Finally found a quality Flight Instructor.
I was somewhat surprised to find him so quickly. I honestly thought this was going to take a long while given my training requirements, but the search is finally over.
I just found a former Airline Pilot, current Primary Flight Instructor and former UPRT Instructor. He's semi-retired and periodically flies a Citation V on a Single Pilot Waiver for a private individual - not too far from where I live, ironically. He flies the Citation mostly weekends, if and when he does and has the bulk of the week free right now as a matter of fact.
His attitude about life in general is authentically positive. He's in his mid 60s, works out regularly and seems to be in great shape for his age. He seems like a pleasure to be around long-term, easy to talk with, non-assumptive, a good active and engaged listener, still loves to fly and seems to be a natural teacher. Apparently, he's not in it for the money. He Teaches because he loves flying and enjoys sharing his knowledge with others who love flying.
Strangely, I met him pulling his aircraft out of his hanger this weekend, after being referred to him from a Helicopter Flight Instructor I was having a conversation with at a local airport about my research. Turns out that individual was also a student of his some years back. A referral that turned out very good indeed.
When we approached him, he was clearly about to go flying. It was just after 2pm or so. I got introduced and by 4pm, we were still standing by his airplane talking. I started to feel a bit hawkish on his personal time and told him so, but he said it was no problem and that he'd had a conversation like ours before with another individual looking to get into jets. So, he could appreciate where I was coming from.
During our two hour long conversation standing next to his G58, l felt comfortable enough letting him know in-person what my plans were and asking him for his advice. I asked him straight out about going from zero to VLJ and whether or not it could be done. He said: "Of course, it can be done. More pilots are doing it now than ever before." I told him about my conceptual outline for a Training & Time Building program that took the best components from Part 61 and Part 141, then asked for his opinion. That's when he backed up the truck and began to literally unloaded on me. I learned more from him in two hours than I have in 4 weeks of being online, hands down.
A few things about his advice. He said that based on what I was trying to accomplish and that given money for training was not a factor, he liked the idea of me doing:
- Independent Ground School w/passed Written Exam before actual flight instruction began. Either in a conventional classroom setting environment, or through a good self-pace study program (he likes either Jeppesen or Sporty's). However, he thinks there needs to be a very firm and specific time table for completion once started. He makes himself available for Ground School phone consultation once per week until course completion. He does not recommend simultaneous Ground and Flight instruction for a number of different reasons that he explained to me, all of which now make a ton of sense after he explained why.
- A full-time syllabus driven VFR Private Pilot Flight Training schedule Mon-Fri. Up to 1 hour ground before flight, 2 hour flight core instruction and Up to 1 hour ground after flight. Totaling 4 hours instruction per day, plus 2-3 hours text based self-study and/or simulator self-study. Revisiting Ground School subject matter during daily Flight Instruction given. Pass Oral/Flight. Immediately, plan and fly 10 unique VFR cross countries each 2-3 hours in duration round trip with 5 simulated missed approaches to planned alternates and 15 additional VFR night landings locally. Than take his Stage Check Ride, which he promises would be far more difficult than what the DPE gave. He would use that check ride to bring out issues that I need to clean up before Instrument Training began. He said, he would initiate Instrument Training until I cleaned up any issues that remained.
- A full-time syllabus driven IFR Flight Training schedule Mon-Fri. Up to 1 hour ground before flight, 2 hour flight core instruction and Up to 1 hour ground after flight. Basically, the exact same time based structure the Private took.
He outlines a lot more than what I'm going to spend my time covering here. This was basically the beginning of what he thought would be the right approach to get me ready. His ideas on Instrument Training, I found very interesting and I like his ideas on integrating Multi-Engine Training and Instrument Training.
Lastly, I was both surprised and delighted at the fact that he actually likes my idea of using a Twin Turboprop as the baseline foundation for getting VLJ prepared and he thought the idea I had for Scheduling unique and individual Flight Plans in a routine Part 135 simulated fashion was good. He said that such a structured approach would yield the Time as PIC that I needed, but would also continue expanding the challenges through each new flight plan filed. He agrees that high density altitude airport experience is important, mountain flying experience is seen as important to him and good amount of night time landings with increasing experience at unfamiliar airports during high traffic periods were all good ideas. So, a fair amount of my research was validated.
He said, he would modify his syllabus to match my needs - but that some of the changes would not come until the Multi-Engine Training, where he'd literally be creating a new syllabus matched to the Conquest II. He said, the best options is to get a Conquest II wither with Glass already installed, or be willing to have it installed. I told him that's no problem.
So, I have to get on that Conquest II, right now. There's a lot involved in that and the time it will take to get the cockpit set-up the way we need will also take time. That process can be running while the Private and Instrument training is underway, so that the Twin is ready when its time to make a move on the Multi-Engine Training. This brings buying a Conquest II immediately into focus and my very next task.
I love it when good plan starts to come together and I especially love it when when working with quality people. This guy is really good people. I really think I just lucked out on finding him. Just good timing, I guess.
That's it for me around here. Time to go hunt down a 441 (finally)!
Here's to those who never quit on their dreams. Cheers!
