Good morning. I am now ready to start a career transition to aviation. I do not know the particular end route I will take to CTP/ATP but plan to take my three weeks of available vacation to do an intensive PPL training, perhaps not to completion, but at least well on way and with a good understanding that I want to commit to stepping away from my current job.

I am looking for recommendations on flight schools with dependable planes and good instructor availabliliy make the most of the time available. I am in central Miami but am willing to travel if there is a significantly better option for reasonable rates.

I'm also open to your other insights and recommendations.

Thank you all,

Eric

 

Eric:

I would suggest that first you make a decision where you want to train...be it NE, NW, SW or SE Florida. From that point, it'll be a matter how much time & money you have at your disposal. Do the research...thoroughly. I've been interested in becoming a pilot all my life and am finding out just how much I DON'T know about the flight training process. It's all good though. I'm curently getting ready to start studying for my PP written and then IR. I always thought that one could study for the written and go to a local FSDO or FBO/Designated examiner and take the written. I had not clue that i would have to be "endorsed" by an instructor to take the written. So, this is why I strongly encourage you to go over everything in fine detail before investing any monies!

jmo.


atp

 

Eric,

The hardest part of learning to fly is paying for it. Before you pay for it, however, and before you take time off work, get your ground training and knowledge ("written") exam out of the way.

Three weeks is a tight time schedule to get the private done. The fastest I've had a student do it is one month; it can be hammered out, but there's something to be said for taking your time, and absorbing and internalizing what you're learning, as you go. I wouldn't rush it too much.

I'd also consider doing your training outside the Miami area; in congested areas, you'll spend valuable training, rental, and instructor time getting in and out of the controlled airspace, to an area where you can practice and train. You will be dollars ahead to train at a less congested location. While there's something to be said for exposure to busy locations, you can get that exposure later, after you're soloed.

 

JB:

I recently posted something similar on BPA's FB page. It reads as follows:

Good evening everyone. I've decided to start studying for my PPL written. I have the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge & Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-25A & FAA-H-8083-3A) respectively.

My question is are these two manuals relevant and consistent with me studying to pass my Private Pilot written examination today or within the next couple of months?

I will be applying for my 3rd Class Medical with the assistance of DA, a retired 737-7/8/9 Captain and HIMS COORDINATOR for American Airlines. I am 62 years old and am looking to do my PPL, INST, CPL, ME, & MEI. My hope, after being awarded my medical, is to secure these licenses and ratings and build multi-engine time. I do not have the luxury of becoming a certified flight instructor. My goal is to fly Part 91/135... Corporate...."Fly till ya die." In actuality until I am unable to maintain a second class Medical.

Your thoughts? Especially those whom I am close with. I really want to hear from you guys. Even from the members of BPA who just recently got their private pilot's license or instrument rating. I want as much input as possible.

Thanks in advance!

Now, one of the "materials" suggested is the King Schools PPL written videos. JB, my question is where do I start? Currently looking at the possiblity of getting a Mon-Fri; 8-5. Looking at roughly $45K/yr. Am preparing for Seminary next year...August 2025. It's a 3yr program. Winter/Spring. Got a full ride. Is it possible to work FT and do Part 141 part-time? I have no clue as how to really go about getting started. Btw, I'm in Palm Beach County. Also, it as suggested that I shoot for the 1st class. Got denied before. HIMS evaluators back then suggested to Cheif Psy of FAA at that time to allow me to get 3rd class to at least start training.

Thanks,


atp​​​​​​

 

I don't know what a BPA is, so can't comment on that.

With today's training materials, the first place I'd recommend starting your study for the knowledge exam ("written") is an online study, or video course, such as available from Sporty's, etc. These courses enhance understtanding to such a degree, with visual descriptions and instruction, that you'll come away with as much or more than what you might have had with a local private pilot (instrument, commercial, etc) ground school.

There are specific test prep books and programs such as Gleim, and Shepherd Air, but those focus on memorizong specific answers or buzz words to get you through the test, without teaching much, if anything about the subject material.

The Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge PHAK has a lot of good information, as does the Airplane Flying Handbook; both are available in digital format from the FAA, free of charge, and my preference is to always have printed material where ever I can. You'll need access to, and will need to study the "FAR's," or Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Specifically, you should know the relevant material in Part 1, 61, and 91, as well as NTSB 830; these are typically available in the commercial publications referred to as "FAR/AIM," for federal aviation regulations, coupled with the aeronautical information manual. The AIM is a wealth of information that you'll also need to know, covering everything from airspace to air traffic control procedures, to what to do in the event of a military intercept (it happens, if one is in the wrong place, or the right place, at the wrong time).

You should also strive to have a copy of the aircraft flight manual or pilot operating handbook for the aircraft you'll be flying, and a copy of the practical test standards, or what are currently called the ACS or FAA airman certification standards. These spell out what you'll be required to know, and do, for a practical test (checkride).

If you know you'll have difficulty with the Class 1, then I'd steer clear of that, especially if you won't be needing or using one. If you'll be flying commercially in any capacity, a second class is what you'll need to shoot for; you've already got someone working with you with HIMS experience, and I believe we've had some discussion about that here before.

For now, a video course would be a great way of getting to knokw the material. I'm a highlighter and pen guy; I like to write in manuals and margins, highlight, underline, and make notes, and I'm big on flashcards on 3x5 cards.

Another good manual, or pair of manuals, are Aviation Weather, and Aviation Weather Services. You'll need to be familiar with the different weather products for flight planning, such as TAFs and METARs, and hourly weather, as well as graphic weather charts, and so forth. Get familiar with aeronautical charts and publications; pick up your own copies.

You indicated that you hope to get the MEI, or multi-engine instructor, but also said that you won't be able to do the certified flight instructor. There's just one flight instructor certificate, and like the pilot certificate, various ratings can be earned and put on the instructor certificate. CFI simply means instructor. Often it's used as slang to suggest a single engine instuctor, but the various acronyms like CFI, CFII, MEI, etc, all have one thing in common: the same flight instructor certificate. On that certificate, one can get privileges for single engine, multi engine, glider, helicopter, instrument, etc, but it's still all the same instructor certificate. So, technically, if you become a MEI, you are a CFI. You're a CFI, Multi-Engine Airplane. Still a CFI, though. If working as an instructor, unless you have your own multi engine airplane in which to teach, it's generally difficult as a low-experience pilot to get assigned to multi-engine instructing, and one will most often need to work as a single-engine instructor at a school first.

It's absolutely possible to study to fly and to work full time, or go to school; many have done it, but life does get in the way, and one's free time to both study, and train, can be limited. I encourage anyone seeking flight training to try to do two flights a week, if they can. When less is done, progress may not be as fast, or as sure, with some repeating, and consequently more cost. A steady progress with at least two flights a week is ideal, but if you can just do one, then do that.

The other part of the picture is filling in the flight hours and experience outside of the training/solo learning process. To get through the commercial, there are a number of hours of fill-in-the-blank that won't be part of your solo time or time with an instructor when you're actually training, to get to your minimum experience values for intrument, commercial, etc; you've got to get those hours some how. I've known some who bought a small, simple experimental airplane to gain some experience, then sold it for what they paid, and it cost very little. Others take it where they can, splitting time doing "hood work" as safety pilot, or flying with the Civil Air Patrol, etc. Once you get to the commercial, you'll need additional experience to qualify for employment. If a charter job, at least 500 hours for a VFR, or visual job, and 1200 or ore for an instrument job (IFR). A lot of pilots fill that gap by flight instructing. (I started out spraying crops, but that's a tough line of work to get into, especially today).

I can't recommend any training operations around Miami as I'm not familiar enough to do so, but I will say this: visit the schools, try to talk to former students or current students, and pay attention to the airplanes. Aircraft with dirty nosewheels and dripping engines give silent advertisement to those places you may want to avoid. Maintenance is a huge issue for me, as I have a strong background in that area, and let's face it, it's critical for anyone who flies. That engine must keep turning, the controls must work, etc. If airplanes look worn out and not maintained, avoid such places. If that's what you can see, what you can't see may hurt you. Training airplanes do take a lot of abuse, wear, and tear, so airplanes that are used a lot won't look like showroom pieces, most of the time...but they should be well maintained. Aircraft talk to you, and dripping fluids, missing fasteners, hazy and scratched canopies and windscreens, badly maintained paint, metal, and fabric/fiberglass, frayed seatbelts, inoperative equipment, tires worn bald or with tread, numerous nicks in propellers that aren't "dressed" (filed or smoothed out), etc, all speak to maintenance that isn't a top priority for that school. That says a lot about the school that the school won't tell you.

Another thing to watch out for are training places that want a lot of money up front. Sometimes you can get a good discount on flying if you buy "block" hours, typically 10 hours or more, at a time, and that's okay...but schools that want the money up front, especially all of it, have a nasty habit of going out of business and taking your money with them, or using your money to hold you hostage. Pay ahead a little at a time if it gives you a break on costs, but not too far ahead. There are far too many cases in the training graveyard of schools and facilities that promsed big and delivered small.

Finally, if you do think you may be instructing, look to a school that has enough volume of business that you can work instructing when you get to that point, and have enough students to get the hours (and income) you need. It's difficult to simply instruct somewhere as an independent instructor; many places want to hire those who have trained at that school, so that requires a little forethought and planning, a few chess moves ahead.

 

JohnBurke:

Hey man thanks for the quick response. A wealth of information to go over and make some definite decisions. I'll definitely keep you and a few others posted on my progress. Thanks again!


atp

 

The Private Pilot License Program at Wayman College of Aeronautics is designed to equip aspiring pilots with the foundational skills necessary to operate single-engine aircraft. This comprehensive training program covers essential topics such as flight theory, navigation, weather, and hands-on flight experience. Upon completion, students will be well-prepared to earn their Private Pilot Certificate, opening the door to recreational flying or further aviation career advancement.