Metropolitan State College (Denver) Input

[DrForester]

Hello,

I am going to be starting at Metro State in the fall, after getting my core classes out of the way at community college, I'm ready to start flying. I've signed up for their classes but am looking for help choosing one of the many flight schools in the Denver area. Metro does not seem to recommend one over the other as they say they have many students at all the schools. Since there are few summer classes I can't really get in touch with students at the school either. Also hoping for insight from anyone that did the program at metro with their simulator and ground school integrating into their actual flight training.

The main options are obviously Front Range, Centennial and Jeffco. I've heard good and bad things about the various schools (as well as the airports themselves (eg. Centennial is nice but you can find yourself spending alot of time sitting in line to take off). I visited the main schools at each a few years ago when I started seriously planning out my education but, realizing I needed to put a few years into saving money, don't have much insight anymore.

I've only visited one of them and most the schools don't list their prices on their sites for rentals. I recently visited Daedalus and liked their professionalism (and I got good impression of the airport itself), but I've been told their prices are more expensive. I plan on checking out Flights Inc, Journeys, and McAir this weekend to see how their prices and facilities are, but hoping from some first hand accounts and experiences about the schools and the airports themselves.

[DenverPilot8]

I did my instrument and some of my Commercial time building at Flights Inc. in Centennial. The planes there are in good condition and the instruction I recieved was pretty good. Honestly I never had to wait too long to take off there. I don't know if you get discounts on retal fees through your school but the prices are pretty decent.

[Josh7]

I am also attending metro in the fall, but I will be an incoming freshman. I am going to start working on my ppl at Rocky Mountain Flight Training Center in July down in Colorado Springs. Let me know where you end up going because when I head up there I will be in a similar position looking for a flight school. Good luck with the search.

-Josh

[DrForester]

Might see you around Josh.

I'm going to be taking the Simulator and Ground school classes offered at night, looking forward to it. In visiting local flight schools, they all tell me that the simulator time offered at metro is an absolutely fantastic value (just make sure to get the teacher to log it).

Still deciding but these were the impressions I got after visiting the local schools. Going to mull over the paperwork they gave try to narrow it down. Denver has a lot of options. I think I’ll probably end up at McAir, but most the schools seem to have their ups and downs. Still love to hear other opinions from other students.

Daedalus at Frontrange -
School was nice, planes seemed well maintained. Prices a bit on the high side for the planes, especially given the age of some of them. Instructor fee was lowest of all the schools I visited. ($25/hr) Uses Jeppesen training materials, same as Metro. Seems to be one of the more structured of all the schools in the Denver area.

As for Front range airport, Slow airport, they apparently expected a lot more business as a result of DIA opening and made a lot of upgrades, then never got the business. Mostly private pilots (you see some neat planes once and a while here), less businesses. You have to dodge DIA airspace, and low ceiling till you fly a ways out east.


Flights Inc. at Centennial -
On their game, friendly people. Large fleet, and some of the lowest prices on planes. Uses Cessna CBI (computer based instruction) Pilot course, so if you're taking metro's ground school you're going to have to buy 2 kits (Though I had a few people tell me that if you're planning to do CFI work, having background on multiple systems isn't a bad thing). Instructor cost can vary as their CFI's are contracted (Though they recommend $35/hr).

The airport. Centennial is one of the busiest non-commercial airports in the country. Lots of traffic from local courier and cooperate flight companies. Going to get your workout on radio comm. here.


Journeys at Metro (formerly Jeffco) -
I'd say when you come up, check them out, maybe I just caught them on a bad day, but this was the one school I was NOT impressed with. They seemed bored, and there was little enthusiasm. They didn't seem to care if I went to their school or not. Good prices on aircraft, little high on instructor ($40-$45/hr depending on license) . School goes on Jeppesen syllabus.

McAir at Metro
I had heard nothing but good things about this school before I went there, and the reputation seems well earned. Very impressive school. Has a nice fleet of planes, all pretty new. Teachers seemed very friendly, and professional. Downside is price, you pay for it. They have higher prices on planes and CFI's ($45 per hour). Teaches off Cessna CBI Kit.

Metro airport. Seems best of both worlds. Not as busy as Centennial, but not a ghost town like Front Range can seem sometimes. Very close to mountains, so I can see wind cancelling flights once and a while.