Motosaki

i posted here a while back introducing myself and expressing my interest in becoming a pilot. i was bombarded with information that gave me a realistic perspective on things, and made me realize how hard it is going to be. i decided to wait a month and decide if this is really for me. i went to some airshows, read some books (about the good AND bad sides of aviation), talked to some pilots, hung out at some airports, etc... my interest in becoming a pilot has only grown since then, and i am now practically foaming at the mouth.

i live a few miles north of atlanta. the airport nearest me is peachtree dekalb, or KPDK, which i frequently go to for the hell of it. there are several flight schools there, aviation atlanta, PDK academy, and falcon aviation to name a few. i am trying to get an idea of which one i want to go to so i can take out a loan and get things started. obviously i want the best possible training i can receive, and want to get it at a good price(I don't ask for much do I :P ) - my question is do any of you have experience with any of the schools in the ATL area? it doesn't necessarily have to be at PDK but i would prefer it because of its distance from my house.

i am going to do a few intro flights to help narrow things down, and i was told i could have these flights count toward my overall hours. what would i need to do this? (third class medical, paperwork etc?)

any and all help is appreciated
Dustin L

motoboy

If you head over to jetcareers.com they have a forum just for falcon, several reviews in there.

Cubdriver

You don't need a medical to do a discovery flight.

KPDK has several schools but they are generally overpriced. I would stay away from there. You are not going to be able to get cost effective training at any of the schools at KPDK. They cater to the rich folk in Atlanta.

Go over the Gwinnett, Lawrenceville, Fulton County, or McCollum if you live on the north side.

At KLZU there is Flight School of Gwinnett.
At KFTY there is Fulton Aviation.
At McCollum there is AeroAtlanta.

The thing to do in flight training is keep costs down until you know it's for you.

-Cub

LeoSV

I do not recommend "The flight school" at LZU. very disorganized and not so good planes. For KRYY, I highly recommend Superior Flight school. they have TONS of planes, all clean ones too. A great website, interactive scheduling, and managers that are on point. They also have an online forum.

If you want very busy airspace and tower, then you could try KPDK.

Motosaki

Thanks to all of you for the feedback. I will schedule introductory flights with all of the schools mentioned in this thread. Aero Atlanta looks very promising.

-Dustin L

Airframe

The flight schools at PDK are decent and you'll get some very good experience in such a congested environment. But, like Cubdriver said they are all ridiculously overpriced.

Cubdriver

Hey Leo, where you been guy!

I actually never did anything but get a 172 checkout at Flight School at Gwinnett, although I flew several of their airplanes and negotiated a deal on block time on a Seminole once but never actually flew it. They are only as good as the instructor you happen to get which changes all the time. Definitely a cheap fleet there.

Superior has a good reputation, I never did business with them but they look good and they are the only place on the north side that you can get a tailwheel endorsement and rent the Decathlon.

Come to think of it, there is a small flight instruction place on the other side of the field next to DLK Repair- can't remember the name. I would try that too because they were instructing in some older airplanes.

Motosaki

I'm going up with Aero Atlanta for a checkride tomorrow at 11:30. $99.99 for a half hour flight, which will be my first time logged. Before I make any decision I will take a ride or two with all the schools I am considering. So far Aero Atlanta is looking like the right choice. After looking around, you are right, KPDK schools are extremely overpriced. So that rules them out. Fulton Co Airport is too far to drive on a regular basis plus it's in a part of town that is shadier than the dark side of the moon. So scratch them out. I was thinking of going with the school at Gwinnett Co, but the feedback on here has changed my mind... Aero Atlanta at McCollum seems to have a nice fleet, good instructors (only time will tell) etc etc but the one thing that worries me is they don't have a fixed price for training. It is all done by flight hours. At first glance it looks legitimate but it could be a financial black hole. How many hours should I expect to have logged after completing instrument/commercial/CFI-II etc. This is starting with 0 flight hours.

Cubdriver

These are called discovery flights. $100 is a lot for a discovery flight in a 172, but if it is a Cirrus or a new 172 maybe so. You may be able to find a discount coupon if you look around, or just ask them for one. The going rate nowadays is about $65. You're smart. Before starting is the right time to do it. Ha, yeah it's very low class and sleazy on the southern and eastern sides of the airport but I never had a single problem at the airport itself. The low life stay out of the airport and it is tightly monitored by the airport cops due to a ton of celebs using the airport (mayor, military, stars, corporate... you name it). Don't miss out on KFTY because of this- it's a sweet little airport with just the right mix of airspace and location to be very stimulating. Class D airspace, proximity to Atlanta, good tower personnel, a bunch of flying clubs, etc. Keep it as an option. McCollum is not as interesting and I would take KFTY as a base over KRYY given a choice. I spent many hours at KFTY, and with gas going back down you might not be out very much driving there for a few months. Flight training is by nature something of a black hole and there are only two things on your side 1) choose a school that uses cheap well maintained equipment and 2) do your part and study like it is going to cost more if you don't (and it will). AeroAtlanta is a good quality locally owned school with a nice fleet and a good reputation. You may wish to ask them for a reference or two and check with the better business bureau to make sure it is as good as it was 2 years ago when I was last there. The only reservation I would have about it is they are using newer airplanes than are required for primary flight training. Older Cessnas are the way to go if you ask me. I would not pay more than $85/hr for an airplane- they are out there.

Motosaki

The discovery flight went well. For the $99 I got about two and a half hours total instruction time, with thirty minutes of that being in the air.
.6 hours to be more specific. The more I pursue this field the more I start to foam at the mouth for it despite all the bad things I have been hearing. I am at the point now where I would assume live in a van for the rest of my life, as long as I get to wake up and go fly a plane every day.

To recap what he told me and make sure it is accurate, I will need forty hours minimum to get a private. 20 solo, 20 instructed. I need to meet the FAA requirements and get a third class physical. Once I feel competent enough to take the FAA checkride and tests, I can do it whenever I want. From there, I either decide I want this as my career and move on to the next step of getting my instrument ratings/commercial etc etc, or decide I am better off keeping it a hobby (which won't happen)

He said loans for flight school are hard to get, and if I do get one it will likely be very high interest. He suggested I pay as I go out of pocket, but being a 22 year old that installs car stereos I would be 50 by the time I came up with the money myself. I know there are plenty of pilots that went through all the training and did not have the money to pay for it out of pocket, so loans have to be considered as an option. Debt sucks and I know the pitfalls that it can turn into, but I am thinking I will have to have one. Right now my mentality is to take out loans as needed as I progress through all the different stages, all while pinching every penny possible and selling everything I don't need. Which I am more than willing to do.

I am 6'6" 180 and fitting into the planes was a concern I had originally. I have flown the C-172S, and been in a 152 (which was on the ground, stationary). The 172 I have no problem fitting in. The 152 feels a little tight, but still do-able. The only problem was when I pulled back on the yoke my knees got in the way. I can get into the habit of moving my knees if it means I am going to save several hundred dollars (or any other habit for that matter) but from a safety standpoint, do you think the 172 is the best option? He suggested once I pick a plane, to ONLY fly that plane until I get my private. So I want to make the right choice from the get go.

I still will do a few more discovery flights before I make any decisions, but I really did like Aero Atlanta. The flight school at Gwinnett is my next stop so I can get an idea of what is good by knowing what is bad. Gwinnett and McCollum both do everything by the hour, whereas Falcon Aviation and Aviation Atlanta at KPDK were all fixed prices and you were told what they include. I like the option of going by hour and having a choice in the matter to save some money. Would you say it is better to go to a flight school that does it this way, or am I better off with a fixed rate so I know what I am getting myself into.

The rates for Aero Atlanta were:

Rental
C-172SP Club: $125 or Non Club: $132
152: Club: $75 or Non Club: $82
With a fuel surcharge of 6% of the posted rate

Pre Paid amounts of $2000+ gets a 4% discount, $4000 gets a 5% etc

Instruction rate:
Basic/Ground: $42
Senior: $49

Club Membership
$55 initiation with a $20 monthly fee


As usual any advice or feedback is appreciated
-Dustin L