These guys are pros and perfectionists. I'm 70 years old and haven't flown in about 20 years. I wanted to start flying again and got an add on glider rating to my ASEL private pilot license. My principal instructor was Shad, but I also flew with Mark (a seasonal instructor from Colorado) and Jason. I don't agree with the negative comment about Jason - I found him to be a very amiable guy. Indeed, he (and his 12 y.o. son) spent about 45 minutes to move multiple aircraft out of the way in the hangar to accommodate my wish to take one flight in a high performance glider. Very generous of them. Shad is a natural teacher for both ground and flight training. I had a good experience with Mark as well. These guys absolutely love this sport and it comes across. The location of the airport (not entirely in the middle of nowhere) and the facilities (very basic) belie the standard of excellence they bring to all things related to safety and instruction. The trainers are older Schweizer 233's, but are perfectly suited to flight training. I would definitely recommend that candidates for licenses or ratings schedule the knowledge test for one afternoon and the flight test for the following morning. Don't aim to do both the same day during the warmer months, when the thermic (ie., bumpy) air picks up around noon. The knowledge test takes about 3.5 hours, with all of the required paperwork for the FAA, and by the time it's done, it has gotten too bumpy to allow for your best performance during the flight test. Regarding scheduling, they get busy on weekends, and if only one towplane is flying, it can mean waits of up to 45 minutes or so for your next tow. I don't know how practical it would be, but it would be nice if they'd have both tow planes flying on weekends. Regarding pricing, they are very fair and up front. No complaints, although you should be prepared to spend more than $3500 for an add on rating. Given that I was quite rusty at the start, I was not surprised to spend almost double that. That said, I got my money's worth.
All in all, I can't imagine a better run, friendlier or more professional school. read more