Best time to switch instructors / schools?

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hhins

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hhins
Hey everyone,

I've been a reader for quite some time and finally registered.

I have about 8 hours of flight time for my PPL under my belt but just discovered I'll be moving in about 2 months. I can fly about 3 times per week but I'm not sure if I should continue and get into the 30 hour range, then switch when I move or just put everything on hold and do more hours at the new place.

I'm a little afraid of learning a different plane, instructor and new area towards the middle/end of my training.

Thanks for any advice!
 
Have you researched schools at "the new place' ?

Can you fly the same type of aircraft? (do both schools have a 172?)

If so i'd say - continue training. If not it might get a bit more complicated.

The downside is if you quit cold turkey for 2 months, you're going to lose alot of what you already learned. At 8 hours, things are probably starting to come together for you.
 
I used 2 instructors...1 from 0hrs-40hrs which included solo, cc, and most of my solo cc. The second instructor knew him so that helped the transition a bit but I don't feel it slowed down progress at all. I also switched from a 172 to an archer after my first solo. All of my training was with the same flying club so I didn't have to relearn a new area or home airport.


I would say fly as often as possible and try not to take more than a few weeks off during your move if possible. Let folks know where you're moving to we might be able to point you in the right direction for flying clubs or fbos...
 
Thanks for the quick reply. I should have mentioned, I would be going from a 172/G1000 to a DA20 or PA28 and from a towered to non-towered field. Both schools are nice, instructors seem decent. The costs are comparable. Tough call. :)
 
I just flew a da20 for the first time and really like it. PA28 is also very forgiving but not quite as much fun as the diamond. What model pa28?
 
hhins said:
Hey everyone,

I've been a reader for quite some time and finally registered.

I have about 8 hours of flight time for my PPL under my belt but just discovered I'll be moving in about 2 months. I can fly about 3 times per week but I'm not sure if I should continue and get into the 30 hour range, then switch when I move or just put everything on hold and do more hours at the new place.

I'm a little afraid of learning a different plane, instructor and new area towards the middle/end of my training.

Thanks for any advice!
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Keep flying. I had multiple instructors and several different aircraft types including High Performance and Complex airplanes and still had to do one lap around the pattern before my checkride to make the full 40 hrs I needed. If you're concerned, see if there's any way to step up the pace and get it done before you move, I did my PP in 9 weeks from first lesson and I was only flying 2 days a week.
 
dell30rb said:
Have you researched schools at "the new place' ?

Can you fly the same type of aircraft? (do both schools have a 172?)

If so i'd say - continue training. If not it might get a bit more complicated.

The downside is if you quit cold turkey for 2 months, you're going to lose alot of what you already learned. At 8 hours, things are probably starting to come together for you.
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What he said. And I'd agree even if it's not the same type aircraft. Start the research ASAP so you don't have much delay restarting at the new site.
 
Great information so far everyone. @mike - PA28A Warrior III. I've flown a 70s Archer II, does it feel similar? It's more $$/hr but at this point I'm eating ramen anyway, what's a little more.

My lessons are typically mid/late day so with spring/summer I'm expecting some weather cancellations.
 
hhins said:
Great information so far everyone. @mike - PA28A Warrior III. I've flown a 70s Archer II, does it feel similar? It's more $$/hr but at this point I'm eating ramen anyway, what's a little more.

My lessons are typically mid/late day so with spring/summer I'm expecting some weather cancellations.
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The new plane should look nicer and newer and may have different radios, but even that is open for debate. Outside of that, there will be no difference in how it flies.
 
Henning said:
The new plane should look nicer and newer and may have different radios, but even that is open for debate. Outside of that, there will be no difference in how it flies.
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There's a thread somewhere around here that I just read today that says the opposite...too lazy tired to find it though.
 
Definitely keep flying. No such thing as too much experience.
 
jpower said:
There's a thread somewhere around here that I just read today that says the opposite...too lazy tired to find it though.
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IIRC the WarriorII is a 160 hp taper wing plane, if my memory is correct, same same.
 
I would keep going. I assume you are not moving close enough to start at the new school now. You should be competent enough by then that a few hours in the new plane will get you up to speed. And you will have confidence in what you are flying now so that will help you in the future with more rental/purchase options.
 
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During my training, I flew whenever and whatever I got the chance, had the money for, and the time. There was a long list of instructors, and two official schools and a couple of independent instructors. That wasn't the cause of the delay getting the private.
I got a chance to fly in Las Vegas, Palo Alto, and Manteo while traveling. I started with a C152 (and soloed), changed schools for a warrior and an archer, flew C172s and warriors while traveling.
I don't think it is a big deal. The instructors are more important.
 
silver-eagle said:
During my training, I flew whenever and whatever I got the chance, had the money for, and the time. There was a long list of instructors, and two official schools and a couple of independent instructors. That wasn't the cause of the delay getting the private.
I got a chance to fly in Las Vegas, Palo Alto, and Manteo while traveling. I started with a C152 (and soloed), changed schools for a warrior and an archer, flew C172s and warriors while traveling.
I don't think it is a big deal. The instructors are more important.
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I did much the same as well as got punted around a few QBs who liked me. In retrospect, that is where I chose the sea over aviation, when I left Long Beach on a boat.
 
Great information again, thank you, I'm feeling less nervous about the switch. :)
 
FlySince9 said:
A pause in training is never a good thing... FLY!
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Nor is a pause in flying. I had not flown since March, thought "no big deal" but it totally was. If I had just gone up, even just once around the pattern, every week or two it would have been better than 1-2 months off. Flying is something that you have to do often. Even after you get your certificate. Take it from me, I know.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Nor is a pause in flying. I had not flown since March, thought "no big deal" but it totally was. If I had just gone up, even just once around the pattern, every week or two it would have been better than 1-2 months off. Flying is something that you have to do often. Even after you get your certificate. Take it from me, I know.
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You are absolutely right. However, I think you'll find that the more you fly, the less a break in flying will affect you. You're feeling it now because you're a fledgling. 200 hours from now, a month or two, though a confidence challenge, will not make you a basket case, as you appear to have tagged yourself and, by the way, to which no-one on this board agrees with... :)
 
FlySince9 said:
You are absolutely right. However, I think you'll find that the more you fly, the less a break in flying will affect you. You're feeling it now because you're a fledgling. 200 hours from now, a month or two, though a confidence challenge, will not make you a basket case, as you appear to have tagged yourself and, by the way, to which no-one on this board agrees with... :)
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Thanks. I am super bummed about Saturday and decided that all this flying in circles and giving Bay Tours is fun but a huge waste of time and money. I am not growing as a pilot, I'm in fact going backwards and only doing what I feel safe with and could "do in my sleep" with zero planning. Last night I went right seat on a surprise night flight and saw how much better of a pilot I could be. We went to three airports, none of which I would have been comfortable with. I really need to get out more, especially to these high traffic towered places.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Thanks. I am super bummed about Saturday and decided that all this flying in circles and giving Bay Tours is fun but a huge waste of time and money. I am not growing as a pilot, I'm in fact going backwards and only doing what I feel safe with and could "do in my sleep" with zero planning. Last night I went right seat on a surprise night flight and saw how much better of a pilot I could be. We went to three airports, none of which I would have been comfortable with. I really need to get out more, especially to these high traffic towered places.
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Take baby steps... Don't combine new strange airports with high traffic, towered airports yet. Get out, yes. Go for those $100 hamburger jaunts, etc. Go to new airports everytime you fly. Get experience with the different approaches, obstacles, runway configurations ie; short and narrow, long and wide. short and wide, long and narrow, because they all look different on approach and challenge your ability to really fly the airplane rather than rely on familiar procedures used at your home airport. Runways with large slopes can be extremely challenging for new pilots because the ground comes up to meet you sometimes more quickly than you plan for. And runways with power lines and/or trees on short final can be intimidating. It is really a simple formula, Kim. Practice, experience, and a sense of adventure is what will make you the pilot that you strive to be.

I'm not an instructor but thats my 2 cts... hope it helps...
 
FlySince9 said:
Take baby steps... Don't combine new strange airports with high traffic, towered airports yet. Get out, yes. Go for those $100 hamburger jaunts, etc. Go to new airports everytime you fly. Get experience with the different approaches, obstacles, runway configurations ie; short and narrow, long and wide. short and wide, long and narrow, because they all look different on approach and challenge your ability to really fly the airplane rather than rely on familiar procedures used at your home airport. Runways with large slopes can be extremely challenging for new pilots because the ground comes up to meet you sometimes more quickly than you plan for. And runways with power lines and/or trees on short final can be intimidating. It is really a simple formula, Kim. Practice, experience, and a sense of adventure is what will make you the pilot that you strive to be.

I'm not an instructor but thats my 2 cts... hope it helps...
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I am going to all of these on Sunday with a new instructor, with a new (to me) plane - the third 172 now that I will have been PIC.

Skypark has trees. Angwin has trees. Healdsburg has trees. Healdsburg is sloped. I think Angwin is too. Santa Rosa is a towered airport.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
I am going to all of these on Sunday with a new instructor, with a new (to me) plane - the third 172 now that I will have been PIC.

Skypark has trees. Angwin has trees. Healdsburg has trees. Healdsburg is sloped. I think Angwin is too. Santa Rosa is a towered airport.
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"Straighten Up and Fly Right"

You go, girl!! ;)
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Thanks. I am super bummed about Saturday and decided that all this flying in circles and giving Bay Tours is fun but a huge waste of time and money. I am not growing as a pilot, I'm in fact going backwards and only doing what I feel safe with and could "do in my sleep" with zero planning. Last night I went right seat on a surprise night flight and saw how much better of a pilot I could be. We went to three airports, none of which I would have been comfortable with. I really need to get out more, especially to these high traffic towered places.
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I'm a bit worried about falling into this area as well, getting out to stay sharp but then being worried to try anything new. I'm still very early in training but I am cheap...and a bit timid. Hopefully I can overcome it but it does weigh on my mind in these early stages.
 
hhins said:
I'm a bit worried about falling into this area as well, getting out to stay sharp but then being worried to try anything new. I'm still very early in training but I am cheap...and a bit timid. Hopefully I can overcome it but it does weigh on my mind in these early stages.
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You sound like me. Good news - many on here say I have changed and / or grown. I want to believe them. You, too, will change and grow throughout your training. Don't worry right now about what you will do with your cert. Focus on studying for your next lesson, review what you learned in the last lesson, and continue to read the FAA books. No sense worrying now about next year. A coworker at HP long ago gave me a small poster for my desk and it said:

Worry does not empty tomorrow of its troubles, it empties today of its strength.

Hope this helps you.
 
hhins said:
I'm a bit worried about falling into this area as well, getting out to stay sharp but then being worried to try anything new. I'm still very early in training but I am cheap...and a bit timid. Hopefully I can overcome it but it does weigh on my mind in these early stages.
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The only way most people will gain or maintain pilot proficiency is to own a plane or have a flying job.
 
Henning said:
The only way most people will gain or maintain pilot proficiency is to own a plane or have a flying job.
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That's a bit narrow minded, don't you think? :nono:

Of the 35 years I've been flying, I owned an airplane for 3... The rest of the time I was in a club of some kind... I consider myself proficient and safe...

Excuse me.. You did say "most" but I still think that's a big bite!
 
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FlySince9 said:
That's a bit narrow minded, don't you think? :nono:
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Nope, not really, unless they are rich enough that they just rent 200hrs+ a year. Instrument proficiency requires an extra 100hrs a years of instrument proficiency practice/actual while hand flying to gain and maintain proficiency. If you keep these rates up for the first 2-3 years, flying becomes bicycle like. If you don't you will never get good.

You can buy a single seat experimental for less than $20k and fly it for less than $30hr.
 
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Henning said:
Nope, not really, unless they are rich enough that they just rent 200hrs+ a year. Instrument proficiency requires an extra 100hrs a years of instrument proficiency practice/actual while hand flying to gain and maintain proficiency. If you keep these rates up for the first 2-3 years, flying becomes bicycle like. If you don't you will never get good.
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Come down here with the rest of us. These are young, fledgling pilots on this thread. They're not talking about IR, etc at this point. I agree with you about IR proficiency, but why would you want to discourage them with talk of like that when all they want is to feel confident and safe at this early stage of their flying?
 
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Henning said:
Nope, not really, unless they are rich enough that they just rent 200hrs+ a year. Instrument proficiency requires an extra 100hrs a years of instrument proficiency practice/actual while hand flying to gain and maintain proficiency. If you keep these rates up for the first 2-3 years, flying becomes bicycle like. If you don't you will never get good.
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Renting is cheaper than owning in many cases so that part does not hold water. I do agree that you have to fly to become proficient. I cannot speak to whether you pass some point where you now can take an extended break without losing the skills. I kinda doubt that.
 
FlySince9 said:
Come down here with the rest of us. These are young, fledgling pilots on this thread. They're not talking about IR, etc at this point. I agree with you about IR proficiency, but why would you want to discourage them with talk of like that when all they want is to feel confident and safe at this early stage of their flying?
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Feeling safe when you're not safe does no one a favor. There is one thing required above all else for learning aviating and that is flying, pure and simple. If you encourage them to continue on as they are is only setting them up for failure and a life of insecurity as a pilot.

Life isn't as we wish, life is what we think to prepare.
 
alfadog said:
Renting is cheaper than owning in many cases so that part does not hold water. I do agree that you have to fly to become proficient. I cannot speak to whether you pass some point where you now can take an extended break without losing the skills. I kinda doubt that.
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I never said that... You always lose something with extended breaks. But you recover more quickly from it.
 
Henning said:
Feeling safe when you're not safe does no one a favor. There is one thing required above all else for learning aviating and that is flying, pure and simple. If you encourage them to continue on as they are is only setting them up for failure and a life of insecurity as a pilot.

Life isn't as we wish, life is what we think to prepare.
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You really need to read the post you are responding to, before you touch the keys. And quit mincing words to start a discussion of circular logic...
 
alfadog said:
Renting is cheaper than owning in many cases so that part does not hold water. I do agree that you have to fly to become proficient. I cannot speak to whether you pass some point where you now can take an extended break without losing the skills. I kinda doubt that.
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Only in cases where you aren't flying enough to learn how and maintain proficiency. Try maintaining ME proficiency on rental rates. I fly my plane for far less than rental costs of a twin, far less. See what you can rent a Bonanza for?

There is nothing on the planet that beats the economics of an ultralight, less than $5k to buy in and $10-$20 hr to fly.
 
Henning said:
Only in cases where you aren't flying enough to learn how and maintain proficiency. Try maintaining ME proficiency on rental rates. I fly my plane for far less than rental costs of a twin, far less. See what you can rent a Bonanza for?
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The biggest advantage of owning vs. renting, IMO, that you do not have to mind the schedule or how many minimum hours a day you need to put on the airplane. For garden-variety singles, it is cheaper to rent but ownership has its advantages, as they say.

I just got the bill for my annual and squawks on the Arrow. Combined with other work since purchase and fixed expenses, figure over $12k for the first year of ownership. And that doesn't include engine reserve. How much flying do I need to do to beat the $125/hour wet rate I can get on a block in similar Arrow? Well over 200 hours.

I do not expect the second year to cost nearly so much (knock on wood) as most of that is TOH and squawk work from the purchase but still...
 
alfadog said:
I do not expect the second year to cost nearly so much (knock on wood) as most of that is TOH and squawk work from the purchase but still...
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Yep, ownership is for people in aviation for the long haul, rental is for dilettantes. If you're gonna fly a lot, it's cheaper to own and you have a plane whenever you want it, even if it's answering that 3am phone call and get your rear moving in emergency gear.

If you're not gonna fly a lot, you'll never get good.
 
Henning said:
Yep, ownership is for people in aviation for the long haul, rental is for dilettantes. If you're gonna fly a lot, it's cheaper to own and you have a plane whenever you want it, even if it's answering that 3am phone call and get your rear moving in emergency gear.

If you're not gonna fly a lot, you'll never get good.
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I agree re your second point and part of your first. I just am not so fast to stereotype folks that I do not even know. Not to mention that plenty of folk that are serious and fly every day do not own an airplane. Many of them wear epaulettes :wink2:
 
alfadog said:
I agree re your second point and part of your first. I just am not so fast to stereotype folks that I do not even know. Not to mention that plenty of folk that are serious and fly every day do not own an airplane. Many of them wear epaulettes :wink2:
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Yeah, flying job or ownership are the only way to fly enough to get good. For most people entry level flying jobs are not a reality, they can't afford the pay cut.
 
Henning said:
The only way most people will gain or maintain pilot proficiency is to own a plane or have a flying job.
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Disagree. I know plenty of folks who rent or fly other's aircraft enough to be proficient. They fly enough they could probably afford to own something smaller and less capable than the aircraft they get to use in a larger organization like a club or FBO.
 
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