Hour Building USA
 

Hi All,

I really do want some advice from you all.

I have recently completed my PPL in UK. I wish to go to the US to do Hour Building ~ 80 Hours (C152 and PA28). I have been searching a lot on the internet to find all the possible information that I can gather, I have also got a few schools in mind (considering) my budget. I am very concerned about the real picture in terms of aircraft maintenance, hidden costs and availability of aircraft to finish it over the month.

The schools that I have an interest in (by no means firm choice) are mentioned in this message. I would like to get some opinion on those along with any of your experience if you have happen to have flown from there. I would also like to know if there are any other ones (I know there are lots on google) which you would recommend. It would be great.

EASA - Euro American School of Aviation
Dean International
Florida Flyers
Long Beach (Cali)
Air American Center


Thank you for all your help!
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First of all, for hour building, you don't need to go to one of the big schools. As you already have a license (ok, you'll need the US based-on one to fly in the US, but that's no big hassle AFAIK), you can rent an a/c from anywhere. That said, I'd look beyond the usual suspects.

Secondly, it depends, what you are trying to achieve. If you are only after logbook hours, then probably somewhere in the Midwest might be a good and cheap idea. If you want to learn something and gain experience in a wide variety of environments (both in terms of airspace and topography), then I'd say go to California. Not as cheap as the center of the country, but great place to fly!

Just to give you two more in the LA area, try Justice Aviation (Santa Monica) and Channel Islands Aviation (Canarillo). There are loads and loads of others, though, you shouldn't have a problem finding one that works for you.

I would try to seek out some of the smaller FTOs, as the availability will in general be better than in the big 'sausage factory' outfits.

Enjoy!

I rented C172s for recreational VFR flying from Colorado Flight Centre, Grand Junction, in 2010. Good availability, plenty of cheap, good, hotel accomodation and restaurants nearby, and modern, well-equipped, IFR compliant aircraft. I've also rented at Rapid City, South Dakota. You can find bargains at smaller places - but you'ld have to look. I've done so at Poteau, Oklahoma and Burns, Oregon, but that was long ago.

Usual suspects
 

I would do as advised above and get away from the usual suspects who base their prices on what they can get away with knowing the European market.

You should go to the most unfashionable area of the USA and find an operator who normaly only rents to the locals, then you will get a good deal.

Chandler Air Service, near Pheonix, Arizona. Amazing place, you wont go wrong.

+1 million for Chandler Air Service...

Or try Skymates in Dallas, Texas. Great school with JAR Approval as well.

I'm quite tempted by this Airshares Elite | Fractional Aircraft Ownership | Cirrus Perhaps a good way of flying into a number of different airfields?

I can only comment on EASA, for hour building I wouldnt personally. Great school for PPL (did mine not too long ago here). Does exactly what it says on the tin!
However, quite a lot of the guys that went out there to hour build while I was there wished they had gone somewhere that they could have had a bit more freedom with where they could take the planes and at times the availability wasn't great.