Windy City Flyers

OnTheFly7

OnTheFly7

Well-Known Member
With it looking as if a move is in the near future, I am looking into a few schools at Chicago Executive (Palwaukee). There are a couple places that are interesting however I wanted to see if anyone had thoughts on the following:

http://www.flightworldpalwaukee.com/

http://www.windycityflyers.com/

From what I hear, Windy City Flyers is a good place and I have not heard anything about Flight World. Any information would be appreciated.

I am not so thrilled about being just outside of ORD airspace, but that may make the learning environment a bit better. Who knows!
 
Im also looking for a flight school in the chicago area. I live on the south side and currently fly out of a University in a part 141 program. I am half way done with my commercial and am now looking to finish it up somewhere else. (Im fed up with stage checks and cancellations). I have been doing my commercial training for over a year now so I think it is time to go somewhere else. As for the two schools, I havent heard anything about them but I'm planning to give them a call later today and see what they say. I will let you know how it goes.
 
Pilot84 said:
Im also looking for a flight school in the chicago area. I live on the south side and currently fly out of a University in a part 141 program. I am half way done with my commercial and am now looking to finish it up somewhere else. (Im fed up with stage checks and cancellations). I have been doing my commercial training for over a year now so I think it is time to go somewhere else. As for the two schools, I havent heard anything about them but I'm planning to give them a call later today and see what they say. I will let you know how it goes.
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Please keep me posted as I may drive to each and pop in tomorrow.

I would assume you are at Lewis! If so, you are not the first person who has had a difficult time trying finish things off. I ran into someone at KARR and another person at KDPA this summer with the same issues. Hard to imagine they have such a difficult time with all of the instructors that are listed on the aviaton pages.

If you are going to continue to live in that area check out A&M at Clow. I have heard nothing but good things concerning them!

There is also another school at Chicago Executive, Palwaukee-Flyers, you may want to call them as well. However, from what I have seen on their web page and found on the internet, I am not impressed.
 
Pilot84 said:
Im also looking for a flight school in the chicago area. I live on the south side and currently fly out of a University in a part 141 program. I am half way done with my commercial and am now looking to finish it up somewhere else. (Im fed up with stage checks and cancellations). I have been doing my commercial training for over a year now so I think it is time to go somewhere else. As for the two schools, I havent heard anything about them but I'm planning to give them a call later today and see what they say. I will let you know how it goes.
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Check out these guys. Easy trip down the express way.

http://www.associatedair.com/

Had I not moved, I would have done all my training with them. Fair prices. Planes are not the newest in the industry, but are in good shape.
 
Clow Internationl Airport, 1C5 in Bolingbrook.


I am currently training for PPL and have realized what a great school it is. I am only going on my 4th lesson but every one I have had ran very smoothly.

They schedule their appointments in 2 hour incriments so that no lesson has any chance of running into the next. Their are instructors that will fit into your schedule no matter what time of day or night you are able to come out. The planes are very well kept. I fly a C152 and am very happy with it. I am not scared one bit about the plane falling apart while I am up.

The price for the plane after the club membership is $88 Tach Wet and $35 for the PPL instructor. I believe it is $40 for higher up instructors. The membership is also a very good thing to look into. You can get cross country flights 15% off. The membership is an initial fee of $400, $300 of it is refundable whenever you leave. To keep the membership alive is $25 a month and $55 once a year in October for liability.

Check it out if you want or contact me for any specific questions.
 
I've heard that Palwaukee Flyers has a really BAD reputation. They may not be there anymore but ask around. Found this on another site so take it with a grain of salt

As far as renting from this place Jim might not be so bad, but I know for a fact that Mr. Dennis who is one of their "mechanics" does not even hold an A&P certificate, so do not be so sure that you are flying safe aircraft.
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I just spoke to Windy City Flyers. From what I heard, it sounds like a decent operation. However, a $695 fee to join and $35 a month after that. hmmmm....
 
Pilot84 said:
I just spoke to Windy City Flyers. From what I heard, it sounds like a decent operation. However, a $695 fee to join and $35 a month after that. hmmmm....
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That is one of the reasons I may still drive "west" to either Lumanair at KARR or Travel Express Aviation at KDPA if I end up moving.

Travel Express is a nice facility with a great many a/c and the a/c are in great shape. There is a smaller initiation fee of about $400 I think, but in my opinion a better place than Windy City. The only issue that I may have here is that most of the members are a bit "snotty". Most members are business professionals with LOTS of money who own their own a/c (up to 421's and Chyannes (SP)). I do know that their instructors keep busy though, and get paid fairly well.

Lumanair is a great little FBO which has been around forever. Very nice a/c with very reasonable rates at a first class airport. Most KDPA training trafic goes out to KARR to practice pattern work! Only draw back here is that there are only two instructors! However, $175/hr. for a Seminole in pretty good shape, not bad. IFR 172 SP's (which there are 4 I believe) are $105/hr. and the 172RG is $125/hr.
 
I've done my research into chicago flight schools. Windy City is definitely not the place to go. if you can make the trip to KMDW (Midway) theres a flight school on 63rd street called Midway Aviators. I'm currently training with them and aside from scheduling, they have great instructors and an even better resource in the airport. Windy City has had a bad rap as far a cost and quality are concerned. I'd definitely say contact Miday Aviators and see what they could offer you. www.midwayaviators.com
 
man i cant remember now but i am originally from chicago and some people recommended a place out in Aurora. i dont know but it might be "lumanair aviation" ask some people about that place. it might be the one.
 
North-Side you have Skill Aviation at Waukegan, Windy City Flyers (and others) at Chicago Executive!

West-Side there is Schaumburg Flyers at Schaumburg airfield, TEA (and others, just stay away from IAA) at Dupage, Lumanair at Aurora.

South-Side you have A&M at Clow and I do not know if there is an FBO or school out of Lewis (other than the university)!

these are some schools someone told me about in the chicago area
 
rayray311 said:
i just had to move back to Chicago suddenly for family stuff. so i am now looking in chicago. i just found illinois aviation in west chicago, il.

www.illinoisaviation.com

i dont know much but it looks nice.
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I would research this place very heavily! Unless they have changed, I will summarize the operation; great personable owner, shoddy mx, decent instructors, shoddy mx, average price, shoddy mx, etc.

There are a few DPE's in the area who refuse to fly in their aircraft:confused:!

Becareful if they have not changed...............if they have, let us know. Also, check out their Aztec. It is a tank waiting to fall apart!
 
I know this thread has been up for quite a while but I'm a newbie here and figured I'd throw in my 2 cents.......

Flight World is the best FBO at Chicago Executive for sure!
The owner is top notch and the CFI's have a lot of exprience.
There's a few Pipers to choose from and if you fly more than 4 hrs a month the hourly rates go down 50bucks.

Windycity Flyers- 39bucks a month and we know about the starting membership fee! a mix of newer cocky CFI's and some that have been there quite a while- I had a couple really good ones when I was training there. John Magda if you are out there reading this....lol thanks a bunch man- good luck on the CRJ.

PWK Flyers- don't know too much about em- although some of their planes look like they are gonna fall apart at any time.

and for anyone about to take their checkride soon,
there are 2 DPE's that are outstanding!!
Robert Schmelzer[who gave me my PPL checkride and is THE best CFI AND all around great guy who is my good friend now in the Chicagoland area] and
Allan Englehardt!!
 
PWK_Pilot said:
I know this thread has been up for quite a while but I'm a newbie here and figured I'd throw in my 2 cents.......

Flight World is the best FBO at Chicago Executive for sure!
The owner is top notch and the CFI's have a lot of exprience.
There's a few Pipers to choose from and if you fly more than 4 hrs a month the hourly rates go down 50bucks.

Windycity Flyers- 39bucks a month and we know about the starting membership fee! a mix of newer cocky CFI's and some that have been there quite a while- I had a couple really good ones when I was training there. John Magda if you are out there reading this....lol thanks a bunch man- good luck on the CRJ.

PWK Flyers- don't know too much about em- although some of their planes look like they are gonna fall apart at any time.

and for anyone about to take their checkride soon,
there are 2 DPE's that are outstanding!!
Robert Schmelzer[who gave me my PPL checkride and is THE best CFI AND all around great guy who is my good friend now in the Chicagoland area] and
Allan Englehardt!!
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I would second what you have said about Flight World. I was very impressed with them and am willing to drive 25miles to them as opposed to 12 to KDPA for TEA.

If I am remembering correctly, Allan Englehardt is an old timer who my father used to send his students to? If I am wrong, it may have been his father, that name sure does ring a bell!
 
Alan Englehardt is an old-timer and was with UAL for 37 yrs and recently retired off the whale and is known for being one of the best aviation speakers and CFI/DPE in the area!

In general= Due to the complexity of the ORD area and the high volume of traffic- it has been known to take longer than the "min avg" of 50hrs to get your PPL. Get a really good CFI who is very familiar with the area and will teach you good pilotage, for you will need to spend a LOT of time looking outside and not at the movingmap on the GPS/VOR. I pride myself in using my charts all the time and only using the dual GPS/VORs only when needed or in an emergency.
Helpful hint= and to make as a part of your takeoff briefing- always have an IA[initial altitude] that you are going to level off at[and a heading] so as to not inadverantly bust the B shelf. Example= if you are departing from PWK VFR to the SW/W/E or SE you will need to make your IA 1700ft so as to not bust the 1900ft/10000 B shelf until roughly clear of the Delta.
If departing VFR to the NW or NE you can make your IA 2300ft.
Also when coming back inbound to PWK[or another one of the chicagoland apts]from an x/c plan on being no higher than 3000ft at roughly 30nm out.
Another thing I came up with is to study/memorize the ORD apt diagram and listen to the ORD ATIS before your flight so as to know what runway config they are using for the arrivals/departures.Then you can anticipate where to look for the fast-moving jet traffic climbing/descending around the ORD airport! If you have a second nav/comm radio you can also monitor one of the few twr frequencies. In the winter[with the prevaling westerlies]the most often used config is 22L/32L/32R for departures and 22R/27R/28 for the arrivals.
I hope this helps you not be too worried about flying around the chicagoland area- I could talk about this all day:yup: but I need to go now.
Gotta get ready to go out dancing tonight and get my groove on!:rawk:

Peter
 
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