View Full Version : Flight school near Denver?
adamking84
09-14-2012, 13:01
Any private pilots out there that want to share their experience with flight schools near Denver? I'm looking up schools around now and plan on making a few visits - just looking for any information you locals might have good or bad to help along my decision.
I was working on my private pilot cert back in Boston before life got in the way and I packed up and moved to Denver. Now that i'm more than well settled in and have some free time and cash i'm looking to pick it up again.
I've got 20 hours and change in a 172, but that was a few years ago. I'm open to flying pretty much anything so it's not like I have to stick with Cessna.
Cheers
TriggerHappy
09-14-2012, 13:54
Rocky mountain metro is north, centennial is south and front range is east. All have decent flight schools. I think there are also some guys here that are instructors. All the airports have contact info on their websites for their schools.
What I did was I went to the 7th St Classroom at Auraria Campus and got some cards off the bulletin board there. The classroom is where the Aviation program is taught. Lots of students there with good rates because they get to put hours in their logbook as well.
It's been a while since I got my private, but I recall rumors of Front Range being much cheaper than the other airports in Denver. Centennial is a friggin zoo. There is no way I'd want to do initial training there on a weekend.
It's been a while since I got my private, but I recall rumors of Front Range being much cheaper than the other airports in Denver. Centennial is a friggin zoo. There is no way I'd want to do initial training there on a weekend.
Front Range sucks if the winds are westerly, though. DIA's airspace is a couple 100 yards past the edge of the runway, so you need to make a sharp descending turn to line up for approach.
Front Range sucks if the winds are westerly, though. DIA's airspace is a couple 100 yards past the edge of the runway, so you need to make a sharp descending turn to line up for approach.
I'd much rather deal with that than wasting so much time on the Hobb's meter around APA.
adamking84
09-14-2012, 14:25
I work up in Westminster so Rocky Mountain is a stone's throw away for after-work flights - that being said I don't mind driving if there are better options around.
In that case, I'd probably just go there. You'd probably just end spending more gas money for your car than you would save driving any where else.
I spent a lot of time at Front Range, Centennial and JeffCo when 100-LL was much cheaper than it is now. Think $35 an hour wet....
Front Range anyday.
adamking84
09-14-2012, 15:08
In that case, I'd probably just go there. You'd probably just end spending more gas money for your car than you would save driving any where else.
Well obviously i'd like to save money where possible, but i'm not a super penny pincher. I mean I'm willing to drive for quality instruction if there's much better alternatives at another airport.
10mm-man
09-14-2012, 15:29
Flown out of KAPA but KBJC is definitely lighter on traffic. I did some of my helo time there.
Just go around and talk to some of the schools, you'll get a feel for how they are.[Beer]
10mm-man
09-14-2012, 15:31
I'd much rather deal with that than wasting so much time on the Hobb's meter around APA.
Time is time as long as it is logged and all counts towards the 40hrs... or is it 35, it's been a while I don't remember...
10mm-man
09-14-2012, 15:33
I work up in Westminster so Rocky Mountain is a stone's throw away for after-work flights - that being said I don't mind driving if there are better options around.
Did mine here: https://www.flights-inc.com/about.asp
Good guys, quality instructors and nice fleet of planes...
Time is time as long as it is logged and all counts towards the 40hrs... or is it 35, it's been a while I don't remember...
Time spent waiting for take off, extending downwind, or whatever could be better put to use in a environment that is less busy.
10mm-man
09-14-2012, 17:58
Time spent waiting for take off, extending downwind, or whatever could be better put to use in a environment that is less busy.
Maybe, experience is experience.... All test the pilots ability to handle the situation!
When I was a flight instructor about 15,000 hours ago, there was nothing worse than sitting out at the end of a runway waiting for 5 airplanes to land all while the meter ticks away. Good for the flight instructor pay, but that's about it.
I think either Rocky Mountain or Front Range would be good places to start looking. Especially since they are both tower controlled, so you'll get some experience dealing with ATC.
Either way, good luck Adamking84.
adamking84
09-14-2012, 18:33
When I was a flight instructor about 15,000 hours ago, there was nothing worse than sitting out at the end of a runway waiting for 5 airplanes to land all while the meter ticks away. Good for the flight instructor pay, but that's about it.
I think either Rocky Mountain or Front Range would be good places to start looking. Especially since they are both tower controlled, so you'll get some experience dealing with ATC.
Either way, good luck Adamking84.
Back in Boston my instructor and I spent an hour and the half on the tarmac waiting for Hillary Clinton's C-17 to takeoff, in 100+ degree heat. On the plus side we got to watch an F-18 escort do touch and go's for an hour, so that was pretty cool.
I'm going to head up and check out McAir Aviation tomorrow, there's a few others i'm going to hit as well.
Thanks for all the suggestions guys
TriggerHappy
09-14-2012, 18:40
When I was a flight instructor about 15,000 hours ago, there was nothing worse than sitting out at the end of a runway waiting for 5 airplanes to land all while the meter ticks away. Good for the flight instructor pay, but that's about it.
I think either Rocky Mountain or Front Range would be good places to start looking. Especially since they are both tower controlled, so you'll get some experience dealing with ATC.
Either way, good luck Adamking84.
15,000 hours...
SHOW OFF! [Beer]
15,000 hours...
Its not the hours, its the miles.
15,000 hours...
SHOW OFF! [Beer]
HAH!!! Just the product of doing it for 19 years now. Which only means I'm getting old.
I got my private back on the east coast and haven't flown since I moved here 10 years ago. The airport in Erie, CO (EIK) is where I would go. It is just north of E470 and Broomfield. Here is a link to the FBO: http://www.vectorair.net/Flt.htm
HAH!!! Just the product of doing it for 19 years now. Which only means I'm getting old.
Getting?
TriggerHappy
09-14-2012, 21:41
Getting?
[ROFL1][ROFL2][ROFL3]
Dang Ho, that's just mean. I'm not 40 YET.
Were you guys out doing touch and go's on Tuesday? Had to slow down on final for a herc?
patrick0685
09-14-2012, 22:12
there were not many delays when I worked APA not if you had your shit together now if you sucked you might wait for a bigger whole
Derail - We once shot a PAR into Dulles on a weekday evening in an OH-58. As we crossed the thresh hold and executed the missed approach, I started counting the commercial traffic sitting on the taxiway lined up and waiting. The three 747s must have been burning well over a thousand dollars an hour as we were barely moving faster than a walk.
This was back in the mid 1980s and I am reasonably certain that between the FAA and the DOD, we would never get away with that today.
Before you point out what an inconsiderate bastard I was, all I can say is that I told the PIC that it didn't seem like a good idea and we were going to piss off a lot of people.
Back to the thread. Avoid Cat X airpspace in single engine non-complex aircraft. There are plenty of smaller airports with towers to practice your radio work and learning to fly comes before talking on the radio. IMO your priority should be finding an instructor you will learn from, then working on reasonable rates.
Be safe.
DeusExMachina
09-15-2012, 00:59
Any private pilots out there that want to share their experience with flight schools near Denver? I'm looking up schools around now and plan on making a few visits - just looking for any information you locals might have good or bad to help along my decision.
I was working on my private pilot cert back in Boston before life got in the way and I packed up and moved to Denver. Now that i'm more than well settled in and have some free time and cash i'm looking to pick it up again.
I've got 20 hours and change in a 172, but that was a few years ago. I'm open to flying pretty much anything so it's not like I have to stick with Cessna.
Cheers
And I thought I had too many expensive hobbies.
TriggerHappy
09-15-2012, 10:09
If it flys, floats, or f*cks its gonna cost you money!!!
adamking84
09-15-2012, 11:33
And I thought I had too many expensive hobbies.
[Beer] I figure it can sit there and earn .00005% in the savings account, or I can go have some fun.
Vector air looks crazy cheap - no tower at Erie though. Although I was flying out of Hanscom AFB back east, although i'm a little rusty talking to the tower was never a big deal for me. I'll have to swing by and see what the deal is up there too, only 20 mins from work.
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