I instructed out of Boeing Field for 20 years and spent a lot of time at
Renton, so maybe I can help. No one can say which school is "best," because
the bottom line is the instructor-student relationship. It would be useful
to know whether you plan to go Part 141 (more structured) or Part 61 (more
free-form). Part 141 requires ground school; Part 61 could be resident
ground school, home study, whatever…no specific requirement. The end
result is the same. ..the certificate still says "Airplane – Single Engine
Land."
I don’t know where you live, but of those listed, I would lean toward
Pro-Flight IF you find an instructor you click with. Proximity of Sea-Tac is
irrelevant…the Sea-Tac airspace will have an impact on your training
wherever you go. Becoming familiar with operations in and near Class B
airspace will give you a huge advantage over someone whose instructor shies
away from congested airspace.
Acuwings is new to me, but they have an impressive fleet according to their
website. If you can swing the finances, go there and train in the Cirrus.
Galvin’s is the 800-pound gorilla. Probably the best of the bunch insofar as
quality is concerned. They have been in the flight training business since
before I got my private in 1962, and you don’t survive in this business
unless you provide a superior product. Don’t be put off by taxi
distances…that’s a poor argument, and it would apply to Wings Aloft as
well.
Wings is a club, as you note, and that’s a good thing. They have a lot of
club-type activities…fly-outs, seminars, dances, parties, etc for those
who are interested. Their planes are well-maintained and the whole operation
is polished. It’s not Galvins, but then again Galvins is not a club.
You quote someone at Pro-Flight as saying a two-weekend ground school is
tough…try one weekend! Don’t be fooled…the sole purpose of these "ground
schools" is to prepare you for the written exam, nothing more. Aviation
Seminars, a traveling road show, simply goes through the questions on the
exam (they are available to the public) and tells you why what they say is
the correct answer is correct…very little depth…and they do it in one
weekend. There are question-answer-explanation books that do the same thing
at your leisure. If you want to get more insight than that…and you
should…both ASA, Gleim, and the Kings have DVD courses. Maybe Pro-Flight
uses one of them. Go to The Aviator’s Store on Boeing Field and look at what
is for sale.
PremAir is not for you…it is aircrew training.
The best advice that you got was from Acuwings….you have to have an
instructor with whom you can communicate. Everything else is secondary.
Bob Gardner
"Chris L" <clusard…@aol.com> wrote in message
news:4ee1abdb-9054-405b-b890-4d3560ceda76@d4g2000prg.googlegroups.com…
- — -
> Hello, I know virtually nothing about flying, but am planning on
> getting a private flying license. I have already talked to a few of
> the schools in and around the Tukwila/Renton Washington area, and want
> to know which is the best all around school.
> (1) Pro-Flight Aviation Inc uses a relatively quiet airport (Renton),
> but it’s still close to Sea-Tac International airport. It seems to be
> the most cost effective, has only 3 teachers, uses a DVD interactive
> course as the ground school, and one person has told me they are not
> very customer friendly. A person there said it’s very very hard to
> learn ground school material in a cram 2 weekend course.
> I bought for $109.99 the "Virtual Test Prep an Aviation Ground School,
> Private 08 Pilot" to study and prepare for the airplane private pilot
> FAA Knowledge Exam by ASA. I also bought the book Guided Flight
> Discovery Private Pilot by Jeppesen, because the owner of the company
> said I would, basically, have to read certain sections.
> (2) Galvin Flying Service is expensive, has 25 trainers, but uses the
> busy (taxing time etc) Boeing airfield.
> (3) Acuwings is also uses the quiet Renton airport, says they’re more
> customer friendly, will be "starting" a new/free ground training class
> in Jan, use old aircraft (80′s), will teach me on a Tomahawk. A person
> there told me to learn from an instructor who I like.
> (4) Wings Aloft has 15 to 20 instructors, requires a membership, and I
> will call them back to talk to the right person.
> (5) PremAir is open Monday through Friday, but I have to call them
> back to see what they offer.
> (6) Northway Aviation is about an hour away, so it’s too far to drive.
> It appears that I can get the license in about 6 months if I take
> lessons two to three times a week (Saturday, Sunday, Monday) for about
> an hour each time.
> So what should I do,
> Christopher Lusardi
> P.S.: It’s all for fun and remotely work related. But, I can be able
> to pretend that I will to become an astronaut some day. [[:-))