Curious FSA Questions

K

kdwilkes

New Member
The following is my understanding of FSI's syllabus and from the verbal information I received in March when I toured the facilities:

I am also a Private Pilot with approximately 110 hours. I will begin FSI July 15 with the Private Pilot Audit (based on FSI's recommendation -- hey, it's free of charge anyways!). From there, since I am training under Part 141, I will have four hours with an instructor (basically an aptitude test) followed by 40-50 hours of solo time building in the single-engine aircraft.

Next, I begin Commercial ground school and commercial flying instruction. From there, it is the instrument rating. If I understand correctly, all commercial and instrument instruction is conducted in a Seminole so a multi-engine rating comes with the training. To support this belief, there is a single-engine commercial add-on rating available after CIME ratings/certificates are received.

To any FSI students/instructors...If I am wrong, please correct me, as I want to be prepared as well. Hope this is correct and I hope it helps.
 
Actually, after the Private audit comes commercial ground school. After which you begin what is called step 1-A. This is basically an aircraft checkout. (I came with my private as well) Then comes Step II. This is the solo x-c phase which also includes commercial training. You do not get your commercial license in this step, however. Next is Step III. This consists of multi-engine ground school, followed by multi-engine training, in which you receive your private multi-engine rating.
Then it is Step IV, which consists of instrument ground school and two phases of instrument flying, which is accomplished in the twin. Once you complete instrument training, you begin Step V, which is just the additional training to receive your Commercial Multi-Engine.
After completing this, you may elect to do the Single-engine add-on to your commercial license, which you need to be a CFI, etc...
Long post I know, but that is the process. Hope it helps.
 
wildbill is correct, Step 1 private, step 2 is commercial time building in the single but no rating yet, step 3 is private multi rating, step 4 is instrument in the twin, step 5 is multi commercial rating. So you end up with a commercial instrument multi ratings. As far as a roomate I would stay in the dorms which is day by day with no lease at all. By the way they lowered the dorms to 12 to 25 a day. Then check out the area, you might find a classmate that is looking for the same thing, usually are. People are allways looking with plenty to choose from cheap to very expensive.
 
Since the single-engine a/c at FSI Academy are complex (i.e. retractable gear), how long will it take, with an instructor, for me to get the complex endoresment so I can do the solo x-c time building? Would you reccomend getting this endorsment before I enroll at FSI?
 
Just a couple points to clear up about step 2....At first you do an aircraft check out with your instructor but after that they definently don't just cut you loose to build 40 some hours of solo cross country time. You periodically fly dual with your instructor (practicing commercial manuevers), have one on one briefs, and even a numbers of hours in the frasca sim. You have to get an instructor to sign off your flight planning and weather for each cross country flight. At the end of step 2 you also have to pass an in house check ride (FSI check airmen). Step 2 is done in a Cadet PA28-161, it has fixed gear and prop...no complex sign off required, (You won't see the arrow until your CFI training).

On a personal note-I loved all the solo work (after that you won't be in an airplane without an instructor for a long time). I didn't care much for the hand holding of having to get an instructor to sign off my planning and weather each time (you are already a licensed pilot) but it's not really that big of a deal.
Have fun guys!
 
Hi, I'm going to go to the FSA in June/July and have been reading the posts on this forum for some time. Already have my PPL and according to my FSI info, I will start with the commercial program first. I was told to get my commercial with my multi-engine, not single engine. Multi-engine will start after instrument which will start after commerical, is this correct? I recieved my PPL last June. Do you think I should go to the Private Audit or not?

Another question is housing. When I visited the academy, I was told by people there to check the bulletin board for people looking for roomates. (Now it is on the FSA computer, right?) The FSI web site has links to the paper for the classifies. Also, someone on this forum stated Sebastian has a better prospect of finding apartments. My question is if it hard to find roomates with FSA? Lots of people wanting roomates or very few? Also, are there many classifieds for apartments in Vero Beach, and Sebastian? Do you happen to know the average rent? I plan to spend a week to find a place down there before the Friday registration and wonder if I will have a difficult time finding a place. Heard also that I can stay at the FSA dorms until I find a place also. Is there a minimum lease time?

Heard about the ASA internship is now stopped until things pick back up to pre 9/11. Rumor is that ACA and/or Flexjet might have something for the instructors/students. Anyone have any info on these rumors?

If anyone has any advise for new students at FSA, I would very much like to know to prepare before I go down there.

PS-Any tips on cheap golf courses? Costs? Would like to go once a week or two if able.
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I would also like to add that during step II(Cross countrys & comm.mnvs) there is also other activities going on. You will have the GAT II sim trainer, spins and unusual attitude recovery, as well as, CRM classes. Step II is by far the longest due to everything going on. Multi ground is only 4 days long. The debate over 61 and 141, I came down here with pvt. and about 90 hrs. I did the pvt.audit and its a good overview. I would say go 141 unless you have 50+hrs cross country time. We had 18 people in pvt. audit class and one was going part 61 because he had over 200 total time. I really would'nt worry about the money you will save beacuse either way its lots $$$$. Plus it does'nt get expensive until the multi. time. so the cadet seems cheap now. And extra money will probably just get spent at the bars anyway.
Tony
 
Thanks for the replies.
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It has cleared up the single/multi commerical question. Concerning the Step II program, does everyone fly the same amount of hours or is it different depending on the number and type of hours you have currently? The reason I ask this is if you got your PPL Part 61, does any of this apply to the commercial part? Looking at Appendix D to Part 141, it would seem to me that the flight training would all need to be done Part 141 school.

Also, can you pick where you fly or do the instructors tell you where to fly during solo Step II?
 
FSA's single engine AC are primarily Cherokees with fixed gear. Therefore, you won't need the complex endorsement until you are ready for your multi-engine stage check in Step III.

There are some Piper Arrow retracs, but those are primarily for CFI students.
 
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