Anyone have any experience with LanagAir in the St. Louis area? Is the training good, bad?

 

I'm looking for feed back as well. I live in the area so i went and did a "discovery flight" about 3 weeks ago.

 

So how was the discovery flight? Were the facilities clean and functional? How about the what you saw of the planes and the one you flew in...were they newer equipment?

Thanks Beth

 

I was based at Langa for a few weeks for some work I was doing in the area. Didn't spend a whole lot of time around the instructors because frankly, I got sick of hearing them speak and tried to avoid them as much as possible. They seemed like the kind of instructor that comes to mind when you think "typical, know-it-all, holier-than-thou cocky flight instructor." They'd strike up conversations with me or my co-workers, and somehow it'd lead to them trying to have us answer some stupid trick question, trying to prove themselves as better or smarter than the rest of us because they're instructors. I had the displeasure of overhearing some of the ground lessons they were giving. There were times when they were giving just flat-out wrong answers or information. I don't recall specific questions, as it's been a few months since I left there, but I vividly rememebr wanting to confront him in front of the student and provide the CORRECT information. And I'm talking simple things, (this one I do remember happening) like why is there an "R" next to the some FSS frequencies on top of the VOR boxes? He told the student that he didn't know. That's something that EVERYONE knows. And they were arrogant enought to talk down to me because I am not / never was an instructor. Gimme a break. They even went so far as to bash my job (aerial survey) right to my face. "That's not real flying, you're not getting any actual experience." OK, I fly around the entire country for 8 months. You stay here around St. Louis and do the same thing every day. You don't like what I do? I guess that's why I'm the one doing it and you're the one instructing... They were cocky and arrogant... not the kind of people I'd want instructing me. I think they were just bitter bc they wanted my job

As you can tell, I wasn't impressed with their operation as a whole. But again, I wasn't taking instruction from them. My suggestion would be to go up for a few lessons with a few different instructors and see if you can find one that suits you. Don't settle for an instructor who's going to talk down to you, and be sure to study the material on your own.


BTW, their website is fantastic, but their facilities rank really low compared to the FBOs I've been to. It's very minimal. Planes looked good, though.

 

Last time I posted on them, and their overpriced bridge program with GoJet the owner called the flight school I was working at in the STL area and complained. The two things I thought were how expensive it was at the time (a couple years ago) and how they're the only school in STL that you hear nothing about. You don't hear bad things, but you don't hear anything good either.

A highschool friend was working on his ratings there and went through 5 instructors while working on his private because of the attrition. He left, went over to 3SQ and finished his ratings in less than a year and is now instructing.

 

Thank you for the heads up on Langa. I can appreciate what you are saying and will gingerly test the waters myself with them for a few days. I don't particularly care for people who are arrogant about their knowledge, whether it is right or wrong. I'd much rather have an instructor who instructs than move the spotlight around to make sure they're in it fully.

Again thank you.

 

How much does an overpriced bridge program with GoJet cost? I figured giving your soul to them was enough but they actually want more than that?

 

Wait a minute, the flight school has a bridge program with GoJet?!?!?! Run... Fast..

 

I attended Langa for three weeks in April and May of this year. Got my CFI and CFII done early and under budget. I've been flying for over 25 years and found the instructors very knowledgeable professional. The ground and flight instruction was excellent and the aircraft are clean and well kept. Nice variety from basic 172s to G1000 glass cockpit. The Regional Airport is located in a great flying training area. I plan on going back for my multi-ATP and MEI. Highly recommended.

 

langa is a very easy school to get a long with they even have some instructrors that do all nites for the full timers