North Central Ohio FBO

F

Flybub

Well-Known Member
Hey all. I'm looking for a good FBO in North Central to Central Ohio to finish up my CFI. Here's my current situation. I started at FlightSafety Academy in Sept. 01, I graduated the CIME program and got my SE add-on. My wife got a good job offer back in our home town in Ohio so we moved back and the offer fell through. So for the last 2 years we've been scraping by trying to make it. Next summer she'll graduate college and hopefully get a descent job with descent pay. Since my graduation I have not had the money to get in the air, but I hope to after my wife gets a job next summer. I'm starting to do my homework and look for some FBO's around and see what they have to offer. If any of you have any experience or know of anyone who has been through some of them please let me know. I'm looking for anything from Akron to Columbus. I greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

Fly safe.
 
Tiffin Aire is a good place to look into. That's where I finished up my private. Owner of the business is the examiner there too.
 
I do my training at Tiffin Aire. Its a good facility, and a knowlegeable staff. In Akron, I have a friend who went to a flt. school at Akron-Fulton and he LOVED it.

Tiffin is very busy, and in the middle of nowhere, for me the 40 min. drive is well-worth it.

Good luck with your choice, but there are plenty of choices in Akron!

Chris
 
How many of your ratings you getting done at Tiffin, I got my private done there because of all the good things I heard about Brad. If I didn't have to travel 2 hours one way to get there, I'd do more there but that'll be another day. My instructor who finished me lastyear thanksgiving at Tiffin was a student at BG too, I think his name is Mark. I'd recommend Tiffin because the owner is also a examiner.
 
I did my Commercial and CFI at Tiffin. I am about to go to ATP to knock out my Comm. MEL and then come back after the holidays and most likely instruct at Tiffin. Mark/Brad both do the CFI and then he sends you either to the feds or up to Leo (he usually does checkrides out of Wood Co. 1G0).

Its an awesome place, very friendly, and they can take care of all your needs. That Turbo Arrow runs $135/hr + $35/hr instruction but it is a hell of an experience.
 
I got my ppl at Griffing Airport in Sandusky Ohio (KSKY), its an awesome airport with the friendliest people, its a public use airport owned by the Griffing family. They have 2 Warriors they do their training in which they keep in top shape. I highly recommend atleast going to check them out. I am currently training in phoenix, though sometimes I wish i was back home training at KSKY. (purley financial reasons caused me to move to Phoenix to finish my training. I got a loan that dictated I go to a part 141 school.) The rental rates are the best in the area, and the instructors are second to none. By the way.... what is your home town.... I grew up about 5 miles south of Vermilion
 
rsliman,
My girlfriend lives in Strongsville, and my good buddy instructs at Griffing. You know a guy by the name Greg Krupp? He's only been instructing there for a few months now. What are you doing now? Ratings held?

I am living in Bowling Green, OH and train at Tiffin (16G). I used to live out in PHX, Paradise Valley to be exact. I miss it out there like crazy!

Chris
 
Name sounds farmilliar, but i could be mistaken.... I was attending BGSU last fall... that is actually where i started flying. Then i moved back home and did my last 30 hours of ppl at griffing. My instructor's name is Joe Nolan... he is flying for a regional in St. Louis now. (i think). Im atending Westwind at deer valley and scheduled for my IR checkride this wed, should have my MEI by June. I love it out here, HOT as hell, though its cooling off a little. Ill be home for xmas and hope to do some pleasure flying out of SKY.
 
Yeah---I used to live in PHX (Paradise Valley to be accurate). I loved it, altogether an awesome area, you definately never get bored. Good luck with your IR and enjoy the weather. Here in OH they are talking about flurries over the lake tonight! It had to come sooner or later.

Chris
 
I hear that school up in Sandusky (SKY) is pretty decent. I've never talked to any instructors or anything, just heard good things through the grapevine. Its a fun airport, too!

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In Akron, I have a friend who went to a flt. school at Akron-Fulton and he LOVED it.

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I was an instructor there, so if I can be of any help to anyone, feel free to PM me.
 
CaptChris i noticed in one of your last posts you mentioned Leo.... that who i did my ppl checkride with... he had some pretty interesting stories about flying helicopters for TPD... Nice guy.
 
I am a current student at the flight school at Akron Fulton. If you have any questions, just ask...im full of stories ;]
 
Propilot---I have a ?... you guys hiring?
smile.gif
 
Yes they are actually. They are actively seeking instructors and now i just heard two of the instructors are leaving, a job there is ripe for the picking....

there are a few reason why I wouldnt work there fulltime, but they are personal. Overall its a nice place. Good planes, nice people who i believe have everyones best interest at heart, and just generally a nice place.
 
Hey---no not a joke... I am attending BGSU right now and CFI checkride is 2 weeks away... if I don't get a job at the FBO where I do my training I'm going to have to look elsewhere. Do you have any contact info/names (e-mail)?

Basically--I have all of my classes scheduled for spring Tues-Thurs and would be avaliable to instruct Friday-Monday... do you think this is acceptable going off of what you see at the flt. school right now? Whats the fleet look like?

Alright---thanks for your time.... lookin forward to your response.
 
You're going to commute from Bowling Green to Akron to instruct?

I don't think that would work out too well unless you had a place to stay around here for the entire weekend you were instructing.

The fleet when I left was a Seneca, 1 172, 2 152's, 1 PA28-140, and 1 PA28R-200. I think they're looking to add more though. It is a busy school, and they're almost always looking for instructors. I was only part-time, but I could've flown almost as much as I could handle if I had the time. It was a pretty fun place to work overall. Everyone is quite friendly. Its a 141 school, but lots of people do 61 stuff there too. They seem to have students going on checkrides a few times a week when its busy. I know last summer they really were pumping them out. If you want more info., and/or contact info., feel free to PM me.

By the way, one of the instructors there graduated from BGSU. Maybe you know him.
 
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You're going to commute from Bowling Green to Akron to instruct?

I don't think that would work out too well unless you had a place to stay around here for the entire weekend you were instructing.


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I do have a place to stay over there. My cousins and grandma live right by the Soap Box Derby in Akron. I think it'd work out alright.
 
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I do have a place to stay over there. My cousins and grandma live right by the Soap Box Derby in Akron. I think it'd work out alright.

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Oh heck, you could walk to work then!

Check your PM's for contact info...
 
The fleet is the same as posted earilier.

They do need more planes , especially another 172 or other basic IFR trainer.

They are in the process of building a new complex including classrooms/hangars etc just for the flight schools' use. I doubt they will be getting at planes before they get that done (ground has not been broken yet) but i could definately be wrong...they certainly could use more planes now....but they really dont have any place to put them untill the new hangars get built.


The owners are former circus people (true!) and a day there is not unlike visiting a circus. If you can handle the personality of the chief flight instructor there, then it would be an ok place to work. They are roudy, cuss in front of students and whomever else happens to be around, are loud, obnoxious, and generally unprofessional on the ground (however, nothing but professionalism in the air). I also am at doubt to the skills of the cheif pilot (the wife of the owner). Personally, I do not trust her and would not take any instruction from her. She means well but IMHO would never be a cheif flight instructor if she wasnt the owner....my personal experience with her is that she has her own way of doing things, is very set in it, but cant always tell me why my way is wrong. Also, the other flight instructors there agree with me. Now, second hand info....but ive even heard that recently she took up a new flight instructor for standardization in the seneca, a current flight instructor was right seat the new isntructor back seat. long story short, the Chief went to the wrong intersection, had to try twice to land it (cross wind) and ended up giving the flight controls to the current instructor so they could land. Again, second hand info from a current flight instructor there.

That said, they (the owners, including that cheif flight instructor) seem like good people who really want the student to learn and all.

They do have a lot of students and have grown alot.

The planes are in good to excellent shape. They are quick to fix them.

They say they do multi engine stuff there and they have a seneca II, but you most likely wont get any multi time. The few students that do multi there are usually a small enough number for the chief flight instructor to handle.


Bottom line? All in all it might be right for you or it might not. Personally, I live extremely close 15min?) and I plan on teaching somewhere else thats about 40 min drive. I have also stopped training there....they are Uber expensive and I can do without all unprofessionalism on the ground....

I cant help but being subjective with the above statements. ..but if you want first hand instructor info....

I have the number of a experianced instructor there who is about to move on, if you would like to ask him some questions, id be happy pass your phone number on to him.
You can email it to me at propilot@dropzone.com if you want.

any more q's for me, just ask on here.

good luck.


PS... i live about 5 min away from your grandma ;]
 
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