Sawyer Aviation (FBO at KSDL) Visit

[derg]

I decided to drop by Sawyer Aviation in Scottsdale for a price sheet and to check out the facilities.

They have extraordinarily clean aircraft, good facilities and the people that work there are exceptionally friendly. In fact, after the tour of the facility and chatting with Mike Brenner who is a regular at Jetcareers, most of them dropped by to say hi.

There's even a friendly Norwegian guy who strangely cleaned the heck out of the display case. Cleanser fumes?

They've got reasonable prices for the area on most of the training aircraft and even have a couple of super spiffy (but spiffy priced) Cessna 172s with a kick but avionics package. Definitely equipped to be "wife" friendly.

They also utilize an online scheduling system which I hadn't seen before which was pretty cool for renters and students.

The big honcho (I can't remember his name) was a "real guy" without any flowery questionable salesmanship and runs a good operation. The maintenance guy seemed like a "real worlder" as well and friendly.

It seems like a very honest operation with friendly people. I'm heavily considering getting checked out there so I can get the Mrs. off my back about flying her to dinner in Sedona!

If you're in the area, check it out, very worthwhile and personalized.

 

[Mavmb]

Hey Doug, thanks for the write up! I was hoping I didn't blow your cover there when I told everyone you flew for Delta Airlines and that you were the guy from jetcareers!

Also, I think it is a good school for students to go to since we have way too many flight instructors right now and we're each responsible for finding our own students. So that's my advice for anyone looking to do flight training. Pay as you go and find a flight instructor that's starving for business! That way you'll be the instructor's top priority since he/she may not have many other students besides you and no other source of income to buy ramen noodles, food stamps, trailors, or whatever else a flight instructor can buy nowadays!

 

[pilot602]

Didn't Sawyer just move to a "new" building?

Any word on those new FBOs over on the South (tower calls it East I think) side - are they all jets (I know the one farthest East is the new HQ for a chain of FBOs) or will they dignify us piston guys with a few scraps of service?

All I know is I haven't heard anything bad about Sawyer, which in this town, is quite an achievement!

 

[iceman21]

175/hr for a Seneca on a 10 hour block is not that bad.

The other rates seem that same as what you see here in Chicago for newer aircraft.

 

[BJ]

So how good are the prices up there for instruction and rentals? I'm down in Tucson right now, but am finding everything is super expensive. Maybe it would be worth it to drive up there.

I need to get my commercial single engine and remove my multi(center-line) restriction. It should only take a couple hours and a check for each, but I hate spending all the bucks down here.

However, if I can get ol' MikeD to get his FAA medical.....just a little hint ol' buddy.

 

[derg]

I'm really the worst guy for a comparison because last time I rented a Cessna it was 2000.

But perhaps MAV1MB could scan and show a price sheet?

MikeD would be a good CFI. If he starts talking about "smokin' holes" if you dont' listen, that's just a little of ERAU's Craig Funk coming out.

Hey Mike, if you're reading this, does your father still own that near Cat II 182?

 

[BJ]

So any good stories about Mike that we can use to embarass him? ....just kidding. I have no doubt that Mike's an awesome CFI. He's a good bro'.

That'd be great if I could get that price sheet too.

Awesome site Doug. Mike steered me onto it a couple weeks ago and learned alot since. Thanks

 

[derg]

For every embarassing story I've got on MikeD, he's probably got two on me so I'm not EVEN going there!

 

[Parabellum]

Just out of curiosity, how often does Arizona typically get flyable IFR weather? In other words, how much opportunity is there to log some actual IFR time?

 

[kostcoguy]

That place looks pretty nice, no bs website. Hmm, maybe they can re-locate to John Wayne? Hah, actually if anyone knows of a good flight school located near John Wayne Airport (Orange County, CA) please do share.

 

[aloft]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm heavily considering getting checked out there so I can get the Mrs. off my back about flying her to dinner in Sedona!

[/ QUOTE ]
Does the idea of an airline pilot at the controls of a piston single scare anyone but me?

 

[sxauer]

[ QUOTE ]
Does the idea of an airline pilot at the controls of a piston single scare anyone but me?

[/ QUOTE ]

Depends.... Does the piston single have an autopilot?

hehe...couldn't resist that one

 

[guido161st]

Not really any IMC in Phoenix. When in it i sIFR conditions- it's weather you probably wouldn't be wanting to fly in! Usually when we're looking to gain some actual- we fly over to California and shoot approaches up and down the coast. Pricey... but fun! I got about .5 hrs actual in two years in Arizona.

 

[Parabellum]

Doesn't SoCal get mostly sunny weather most of the time too though? Forgive me, I'm not from that part of the country and don't know much about it, much less the weather there.

 

[E_Dawg]

summers = morning and evening coastal stratus otherwise clear and hazy
winters = clear, with a two day storm 'bout every week and a half

course it has been clear for nearly 100% of my instrument trainin... but NOT TODAY whooo hoooo!

 

[Mavmb]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'm heavily considering getting checked out there so I can get the Mrs. off my back about flying her to dinner in Sedona!

[/ QUOTE ]
Does the idea of an airline pilot at the controls of a piston single scare anyone but me?

[/ QUOTE ]


Ha, guess who's going to be screaming if he tries to flare 50 feet above the runway!

 

[Mavmb]

And unfortunately, our Seneca III went bye-bye! Something about the owner of the plane not making enough money with the leaseback or something like that.

Anyway, we did get a Cessna 310 to replace it, but I'm still going to miss the turbo charged Seneca. Doug seemed to like the 310, but I've never flown one of them. I've got my first flight in it Monday to get checked out. And I don't have a scanner but if anyone wants to see a price list of the airplanes they can go to www.sawyeraviation.com or just send me a message.

And one other correction too, we're not an FBO really, just a flight school. Anybody wanting fuel or anything is gonna have to call corporate jets and wait for the fuel truck!

 

[HankHill]

thanks for the info.

 

[MikeD]

[ QUOTE ]
For every embarassing story I've got on MikeD, he's probably got two on me so I'm not EVEN going there!

[/ QUOTE ]

hehe, still got the red Beretta?

MD

 

[MikeD]

[ QUOTE ]
MikeD would be a good CFI. If he starts talking about "smokin' holes" if you dont' listen, that's just a little of ERAU's Craig Funk coming out.

Hey Mike, if you're reading this, does your father still own that near Cat II 182?

[/ QUOTE ]

Craig Funk defines professionalism.

Yup, dad still has the 182 based at a hangar at DVT.

Wanna go fly?

Mike