Here's the back story. About 10-12 years ago I started flight lessons and got to my first solo but then had to stop because of financial and career issues. Over the past 10 years I have tried once more to start lessons but between my 1st child being born and the school closing down things just didn't pan out.

Now with the advent of the LSA license I find myself intrigued by what it has to offer but am struggling to find an instructor or FBO that fits my needs. Most I've visited have very expensive hourly rates for the newer fancy glass cockpit LSAs and tell me I should just focus getting my PPL right out of the gate. I just want to putt around on nice days so I feel the LSA is a good fit and would like to use that time to eventually build towards a PPL rating. I'm looking for a good instructor that is focused on training folks in a fashion that is conducive to them getting a license and not just renting planes and collecting an hourly rate. Anybody got a suggestion? I'm located in the Fairfield/Vacaville area but can/will travel for the right situation.

Don

Not exactly close but you did say you are willing to travel so I'll suggest Hemet Ryan. They have a Cessna 162 skycatcher and rent it for $125. I think instructor is $45.

I've been flying it lately and it's a fun plane. Im sure you could find something closer but that's a start.

I believe that the flight school in Napa has a Cessna 'skyscratcher' and Santa Rosa as well. They are not cheaper than a 152 though. I also would suggest considering just getting a ppl since it is really not that many more hours and you only have to test once that way. Good luck whichever way and welcome to the site!

Up near Sacramento there is an instructor, Don Bradley, he was one of the instructors in my ground school a few years ago. He is a great guy, I have never flown with him personally as I am getting ready to get my ppl but as a ground school instructor he was a really neat teacher.

You can find his info here
http://www.sportpilot.org/instructors/a ... ors_1.html

He is under Cameron Park, ca.

Thanks for the comments fellas!

I've seen the 'Skyscratcher' up close and it's an awesome airplane but just not what I'm looking for. I took a ride out of Concord in a 2008 Remos GX but for the hourly price I might as well be training in the G1000 equipped 172 they have up the street from me! I'm really hoping to find somebody with something like a Cub that flies low and slow, doesn't burn much fuel and is pretty forgiving in terms of handling. Every LSA I've seen around here so far is so damn expensive by the hour it's just insane .... I guess I understand it as they are $100k for a new one but again I'm looking for something a little less flashy.

Don

There's an LSA school located in Lodi.

You could try AeroDynamic Aviation at RHV.

http://www.aerodynamicaviation.com/index.php

Thanks for the info AvidFlyer and Scruiser!

I haven't heard anything about either of those places, do you guys have any personal experience with them?? I like the selection of aircraft the place down at Reid/Hillview has .... $61 an hour wet for a Taylorcraft and about $45 an hour for the instructor. $105 an hour is doable, but I'm leery of places just keeping you stuck in the pattern so that they can offset the rent if ya know what I mean.

Don

Racer1
I don't have any experience with aerodynamic, I learned to fly at this school (mid 70's) when it was Amelia Reid Aviation. Amelia was a crusty character, and had a reputation for running an old time style stick and rudder training operation (they used to cut your shirt tail off after solo). Much taildragger influence.
Aerodynamic has retained many of Amelias aircraft and added some more light sport stuff, and from what I'm told the accent is still on stick and rudder type flying. Take a trip down there, see if you like the vibe.

I thought you said Nor Cal.

Tim

I got my BFR from the place at Lodi. The instructor was really laid back and patient. There's also a place to eat and a skydive operation on the field so it's kind of a fun place.

qmdv wrote:I thought you said Nor Cal.

Tim

They get confused Tim...

Gump

Not that it helps now, but I wish you would have posted a couple months ago. We had an LSA flight school up here at Lincoln Airport KLHM. They had a TecNam that they used for training, but unfortunately they just shut down because of lack of business I assume. Hopefully someone can step in a get something going again up here.

I've sent both the folks in Lodi and San Jose an email, hopefully I'll hear back soon. While Lodi is about 15-20 minutes closer to my place, the place down in San Jose is a bit more appealing due to the types of aircraft available and the price point variances. Again, I appreciate all the feedback you guys are awesome!

Don

PS: Funny how peoples definition of Northern California varies huh? I know some folks who define it as anything north of SLO, while for others it's San Jose north ...... and for some maybe it's Eureka north LOL.

I know folks in Fresno that say they are from Nor Cal. Just a bit of fun. Being part of the state of Jeferson might be a decider. Oh just remembered the Mendecino County would then qualify.

To get LSA do you have to do it in a Light sport plane.

Tim

I got my private certificate at AeroDynamic last year. Both my instructor, Jim Grant, and the school itself are excellent. All of the instructors there are real tailwheel instructors, not just instructors who happen to have a tailwheel endorsement, and most are aerobatic instructors, as well. You will learn stick and rudder skills. Heck, even I've managed not to ground loop yet.

PS: I'm from Humboldt originally, so I'd have to be feeling pretty generous to call anything south of Mendocino "Northern CA"

Northern California is largely a state of mind.

In my mind I reserve the right to include Nancy's restaurant in Willows as the northern end of northern California.

After that there seems to be some old timers on here that have forgotten that the rest of the country from north of Nancys to the Oregon border is the State of Jefferson. XX

So, that puts the old folks at RHV well into northern California. Ha

As for Aerodynamics, I can whole heartedly (sp?) support them. Actually I have been financially supporting the place since the late 70s. I have flown every thing they have except the low wing solar ovens. I have even flown that L2 all the way to Porterville and back in a day.

Only one warning. Do not approach the aged old mechanic in the shop without a proper introduction. He is not known as GOBOB without a reason.
GOBOB? Grumpy Old Bastard Out Back.

It is one of the few schools that is not afraid to teach you to put your hands in your lap, pull you up into a stall, and make you keep a +- 10 degree heading with your feet.

Have fun - but be safe first.

Trim

Don, I traveled to San Jose from Central Washington in the spring of 2007 and spent a week down there at Amelia Reid Aviation training with Roger Standley in his kitfox. I was a 300 hour Cherokee pilot with the ink still wet on my tail wheel endorsement and I had finished building my Kitfox tail dragger.

Roger made sure I was ready to fly my kitfox, not just meet the minimum hours my insurance company required. That was one of the best decisions I ever made.

PS, we took off from RVH each day but spent the bulk of training hours at Fraser Lake, a nice grass strip.

Aerodynamics certainly has a great fleet of rental aircraft....damn. I wish they were in my town.

Long live the Great and Free State of Jefferson!