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Started By
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Flight School near Northshore?
Posted on 2/13/19 at 9:41 am
Posted on 2/13/19 at 9:41 am
I have been interested in becoming a private pilot for a while, and have done some research on schools in the area. Does anyone have any recommendations for a particular instructor in the Northshore/BR/NOLA area? Any do's/don'ts as far as what to look for in a flight school?
8
Posted on 2/13/19 at 9:55 am to slinger1317
Fly by Knight out of Hammond.
Best rates of any school around, good planes, the owner Sharon is really nice and a great instructor.
Best rates of any school around, good planes, the owner Sharon is really nice and a great instructor.
Posted on 2/13/19 at 9:55 am to slinger1317
subtle "I have enough money for flight school" brag
Posted on 2/13/19 at 9:57 am to slinger1317
I used Gulf Coast Aviation out of KNEW and BTR. Happy with my experience. There are others as well. I enjoyed the G1000 172's that Gulf Coast uses.
Posted on 2/13/19 at 10:03 am to slinger1317
I’ve been told from multiple friends in the area to stay the frick away from Air Reldan. I’ll second for Fly by Knight, have heard great things. No personal experience with either FWIW.
Posted on 2/13/19 at 10:08 am to slinger1317
I’ve flown with Aerial Tours (formerly Flight Academy) and did my PPL with them. They’ve recently changed their rates and mandate ground instruction, which I don’t always need. Anyone got experience with them vs other local flight schools?
Posted on 2/13/19 at 10:09 am to dragginass
Gulf Coast Aviation I wasn't impressed with. I hadn't flown for 2 years and they kept dragging on about my check ride. Went to BTR flew with Curt McDonald and got a check ride in one trip. Still use Curt every 3 months or so.
Posted on 2/13/19 at 10:11 am to AlaskanLSUfan
No experience with them, but that sounds like a money grab unless it’s associated with some FAA requirement. Are they 61 or 141?
Posted on 2/13/19 at 10:16 am to slinger1317
The two that keep popping up for me are Fly by Knight and Gulf Coast.
Knight seems a little more hands on- the owner is the instructor- whereas GCA may have a nicer fleet but a little more corporate and not as one on one.
That is just what I gather from research online.
How flexible is the schedule for training classes? I work full time and would only be available one night or so a week, maybe a Sunday every now and then.
Knight seems a little more hands on- the owner is the instructor- whereas GCA may have a nicer fleet but a little more corporate and not as one on one.
That is just what I gather from research online.
How flexible is the schedule for training classes? I work full time and would only be available one night or so a week, maybe a Sunday every now and then.
Posted on 2/13/19 at 10:19 am to slinger1317
quote:
How flexible is the schedule for training classes? I work full time and would only be available one night or so a week, maybe a Sunday every now and then
Gulf Coast uses an online scheduling system(that you book yourself) which is nice. There's only one plane and one instructor at BTR, but I think 6 or so planes and about a dozen instructors at KNEW. If your schedule is flexible you will have no issue flying several times per week.
ETA:. They are a 141 school and use King's online ground School. If those matter to you.
This post was edited on 2/13/19 at 10:23 am
Posted on 2/13/19 at 10:23 am to slinger1317
My brother used Fly by Knight and was satisfied.
Posted on 2/13/19 at 10:40 am to HerkFlyer
They were both when I did my PPL, but may just be 141 now.
Posted on 2/13/19 at 10:52 am to slinger1317
quote:
How flexible is the schedule for training classes? I work full time and would only be available one night or so a week, maybe a Sunday every now and then.
Fly by Knight is Part 61.
They will work with your schedule. But, if you're doing intial PPL you're going to need to do the majority of your flying before civil twilight and will have to be free in the daytime.
Posted on 2/13/19 at 10:56 am to slinger1317
I wrapped up my PPL in 2016 out at KNEW and have heard lots of opinions about the schools that have already been mentioned. I agree with most of what’s being said.
My $0.02 is that, regardless of which school you chose, be sure to feel comfortable with the instructor. You’re going to spending a lot of time and money on your license, so not being comfortable with the instructor can lend to slow learning / skills development and also being less enthusiastic about finishing the training. I went through three—first got called up to the airlines, second made we want to quit, and third was a nice mix if the first two. Took me 56 weeks total, but that was mostly bc if instructor #2.
Also, if possible, once you’ve had a few lessons I’d look at purchasing a plane. I bought one at 18 hours and finished my check-ride at 68 hours. If you consider the $150/hr rental minimum (not including fuel), I put that $7,500 into owning my own plane. Then when I was finished, I was already comfortable with the plane I was flying. Aso, there are tons of CFI’s around Slidell, Hammond, and KNEW who aren’t affiliated with a school and have more availability.
My $0.02 is that, regardless of which school you chose, be sure to feel comfortable with the instructor. You’re going to spending a lot of time and money on your license, so not being comfortable with the instructor can lend to slow learning / skills development and also being less enthusiastic about finishing the training. I went through three—first got called up to the airlines, second made we want to quit, and third was a nice mix if the first two. Took me 56 weeks total, but that was mostly bc if instructor #2.
Also, if possible, once you’ve had a few lessons I’d look at purchasing a plane. I bought one at 18 hours and finished my check-ride at 68 hours. If you consider the $150/hr rental minimum (not including fuel), I put that $7,500 into owning my own plane. Then when I was finished, I was already comfortable with the plane I was flying. Aso, there are tons of CFI’s around Slidell, Hammond, and KNEW who aren’t affiliated with a school and have more availability.
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