to consider where you will instruct before you earn your CFI.
Hope this info is useful to you. It's best to check out several places before you commit to anything. Wherever you go in aviation, make sure you have some fun, and always have a backup plan!
An advantage SAA has is the opportunity for flight time in actual instrument conditions, not just "hood time". San Diego regularly experiences a nice gentle cloud layer called "marine layer", which is an excellent opportunity for training. It was always a treat to share that first flight into clouds with a student!
An advantage TransPac has is a great opportunity to be hired as an instructor and fly your fanny off building flight time. They have a lot of contracts with Chinese airlines, and no shortage of students. In aviation, you need to always plan your next two career moves, so it isn't unreasonable to consider where you will instruct before you earn your CFI.
Hope this info is useful to you. It's best to check out several places before you commit to anything. Wherever you go in aviation, make sure you have some fun, and always have a backup plan!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: USA
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for your reply sunnywx. I have talked with saa, they seemed ok but the price is a bit high, and I was fortunate to end up going to Colorado and continue my training there. Another thing I found out about saa, is that they focus more on inte grated students, rather than modular ones, like me. But thanks again fr your reply
