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TangoBravoZulu620

Filing Flight Plan
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Feb 15, 2020
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TangoBravoZulu620
Hi Everyone,


I have been dreaming of getting my PPL and I think the time to start pursuing it will open up sometime this year. For some background, I live in Northern NJ and have a good full time job and the money saved up to pursue my license. I would only be pursuing this as a hobby and not a career. I mainly want to be able to fly locally and on some trips in the surrounding area, like flying to upstate NY to go camping for example.


My main question that I am hoping to get some feedback from this group of knowledgeable pilots is whether I should train with a flight club or flight school. Either way, I am planning on joining a flight club once I obtain my PPL. I am really between 3 specific clubs/school. The 3 options are: 150th Aero Flying Club, the Skywagon Flying Club and Air Fleet Training Flight School.


Location: I work about 15 minutes from SMQ. MMU is about halfway between where I work and my house (would be both convenient for training on the weekend and the weekdays after work). KCDW is about the same distance from where I live as MMU but it would take me longer to go directly there after work versus MMU, but it is possible.


As far as the clubs go, I can find a lot of the details on the 150th Aero Flying Club website but the Skywagon Flying Club financial information isn’t accessible. The 150th Aero Flying Club has planes at MMU as well as one at SMQ, which could be convenient for flying right after work. I am interested in the broader range of aircraft at Skywagon though (182 and the Mooney seem like fun aircraft to have available) but they are much older and I have heard that their scheduling technique is very old school. I also worry that Skywagon is a single owner club as opposed to the 150th. That would change the insurance requirements, etc., right?


I realize the clubs or school may have a waitlist and that is why I am trying to look at this now while I don’t need to start immediately and would be okay waiting a few months to start (I can also do some online ground school in the meantime).


If you are a member of those clubs or have any insight on training and club membership – thanks! I appreciate you taking the time to read this and adding your 2 cents!!
 
TangoBravoZulu620 said:
... and the Mooney seem like fun aircraft to have available)….
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you got that right, smart man.

other than being a former Parsippany native, I don't have any info on the options you are looking at. sounds like a little more research needs to be done on your end, then make a decision and jump in! no more waiting!! get pricing and plane options/availability from all your locations, speak to a coupl'a cfi's at each, then make your decision. have fun!
 
eman1200 said:
you got that right, smart man.

other than being a former Parsippany native, I don't have any info on the options you are looking at. sounds like a little more research needs to be done on your end, then make a decision and jump in! no more waiting!! get pricing and plane options/availability from all your locations, speak to a coupl'a cfi's at each, then make your decision. have fun!
Click to expand...

Thanks eman1200! I will try to speak to a few CFIs at each
 
I don't have any info for you, but I saw you mentioned two of my favorite airports. I did my PPL at TEB (1998 when there were a few schools there), and have fond memories of learning to 'thread the needle' under and around Class B airspace to make our way over to MMU (through Livingston) and CDW in order to practice landings. Fun times!

TEB was just too busy with jets for any student T&Gs, so we had to go elsewhere, lol. I soloed at MMU after around 23hrs. It was challenging learning in such busy airspace, but very rewarding.

Best of luck with your aviation pursuits.
For me, it was a childhood dream come true at age 32. By then, I was well established in my career as an Industrial Electrician, but I also had a wife and three young kids. All while working around the clock! (3 rotating shifts that includes some weekends).
No matter......I HAD to eventually pursue my dream!

There are dreamers and there are DO-ers. ;)
 
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redtail said:
I don't have any info for you, but I saw you mentioned two of my favorite airports. I did my PPL at TEB (1998 when there were a few schools there), and have fond memories of learning to 'thread the needle' under and around Class B airspace to make our way over to MMU (through Livingston) and CDW in order to practice landings. Fun times!

TEB was just too busy with jets for any student T&Gs, so we had to go elsewhere, lol. I soloed at MMU after around 23hrs. It was challenging learning in such busy airspace, but very rewarding.

Best of luck with your aviation pursuits.
For me, it was a childhood dream come true at age 32. By then, I was well established in my career as an Industrial Electrician, but I also had a wife and three young kids. All while working around the clock! (3 rotating shifts that includes some weekends).
No matter......I HAD to eventually pursue my dream!

There are dreamers and there are DO-ers. ;)
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Thanks for the comments, redtail! I give you credit for getting your PPL while you had a lot of other priorities as well. I am working full time, getting my masters, and getting married in a few months so I appreciate the constant time battle and am hoping I can fit in flight lessons, if not now then soon.
 
The chemistry between you and your CFI is most important. Interview, Interview, Interview. Doesn't matter much where you train.

-Skip
 
TangoBravoZulu620 said:
Thanks Skier! I will take a look at the school. It seems that most pilots I have heard from love flying tailwheel aircraft.
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If "flying to upstate NY to go camping" is your first example you have of what you want to do, you sound like a tailwheel person.
 
Skip Miller said:
The chemistry between you and your CFI is most important. Interview, Interview, Interview. Doesn't matter much where you train.

-Skip
Click to expand...

Thanks Skip! That is some good advice to keep in mind, if not the most important aspect to consider when training.
 
Dana said:
If "flying to upstate NY to go camping" is your first example you have of what you want to do, you sound like a tailwheel person.
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Hi Dana - very good point! Thanks for the comment!
 
You’re doing it backward

Ask around for who’s the best instructor and work your way backwards form that
 
Just as a point of reference (I am not from your area nor have I ever flown around there) I remember when I began my training at an actual school based at UGN, I not only had to pay for my flight training, but also ended up paying club dues. Please don't get me wrong, I am not implying that I was scammed in any way. They completely informed me about the club dues (because the school was also affiliated with the flying club that was seperate from the school), I just was an early student and was unsure of what all I was signing up for. I would advise just making sure you're well informed of everything from the start. The school I am with now, for example, is a club/school, but all the CFIs are private contractors, and the club is...well, if you rent a plane, you're in the club.
 
Dana said:
If "flying to upstate NY to go camping" is your first example you have of what you want to do, you sound like a tailwheel person.
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God, I love a nice taildragger. Went up in my instructor's champ again last week.

So, to the OP, I'd love to encourage you to consider that as part of your training, if back country flying is what you're looking into. A tailwheel endorsement is not something that every flight school offers, but it is something you may find more easily in a flying club. Take my situation for example, I know my instructor through the school where he operates and actively trains students, but he also has his own airplane (a taildragger) in which he is able to train students. It's an Aeronca Champ, and it's a very different flying experience. Frankly, I like it better than the trike trainers. Take a good look and see what's out there. Trainers such as Champs or Cubs may be just what your looking for, as a prospective hobby pilot.
 
Flew out of Lincoln Park for a while when I lived in Stanhope. Pretty laid back in those days and lots of nice people around. We ran over to TEB, Greenwood Lakes among other fields.
 
TangoBravoZulu620 said:
Thanks for the comments, redtail! I give you credit for getting your PPL while you had a lot of other priorities as well. I am working full time, getting my masters, and getting married in a few months so I appreciate the constant time battle and am hoping I can fit in flight lessons, if not now then soon.
Click to expand...
Best wishes in all of your endeavors.

Also keep in mind that nothing worthwhile is ever easy, at least not in my experience. You WILL face difficulties and challenges. May even feel like giving up at some point (I did early on in my training).

However, if you have the desire and self motivation to see it through...you will. If you find out that it's just not what you imagined it would be, there is nothing wrong with changing your mind. Do it for the right reasons, not to impress anyone!

As a teenager (17), learning my electrical profession at EWR, I met an electrician who was also a private pilot (Vietnam Vet as well). I never got a chance to fly with him due to school, distance, etc... but I talked to him all the time. Probably more about aviation, than electricity, lol.

Kept telling him how much I wanted to become a pilot, for as long as I can remember. He said something to me that stuck with me ever since!
He said..."What are you doing about it?".

I can't recall if I even had an answer for him (probably just a blank look on my face). We both knew that I couldn't afford flight lessons at the time, but it occurred to me that what I COULD do, is study. Just as I had studied electricity before I actually started learning the trade in 10th grade and throughout the rest of my high school years. I share that story because I know sooo many people who 'Talk' about their dreams and what they want, then sit on their ass and DO absolutely nothing to achieve their goals. :rolleyes:
 
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Sazzy said:
Just as a point of reference (I am not from your area nor have I ever flown around there) I remember when I began my training at an actual school based at UGN, I not only had to pay for my flight training, but also ended up paying club dues. Please don't get me wrong, I am not implying that I was scammed in any way. They completely informed me about the club dues (because the school was also affiliated with the flying club that was seperate from the school), I just was an early student and was unsure of what all I was signing up for. I would advise just making sure you're well informed of everything from the start. The school I am with now, for example, is a club/school, but all the CFIs are private contractors, and the club is...well, if you rent a plane, you're in the club.
Click to expand...

Hey Sazzy - thanks for the example! That is something to keep in mind for sure.
 
redtail said:
Best wishes in all of your endeavors.

Also keep in mind that nothing worthwhile is ever easy, at least not in my experience. You WILL face difficulties and challenges. May even feel like giving up at some point (I did early on in my training).

However, if you have the desire and self motivation to see it through...you will. If you find out that it's just not what you imagined it would be, there is nothing wrong with changing your mind. Do it for the right reasons, not to impress anyone!

As a teenager (17), learning my electrical profession at EWR, I met an electrician who was also a private pilot (Vietnam Vet as well). I never got a chance to fly with him due to school, distance, etc... but I talked to him all the time. Probably more about aviation, than electricity, lol.

Kept telling him how much I wanted to become a pilot, for as long as I can remember. He said something to me that stuck with me ever since!
He said..."What are you doing about it?".

I can't recall if I even had an answer for him (probably just a blank look on my face). We both knew that I couldn't afford flight lessons at the time, but it occurred to me that what I COULD do, is study. Just as I had studied electricity before I actually started learning the trade in 10th grade and throughout the rest of my high school years. I share that story because I know sooo many people who 'Talk' about their dreams and what they want, then sit on their ass and DO absolutely nothing to achieve their goals. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Thanks again Redtail! I have no doubts that it will certainly take time and hard work to achieve and want to make sure I start at the best time possible to ensure I can focus on it. That being said, you bring up some really good points about making sure I go for it...even if that just means some ground school studying on my own for now.
 
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