WNY FBO training!

[dakovich]

well, i finally started back into my training! i'm attending school at Dunkirk Aviation (www.dkk.com)just south of Buffalo, and am a couple weeks into my CFI training. i origanlly completed my PPL through Comm. MEL at Panam in florida so i'm going to try and post some opinions on what i think of my current FBO training versus my past Academy training. hope maybe it'll help someone in some way.


first off, i've been grounded ever since i left Panam back in October(finished Comm. multi and left). i finally recieved the money i needed to start my training again and have about 2 weeks of CFI training down in Dunkirk. i was pretty depressed to know i had sat around for almost 6 months while my friends back in florida were continuing with their training.....UNTIL....i spoke with my buddy down there and found out that the guys i was flying with have JUST recieved their CFI ratings, and some were just about to go for the ride. so i'm actually only about two weeks behind them!!! pretty weird, huh.

ok, just wanted to give a quick overview and i'll try and post some more of what i see having moved from an academy to FBO style training.

 

[jonboy34]

dakovich,
I think that is an excellent idea what you are doing, I too am from western NY, I am about to finish my private checkride next week at an FBO and I am probably going to go to school in FL later this summer for everything up to CFI. So I look forward to your upcoming posts comparing big flight schools to FBO flying..

 

[FLDiver]

Just for clarification.....are you saying that even though you have sat around for 6 months, the people in class with you at Pan Am were only 2 weeks ahead of you? Or are you saying that the students at the FBO are only 2 weeks ahead of you AFTER you have sat for 6 months? I guess I am a little confused eh?

 

[dakovich]

pretty amazingly my friends at Panam are only a little ahead of me. all of them have recently gotten, or are super close to getting their initial CFI ratings.

 

[dakovich]

ok, my bad...my one buddy got his CFI and CFI-I and is expecting students in about a month. so i'm more than 2 weeks behind, but not much more considering they have that wait for students. i'm just glad i'm not six months behind like i was worried about at first.

 

[casaosa]

Dak...are you sure??? First off tho, I think this site of yours will be interesting...BUT, I am going to have to disagree with you unless you can tell me who you are talking about at PA. Because Sir, you actually were the person who got me involved on this site along with my original boss at PA...I cannot think of one person who is just finally finishing up or waiting for students for this long of a period of time, unless it was of their chosing. Granted, their are instructors waiting for students but I have watched all these guys move right up thru the ranks...tell me who are thinking about....and then I will apolige if need be!!!!

 

[dakovich]

sent ya a PM

 

[ROCjetBlue320]

Dunkirk Is a nice place. Checked it out last summer. Very impressive!

 

[gs985]

Dak,

Glad to hear that you are at DKK. I am doing my training at Ravenaire in Batavia (GVQ). I always use DKK to do my written tests. In fact I was just there a couple weeks ago to do my Instrument, IGI, and CFII writtens. - DKK is a great place. Good luck. Maybe I'll see you next time I'm down there.

 

[dakovich]

hey, i remember seeing you there when you were taking your tests. not everyday you see someone taking three writtens in one day. how is batavia doing for you? hope all is good.

by the way, i just passed my CFI ride yesterday! been kind of quite on here but hope to get some time to write up my experiences up here at DKK and relate it to my training down in florida.

 

[gs985]

Dak,

Were you the guy who was my exam proctor? Regardless, it's a small world! Congrats on passing your CFI ride. Who did you do it with?

See you next time I stop into DKK!

 

[EatSleepFly]

Jason,

Your name sounds really familiar. You don't happen to have any connections in Rochester, or maybe at Williamson-Sodus (3G7) by any chance, do you? I used to fly a lot up in that area.

 

[gs985]

Actually, I've never been into Williamson - Sodus... I show up to quite a few of the local aviation events however, (safety seminars, fly-ins, etc) plus I teach ground school at GVQ (Batavia).

 

[EatSleepFly]

Oh ok. I dont know why then, the name and face just seem to ring a bell.

 

[dakovich]

i wasn't the proctor, i had just came back from a flight and saw/heard you talking about taking all three of the tests. hows the ground schools going for? do you teach with multiple students or is it more one on one stuff? oh, and the ride was with Fred Ferlito from the rochester FSDO

 

[gs985]

ahh.. ok.. We'll I'll be sure and ask for you next time a stop by @ DKK. My ground school class is done, but I am tutoring two students for their written exam now. Just got home from a time-building XC flight to Florida. (Wow.. what a way to rack up hours)... Best of luck to you!

 

[turpentyine]

so please tell me why would you take part of your training at an FBO and then the rest at an academy?
what is the reasoning behind this?
are academys good at certain things and fbos at other things?

 

[dakovich]

i had all kinds of reasons for leaving the academy and finishing at an FBO. the real question is what would i do differently knowing what i know now.

buy a plane!