Amazing supportive CFI and staff, very well organized syllabus and always opportunity to fly.read more

Read the red flags and don't ignore them…read more First and foremost the Instructors are professionals and really do care about the quality of training HOWEVER, as soon as they reach their 1500 hour milestone expect them to leave This happened to me 3 times and I don't blame them they want to reach their goals as much as you want to. Red flag 1 Student to instructor ratio It was challenging for me to keep a consistent training schedule when an instructor has more students than they can handle although they try their best to manage but from the student's perspective it can be infuriating when you want to keep a constant schedule and the instructor isn't unavailable due to his many students I tried to manage but it couldn't work out. Red flag 2 "You're still not ready" (69.2 hours later) This may sound biased but when 4 pilots say you are ready to solo based on performance and knowledge you would think you are ready. Now I have no quarrel with any instructor because in the end they are being told what to do and how to do it. I come from a background with Aviation Safety; currently employed by an airline at SFO and I work closely with well seasoned pilots so I can understand if there are a few corrections needed to be made in order to solo but if its been little over a year of some-what consistent training and almost no progression and with lesson rates increasing more than once due miscellaneous reasons, this could cause frustration. Beige Flag Summer Upwind Program Summertime here in the SF Bay Area provides a phenomenal weather for flight training. You would think there would be a wide selection of free time to train. Unfortunately that wasn't always the case due to the Summer Upwind Program for High School students to obtain their Private Pilot's License during the summer. Now, before I continue this is all observed from my perspective. I am all for youth to excel in their young careers but should that be prioritized? While they are occupied for the summer and have attention from CFI's what about the students who are paying? Personally, there should be a mutual balance. I support this program but it felt congested with the amount of students struggling to reach the same goal especially to those who are paying. Final Thoughts I do not blame the CFI's or the Chief CFI because in the end of the day someone else is telling them what to do, but I do feel there should be some accountability to the owner. Based from former CFI's and colleagues who are now airline pilots, it used to be about a passion to provide quality training to aspiring pilots, but it became more about money. Apparently this owner is also fairly new according to said airline pilots. It is a shame it took me almost 2 years to catch on to this. Could it have been a different experience? Perhaps However, the fundamentals from the instructors were phenomenal and business aside they were passionate about their craft and are truly proud on creating the next generation of aviators. I wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors but I do wish the school shifts its focus to how they once were. My new advice to individuals seeking guidance "As soon as the school starts asking for more money, time to find a new school" Airline Captains agree when it starts to become about money, the passion is gone be better

I'm learning to fly here at WVFC. It's a fun low key club with lots of planes, lots of instructors…read moreand two airport offices (KSQL and KPAO). They also offer ground school and have a few simulators you can rent. They do a lot of club activities in the Palo Alto office. The onboarding for a new pilot who's learning to fly is great.

I've been a member of West Valley Flying Club for a little over a year and I recommend it highly. I…read moream 61 years old and have always wanted to fly but my wife and I raised five children and until recently, the priorities of family life consumed all available time and money. My instructor is Scott Stauter and from the very first demo ride I felt safe and confident in flying with him and learning from him. I also attended ground school at West Valley with Wes Irish as the instructor. Due largely to excellent instruction, I was able to pass both the written and practical private pilot exams on the first attempt. It is a large club with a large and diverse fleet of aircraft as well as a large number of instructors. I suppose with ~40 affiliated instructors there may be a few bad apples in the bunch but I've flown with six different instructors for various check rides or special instruction and they all demonstrated a high level of professionalism and competence. Each instructor provided constructive criticism and suggestions for improving my game that I felt were given in good faith and in my best interest. The fact is I don't pick things up as fast as I did twenty years ago but none of the instructors that I flew with left me with the impression that they were trying to run up the clock. The planes I have flown (five so far) are maintained well and the mechanics are accessible, supportive, and helpful as is the office staff. Scheduling planes and instructors is easily accomplished through an online scheduling system. I fly out of Palo Alto once or twice a week and there have only been a couple of instances when I couldn't schedule a plane when I wanted to. The club has a strong culture of safety and proper preparedness for flight. They have implemented several checks and balances to assure proficiency of both students and instructors as they progress through the training regimen. An argument can be made that they've gone a bit overboard with this and I can understand how this might frustrate some people. But I have to tell you that I went into the PPL check ride feeling calm, competent, and confident and that is exactly how I now feel when I take off with my grandchildren in the plane. All in all, I am very happy with my experience at West Valley Flying Club.

I've been flying with Eliot for over 10 years. I am instrument-rated, and work with Eliot to keep…read moreup on glass panel skills and emerging technologies. He's a master at simulating challenging flight situations and instrument failures, and after years of flying Cirrus SR20s and 22s, both Avidyne and Perspective-equipped, I feel like we've explored every corner of those systems -- and yet on every flight, I still learn more. Eliot has the patience to take on the newest of pilots, but the depth of experience to train professionals. I can't say enough about his professionalism and his focus on making me the best pilot possible. I'd recommend Airfloe Aviation to anyone ready to learn how to command the aircraft they fly.

I recently started training with Jato Aviation and have had a great experience with everyone I've…read moreworked with. From the beginning, April (CEO) and Jim (Client Relations) made onboarding fast and straightforward, clearly outlining what I'd be learning and what to expect. My flight training with Jack has been exceptional--efficient, structured, and high quality. I've trained with instructors across the U.S., and he's genuinely top tier. He guided my transition into the G7, was responsive and available by text, and consistently emphasized the key safety considerations and how to mitigate them in real operations. Excited to continue learning with them.

They charged $200 for a 172 and instructor rate was $95 at least in my case. For a checkout I had…read moreto do 2 hours ground with the instructor. They were very proud and protective of their g1000 planes, it was surprising that one of the screens went completely dark right after the takeoff, but they charged me full price anyway. Maybe an OK school. I will never know, because for me just doesn't worth the price.

Luis was an amazing instructor. He had so much to share and was patient as all can be. He's chill…read moreand intelligent. Did this as a surprise birthday present for my man and he loved it so much. We will definitely go back and I suggest you request Luis. He's amazing Flight is over San Jose though not the bay view.

I have been training with Chris Murphy and he's an excellent CFI - I have learnt so much and made…read moreincredible progress on my private pilots license. The curriculum is very structured and the school has a very high bar for its students. The airplanes are a little old, but they are very well maintained with a dedicated team taking very good care of them.

We did the Bay tour with pilot Dave. It was a beautiful! Dave gave us incredible customer service…read moreensuring our trip was an absolutely memorable experience. From booking to landing, this company was a breeze. I recommend for anyone who is looking to give a gift for a special occasion. The day bay trip tour was amazing. Thanks Dave and team!

Amazing ride! The pilot was very friendly, and the ride was truly breathtaking. We first went down…read morethe coast near half moon bay, and then flew over the golden gate bridge, alcatraz, and the city downtown. For each of those last three spots, he did two spins around, giving you plenty of time for great pictures and appreciating the amazing view

I had some family come in from out of town for the holidays and wanted to treat them to a scenic…read morehelicopter tour of the city. Booking online was a piece of cake, and the flight experience was delightful. Our pilot, Stephanie, was friendly and accommodating, but more importantly, an exceptionally talented pilot. Over my many decades on this world, I've probably spent 100+ hours as a passenger in helicopters, and I can attest that Stephanie was among the smoothest of all. Next up, I'm planning introductory lessons for my girlfriend and a friend. Should be a blast.

I booked the 60 minute Golden Gate Tour around the Bay Area and it was beautiful! You really get to…read moresee the Bay from a different perspective. Tickets were $265 per person. There was parking out front and the check in process was a breeze. We were led right to our helicopter where the pilot (I totally forgot his name ) gave us all the information we needed to know in case of an emergency. And then we took off! I would definitely book again! I would love to see everything again during golden hour!

I had a great time flying with the Vintage Aircraft staff. I look forward to going up with them…read moreagain. I definitely recommend this adventure.

Mother's Day - A Birthday Extravaganza!…read more Two years ago I flew in the SNJ-4 Texan for a birthday thrill; this year my wonderful wife gave me an hour ride in Vintage Aircraft's P-51 Mustang! She's the best! If you love the sound of a WWII high performance engine, love speed and appreciate the 20 year old pilots who flew these magnificent machines during a war, the P-51 is a plane to experience. Drove to the Schellville airport on Mother's Day for my ride. Travis pulled the P-51 from it's hanger, went through it's extensive pre-flight check and fueled her up. At this point, my heart was pounding with excitement and anticipation of a ride in a P-51! I told Travis I was also taking another P-51 crew with us that day, he had a quizzed look. My mother's deceased husband was stationed in England during WWII and was assigned to a P-51 squadron as an armourer (loaded 50 cal ammo and fueled the planes for their next flight). Found a picture of Mick, the pilot, mechanic, crew chief all standing beside their assigned P-51, the GlenGaryGuy. Pilot had his wife's name "Jackie" on the other side. They all got to go for one more ride! Chris Prevost, the pilot, asked where I wanted to go? I'd done the Golden Gate Bridge, out over Marin County to Tomales Bay and back in the Texan. Chris had a suggestion - Schellville to Lake Berryessa and over into the San Joaquin Valley, up along the Vaca Range to Middletown, over to Santa Rosa, out to Bodega Bay, Tomales Bay and down to Mill Valley and Mt Tam with a ride down Miller Ave, out to the Golden Gate Bridge and back to Schellville - heck yeah, sign me up!! Travis gave me instructions on how to climb onto the plane and into the rear seat, tight but comfortable and buckled in. Thank goodness I had a hat. I'm 6'1" and just barely had head room (though I was too excited to care). Chris brought the Merlin V-1650 to life and we taxied down to the end of the runway, brought the oil temp up, closed the canopy and we rolled down the runway - full speed ahead. Pulled back and up we went - what a rush! Travis had taken my wife to a point where she could record the whole liftoff - yeah! My adrenaline rush was in high gear! I immediately thought of the young pilots who risked their lives for our freedom; here I was just on a joy ride in a plane they flew in actual combat or escorting bombers - kind of surreal. Great sidebar to the flight was being actually being able to see the devastation from all of the fires from Lake Berryessa all the way too Middletown - scorched earth. Bodega Bay to the mouth of Tomales Bay gives a real perspective how beautiful our coastal area is. Chris did a couple of sharp turns, the P-51 cut the sky like a sharp knife. I kept the headsets halfway on, wanted to "hear" the roar of the P-51's engine. Down to Mill Valley, lined up on Miller Ave and out we went to the Golden Gate Bridge. What a day! I guess I should end my story, though writing about flying in the Mustang brings back all the fun I enjoyed that day. Travis and my wife had been monitoring our flight and were ready for our landing. Again, Travis set my wife up in a location to capture the event. Thanks again to Vintage Aircraft, Chris, Travis and my wife for an epic day of flying in a P-51 Mustang.

My daughter's instructor, Eric, was fantastic. We are very sad that Eric left, but we are very…read moregrateful to the owner, Evan, who issued us a letter that enabled us to finish out the remaining two hours at another school. Also, huge shoutout to the lady who works reception! She is very kind, professional, and prompt. Real pleasure to deal with.

Because of his anxiety, my teenage son wasn't motivated to learn to drive. The driver's ed scared…read morehim and he was content to be driven around. I wanted him to learn to drive and gain independence. My friend who used Strive Driving School for her son recommended we try Strive. My 16-year-old son gained confidence and knowledge in his four 1.5 hour lessons leading up to his driver's test. Yesterday he took his driver's license test for the first time and scored 96%. We're extremely happy and relieved. Thank you, Strive.