Originally Posted by wheresmyplane

I agree, not to say that anyone from those schools is less of a pilot at all, but there is some great experience in doing it the FBO way. It's not a cookie cutteer mentality, and when you instruct for awhile, you learn more than how to do an even better lazy 8 or stall. You acquire better communication skills (something I've heard airlines like), among other things. You run into things in those hours that you are less likely to see in a more sterilized environment.

Incidentally, SAAB, I've been to each of the places you mentioned both as an instructor and as a student, and they make for great memories. Especially trying to get 8QZ to climb out of Butter Valley on a hot day!