American Flyers
 

I would like to hear comment from anyone that has attended American Flyers to obtain their Instrument rating or has anyone attended their 30 day CFI/CFII program. Is the instruction good and how about the costs?

Did my CFI there. Didn't do the 30-day program because I was working full-time so I did a "custom" thing with one of the assistant chief CFIs. Great program, passed the checkride, great value, recommend them (addison, tx). From what I saw, the 30-day program is great, lots of practice teaching and great systems instruction

Great school for both instructors and students. I worked for them for a few years between 04-07, they treat their employees professionally, which in turn relays to the customer. They may be a few bucks more per hour, but they get the job done right the first time, which will save you in the long run.

I did my instrument rating with them. I had good instructors there and the planes I flew at the time were brand new and maintained well. The only thing that bothered me is that they charge a pretty outrageous price for simulator instruction even though you're just sitting in a carboard box with X-Plane installed on it.

Sure hope the other locations aren't like the morristown one. Last time I checked, packing lips while up in the air for a 3 hour flight with a student in a 172 is not all that professional. I did my training their last year, can't even begin to tell you how many students left to finish at another school. They are all about the money, charge ridiculous prices and they must not drug test cause the director is definitely still stuck in the Woodstock days.

Did the program back in 2004. Two of the instructors there are friends of mine now (they also instructed me) and we all got hired at the same regional. The program is kind of mundane (the ground school portion), but the flight instruction is good. Study up, because the CFI was the hardest checkride I've ever taken! (Have all the way up to ATP) You take your CFI-I first with AF, then your initial CFI afterwards with the FAA.

I take exception with doing the CFI-I as the initial CFI certificate, personally I don't take on students that want it done this way. It's a loophole students and schools use to pass the CFI course quicker (i.e. it produces a watered down pool of flight instructors). This is one of the main reasons a high percentage of CFI candidates must do their checkride directly with the flight examiners at the FSDO. Even the frowns upon this as the FAA never meant for the rules to allow for anything other than taking the CFI as the initial. Now don't get me started on the CFI/CFI-I 2 week courses!
Those are just my tarnished two pennies...

Well, if you are going to go there, then there's the whole issue of pilot's with 250hrs or less TEACHING new pilots how to fly. It's lunacy IMO, but it's the way aviation runs.

Agreed. I think there is a direct correlation between inexperienced instructors and the high rate of student pilot drop outs.

Generally waaay overpriced to get trained by underpaid entry-level CFI's. They basicaly specialize in separating rich middle-aged guys from their money. These guys assume that if it costs more, it must be better.

Also a lot of variability between locations, it all depends on the local chief pilot.

The 30-day CFI program is usually a good deal, that's the only thing I'd recommend. But you won't get the ratings in 30 days...you'll need study/practice time after the scheduled training, plus scheduling delays for examiners. I'd plan on 4-6 weeks after the 30 day academy ends (AF won't tell you this up front).