picking an instructor to work with for rental checkout and rusty pilot BFR

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Brad W

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Suggestions for "picking" an instructor, when the flight school has several?
do you actually go hang out and try to meet them all first?
It's not like they're all there and available at the same time.

When I did my training way back in ancient days, the flight school only had a few instructors, and I just started my training with whichever guy happened to be there (or they scheduled me with when I called?). It worked out well enough. I liked the guy...soloed, then he left for an airline job and I got switched to the next guy. A foreigner and hard to understand at first but finished PPL, instrument, worked on multi and tailwheel with him too, and he became a lifelong friend.

Moving around through the years to new places, I've done checkouts with a variety of instructors, many of which I just did not enjoy flying with.

Now as soon as I get my medical squared away I'm faced with wanting to do a rusty checkout flight/BFR. The place I'll be renting from (FACT at KSGJ) has a bunch of instructors....not even sure how many. At today's rental prices I'm not too jazzed about just making a flight or two with 'whoever'. If i were current and it would just be a '1 hour' checkout it wouldn't much matter, but I recon it'll take a bit, especially if I go for IFR currency down the road....check out it other types they have for rent, etc.....
 
If there are a bunch, I'd talk to the chief instructor and ask which instructor would be best equipped to work with an inactive pilot. I'd also ask about schedule availability, as the best instructor in the world is useless if you can't schedule time with him or her.
 
Also, FWIW, my experience has been that rusty pilots anticipate needing much more flight time to get back into the swing of things than they really need, assuming they were decent pilots in the first place. Much of the time will be spent reacquainting yourself with regulations, modern flight planning, etc. if you haven't already done so, check out AOPA's resources for rusty pilots.
 
Thanks Brad. Good idea I think, talking with the chief instructor.
I did attend the rusty pilot seminar a month or so ago, and I did go up for a 'discovery' flight back in the summer. I was pleasantly surprised how decent my air work was. You're prob right....prob won't take too long.
 
Ask if you can ride along on lessons with the instructors. You'll get a feel for who you like, and you'll get some free airspace introduction.
 
I'd pick based on who is available. Anything else is a pure crapshoot with today's CFI stable. They'll ALL be leaving for jet jobs very shortly. Unless they have some ancient guy who is teaching under basicMed, then grab him.

Our rule of thumb was 1 hour of dual for every year you've been inactive to get you scrubbed up and to standards again. Usually it was a bit less, but that's what we prepped folks for up front. Then they got to be pleasantly surprised when they were 'better' than our expectation :)
 
Ravioli said:
Ask if you can ride along on lessons with the instructors. You'll get a feel for who you like, and you'll get some free airspace introduction.
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Or instead of trying to mooch off the student’s flight lesson just pay for a couple intro rides.
 
Clip4 said:
Or instead of trying to mooch off the students flight lesson just pay for a couple intro rides.
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Where I trained it was common to ride along with other students and/or have them ride along with you. I guess I'm a serial moocher.
 
Ravioli said:
Where I trained it was common to ride along with other students and/or have them ride along with you. I guess I'm a serial moocher.
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I flew backseat with every student and/or instructor that was OK with it; very valuable time! Even got to follow someone through multi training (though the first couple of times were nearly harrowing.)
 
Ravioli said:
Where I trained it was common to ride along with other students and/or have them ride along with you. I guess I'm a serial moocher.
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And they let potential students looking for the schools best instructor do that?
 
Clip4 said:
And they let potential students looking for the schools best instructor do that?
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I don't recall impugning the motives of the ride along being part of the process.

"Best instructor" is a relative term. Looking for an instructor whose style works for you doesn't imply one is better or worse.
 
Ravioli said:
I don't recall impugning the motives of the ride along being part of the process.

"Best instructor" is a relative term. Looking for an instructor whose style works for you doesn't imply one is better or worse.
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Everyone thinks Bill is a great instructor. He smiles, laughs, and tells jokes. He also has the highest drop out rate and flunk at the school. Style isn’t all it cracked up to be.
 
If you find that you have to "fly with one or two before you find one that is a good match", don't sweat it. Don't think of it as a waste of time, or a waste of money. Even if it feels that way at the time with prices being what they are, you can always be learning something, from every hour. Especially when "knocking off rust" and using an instructor mostly to just remind yourself of all the things you already know about flying!

The worst instructor I ever had, I actually learned some important things on that flight (like "DON'T rest your arms on the yoke just because the cockpit is really really small."). No hour is ever a complete waste.
 
Brad W said:
Thanks Brad. Good idea I think, talking with the chief instructor.
I did attend the rusty pilot seminar a month or so ago, and I did go up for a 'discovery' flight back in the summer. I was pleasantly surprised how decent my air work was. You're prob right....prob won't take too long.
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How long has your gap in flying been? and What's a "Rusty Pilot Seminar"? Is it through the FAA, Flight school? Asking because I would love to attend one.

I got my Private in 1999 and flew a good amount in the first year of getting my private then took about a 3 year hiatus, my medical lapsed and I needed a BFR. The summer of '02 I had a summer job where the boss asked me to come along with him on a flight in a new 182S despite my lack of currency he let my fly the plane and instructed me on the use of the Constant Speed prop and told me if I wanted to log some PIC time I better get my ass a medical and BFR (that summer I ended up with a handful of flight hours in that 182, and stick time in a handful of other planes at no cost to me). I went to the Columbia SC Downtown airport spoke to an instructor and expected that my first flight with him would be one of several (I think in my mind I thought it'd take me a handful of hours or flights), he listened and didn't say much other than "let's go fly" and after just a 1hr flight (some stalls, some landings and maybe even a simulated engine out) he signed me off on the BFR and I was checked out to rent that 172 (at a resonable rate as well). So if you're only a couple years out of currency the BFR might not be that bad!

Today I'm waaay out of currency and am nervous about doing my BFR at rates that are about double what I used to rent for and in a location vastly different than on the East Coast (I flew extensively in FL and SC and some limited New England flying). So I'd really like to get into one of those seminars!
 
April 2003 was my last flight...in a 177RG. Crappy condition rental, the flap circuit breaker popped again. I'd squawked it the week prior and they said it was fixed..ugh. At that point in time rental rates had increased more than inflation and I figured I was paying too much for junk, so I decided to buy a plane. Then, a layoff hit, 3 kids came, & life.

Took my son with a CFI back in July '19 for a 'discovery flight'. I did most of the stick and rudder and was very happy with how well I did. Even a good landing. He did all the radio work, navigation, and took all the pressure. My son in the back seat had fun.

so anyway, back on track....about 16 years off. Rusty pilot https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/lapsed-pilots/rusty-pilots/rusty-pilot-seminars
Basically it turned out to be what would be more or less the ground portion of a normal BFR....in fact he gave out signed endorsements at the end for just that purpose. I'd say it would be great for someone just a few years rusty, but it glossed over so much that has changed for me. Anyway, just go do a BFR locally if a seminar isn't convenient for you.
 
Thanks for the info on the seminar!

I felt similar to you in back then! In January of ‘04 I moved to Slidell LA from Ormond Beach Fl where I was able to rent cheaply and in Nice aircraft but in Slidell the rates were much higher and the guy I spoke to the FBO was a jerk; so I pretty much gave up on rentals. Now I’m finally feeling like getting current again and possibly buying. I mean an airworthy plane is half the cost of new truck!
 
Good suggestions!

Ask other pilots for recommendations. Also pay attention to pre and post flight briefings and the CFI's overall approach. Are they professional, thorough, or haphazard. Evaluate them as you would any other professional (doctor, lawyer, etc.).
 
KSGJ?!! Maybe you can take a lesson from Patty Wagstaff!

Seriously, though, @Brad Z gave solid advice. Ask to speak with the Chief flight instructor. They know their stable and their interest in helping will be a big clue to the school's overall quality. Plus you might just get that part time CFI who doesn't commit to full certificate or rating training, but just loves shorter term checkouts, flight reviews, transitions, and rusty pilots.

And yes, most of the flying tends to come back faster than you expect, with updating your knowledge base a bigger issue. FWIW, I had a rusty pilot do the Sporty's flight review course (which they also include in a rusty pilot kit if you want the extras) recently and he found it helpful.
 
I took a little over 20 years off. My last flight was the summer after my son was born that year we had a kid and bought a house and you know how that goes. Kids are grown now and I decided 6 almost 7 years ago to get back in.

I am rural so options were limited but I found an instructor with a 172 about 45 minutes away. Took 7 hours before he signed me off. We basically did a mini PPL just going through each of the various tasks. For me the first 3 hours were brutal. I was wondering if any of this stuff would come back. So much of the stuff I just did before due to habit or muscle memory was gone but then one day it just seemed to click again. He let me rent his 172 (until he sold it) and I also was volunteering at a Warplane museum and was able to get signed off on a few of the single engine tail draggers.

I haven't flown as much as I would like due to plane availability and weather but September of last year I bought a '57 172 with another guy and have flown that a bunch and hope that once the weather gets better here in the Northeast I will be able to fly more than ever barring any major mechanical issues.

My only advice would be as mentioned talk to the head person and tell them what you are looking for. Since you probably wont need a ton of time you shouldn't have to worry about losing an instructor to the airlines this time. Good luck to you.


ETA: As far as knowledge goes just spend a few hours on youtube that worked for me.
 
DFH65 said:
ETA: As far as knowledge goes just spend a few hours on youtube that worked for me.
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Other than taking a dedicated course, my usual recommendation is to take one of the free practice knowledge tests to find the weak spots.
 
Rogue_Ryder said:
Thanks for the info on the seminar!

I felt similar to you in back then! In January of ‘04 I moved to Slidell LA from Ormond Beach Fl where I was able to rent cheaply and in Nice aircraft but in Slidell the rates were much higher and the guy I spoke to the FBO was a jerk; so I pretty much gave up on rentals. Now I’m finally feeling like getting current again and possibly buying. I mean an airworthy plane is half the cost of new truck!
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Look for flying clubs near you...
I did the AOPA Rusty Pilot seminar. Helpful, but still studying. I'm deciding between 2 flying clubs each ~40 minutes from my house... About $80 an hour for a 172...
 
nice timing about the flying clubs!
just today I swung by the airport FBO's office to learn about tie down pricing....& that's a whole other story....

anyway, she told me about a new club. I've looked and looked over the years and never had a club near anyplace I've lived (well not when I've been in a serious position for one anyway)
I'm not so sure it makes sense.
$1500 buy in + $100 per month for a cherokee 180
then rental rate $120/hour wet based on tach time (so what, maybe $95 or so equivalent?)
currently 5 members looking for more

I can just rent outright from the flight school for not much more. I've gotta look closer at when the current members tend to fly and when it would be available, etc...
 
Brad W said:
nice timing about the flying clubs!
just today I swung by the airport FBO's office to learn about tie down pricing....& that's a whole other story....

anyway, she told me about a new club. I've looked and looked over the years and never had a club near anyplace I've lived (well not when I've been in a serious position for one anyway)
I'm not so sure it makes sense.
$1500 buy in + $100 per month for a cherokee 180
then rental rate $120/hour wet based on tach time (so what, maybe $95 or so equivalent?)
currently 5 members looking for more

I can just rent outright from the flight school for not much more. I've gotta look closer at when the current members tend to fly and when it would be available, etc...
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Does the 100 bucks include insurance?
The equivalent is probably closer to $100 and hour.
Sometimes in clubs you luck out and only a couple people fly regularly and the others just pay in to keep the dream alive?
 
I don't know yet about the insurance requirements. I'd assume it covers hangar, some basic insurance, maybe a little towards upgrades...and the rental rate covers gas, oil, maintenance reserves....
yeah, seems to me from the outside the best club would have either
1 plane and a very small number of members
or a whole lotta planes to choose from
 
CharlieD3 said:
Look for flying clubs near you...
I did the AOPA Rusty Pilot seminar. Helpful, but still studying. I'm deciding between 2 flying clubs each ~40 minutes from my house... About $80 an hour for a 172...
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$80 seems reasonable for a 172! The cheapest rate I could find for anything locally is $75 for a 152.

Brad W said:
n
I'm not so sure it makes sense.
$1500 buy in + $100 per month for a cherokee 180
then rental rate $120/hour wet based on tach time (so what, maybe $95 or so equivalent?)
Click to expand...

$120/hr seems really high to me for a club! For example my local airport is renting a 180hp 172N for $130/hr (not a PA-28-180, but pretty damn close) In the first year that's like giving up 1.73 hrs/mo of flight time just for the buy in and monthly fee (for the same money you could have rented for almost 21hrs in the year). Now if that Cherokee is super clean with nice interior and all the lastest wizbang avionics and autopilot that COULD BE a good rate.
 
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Buy in at the clubs I'm looking @ are ~$275 initiation, $45 monthly.

They have 4 planes
172 $80 hour
172 $95 hour (IFR)
182 $110 hour (IFR)
4th plane unknown.

All rentals are wet. There's a "crash kitty" for hangar rash, etc... To cover deductables

One club is low wing Piper's and a Trinidad.

The prices are comparable for similar performance aircraft.

I was raised in Cessnas so the one listed above is where I'll go... Prolly.
 
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