Flight schools

[sam_iam]

It seems like all the schools in central Ca are closing or slowing way down. I am just wondering how all of yours are doing?

[RkyMtnHI]

It seems like all the schools in central Ca are closing or slowing way down. I am just wondering how all of yours are doing?

 

 

Rotors seems to be busy as usual, and as a student i hate it.. :-) i used to be able to pick what color of R44 i wanted to fly.. now days i have to schedule in advance.

 

Seems that Elite at Centennial is doing well too, keeping busy as usual.

 

Don't know much about the other schools in the area, except that they are out there when i fly so i know they are hanging in there.

 

i am expecting to see the slow down in a few months tho... the financing issue is sure to make a dent.

 

 

aloha,

 

dp

[ChprPlt]

We have been slow but its pretty normal in the winter. Hopefully it will pick back up in the spring.

[Azhigher]

We slowed down a bit in AZ. Not too badly though, every CFI still has a full schedule.

[slick1537]

Well I haven't been to my school since I ran out of money . I know that has to put a dent in my CFI's pocket since I was on the schedule 5 days a week.

[sam_iam]

With over 350 views there has to be more than four people involved with schools. Let us know whats going on. If you take the time to read this take one more minute and write a line.

thanks

[adam32]

I've got students lined up, just need to get another helicopter...

[montu]

I just started my Instrument training at Air Orlando and it seems like it hasn't slowed down or gotten real busy. Seems pretty steady so far.

[ADRidge]

We're doing pretty well as far as I can tell. Especially when I compare us against the school I came from initially.

[klmmarine]

Training is a smaller portion of our operations, but training is still keeping us busy. If anything we are seeing more interest lately than in the last couple of years. I think that the increase in our numbers could be because of the closing of our only local competitor.

[flynpig]

My school is way down. I don't even think my CFI has flown since I got my add-on rating. It's a shocker for them since I flew around 3 times a week and gave them $15k in 4 months. I am going back to get my Commercial rating and instrument of they get a IFR Helicopter, which they don't have. In the meantime I bought me a Cessna 182 to get my Comm/Instrument in then just do the Helicopter add-on ratings for them as well. Much cheaper that way.

[ApexHelicopters]

Got the helicopter, just need some more students who want to fly.

[FlynPHX4Ever]

We're still plenty busy in Raleigh. Student housing helps though.

[JDHelicopterPilot]

I've seen a few employment ads for CFIs and CFIIs. That is a little positive.

[BOATFIXERGUY]

I hope everyone running a school can survive this latest economic issue. I was going through all of my flight school links the other day and was shocked on how many of them no longer existed! I think the larger and financially strong schools will hang around and survive, but I feel sorry for the small operations.

[bossman]

MARPAT is still hanging in there. Our student load has dropped off a little, part because of winter, and part because of the economy. The pipe line patrol is still doing well. The 141 eternal load course will start back up after the spring fire season. Our 145 repair station will be on line sometime in April. All in all I think we'll survive. I'm sitting here waiting on my bail out money.

Mike

[bossman]

I just noticed that the x didn't work in my last post (eternal load course).

[jehh]

The issue is not lack of demand, we have plenty of that. It is lack of financing...

 

Sallie Mae has become quite difficult to get money from without really good co-signers, the approval rate went from 5 students a month this time last year to 2 students a month this year.

 

If we had a decent loan source, we'd be overrun by students.

 

Thankfully we recently became a 141 school and will soon be able to accept the GI Bill and foreign students. Without those I doubt 2009 would be very pretty.

[Goldy]

I've got students lined up, just need to get another helicopter...

 

Need a Bell 47, R22 Beta or Beta II...email me !

[Rick McWilliams]

Goldy,

 

Someone is flying your R22. I see it often at SZP and sometimes have to wait for a slot at the CMA north helipad pattern.

 

I am flying with Orbic Helicopters at CMA. Flight activity seems normal.

[Goldy]

Goldy,

 

Someone is flying your R22. I see it often at SZP and sometimes have to wait for a slot at the CMA north helipad pattern.

 

I am flying with Orbic Helicopters at CMA. Flight activity seems normal.

 

 

Rick- Someone is ALWAYS flying my R22 ! In fact, another month it will be down for overhaul.

 

Hey, meant to tell you I was up at SZP a couple weeks ago during their open house. Didnt know there was an event going on. I was dodging flights of 3 warbirds at 300AGL on final !! I flew the 44 up there (8SS), made a couple practice slope landings on the pad, and took off !

 

Goldy

[auto360]

I'm thinking in the next 6-9 months we'll see how things are really going. I could see, though I hope I'm wrong, more schools closing. Some of the schools I would think are still open possibly because there are people in training who were able to get loans some time ago but in the next 6-9 months when those folks are done I'm not sure there will be many more people showing up because I think those $70,000 + loans are going to be close to impossible to get. Even home equity loans will be more scarce since home values are going down. Not to mention that many people, due to all the uncertainty, won't want to spend money right away. But in all of this I could also be missing something and maybe it won't be so bad.