Sounds like you'll fit in perfect at ERAU.


You have a very limited experience with "mom 'n' pop" flight schools. Many people on this forum (including) myself have trained through part 61 schools. Some may stretch TBO times, some are a little shady... but there are some that actually do it for the love of having a flight school and instructing. I don't have a single complaint about the place I went through... they have been great in every way.

I went to ERAU for a little bit... I didn't fly there because when it boils down to it.. you're paying beaucoup mulah for a 172 (G1000)... for the same 172 (maybe without the G1000). Is the instruction better? Part 61 schools take FAA checkrides based on PTS standards... either way you need to meet those standards. I have a friend that goes to ERAU (AS major) he just finished his private. When he took his checkride he had 80hrs - it cost him $20,000 in flight time/lab... that's no joke. I did everything through CSEL/CMEL etc... for less than that.

......but don't let me talk you out of going there.