Help Need some advice

Sandesh

Sandesh

Well-Known Member
Dear Members and fellow Aviators,
I need some advice concerning discovery flight. I went to beapilot.com and got coupon which lets you fly your first flight which i would think atmost 20 mins. for 49 dollars, Well i called the local airport and asked them if they accepted the coupon well the gentlemen man working there told me that he thinks its better to get 83 dollars and fly a Cessna 150 for 1 hour with an Instructor ofcourse and i would be able to log the hour. In your opinions do you think that first hour is that important thinking i will be pursuing the career of a pilot and will have atleast 100 hours when i leave college. Can you please help me out and give me advice on what I should do.

Every opinion is highly appreciated,
Sandesh
 
You can log the discovery flight as dual. I would have logged mine, but I didn't have a log book at the time. Do the discovery flight for $49. In the broad scheme of things, that one hour is meaningless. Now, the next 50 hours of private instruction...that is meaningful.
 
I would try and find a different flight school...really that coupon is kind of worthless because if you figure 30/hr for flight instructor and 70/hr for a cessna 172 thats only $45 bux. Our flight school that i recieved my instruction and where i worked at would be more than happy to let any prospective student take an intro flight instead of telling them..."well you might as well just pay for an hour...and that way you can log it."

Besides we even gave them some paper cessna logbooks that way they could at least have that if they didnt have a log book. (its the thought that counts, right?)

Look for something a little more friendly....just my $.02

-Seth
 
Technically speaking, you can not log a discovery flight unless you get the logbook endorsement for the TSA requirement. Other than that, you are just a sightseer.

My advice would be to get a nice logbook. Spend more than $10 but don't go overboard and spend more than like $30 or so. Anyway, go around to a few flight schools and try them all out. Do a few disco flights at various schools and then go with the one your gut tells you to go with.

Consider the price, type of equipment, safety record, do you get along with the CFI, chances for working there in the future, proximity to your home, direction of the school and its history, along with other things you may think of that are important to you.

Study hard when you get there, but don't get focused on finishing in XX hours, make sure you get a good education in seeking your private so that you are comfortable and confident when checkride time comes around.

Good luck, and keep us posted how it goes!
 
Timbuff10 said:
Technically speaking, you can not log a discovery flight unless you get the logbook endorsement for the TSA requirement. Other than that, you are just a sightseer.

My advice would be to get a nice logbook. Spend more than $10 but don't go overboard and spend more than like $30 or so. Anyway, go around to a few flight schools and try them all out. Do a few disco flights at various schools and then go with the one your gut tells you to go with.

Consider the price, type of equipment, safety record, do you get along with the CFI, chances for working there in the future, proximity to your home, direction of the school and its history, along with other things you may think of that are important to you.

Study hard when you get there, but don't get focused on finishing in XX hours, make sure you get a good education in seeking your private so that you are comfortable and confident when checkride time comes around.

Good luck, and keep us posted how it goes!
Click to expand...

Definately agree.

I was able to log my intro as i got that lil sticker or whatever.

For me, the most important was how i got along with the flight instructor, proximity to where i live, and their program. They have a HUGE success rate which make it to the airlines, and just an overall awesome atmosphere. Everyones a joy to be around and even if your CFI isnt there, they will help you with whatever they can!:rawk:
 
Timbuff10 said:
Technically speaking, you can not log a discovery flight unless you get the logbook endorsement for the TSA requirement. Other than that, you are just a sightseer.
Click to expand...

Easy fix: Bring your passport or Birth Cert when you go for your Disco flight!![/quote]
 
As far as I remember they have to have either their passport or birth certificate as Lloyd said above. Once you see that, and it matches the person you are dealing with, then you can give them the one time endorsement and you can legally give them Certified Flight Training that can be logged in a logbook.

Can't just have the passport and b/c, you gotta have the endorsement in the logbook too.

Now if you are not a US citizen then things get a little more complicated and you should give up all together because the government doesn't want you flying here anyway. Just kidding. I actually had one of these guys and it wasn't that much of a problem but it will cost you, the student, a good chunk of cash to get a background check done on yourself.

I also think this is a one time endorsement, so if one CFI gives it, you are good for life.

I think all that is correct above there.
 
cool.
but no effect on students that were logging time before the law, or previously certificated pilots?

Got an example of the verbage, or know if it's been added to the endorsements AC?
 
Philip said:
cool.
but no effect on students that were logging time before the law, or previously certificated pilots?

Got an example of the verbage, or know if it's been added to the endorsements AC?
Click to expand...


No, it only affects flight training that happens after a certain date. I think it was like last Jan or something?

Not sure where it is written actually. I am sure it is in some AC somewhere. If anyone finds it, post a link.
 
Timbuff10 said:
No, it only affects flight training that happens after a certain date. I think it was like last Jan or something?

Not sure where it is written actually. I am sure it is in some AC somewhere. If anyone finds it, post a link.
Click to expand...

Question:

Are you only allowed to legally log it IF you have the sticker BEFORE you take the flight, or if you take a flight and dont have it, then get the sticker, can you log it then?
 
Bigey said:
Question:

Are you only allowed to legally log it IF you have the sticker BEFORE you take the flight, or if you take a flight and dont have it, then get the sticker, can you log it then?
Click to expand...

Think about it like this... Lets say I am a guy who has never flown before and you are a priv pilot and are planning on getting your CFI a few years down the road. Could we go up today, do a flight with you as PIC, and then a few years later, after you became a CFI, go back into the logbook and mark today's flight as dual given/rec'd?

The idea of the endorsement, the way I understand it, is to make sure you aren't giving flight training to the bad guys. It would suck to go up and show a guy how to take off, and steer the plane in cruise, to only find out that he was Osama Bin Laden.
 
Timbuff10 said:
Think about it like this... Lets say I am a guy who has never flown before and you are a priv pilot and are planning on getting your CFI a few years down the road. Could we go up today, do a flight with you as PIC, and then a few years later, after you became a CFI, go back into the logbook and mark today's flight as dual given/rec'd?

The idea of the endorsement, the way I understand it, is to make sure you aren't giving flight training to the bad guys. It would suck to go up and show a guy how to take off, and steer the plane in cruise, to only find out that he was Osama Bin Laden.
Click to expand...

But i dont understand then whats the deal with the endorsement?

Do they do a backround check or something? Cuz as soon as showed him my passport and took a copy of it, i got the sticker, and was able to log whatever time we fly.
 
it's to ensure you're teaching a US citizen.
foreigners they do a background check on, US they do not.

to answer post #1, take the cheap flight, you'll get more time for your money I'm guessing... they want to sell you on learning THERE so they can get another 50 hours out of you, it's a good deal so have fun.
 
Bigey said:
But i don't understand then whats the deal with the endorsement?
Click to expand...
There's some good material on the AOPA site, but here's the basics when dealing with flight training for US citizens:

1. TSA requires that when giving training that can be used for the initial pilot certificate (beyond student) the instrument rating and multi rating in powered aircraft, that citizenship be verified.

2. Citizenship is verified by examining a photo ID and birth certificate or passport. The CFI doing the verification may either (1) keep a copy of the documents for 5 years or (2) endorse the pilot's logbook like this:

==============================
I certify that [insert student's name] has presented me a [insert type of document presented, such as a U.S. birth certificate or U.S. passport, and the relevant control or sequential number on the document, if any] establishing that [he or she] is a U.S. citizen or national in accordance with 49 CFR 1552.3(h).
Date and instructor's signature and CFI number
==============================

3. Since a logged "discovery flight" can count toward the hours needed for the private certificate, it meets the rule

So CFIs are concerned about logging them.

Phooey. I log them and provide a starter logbook. When I schedule a Discovery or intro flight, I explain the rule. If the prospective student brings the verification materials, I log the flight normally. If not, I endorse the flight "may not be counted toward any certificate or rating."

I'm less worried about TSA than the FAA treating these as sightseeing flights if we get into the habit of not logging at all.
 
Sandesh,
That Discovery flight will be up to 30 minutes, and at Wings of Eagles we do our best to insure that you get at least .5 in the airplane. You come out ahead by using the Disco flight.
 
mtsu_av8er said:
Sandesh,
That Discovery flight will be up to 30 minutes, and at Wings of Eagles we do our best to insure that you get at least .5 in the airplane. You come out ahead by using the Disco flight.
Click to expand...

Just bring a corndog. And grits if it's in the AM... :)
 
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