I should have moved to Arizona.....

JDean3204

Well-Known Member
I will try to make this one as short as possible, but I need some good JC advice here!

So I started flight training in the Portland area back in April. Since then I have obtained my PPL and am currently working on my instrument rating. I am utilizing my gi bill benefits for training, taking ground/college courses while flying. So far it has been great, a remarkable learning experience with a few fun stories already!

However, I am about to start the commercial syllabus in winter. For those who have lived in the area, I am sure you will concur that flying VFR in the next 6-8 months will be hard to do with all the "great" weather we are exposed to. With the benefits, I cannot fly the IFR equipped 172 since I weigh under 205lbs. Making the 152 my only available aircraft with the school.

Now should I continue to fly in the NW knowing all of this? Or maybe move down south to Arizona? there are a few schools down there and Arizona State just opened up their program to vets. I tried to make this as short as possible so I left a few things out here and there, but again some advice on making a move or not for training will be appreciated. I am married, however no kids other than the four legged furry one..

I also know that CFI's have a "seasonal" gig here in the area as the wx is a big factor much of the winter. So will being down in AZ will provide a better chance of a good full year round flight instructing gig after my training?

Thanks to all that have read this much... :)
 
Can you switch schools in the area to one that will provide IFR equipped aircraft?

If the wife is up for it, make a move down to AZ or go down and finish up your training quickly
 
Move ASAP and get it done! I am to familar myself with having "outside" issues slow flight training. I would also have told you to go to Sheble Aviation in AZ but they do not take GI benefits so that will not help. Good luck
 
Right on, thank you for the speedy feedback. I know that I want to make the move happen, I just have to sort out the details. I need to see what schools are available for vets, ASU sounds great if able. My wife is a little skeptic about a move right now, we just moved to Oregon in March. I realize now that I may have made a poor judgement in location for training, so I will have to talk to her some more to warm her up to the idea. Then obviously the financial aspect of the move (fees for breaking a lease and what not). If anyone knows anything about the ASU program I am all ears, I will be contacting them later to day on the matter. Thanks again
 
With the benefits, I cannot fly the IFR equipped 172 since I weigh under 205lbs.

Eat more cheeseburgers!
burger.jpg


Really though, are you time building for the Commercial, or just working on maneuvers? It shouldn't take that many nice days to get the maneuvers down. I sure wouldn't leave a job or anything to relocate for training for a few months of scheduling around weather. For the cost of moving and other related hassles, what are you really gaining?
 
I did it in two months with lots of weather in Washington. I have a feeling it is going to be fairly mild this winter again. You should be fine.
 
since I weigh under 205lbs. Making the 152 my only available aircraft with the school.
:)

I wish I had that problem.

For the long term you are probably better off outside of Portland for CFIing year around, but I dont think the weather would hold you back too much for your instrument training. After all it is instrument training. There is not that much real weather where you have to worry about icing down low. The weather should still be good for a while now so you can knock out your solo cross country flights before winter sets in. Not sure how the G.I./141 works but in Pt 61 I save a lot of money by working with another student, swapping flights under the hood, both logging it and alternate paying for the flights.

In Arizona you will be competing with other students for CFIs to go out and train IFR in CAVU. In OR you will have your choice of instructors who are grounded because of weather below VFR. When you are done training you won't have "0" in your actual column.
 
Change flight schools in the Portland area, I instructed full time for several years in the Portland area and there were days you couldn't fly but still managed to keep busy all year. Also, I don't think any of the other schools have restrictions on what you can fly, we never did unless it was because of being too heavy. The experience of having real actual IMC during training will help in the long term.
 
SIU was the same way. PPL and Instrument in 152 unless you and your instructor were over 400lbs, then you got the 172. All the time building was in the 152 though, no matter what you weighed.

Different than that now by the way. Completely up to the student and instructor what gets flown. We have people doing their solo pattern lessons now in the G1000 C172s that are $50/hr more than the 152s somehow though...
 
In Portland you should be OK. You probably won;t be able to fly every day but you should still get it done. If you were further South in the valley, even Aurora, you would honestly be better off moving. The fog is an every day event for much of the winter, but the River and Gorge helps the fog to lift quickly from the Portland area itself.
 
Different than that now by the way. Completely up to the student and instructor what gets flown. We have people doing their solo pattern lessons now in the G1000 C172s that are $50/hr more than the 152s somehow though...
Oh shiny!

I am happy I learned how to be a frugal pilot early. I am also happy for those that didn't so I would get paid more for teaching in the TAA aircraft :)
 
Different than that now by the way. Completely up to the student and instructor what gets flown. We have people doing their solo pattern lessons now in the G1000 C172s that are $50/hr more than the 152s somehow though...

Interesting......well it has been since 1995 ;) change is good
 
I'm in Phoenix, on the Part 141 program, and go to a pilot mill. I have had one wx cancellation in a year. My flight school has a guarantee that it will hire you upon completion of the II if you want to go that route. A NUMBER of the new CFI's at my school are 141 guys.

My gf is one of the biggest realtors in the state. A lot of my friends have rooms to rent in their homes. This is easy peasy, dude. PM if you're serious.
 
As far as the questions about why I cannot fly the 172, it has to do with the VA benefits. They pay the "average" rate of a student at an approved part 141 school that is part of or affiliated with an IHL. They have a weight standard for the 172, since my school also has 152's. That weight is 205lbs and I am maybe 190. I asked if I could pay the difference for a 172, but that was shot down because of the billing system they use for veterans. I just found out they do not let commercial students fly IFR in the commercial syllabus (in IMC anyway). So I am looking at slow progress from pretty much now through April. I also want to use my benefits to get that four year degree, and the more time I consume with the flight program at a community college, the less time I will have to finish a bachelors. Thanks again for all the replies!!
 
If you are even remotely close to 205 lbs, I'd recommend you go get a new medical and weigh over 205 lbs.

I am about 15 lbs shy at the least. My current medical says 170lbs, which I received in December 2011. No way the VA would believe I gained 35 pounds in a year and weigh 205 at 5 foot 7. I have gained some weight that I call my post service happy fat.... :)
 
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