CFI Where and Where
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CFI Where and Where
2 questions. I am going to get my CFI/II this summer but would like to know where in the USA is 1. a reputable training program and 2. a good place to consequently train later.
here are my thoughts thus far.
American Flyers at only 3k and 30 days ( yes the length of time will vary )
Flycorona.com where the CFI is 4.5K but seem like a great school to work
will personally study beforehand the FAA handbooks and take some practice tests online for both knowledge exams.
** any help is appreciated. I also should note that I am not interested in the ATP 14 day program both from what I have read and how I think that program may work for me.
here are my thoughts thus far.
American Flyers at only 3k and 30 days ( yes the length of time will vary )
Flycorona.com where the CFI is 4.5K but seem like a great school to work
will personally study beforehand the FAA handbooks and take some practice tests online for both knowledge exams.
** any help is appreciated. I also should note that I am not interested in the ATP 14 day program both from what I have read and how I think that program may work for me.
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I would recommend the American Flyers CFI/II course in pompano, I did my one with them back in 09 had a fantastic time and learnt a lot from the instructors there.
They get you done on time too as long as you put in the effort too.
Only down side was the accommodation it was a bit too gloomy for the amount of time I spent there (Three months, I did other training there too) But for 75 bucks a night i think it was you can't really complain.
Another plus side is the American Flyers online CFI revalidation course, I have yet to use it but iv heard good reviews from every one who has used it.
Any other questions just ask
I would give my left leg to go back and spend that time there again.
Corpus
They get you done on time too as long as you put in the effort too.
Only down side was the accommodation it was a bit too gloomy for the amount of time I spent there (Three months, I did other training there too) But for 75 bucks a night i think it was you can't really complain.
Another plus side is the American Flyers online CFI revalidation course, I have yet to use it but iv heard good reviews from every one who has used it.
Any other questions just ask
I would give my left leg to go back and spend that time there again. Corpus
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Hey thanks mate, what was the best and worst part about them? Maybe I should ask just why you lıked them so much? Also dıd they offer you a job there after?
I wıll say that 75 smackers per nıght ıs allot of cash and I would probably be better off just tryıng to rent a place for a month.
Let me know.
Cheers
I wıll say that 75 smackers per nıght ıs allot of cash and I would probably be better off just tryıng to rent a place for a month.
Let me know.
Cheers
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Alas no I couldn't have worked there as I was on a M1 visa at that time, Out of 10 people I went with I think two got offered jobs there to teach.
A couple of guys I went with rented rooms off craigslist in the local area but i'm not sure what they were paying.
One of the reasons I liked them is they went out of there way to help out and they did there best to get me done in the 30 days (I think I did it in 35 days) They treated me as a customer rather than just another cash source like some flight schools.
The instructors were good, most of them have been teaching there 10 + years.
I wouldn't recommend the MEI there though unless you don't mind paying extra. Doing it in the C310 was not cheep
Did I mention friday was pizza day too
Corpus
A couple of guys I went with rented rooms off craigslist in the local area but i'm not sure what they were paying.
One of the reasons I liked them is they went out of there way to help out and they did there best to get me done in the 30 days (I think I did it in 35 days) They treated me as a customer rather than just another cash source like some flight schools.
The instructors were good, most of them have been teaching there 10 + years.
I wouldn't recommend the MEI there though unless you don't mind paying extra. Doing it in the C310 was not cheep
Did I mention friday was pizza day too
Corpus
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Your words might indicate a Brit? (forgive me if I am way off !!!).
either way you seem to have some info on flycorona. their website depicted a flight school that cared more about teaching then just pumping students through to Eagle and the admin who I believe is also the CP seems to really enjoy his job which is a big plus I think in aviation!
Any other input from anyone else please write.
Cheers
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Any other input from anyone else please write.
I'm a Brit (for any non-American, foreigners reading) and did a lot of training in Arizona with Chandler Air Service, including CFI/II. I can thoroughly recommend the school.
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I did my Private at FlyCorona 4 years ago - honest people and I'm still friends with them. Instructors are like everywhere else - you roll the dice and see what you get. Informal atmosphere, but NOT (edited!) lackadaisical - I will never go to any school with young kids walking around with white shirts and epaulettes. Just my opinion, of course.
Airplane availability was a problem until recently - they had some bad luck with people writing them off, usually renters. New airplanes coming now and the Bonanza used for CFI training is a fine airplane. The Bonanza's availability is very good - not that many people currently use it.
Nothing bad to say about them and tell Mike Peter sent you!
BTW, need I mention the weather here? Compared to New England?
Airplane availability was a problem until recently - they had some bad luck with people writing them off, usually renters. New airplanes coming now and the Bonanza used for CFI training is a fine airplane. The Bonanza's availability is very good - not that many people currently use it.
Nothing bad to say about them and tell Mike Peter sent you!
BTW, need I mention the weather here? Compared to New England?
Last edited by Zamfire; 16th May 2011 at 18:36.
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Informal atmosphere, but lackadaisical,Nothing bad to say about them
Also you must still stay in contact as I dont see the Bonanza on their website. Do they also have any multi options. The advertise that you can get the rating but not on an airplane that they have listed in the fleet.
How also was living in Corona?
Thanks mate.
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BIG oops! I meant NOT lackadaisical. (Don't you love that word?) Don't sue me, Mike!
No lack of enthusiasm there at all, I asssure you. The owner Mike usually loads up his Bonanza with former students and heads to Oshkosh with them, all for the cost of fuel and nothing else. Even gave me some time to get familiar with it, for nothing more than some fuel money, which I almost had to force on him.
So, please note correction! I will edit my post to correct it.
No lack of enthusiasm there at all, I asssure you. The owner Mike usually loads up his Bonanza with former students and heads to Oshkosh with them, all for the cost of fuel and nothing else. Even gave me some time to get familiar with it, for nothing more than some fuel money, which I almost had to force on him.
So, please note correction! I will edit my post to correct it.
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A
They used to have a Twin Comanche, not any more - not enough demand and a maintenance nightmare.
The Bonanza is an E33 model and they also have a 6 seat G36 - these aircraft are strictly speaking club aircraft; FlyCorona also runs a kind of club arrangement. You pay monthly dues and a dry rate for the airplane and have a little more freedom than simply renting. Since the complex/CFI demand is fairly low they use the club E33 for that type of training. Keep in mind that you can 90% of your checkride/training in a typical 172 and switch to the complex for the few tasks that require it - saves some bucks. They are getting more airplanes right now.
Corona is nothing special, but nothing bad either, clsoe to everything: beach is under an hour away, so is downtown LA. Mountains 1.5 hours. Get checked out and fly to Big Bear, high altitude airport. Lots of airspace to deal with, which is good practice if you want/need it, but go east and it's all wide open. Not a bad location for flying all round. Corona also has the cheapest fuel in the area. Cheap being a relative term these days.
lso you must still stay in contact as I dont see the Bonanza on their website. Do they also have any multi options. The advertise that you can get the rating but not on an airplane that they have listed in the fleet.
How also was living in Corona?
How also was living in Corona?
The Bonanza is an E33 model and they also have a 6 seat G36 - these aircraft are strictly speaking club aircraft; FlyCorona also runs a kind of club arrangement. You pay monthly dues and a dry rate for the airplane and have a little more freedom than simply renting. Since the complex/CFI demand is fairly low they use the club E33 for that type of training. Keep in mind that you can 90% of your checkride/training in a typical 172 and switch to the complex for the few tasks that require it - saves some bucks. They are getting more airplanes right now.
Corona is nothing special, but nothing bad either, clsoe to everything: beach is under an hour away, so is downtown LA. Mountains 1.5 hours. Get checked out and fly to Big Bear, high altitude airport. Lots of airspace to deal with, which is good practice if you want/need it, but go east and it's all wide open. Not a bad location for flying all round. Corona also has the cheapest fuel in the area. Cheap being a relative term these days.
Last edited by Zamfire; 17th May 2011 at 00:08.
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CFI Where and Where
Howdy,
Some points since our name came up
1. Correct, we cannot issue I-20 forms for those who need them. We are still 141 pending, and the Riverside FSDO seems in no hurry to finish our paperwork.
2. Thanks for the kind words, Peter. Amusing Typo -- even I can be lackadaisical some days -- the rest of the staff cover for me on those days and I take a breather.
3. We are running a special for Comm and CFI people to provide the E33 at $129/hr wet in 10 hour blocks. We are doing this mainly because people see the comfy Bonanza and think "oh no, big mean XC machine!", but the thing is docile for the Comm maneuvers in 225hp form, and we really don't want to get another 172RG/Arrow if we don't have to.
CFI is mainly ground training and learning how to teach -- you already know the airwork as a CPL -- the more prep you put into it beforehand the easier and less expensive it will be. At the moment we're twin-less (due to aforementioned PA30) -- but we have sublease arrangements on a few types of ME, and we can make it happen for ya. We are actually training an MEI right now in the PA34 Seneca, and have arrangements for a Duchess as well.
Feel free to reach out if I can help in anyway. ([email protected]) American Flyers is a good group also, they're just much more "formal" than we are -- we think this stuff should be fun, not boot camp -- but there are students who need the rigidity, and they can have trouble achieving their goals with our culture -- we don't babysit our clients.
I got my own CFI at ATP JAX, and while it was VERY rushed, I felt it was thorough. Definitely a no-frills, get-it-done culture there. If I didn't cram the 2 weeks prior to arrival, I'd have failed -- it is a LOT of material -- and in fact, our class of 7 saw 3 people wash out before it was over. One broke out in tears in checkride prep and just lost it and had to leave. Brutal.
$0.02 -- Good luck on the CFI, wherever you train at!
- Mike
(PS -- "ASES" was a low blow
)
Some points since our name came up
1. Correct, we cannot issue I-20 forms for those who need them. We are still 141 pending, and the Riverside FSDO seems in no hurry to finish our paperwork.
2. Thanks for the kind words, Peter. Amusing Typo -- even I can be lackadaisical some days -- the rest of the staff cover for me on those days and I take a breather.
3. We are running a special for Comm and CFI people to provide the E33 at $129/hr wet in 10 hour blocks. We are doing this mainly because people see the comfy Bonanza and think "oh no, big mean XC machine!", but the thing is docile for the Comm maneuvers in 225hp form, and we really don't want to get another 172RG/Arrow if we don't have to.
CFI is mainly ground training and learning how to teach -- you already know the airwork as a CPL -- the more prep you put into it beforehand the easier and less expensive it will be. At the moment we're twin-less (due to aforementioned PA30) -- but we have sublease arrangements on a few types of ME, and we can make it happen for ya. We are actually training an MEI right now in the PA34 Seneca, and have arrangements for a Duchess as well.
Feel free to reach out if I can help in anyway. ([email protected]) American Flyers is a good group also, they're just much more "formal" than we are -- we think this stuff should be fun, not boot camp -- but there are students who need the rigidity, and they can have trouble achieving their goals with our culture -- we don't babysit our clients.
I got my own CFI at ATP JAX, and while it was VERY rushed, I felt it was thorough. Definitely a no-frills, get-it-done culture there. If I didn't cram the 2 weeks prior to arrival, I'd have failed -- it is a LOT of material -- and in fact, our class of 7 saw 3 people wash out before it was over. One broke out in tears in checkride prep and just lost it and had to leave. Brutal.
$0.02 -- Good luck on the CFI, wherever you train at!
- Mike
(PS -- "ASES" was a low blow
)
