What makes a good flight school?

[adam32]

Was that a Rotorway instrument panel I saw on the banner pics??

[Mikemv]

Wow, a nice web site but I have a few questions. How can a new school/operator claim to be the leading one? You claim to be the best in North America at High Altitude Training! Some of the Canadian Schools in British Columbia would argue with that. You offer urgent freight services, is this on demand cargo? All of your pilots that fly freight have been "Haz Mats Recognition Trained"? Why is there small print in the Career Helo Pilot Course time listing? Why do you correctly list Certificates available to train for but offer a "License" that the US does not provide? On the Flight Services page, safety is mispelled as Safert (attention to detail). Being a Full Service facility, you offer Maintenance and Charter?

 

Now, having pointed all that out, I do believe the intent is good and the web site will mature as will the operation. I wish them success and applaud their efforts. Am I a Master CFI? How do I become "Cream of the Crop", I have 40+ years experience?

[RkyMtnHI]

OUCH!!!

 

well, all good questions of course, even if a little bit harsh on the delivery.

 

One of the main reasons we had not posted the site yet (thanks clay) is that there are many issues with stuff on it that we are working on daily...

 

we have a really smart fixed wing guy putting it together for us but he is in India right now, and we have many others with their hands in the pie trying to make it a really good web site so you can imagine that stuff gets put on one day and removed the next. as you mentioned it is a work in progress. Our guy in India puts stuff on there and then we have to take it off as he sees things from a different prospective as us rotorheads. then one of our people mess up the format and.. well, you get the picture. (He is actually from UK but flies Lear Jets over there now).

 

i will try to answer your questions Mike as i had some of the same one's when i saw the rough drafts of certain areas. i honestly appreciate any and all input on this project although i don't know if it's proper on this site as it will be advertising of a sort. (be it good or bad!! )

 

 

Wow, a nice web site but I have a few questions. How can a new school/operator claim to be the leading one?

 

i guess that is relative to a degree, i think the point is that the team wants everyone to know that we are looking at this from a different perspective, and that the instructors that are putting this all together are the cream of the crop of the area instructors, many of whom trained here and we're not happy other places. also, leading could mean; best ships, best instructors, your money is safe, we have more students in six weeks than some schools after five or six years, i could go on and on. But, i do get your point and it's a good one of course.

 

You claim to be the best in North America at High Altitude Training! Some of the Canadian Schools in British Columbia would argue with that.

 

yep, i got that, it's on the list of changes (and it's a long list believe me, the reason you weren't going to see it yet). But this can be good for us too, i'm sure you all will find stuff we haven't found yet.

 

You offer urgent freight services, is this on demand cargo? All of your pilots that fly freight have been "Haz Mats Recognition Trained"?

 

we were asked to add this for another company that does this, they are a fixed wing company and wanted the notice... will look at that part of the site.

 

Why is there small print in the Career Helo Pilot Course time listing? Why do you correctly list Certificates available to train for but offer a "License" that the US does not provide? On the Flight Services page, safety is mispelled as Safert (attention to detail). Being a Full Service facility, you offer Maintenance and Charter?

 

things that i will look at, i cannot answer them right now. we do not offer maintenance but have three shops that do that are listed on our 91-147 and other apps.

 

charter we do offer thru another operator at this time... we have filed the request for our 135 but understand that takes about six months around here. we actually have two operators that have 135 that we are putting together proposals for jobs that have come to us with requests.

 

 

Now, having pointed all that out, I do believe the intent is good and the web site will mature as will the operation. I wish them success and applaud their efforts. Am I a Master CFI? How do I become "Cream of the Crop", I have 40+ years experience?

 

We love the video on the site, and are working on two others, but it was put together by a non pilot and we had some minor issues with it too, the developer is working on the changes for us. The master cfi was an internal thing we came up with to create a pay scale for our guys, the one's with 1500 plus hours working in the real world should make more money (in our opinion). This was one of the questions i wanted to put out there for all of you but have been too busy to get back here. The going rate around here is $25 per hour for instruction. We wanted to start out there but pay more for the higher time guys. we ended up with $25 being the starting rate, after 500 $30, after 750 $35, after 1000 $40, and above 1250 $45 (our "master" cfi's). When you are on the spot in front of a camera and a pretty girl, things come out that aren't actually rehearsed and we know we have to tweak stuff. Again, no one was supposed to see this out of our circle yet, but, here it is.

 

i am sincere, you all know me, about wanting this to be done correctly. i appreciate all of your input and efforts.

 

dp

[RkyMtnHI]

Was that a Rotorway instrument panel I saw on the banner pics??

 

 

yes, one of the things we will change tho, a very nice ship that belongs to a neighbor of ours at the airport. this is another thing that we are changing as we don't have that ship (when Chris put the site together to start he had all sorts of ships from my photobucket on the front page, looked good but was misrepresentation and we changed others).

 

the rotorway is on page 6 below, click the link then pick six on the bottom of the page to see more photos. i understand that the factory pilot is coming to kbjc this month or next to fly the owner in this ship. it is beautiful and has the high altitude upgrade. we look forward to seeing it in the air and of course i'll take photos.

 

 

http://s298.photobucket.com/albums/mm243/R...ado%20Heli-Ops/

[Mikemv]

Dear DP, I did not mean to be harsh, blunt yes, but harsh not my intention. I knew that Clay did you a dis-service by posting the link that you elected not to post with the site being in the developmental stage. You know I offered my help and input and respect what you are doing and for the purposes that you do it. I am sure that you realize that some of my input is valid and you accept this and will make changes or not as you see fit.

 

To others that read this, go back and read post #17 as to what makes a good flight school! A web site under development and a fledgling school does not make a good flight school but I must say that the theme and stated purposes and the quality of instruction does make this a good school from its inception! It will only get better!

 

Students that are looking for quality instruction from caring instructors in good equipment should consider this school in the fore front of their planning about a carreer. I will continue my input to DP and others on this site so as to share my experiences.

 

Safe Flying & Best Wishes to All. MikeMV

[clay]

I knew that Clay did you a dis-service by posting the link that you elected not to post with the site being in the developmental stage.

 

I did no dis-service. I found it and posted it. if it wasn't meant for the public to see, it shouldn't be online. I understand "in development" and I talked to DP on the phone about it yesterday. I didn't put it up to try and bust anyone's bubble, just put it out there. Now we can all watch it develop.

[Mikemv]

Dear Clay, received your PM. I apologize if necessary. MikeMV

[BOATFIXERGUY]

So it's got a couple of house cleaning issues...Find me a web site that doesn't.

 

I liked it Dp! Well done!

[ADRidge]

So it's got a couple of house cleaning issues...Find me a web site that doesn't.

 

I liked it Dp! Well done!

 

Same here, man. Glanced around, but when it's done, I'll definitely look through all the links and give you my unsolicited opinion. Glad to hear you're doing well.

[RkyMtnHI]

http://www.justhelicopters.tv/FlightSchool...84/Default.aspx

 

 

Hey all, in doing research for adds and to better our web site i ended up here (of course). There are some good videos about the schools.. check out Guidance's, it is totally pro.

 

dp

[Goldy]

What are these rates for :

 

Solo flight dispatch $35

 

 

And...no R22's ?? Geez !

 

Good Luck,

 

Goldy

[RkyMtnHI]

What are these rates for :

 

Solo flight dispatch $35

 

 

And...no R22's ?? Geez !

 

Good Luck,

 

Goldy

 

 

That is the charge for a CFI to be at the school, go over the students flight plan, weather and sign off the student for his/her's solo flights, it's a one time charge not per hour. This of course wouldn't be necessary for upper level students unless it was on a day that no one was at the hangar or they wanted to fly early or late and someone had to be there.. (during the summer the 300s don't perform well with two people during the heat of the day, so many fly very early or late). One of my contentions was people working and not getting paid for their work, i want to work with the best and you get what you pay for.

 

R22.... i would LOVE to have one, just not practical up here. There is one that lives in Boulder and i have seen it in for maintenance.. a beautiful ship. i have four hours in a 22 but it was in 92 and i can't remember stuff from last year, so i guess i'll have to go do the factory course again and this time fly the 22 instead.

 

we are reworking our video, editing some of the stuff we wanted to be better and taking into account all of everyone's input, thanks for that! We are also working on a couple more videos and will get them up asap.

 

speaking of not remembering Goldy, i don't think i have seen the Hawaii photos posted...

 

dp