Good Flight Schools around D.C.
05-31-2018, 06:52 AM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2017
Posts: 120
DC Area is Inefficient
Note: I am assuming you can pay cash for this, no loans.
I really don't recommend training in the DC SFRA, except for maybe the initial private. The benefit of traveling out of DC area for flight training is you get cost savings, plus you go somewhere where they have an incentive to get you done on time. Be very careful with the DC flight schools, they really like to prolong training and rip students off. Training in DC is not efficient because of the SFRA. Often flight schools spend 20 minutes of a flight (and more of your money on the ground as "instruction") just to exit the SFRA to go do maneuvers. This results in thousands of dollars of waste.
Here is how I would do it if I could go back and start all over:
The best flight school in terms of fair rates is Navy Annapolis Flight Center at Lee Airport in the Annapolis area (Edgewater, MD). They are Part 141 if you want that. Instructors are $35/hr. I'd do my private with them, or preferably with a DC area flying club, and then go to accelerated programs for the instrument and commercial.
For instrument, I would go to NC for 7 days and fly with Scott Best at OBX Flight. $5k for instrument is a very good deal and IFR is all he does. For Commercial ASEL, I've heard good things about Pray Aviation in KS.
If you want to do a multi-add on, there is a guy in Traverse City, MI that is very well regarded (Traverse Air). In my opinion, the best multi training on the East Coast is Action Multi Ratings in Groton, CT. The owner Ryan is an awesome guy with thousands of hours in light twins, he will take care of you personally.
I really don't recommend training in the DC SFRA, except for maybe the initial private. The benefit of traveling out of DC area for flight training is you get cost savings, plus you go somewhere where they have an incentive to get you done on time. Be very careful with the DC flight schools, they really like to prolong training and rip students off. Training in DC is not efficient because of the SFRA. Often flight schools spend 20 minutes of a flight (and more of your money on the ground as "instruction") just to exit the SFRA to go do maneuvers. This results in thousands of dollars of waste.
Here is how I would do it if I could go back and start all over:
The best flight school in terms of fair rates is Navy Annapolis Flight Center at Lee Airport in the Annapolis area (Edgewater, MD). They are Part 141 if you want that. Instructors are $35/hr. I'd do my private with them, or preferably with a DC area flying club, and then go to accelerated programs for the instrument and commercial.
For instrument, I would go to NC for 7 days and fly with Scott Best at OBX Flight. $5k for instrument is a very good deal and IFR is all he does. For Commercial ASEL, I've heard good things about Pray Aviation in KS.
If you want to do a multi-add on, there is a guy in Traverse City, MI that is very well regarded (Traverse Air). In my opinion, the best multi training on the East Coast is Action Multi Ratings in Groton, CT. The owner Ryan is an awesome guy with thousands of hours in light twins, he will take care of you personally.
06-20-2018, 02:50 AM
#3
On Reserve
Joined APC: Mar 2014
Posts: 23
Agree with bamike. That said, if you're stuck in DC, check out American Aviation at KHEF. Great people, quality instruction, and their maintenance is top-notch. I've seen them "down" a bird that could have flown and brought revenue, but they wanted to fix problems properly rather than duct-tape and go. That said, they rarely have schedules clogged from birds in mx.
The SFRA sucks, but on the bright side, you'll get MUCH more comfortable on the radio and working in the system than you would otherwise. If you can fly in DC, you can fly anywhere.
Just my two cents.
The SFRA sucks, but on the bright side, you'll get MUCH more comfortable on the radio and working in the system than you would otherwise. If you can fly in DC, you can fly anywhere.
Just my two cents.
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