Well I joined this forum about a year ago and had began taking the Sporty's Online Learn to Fly Course. I take practice test all the time and make around 80% to 90% everytime. I know how to read sectionals blah, blah, blah.

So basically I can pass my written. I have 6 hours of Flight Time (yeah didn't like the only instructor available here that was flexible) and I'm going to be taking instruction in Alaska as soon as I move.

Looks like I will be working on the slope and will have 2 weeks on then 2 weeks off. I'm curious if anyone has had training in Alaska and if it is possible to do all of your training for your private in a taildragger?

Any advice on how I should begin my Alaska flying. I'm hoping I can fly 2 to 3 hours a day on my time off, is that too much? I'm also looking at buying a Glassair Sportsman and building it on my time off has anyone done this?

Basically just want to speak with someone who has been there and done that!

Welcome to Alaska. Currently stationed here flying with the Air Force and also own a Lancair 360. I fly with Civil Air Patrol on the side and also have flown everything from a Maule M-5-210C around AK to 172/182s to the F-16 for the Air Force. You can do all of your training in a taildragger depending on where you are taking lessons. There are MANY options in Anchorage, still a few in Fairbanks, but less and less options when you go to smaller cities. Where will you be during your time off the slope? Before buying anything to build, figure out what kind of airplane you want to fly by flying it! Good luck!

Ritz

That's good and and bad (mostly good). Experienced instructors know that to make steady training progress a student pilot needs to fly at least 2-3 flights per week. Otherwise he will regress, and then need to spend time refreshing stuff he had already learned (ie two steps forward, one step back).

The two weeks off is good, you can really focus on your training. I would say up to two flights per day would be reasonable, since there's pre/post flight paperwork, ground training, and studying to do as well. Three flights a day could be done, but that would really require dedication and would take a lot of the fun out of it. Take a day off at least once a week too.

I suspect that if you hit it hard during your two off, and do some chair flying to keep procedures fresh when you are working that you would progress just fine with little or no back-sliding.

Yes, you can do it all in taildragger. I can't think of a better place than AK.

A typical local training flight would be 2-3 hours...anything longer and you start getting tired. Cross-country flights can be longer, the workload is lower than practicing maneuvers and landings.

You could certainly do one or even two flights a day.

I would probably suggest not building an airplane while doing flight training. Get a PPL first and do a little flying...you'll learn some things which might influence your decision as to what type of airplane you really want.

Also unless you buy a factory-assist fast-build option, expect building an airplane to take waaaaay longer than you might think.

2 flights a day can be somewhat detrimental for a new student, also doing 2 flights a day every day in succession. You tend to not have any "reflection time" and ability to significantly improve on the next flight, which is important. I think there's more chance this way that things stay marginal and you keep repeating the last few flights for quite a while trying to get things decent, rather than getting them decent in training and moving on when they are good. Still, it can be done. Studying and motivation are the keys. Be aware, flight training costs 2-3x up here compared to what it does down in the lower 48. I was shocked at the cost of many things at first, but the flight training is pretty crazy, $300/hr for single engine non-complex non-high performance instruction in places. Anyways, welcome! This is an amazing place to live and fly!

Also, being up in AK, you probably want to think real careful about what kind of airplane you want. Best to stay up here for a while to figure that out first. I know I'm rethinking myself. A decent basic super-cub can work wonders, be easy on the gas, and easy to repair/find parts for, since they are basically the same as taxis down south