Recommendation for a Flight School in Denver

[ncdmtb]

A while back I initiated a thread on my intending to obtain my CPL. My plans are firming up.

I currently live in Germany and am now planing a trip home in July. Unfortunately it will be quite short, I will only have 5 days to do my commercial including check flight and taking the written. (I will have preped for the written via a King Schools course, so I willjust need to go take the test.)

I was planning to do my commercial at the Aspen Flying Club with the CFII I did my IR with. Today I just learned, that the aircraft will not be available. They only have one plane (retractable, const speed prop - C182RG) which can be used for the CPL.

Now I am looking for an alternative.

In the last 1,5 years I have only been flying my Mooney. Prior to that I did some flying in a C172.

Any recommendations on where I should go? I want to maximize the chance I get it done. I don't get back to US very often.

Nick

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[Joe Zuffoletto]

Independence Aviation is a good club but their only retracts are twins. You might try ATP Flight School at Centennial instead:

 

http://www.atpflightschool.com/flight_schools/colorado/denver-apa.html

[rbuck]

I think that Journey's Aviation (split between Jeffco Arpt and Boulder) have a Piper Archer. I got my PPL from them and they were great. 

[rbuck]

http://www.journeysaviation.com

[Rhumbline]

This is of no help to the original poster. 

 

I earned many of my certificates at Wings of Denver at Centennial (APA) and earned some salt instructing at Rainbow Aviation/Airwest at Jeffco (BJC).  The contrast between now and then is striking.  Back then, the sofas and chairs at both locations were covered all-day-every-day with eager wannabe professional pilots who sat for hours waiting for the scraps the "Full Time" instructors hadn't the time or inclination for and the ramps were lined with an array of comparatively affordable late model airplanes on lease-back.

 

I regret the reminiscence is of no assistance.     

[ncdmtb]

Thanks for the feedback.

Has one heard of Executive Flight Training (KAPA)?

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[Joe Zuffoletto]

I forgot about Executive. I popped in there one day to see their Redbird simulator, but I don't know anything more about them.

[BenjaminK]

Centennial flyers has a 172rg. http://www.apaflyers.com.

Benjamin

[Nemesis]

I did my Instrument training with Larry at Executive.

A more competent and learned instructor would be difficult to find.

On top of that and something always difficult to find, is that he is one of those people who truly know how to communicate an idea.

All around excellent experiences.

Executive Flight Training - KAPA Centennial - Larry Camden 303-799-7735

 

Dave

[ncdmtb]

Thanks for the recomendation Dave. I just gave Larry a call and had a friendly talk about the options. They do their CPL with a Seminole, but he can also get 210. Maybe I will try to do the CPL and Multi Engine in one wash. It always has been a dream of mine to also get a multi...

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[Victor Airway]

Although a stale thread, here is a contrary opinion regarding Executive Flight Training:

This is the most horrible flight training company I have ever come across in all my decades of professional flying! Larry promotes his school for his expertise and high quality. I found neither.

Getting sales information or schedule commitments was like pulling teeth. I had to leave several messages before I received a reply. The web contact page forwards to an email address which the school seems never to view. And replies to that address would be lost.

No printed confirmation of training dates was ever received, which resulted in two extra unplanned days to get a check ride scheduled. And I was quoted an incorrect (lower) rate for the examiner, who is NOT on staff.

I have instructed for almost 30 years - I know standards and best practices. With EFT, no formal syllabus was presented. there was no recognition of the skill level of the customer/student -- I was treated like an ignorant student pilot. Reference material was disorganized and inadequate, and formal classroom sessions were rare and lackluster. High level questions were met with a blank stare. From the start, he was unable to provide simple and specific advice as to target power settings and speeds for most consistent operation of the training aircraft.

Pre-flight and post-flight briefings were laughable. The simulator is an antiquated piece of junk - we spent more time troubleshooting than actual training on it -- troubleshooting which was done while on the clock and billable, I should add.

The multi-engine trainer had multiple items INOP - although recent sales material would lead you to believe everything is functional. The condition of the aircraft was a big selling point for me and had its condition been honestly represented, I would have gone elsewhere. To complicate matters, the aircraft checklist is amateurish - totally inadequate for the advanced ATP check ride.

Charges are inappropriate, unethical, and unprofessional. It is wrong to have to pay for the owner's time while assisting him in unhangaring and hangaring the airplane you are about to rent. At every other school, the equipment is ready on the ramp. Yet, this was a daily routine. Likewise, it was ridiculous to be charged for Larry's full time to loiter during the check ride, when his presence was not required. And one should not be charged for "BS" sessions and coffee breaks! I found multiple billing and logbook errors. Invoices were not provided in a timely manner, and charges were made to my card before they were approved.

Larry Camden may have been a "Flight Instructor of the Year," and may have been adequate in 2014, but that certainly is not the quality of his instruction now. To advertise this as advanced instruction is borderline fraud. This "advanced" ATP program had *ZERO* sophistication, *ZERO* refinement, *ZERO* quality. Caveat Emptor.

 

[midlifeflyer]

On 6/5/2014 at 0:40 AM, Rhumbline said:

This is of no help to the original poster. 

 

I earned many of my certificates at Wings of Denver at Centennial (APA) and earned some salt instructing at Rainbow Aviation/Airwest at Jeffco (BJC).  The contrast between now and then is striking.  Back then, the sofas and chairs at both locations were covered all-day-every-day with eager wannabe professional pilots who sat for hours waiting for the scraps the "Full Time" instructors hadn't the time or inclination for and the ramps were lined with an array of comparatively affordable late model airplanes on lease-back.

 

I regret the reminiscence is of no assistance.     

Wings of Denver closed down a long time ago. I got my CFI with them.

but there are still plenty of options at KAPA.

[midlifeflyer]

Nick, have you looked at the other flight schools at KAPA? I've been gone for 4 years now, but both Flights, Inc http://www.flights-inc.com/fleet.asp and Centennial Flyers http://apaflyers.com/fleet.html still show retracts.

Atmosphere-wise, Flights has always  been pretty formal and Centennial Flyers exactly the opposite. And, as usual, it's more about the instructor than the operation. Have you asked your current CFI fir a recommendation?

[FoxMike]

Executive Air at APA is a good possibility or the Flight School at FTG.  They have a a retractable 182.  I can't think of any school that has a Mooney they can use for instruction.

[peevee]

On 1/18/2017 at 3:32 AM, midlifeflyer said:

Wings of Denver closed down a long time ago. I got my CFI with them.

but there are still plenty of options at KAPA.

The thread is 2 years old. 

[midlifeflyer]

23 minutes ago, peevee said:

The thread is 2 years old. 

Omg. I got caught in a necro-thread!

[Marauder]

Omg. I got caught in a necro-thread!

At least you are not talking to yourself.


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