Arizona & So Cal CFI Schools
 

Hello fellow pilots I currently live in Arizona where the weather is sunny all year 8) but theres a problem for me. I have been looking around Phoenix for good flight schools with good pricing for CFI,CFII,MEI.

I have around 288 Total Time with my Private & Commercial Multi/Single Engine Land with IFR Rating. My budget is around ($7,000 - $10,000). I know of a few flight schools such as.

*Westwind School of Aeronautics out in Deer Vally (Quoted me 25 grand plus! OUCHY WOWCHY) for CFI,CFII,MEI.
*ATP out in Scottsdale and Mesa (quoted me $7,000) but I dont want to rush it and I wanted to take my time.
*Southwest Flight Center out in Scottsdale I flew there twice and I know they do CFI,CFII,MEI but dont know the price they never quoted me.
*Sawyer Aviation out in Scottsdale I got my IFR Rating there but they dont.

I am from Southern California and herd of "American Flyers" down in Santa Monica and I know they do the CFI & CFII for around ($5,000 or so) I know the course is 5 weeks long but is it a good school?

Also I know if you get your CFI from a particular school they can hire you I am interested in this as well if anyone could help give out some good pointers it would be greatly appreciated thanks.

I did my CFI at American Flyers few yrs back and I do recommend them for your CFI&CFII. It’s a 30 days of commitment + Check Ride depends on the availability of your Local DPE / Flight Inspectors.

yeah a friend of mine also did his there and he said the same thing about them as well.

Anyone else have a flight school that is good ? Im trying to see my choices of schools that I can attend.

TransPac at Deer Valley in Phoenix (next door to Westwind) started taking more American students now. They can offer a CFI/CFII/MEI and you would be able to do it at whatever pace you'd like. I believe the pricing is a little bit high though. It might be worth calling them to ask.

I know for sure that if you do your CFI at TransPac they would just about hire you on the spot. They've been doing that for years.

TranPac is a good school. But thing is the price.......:confused:

Well, they sent a student out for an XC last year in MVFR/IFR that crashed shortly after takeoff, killing the solo student pilot. I don't care how experienced/inexperienced the student pilot was, in that kind of environment (141 school) someone should be reviewing the situation and making a better go/no-go decision. Someone had to give them the keys to the airplane and review their planning. I was in Phoenix on that day (which is why I remember) and there is NO way that flight should have been dispatched. Yes, I realize everyone did their solo XC in IMC with icing, but this was an ultra rare "no VFR" day in Phoenix, which is mostly why I remember. Think broken to overcast ceilings 500-1000', lots of jagged terrain that rises up in between (good 6000+ of vertical for the mountain ranges around Phoenix), etc.. Should have never left the ground. I don't know what kind of shakeup they had after. Thas a pretty bad one IMO.

Having been in the Phoenix area for a while, I've always heard good things about Westwind, even dealt with them a few times, nice operation...but of course you gotta pay to play.

Ill keep beating this dead horse, but only because I have been there and it worked.

Sheble Aviation in Kingman. You are looking at a 10-14 day course for all three ratings in your price range.

Wherever you go to work will teach you how they want you to teach. You will not always agree with what they want (like landing full flaps regardless if you are in a 172 and it is gusting 35) but they cut the paychecks. Just make rational judgments when you get there, because you are the final authority in the cockpit.

Every flight school has made mistakes. It's pretty easy to look back in hindsight and say "I would have done that different." There were lots of policy changes about solo weather minimums and being able to cancel solo flights easier after that crash.

Westwind has had four accidents in the past 3 months. One of their planes that pancaked the gear on landing almost hit me on a taxiway and I had to submit a report about it. Their solos scare me more than TransPac's do.

I appreciate all the posts I am very familiar with Westwind very very professional school but they want $22,000 :eek: but the benefits are is that one gets to instruct there (hopefully).

Theres ATP BUT its 2 INTENSE WEEKS! :(
Theres American Flyers 1 Month for CFI & CFII for a good price :)

Sheble Aviation in Kingman I have to look that one up and look into it.

Any more schools ? I love the feedback I'm getting