San Diego flying
 

Hi
I'm off to San Diego from August 13 to 28 to build a few hours. If anyone is over there and wants to do some flying together give me a shout.

Thanks

Hey Sleepy,
Where are you flying out of in San Diego? I need to do some hour building in the next couple of months and am trying to decide where to go. I've been to San Diego before and thought it was a fantastic place! Enjoy:cool:

too_sleepy,
I'm looking to get my PPL in California but I can't make my mind up between Dan Diego and Long Beach. I was just wondering why you Chose San Diego??

TJF97

Hi

I wanted somehting different. Everyone seems to go to Florida, I did for my PPL and had intended to go back to build some hours.
The weather should be better in San Diego, little chance of thunderstorms and no hurricanes. The geography is more interesting, there are actual mountains and desert, so flight planning will be more of a challange.
There is a cost penalty. Hotels are more expensive than Florida and the flight from Dublin is also more expansive. The hourly rate for the aircraft I'm hoping to fly is pretty good, $70, and they look in great condition.

I'll let you know how I get on.

too_sleepy

Which flight school are you going to be using ?

Hi

Actually I've been looking at the clubs at Montgomery field. They seem very well run and stocked with decent aircraft. Golden Wings is the one I'm going with at the moment. They sent me contact details of an instructor who'll take me on a few flights until I get familair with the aircraft and local area.

Yes heard good things about them. I fly out of Gillespie.

Enjoy and you must have a few nights out at Jimmy Loves in down town SD.

Hi ram33

Who do you fly with at Gillespie Field?
I'm starting to get cold feet about the club. No particular reason, just thinking that I might be better with a flight school. A flight club is really there for recreation and might not be as professional as a school.

I don't think there are any schools at Montgomery that rent aircraft. I contacted Flight Training Internation but heard nothing back.

Any info on Gillespie would be appreciated.
Thanks

Hi too_sleepy

PM for details.

Hi i get confused with the whole visa thing. last time i read you weren't allowed to study on waiver but you can hour build but if the hour build is going towards a licence and your learning while in the plane then wouldn't they catch up with you when you get the licence.

Hi
I don't understand your question.
You can hour build, yes. You can't receive instruction for a rating or license without a visa.
Are you suggesting that as your hour building is ultimately so you can train for a commercial that someone will 'catch up' with you and stop you from flying?

My opinion is that you are much better off spending your money with one of the Florida factory PPL schools, I won't mention any names for risk of starting a war. It will almost certainly be cheaper than any other route and the Florida factory schools are experienced in getting the visa business sorted for you.

Philip, just to clarify, hour building is something that you do AFTER you have a PP licence. After getting a PPL (which is just a mark of a minimum standard achieved) it is then necessary to build up an experience base hence the term "hour building".

To undergo training for a licence in the USA, you MUST have a visa (not a visa waiver) It is just sheer stupidity to go on a visa waiver.

Zazoo Loves Jimmy Loves
 

oooooh yeeesssss jimmy loves...:{ :{ that the name been trying to remember.

ram33, you lucky devil!!!!!!!!! If only you could see me now with all the memories of Gillespie and San Diego flowing back.

Great to hear things have not changed much over there, I carry very fond memories of my stay in SD and am still in touch with a lot of the guys who trained with me during that period all flying somewhere in the world now and share my thoughts here.

Its great over there if its flying you want to do and what else ;) the weather in SD is an allsport weather.


Zazoo

Hey too_sleepy check out www.bfsaa.se thats the integrated course im doing in sept and well they have a school both in sweden and one in san diego they can probably help you with your hour building.
cheers mate hope to see you there.

EAhlund

Hi ZAZOO

No never ran in to Don Costello. Was the Gillespie cafe open back in 97? The food is god-awful.

What are you flying in Africa? One of the long-standing British instructors flew a Cessna 206 over to Nairobi. He was affection ally know as Polishing Pete!

Hi ram33, shame about Don, really nice guy though and very supportive during my stay in Gillespie.

Flew the Eurocopter AS-365N Dauphin 2 for a few years now and moved back to Lagos a couple of months ago to start back on fixed wings again, just about to complete a type on 737-200 in Dallas.

The Cafe was open on the east side of the building right next to the Tower ( used to be called the Skypup Cafe) and the food was superb but the Mexican family who ran the cafe sold just before I left, they ere real good to the school. Still have their Menu here with me signed by all their staff just before they left.

Zaz
PM me If you need any info on Africa Flying

Hi ZAZOO

Thanks for that. I have a friend that used to fly out of Manston (UK) for I think Africa Air, there were a freight company. He had some wild stories.

If I ever come over to Africa to fly I'll be sure to look you up. I still have a long way to go until I complete my ATPL.


Regards

RAM33

Have you looked at Plusone.org ? They are a very large flying group. You can join for a week or so. They have a great range of aircraft. I rented a Duchess for a week.

The other common USA destination is Phoenix, AZ. Why does Oxford train there - weather and cost. I've frented from Chandler Air Services a couple of times and found them to be reasonable people with good aircraft (exciting aerobatic options).