Chewie, my man! There have been three positive experiences derived from my time at Accessible Aviation. I am more critical of everything ( I trust nothing for what it seems), I was able to fly with Brandon (AF MIL POLICE) and Jim (retired c-130 pilot, AF), third: Chewie and I became good friends from this experience.
Just as Carl said, I was the student with the family issues. My wife, an RN, BSN, had just seperated from the Army, my father in law was in the ICU (he later passed in November 2007) and my wife would have to travel from Columbia, SC to Tampa, FL. In order to substitute my income, I had taken $10,000 from the 40,000 Sallie Mae loan that I had taken out to help during the 90 days I would be gone from home. Ten thousand for 90 days. That equates to a little over 3,300 a month right? (I'll refer to this later on) This is what I told Carl and he said that he would give me the money once I arrived at GTR, which he did.
I am originally from Mississippi, so going back to my home state to conduct flight training was, at least I thought, going to be great. I could fly over my old hometown and so forth. I was very excited. I could finally realize my dream of becoming a pilot and be close enough to fly in and see family that I rarely see. It was a nice thought. For reference: you don't fly but to only those places where Carl tells you to. More background: I was a flying crew chief on HC-130Ps in the AF for 10 years. I have flown with some very good CSAR (combat search and rescue) pilots. I have flown on over 100 CSAR missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. In my opinion, the best pilots are CSAR pilots. I say this so you know that I am not a stranger to aviation, aircraft or how a plane should be flown.
When Chewie and I went to Accessible, the apartments were still in the works. Carl had not received a contract for the apartments, but was trying to get them. Therefore, you could either stay at Carl's house or find your own place. Carl offered room and board for 25 or 30 bucks a day. I really can't remember which. This came with a bagged lunch, dinner, and laundry service provided by Carl's wife. I asked Carl, before I left for GTR, how much the apartments would be once he got them. He told me they would be around 700. I figured since I would have to pay for food, it would behoove me to stay at Carl's house for the 90 days. Once Carl got the apartments, he rented them out for 450 to students. This was of course at day 70 of my experience when he got the contract. When I questioned Carl about this, he told me that he had never told me 700 for the apartments. Just as Playa says, you don't argue with Carl...period.
When i began flight training at Accessible, i already had 30 something flight hours. I was pretty good, but not great and I will admit that. I was nervous about having a new instructor, at an actual flight school, not an fbo like i had received instruction at previously. When Carl and I went up for the first time, everything seemed normal. He sayed I flew well and that I had some polish up work to do. He said I should be ready in 2 weeks for the PPL written, oral and practical. I was ecstatic. He told me that everything was in place for me to finish up within 90 days and I wouldn't have problem. Okay, thank you Colonel!! The next flight was a different story.
The next flight was cross country. I was to fly dual w/Carl and hit the 3 airports that were his designation airports. GTR to Tupelo to Tuscaloosa to GTR. The trip started great, we were on course for Tupelo and everything was fine. I turned final, came in and bounced. Carl got very angry. He screamed, yes screamed at me to firewall the throttle and make a right turn out and head to Tuscaloosa. I was done for the rest of the flight. All I was worried about was if the guy was going to rip my head off and throw my body out of the plane at somepoint during the flight. That should've been my first clue: My first flight instructor always told me, if flying is not fun...you don't have the right instructor. I should've heeded his advice and left Accessible after that flight. Unfortunately, I didn't. When I told Chewie about it, he sayed "just wait, you haven't seen anything yet!" I didn't know how right he was.
There were many more situations to come. I can say that the one good flight that I had with Carl was the day before my PPL exam. By the way, this was after 4 weeks of flying with Carl. Remember the 2 weeks? Carl would always say, " You are doing good, you just have to do more soloes and practice some more." In my mind, I am being trained by an ex F-16 fighter pilot. Who am I to question the man's judgement, especially given his temper. This children is called stupidity on Yoda's part. Brandon would tell me I am doing fine and ready. Jim would tell me I am doing fine and ready. Carl would say more practice. Carl wanted more money.
Before I received my PPL, Carl and I took a flight around the pole. He was trying to tell me how much of a bad pilot Chewie was. I told Carl that Chewie was my friend and that I wasn't going to engage in a conversation that was verbally impaling Chewie. Carl was displeased with my response and I paid for it the rest of the flight. When I got back, I told Chewie about it. He decided that night that he was going to leave, but he would wait until after I had taken and passed my PPL. I passed, Chewie left and I was on my own. After that, Carl would bash Chewie openly. What a ing dip and many other expletives. Carl would always say what a horrible pilot Chewie would be in front of me and the ALPS students. Not a manner for an instructor to have. On one occassion, we were flying to Tupelo for an instrument/commercial joint training session( the one mentioned by Playa). He was trying to talk to me about Chewie and telling me how big of a loser Chewie would be as a pilot, again. I told Carl that Chewie had already received his CFI and was working on his CFII. I also stated that Chewie was a damn good pilot. I had flown with him many times. Once again, I paid for it the rest of the flight. That was the last time I flew with Carl. I only flew with Brandon or Jim after that.
Now the 70 days is not all of Carl's doing. As stated earlier, I did have some family issues going on. I left for 3 weekends (six days) to go and visit with my wife and kids in Columbia or to check on my very ill father in law in Tampa. Carl was sympathetic to this as, regrettably, he had just lost his mother a few months earlier to, I believe, a debilitating illness. Carl also had me change the oil on the two 172s and the seneca for him since I had some aircraft maintenance knowledge. He would repay me with a discount on the flight hours. I never performed heavy maintenance on his aircraft. That would take a few hours out of my day but this was not an everyday job as I am sure you can imagine.
Earlier I said I would bring up the 3300 a month thing again. Well two days before I left, I was talking with my wife. She informed me that money was running short and coming up quick to deadline for school completion. The next day, I talked to Carl about just getting my commercial and instrument with multi add on. I explained to him the situation with money thinking he would understand. Wrong. He said " Tell the b*tch your flying and to shut the f8ck up!" Ok, I never curse at my wife. Call me old fashioned, but I don't. Now for another man to say that, I was outraged. That night, I got a phone call from my wife, my father in law was not doing very well and he wanted to see me. I decided that given the financial, family and verbal situation, I would just leave. I did talk to Carl and I told him about the family situation, but I did not tell him that the reason I wasn't coming back was because of him. I went home and never went back to Accessible.
Carl, in my opinion, does have some good in him. I just don't know why he hides it so much.
As stated by Playa, there is no ground school. There are Jeppesson videos and that is it. Don't bring your own King videos to help you learn in school ( what a novel idea: learning in school ) or you will receive a tongue lashing.
Don't bring your bagged lunch into the classroom and leave it on the desk. I had my bagged lunch, made by his wife, on the desk in the classroom. I hadn't eaten anything out of it. It was there so it wouldn't sit in my truck in the heat or the refrigerator that smelled like a dead cat. He walked in, saw my bagged lunch, grabbed it and threw it out of the trailor ( I am sorry...classroom). I mean threw it, not gently set it down, not smiled and handed it to me, he threw it out about 20 feet and stormed back in. Yep, I am ready to learn now!!!
I have held this in for a year and a half. Carl I know you will read this. I don't care. I did get my PPL from your company, but I have sincerely regreted going to Accessible. Brandon is a good instructor, keep him and utilize him, but you should worry more about office management and less about flight instruction. You may have been able to use your rank in the AF and scare the hell outta your AF students, but in the civilian world rank is nothing. Focus on customer service. I bet ALL ATPs does. It is a business builder. Don't call me or PM me, I won't answer. Call me what you want. I have cleared my soul here.
To others who want to go to Accessible, I would do research and visit all the flight schools you have an opportunity to visit. Make an educated decision. If you find Accessible to be the right school for you, then best of luck to you and God speed.
Yoda