Looking for a CFI - not that easy

[Type47]

I started on the road to sport pilot in 2009 and ran into the same thing. Rude, arrogant, unhelpful people that kept telling me what I wanted. I was 49 at that time so finally had the money to pursue my dream. The sport pilot rule was only 5 at that time so some cfis might be forgiven for thinking I was talking about recreational pilot. Now, there is no excuse. I passed my sport pilot test Sept 2016 at First Landings Aviation in Florida. I’m from Minnesota. I went with them after trying a few other places that treated sport training like an afterthought.
It doesn’t take long in General aviation to find out why general aviation is dying.
I got my cert with 53 hours, bought my own used Tecnam P92E, and now have about 170 hours. If I want to get my private, maybe 6 hours of additional training in my own plane?
My recommendation is to find someone who wants to train you in sport pilot. There is a sport pilot instructor up at Mt Vernon airport with a jabiru, that i believe is 2 hours(?) drive for you.
I also think that the idea that 20 or 40 hours gets you there is a false consideration. As soon as I passed my test I still wanted to fly. Flying is flying.
If you are renting, it still costs $100/hr or so. So who cares?
You are becoming a pilot to fly. So fly. Before/after cert...fly.
I went through many different instructors before I finally took control of my own training, insisted on one instructor, and pushed through.

[3Dreaming]

KMVN is likely closer to 3 hours from Louisville. Also I think they are short on instructors at the moment.

[Type47]

KMVN
Sponsor of Midwest light sport expo.
Short on light sport cfis.
No mogas on field.
Interesting...

[joey4420]

Odd I was at the Midwest light sport expo and they had Mogas then, they were running out due to all the light sports on the field, but that did have some. I only use 100LL in my Ercoupe so wasn't an issue for me.

Can't say about the shortage of CFI's

Personally Unless you have no plans to ever go Private I would find a regular CFI and not a CFIS. Since sadly CFIS training does not carry on beyond your Sport Ticket.

[3Dreaming]

I believe they only get auto fuel for the expo.

[Warmi]

Yes all my instructors were CFI II and given these pretty stupid rules that CFIs training doesn’t carry over despite basically being the same training, it is a good advise to avoid CFIs.

[WDD]

. I passed my sport pilot test Sept 2016 at First Landings Aviation in Florida. I’m from Minnesota. I went with them after trying a few other places that treated sport training like an afterthought.

How did you do that exactly? Did you go down there for 2 weeks or so to finish up? Did they train as well as connect you to the FAA check ride? Any names or other contact information appreciated!

.
I got my cert with 53 hours, bought my own used Tecnam P92E,

Very nice! Someday I'll have to bug you about how to buy a used plane.

.
There is a sport pilot instructor up at Mt Vernon airport with a jabiru, that i believe is 2 hours(?) drive for you.

Unfortunately more than 3 one way. Not too practical. Isn't Mt. Vernon IL where the have the Midwest LSA expo? Sporty's in Cincinnati is 1 1/2 hours away. I could disappear on Saturdays all day for 5 months or so. That might just be possible...... IF they still teach sport. Their website no longer shows the Skycatcher for rent. I'll call again and leave another message.

Seems from your advice and from others that changing instructors etc. burns more hours than really needed. I'll take it to heart and when I find CFI's I'll check them out to see if they will be available for the entire training time, if I click with them, etc.

[WDD]

Yes all my instructors were CFI II and given these pretty stupid rules that CFIs training doesn’t carry over despite basically being the same training, it is a good advise to avoid CFIs.

So.... If I get my license from by using a CFIS, it doesn't count to private? Even though I have the same skill, knowledge, etc regardless if I learned from a CFI vs a CFIS? Because to get a Sport License I have do, learn, and demonstrate a set amount of skills - which doesn't change depending on the CFI. Just checking.......

[drseti]

Yes, unfortunately that's true. Several years ago, an ad-hoc coalition of fairly well known flight instructors (including me, Helen Woods, Rod Machado, and Paul Hamilton) petitioned the FAA on that very issue. We argued (convincingly, I thought) that in those areas of operation in which the Practical Test Standards and Airman Certification Standards are identical, it shouldn't matter whether the instruction was provided by a Part 61 Subpart H or a Part 61 Subpart K instructor. Sadly, our recommendation never made it to the NPRM stage.

One if the many reasons why Sport Pilot is still the best kept secret in aviation.

[Type47]

I see I wrote cfis instead of Cfi’s and inserted another complete debate subject. I meant to write Cfi’s. I have never actually met a cfis.
As for the Florida question, I am mostly retired and spend about 1/3 of the time in Florida.
I started with First Landings around April 2016 and finished in September. I think I was in Minnesota about 6 weeks during that time.
Joey was my Cfi and is excellent.
They have a 2 week accelerated program but I was squeamish about the pay in advance requirement. Because of that, scheduling was tough as they give the accelerated students first dibs.
If you want to talk, pm me with your phone number.

[drseti]

Someday I'll have to bug you about how to buy a used plane.

A couple of years ago, I presented an EAA webinar titled "How To Buy A Used LSA." You can search for it on http://www.eaa.org/webinars or via my website at http://www.avsport.org/webinars.

[drseti]

They have a 2 week accelerated program but I was squeamish about the pay in advance requirement.

I'm squeamish about those 2 week programs for another reason. They don't call them crash courses for nothing!

[Warmi]

Yeah, 2 weeks seems like crazy schedule to me ... Maybe it is just me but during my training there were moments when I felt like I had to take a week or so worth of break just to keep going etc.
I guess if you are doing 2 weeks accelerated course, you better be 100 % every day and every waking hour of that day

[joey4420]

I just checked the schedule for sporty's (since I trained there I still have access), no SkyCatcher on the Schedule. So I guess my info may be off. I would still check by giving them a call the FBO is 5137359500 and Jason is the person to see about aircraft.

[3Dreaming]

I seem to remember that Sporty's was one place that has also done recreational pilots in the past.