i am looking into getting my private pilots certificate. I found a small privet airport and there is a guy that teaches there. I just want to ask a few questions.


How do i know he is certified to teach?


What do i need to do if i can not finish with this instructor. I will have to go back to Florida after 10 to 15 hours of flight time.


is there anyone that has gotten there certificate this way and is it better then a big school.


i really just want to protect my self and try not to waste any money. I don’t want to get to Florida after i finish 15 hours and they say they don’t count and i have to do them over.
I don't really know how it works.

 

Switching instructors that early in your training can be rough. If you know you're going back to FL that soon I'd wait and start up when you get there. Go full throttle from there. Save some money and use it for training when you get there

As for how you know if he/she is qualified to teach... You could always ask to see their license... But most people that take the time to show you around the area are instructors that want you as a student.

Hope this helps.

 

i would wait and find a 141 flight school, it will be much faster and cheaper.

 

I would say wait. The regulations require 40 hours flight time before you can take your checkride. Most students end up with 50+ before they are ready. Twenty of these hours are with an instructor and 20 are flying by yourself. After 10 hours you should be at the point where you are ready to solo. So you would be changing instructors at a critical point.

A pilot certificate is green credit card size piece of plastic. Flight Instructors get another card that says they are flight instructors. On the back it will have an expiration date, pilot's certificates don't expire. After each lesson the instructor will sign your logbook with his name, CFI number and date it expires and write in what was covered that lesson. A normal first lesson might look like "Preflt, engine start, taxi, normal TO, climbs, turns, descents, S+L (for straight and level), traffic pattern Joe Instructor CFI123456 7/12." If you did change flight schools the new school could look at your logbook and see what has been covered. The odds are they would briefly repeat everything just to make sure it was covered so it would cost you more money.

I'd say most pilots got their certificate at smaller FBOs. The big school idea (like Emory Riddle) has been around a while but really took off in the 80 and 90s when regional airlines took off.

 

I switched states and instructors about 17 hours into my ppl. I had used about 5 instructors at the first school and I had not solo'ed before moving. I knew I would not finish with the initial flight school, but the cost for the plane and instructor was about 50% less than were I was going to finish training.

I would say it could still be worthwile. If you already solo, then the new instructor will need to verify for him/herself that you are good to go to solo.

I made the mistake of doing my dual long crossuntry with the first school and then had to repeat it when I went to the second school. cost me an extra 3 hours of dual time. Not money wasted in my opinion.

I also finished my ppl at 43 hours. (part 61)

Need to find the regs but, I believe only a certain percentage up to a max number of hours are transferable from part 61 training towards 141 training. (something like 70% up to 20 hours. ring a bell anyone?)

Is the a career track for you?

 

It is not a career track for me. But it is a lot cheaper then in Florida. I am only paying 95 and hour and in Florida it is like 135 to 150 an hour if not more. So even if I had to do 3 more hours in Florida to show them that I know what I am doing it is not a big deal.