Soon - a new student pilot!

[G-Man]

I'm delighted to report a friend has a pretty serious bite from the flying bug: he's been calling me almost-daily and asking good questions.

He's exactly what we want in general aviation - under 30, very bright, great enthusiasm, and damn sensible. I've known him several years since he was an undergraduate working on my and other sports car racing teams. Really a good person, positive attitude, and a sharp engineer.

I've invited him to join POA, so look for him soon.

He lives in San Jose, CA and works in Sunnyvale, CA.
I'd love to pass on suggestions of great places to learn to fly, great instructors, and, any cautions on bad places or instructors.

It's complex and busy airspace - what are the good airports to learn at? Avoid?

What does the POA wisdom recommend?
Thanks. (PM or Emails welcome if discretion is needed.)

 

[SkyDog58]

I'm delighted to report a friend has a pretty serious bite from the flying bug: he's been calling me almost-daily and asking good questions.

He's exactly what we want in general aviation - under 30, very bright, great enthusiasm, and damn sensible. I've known him several years since he was an undergraduate working on my and other sports car racing teams. Really a good person, positive attitude, and a sharp engineer.

I've invited him to join POA, so look for him soon.

He lives in San Jose, CA and works in Sunnyvale, CA.
I'd love to pass on suggestions of great places to learn to fly, great instructors, and, any cautions on bad places or instructors.

It's complex and busy airspace - what are the good airports to learn at? Avoid?

What does the POA wisdom recommend?
Thanks. (PM or Emails welcome if discretion is needed.)

Sorry but we don't need his type here.

Nothing from me besides my smart assed remark. If he was in the LA area then I might have a suggestion or two. About all I can offer is that I wouldn't be too concerned about the airspace. He should be able to deal with it with the help of his CFI.

 

[MAKG1]

His closest airports are Palo Alto and Reid Hillview. Reid is a bit cheaper and the airspace a bit less complex. San Jose airspace is very nearby but has obvious landmarks for the boundary. Traffic will determine feasibility more than anything else. It SUCKS at Reid.

Lots of training goes on at both sites. There are lots of good instructors and lots of bad ones, like anywhere of any size. I'd recommend multiple discovery flights to see what clicks.

 

[AspiringStickJockey]

He lives in San Jose, CA and works in Sunnyvale, CA.

He should absolutely plan on getting an A36TC and teach himself how to fly it, preferably departing from what's left of the Sky Park runways in Scotts Valley.

 

[G-Man]

MAKG - thanks for your help. When you say 'traffic at Reid sucks,' are you referring to the airport flying traffic?
Or the automobile highway traffic to/from the airport?

 

[MAKG1]

MAKG - thanks for your help. When you say 'traffic at Reid sucks,' are you referring to the airport flying traffic?
Or the automobile highway traffic to/from the airport?

Driving. East San Jose has some of the worst traffic in the region. And to get there from Sunnyvale means driving by SJC, probably an hour drive on a weekday afternoon.

Reid has two runways, so air traffic isn't too bad even when it's busy. Palo Alto can stack up on real nice Saturday mornings.

Reid is also some 10 deg warmer, but that means summer marine layer is less of a problem. No one has air conditioning in their airplanes, though.