Chicago
 

I'm off for a trip to Chicago in May, to visit some in-laws. Whle I'm there, I'd like to take the opportunity to do some flying. I have searched the web, and found several schools, but does anyone have any recommendations ? I'll probably just go for a couple of hours with an instructor, but if there is a school with a JAR instructor (which I can't find) , I could be tempted into an IMC rating (assuming I have acquired the correct visa of course)

Any help / advice really appreciated.

Tango Oscar - I've only flown as a passenger in the Chicago area, but if you have no luck elsewhere I know someone to ask about schools (a CPL/IR flying from Waukegan, which is just to the north). He should be able to recommend somewhere to go. Feel free to PM me if nobody else comes up with anything.

I tried to do the same thing back in 2000 when I had a few days to kill in Chicago en-route to the Indy grand Prix.

The plan was to rent a 4 seater (with instructor) from a FBO at Midway, then do a couple of hours check-ride to include a landing at Meigs Field (now closed :{ ) for a $100 cup of coffee and back to Midway. Repeat the whole thing next day with friends (not instructor) and sight see over the windy city.

Unfortunately NONE of the above was achieved. Reasons:
1) Rental from Midway was outrageously expensive (more geared to joy rides for rich tourists).
2) Public transport to Midway from the city is dire and would have taken a full day to fit in a 2 hour check.
3) Chicago turned out to have more to offer on the ground than expected, so the time flew by anyway.

In conclusion, you should have no trouble at all if you are
rich, have access to a car and have plenty of time. There is not much you can do about Meigs.

Hope you work something out. Maybe I should have tried harder!

TG.

I did my FAA PPL at Cushing Field, about 40 miles to the south west of Chicago in 1993.

Not sure whether the same people are still there, but the field was owned at the time by Charles Cushing, who I found to be a very nice and personable guy. The aeroplanes (a mixture of C152's and C172's, with a single Citabria) were all okay and well maintained, and the hourly rates weren't bad either. I seem to recall the company was known as Flying C Leasing.

I'd recommend them, but as I say it was over ten years ago and they may have moved on. Let me know if you do manage to drop in there, as I'd love to know if they're still there and maybe go back and fly with them again one day.

Got a lovely memory of flying into Meigs ( :{ ) and chugging up and down the lakefront one day, a mile out over the water, and marvelling at the Chicago skyline from 2000'..... <sigh>... happy days, they were... :ok:

Thanks for the replys everyone.

EVO - Thanks for the offer, I will PM you if I don't get anywhere myself.

Tall Guy - thanks for the info, although not too encouraging

Beauman - I will let you know if 'Flying C Leasing' are still
around and can help me.

Regards.

T O

If you really want to do some flying the best suggestion is to locate an FBO away from the Chicago area, look toward Gary Indiana, South Bend, but forget about Midway.

The Chicago Airspace is busier than a one armed paper hanger, and traffic at Midway (MDW) is way up so flying out of there is challenging.

Mike

To add a few more - Joliet, Aurora, Palwaukee, Kenosha, Du Page.

Wherever you end up flying from, you are only an hour or so (flying time) from Oshkosh. I think both the FBO's can be persuaded to take you to the museum, which is on the south west side of the field. If you time your visit over a weekend, in May, Pioneer Airport will be open. Try www.airventuremuseum.org
If the weather is cooperating, you could find that the 1929 Ford Tri Motor, the Travel Air E-4000, the Spirit of St Louis replica or the Bell 47 are out to play and all four can carry paying passengers. Phone ahead first to check as some of the aircraft may be out on tour, or there may not be pilots available to fly them.

If you do decide to visit Oshkosh, pm me.

I would also recommend a visit to Poplar Grove to see how the other half live ;) Its a gorgeous airpark - hangar your plane under or beside the house type of thing - with a lovely selection of unique aircraft based on the field.