Finished!

[jtrain609]

Done, finally.

Today I took my CFI add on check ride, making it the last check ride I’ll do for a while. In the last week I’ve done my MEI add on and CFI add on. Not much to really report about either of these rides; I was over prepared and both rides went fine. We almost were not able to do the MEI ride due to low clouds, but we managed to find a hole south of the airport. The CFI ride went well except for us having real gusty conditions. This was a standard ride for this examiner, straight down the PTS with no tricks.

Now I’m finally a real CFI, having my CFI/CFII/MEI ratings. I’ve got a few more quick time building flights in the twin to finish up, but my training is done here. I can’t recommend Skymates enough to anyone. Arlington is one heck of a place to fly out of, and it has developed a lot of skills that were not used back home. Collision avoidance, dealing with having 8 other aircraft in the pattern at a non-towered field and density altitude issues were all tackled head on. The instructors at Skymates are top notch, and have more than prepared me to go out and be a professional flight instructor.

I’ve also got to plug what I think is the absolute best part about Skymates – the maintenance. The three mechanics that Skymates employs bend over backwards to make sure planes are ready to go for check rides. As an example, on my MEI ride we had the cylinder head temperature gauge break on us, and the mechanics had the problem fixed within ten minutes of me taxing back to the Skymates ramp. They went looking all over the field for a new temperature probe for the engine and worked their butts off to get me back in the air so I could complete my check ride. This is just one small example of what the mechanics here are willing to do to help the people that fly here.

If anyone that has read this blog has any questions about Skymates, feel free to e-mail me at john@johnherreshoff.com. I’m more than happy to plug this place as I feel that I have received absolutely wonderful training at a great price. If you are on the fence about where to train, come and check Skymates out and see if it’s for you!

[DE727UPS]

Congratz. What are you times and what did you spend? Just curious as it's good info for the folks who might be weighing FSA/DCA/CAPT vs Ari/Skymates/Mazzi

[kellwolf]

Not sure about John's info as far as that goes, but here's what mine boils down to:

Came in with about 240 hours TT and maybe 13 ME. I was able to get my CSEL, CMEL, CFII, CFI and MEI for about $13,000 including housing and living expenses for three months. I wound up with about 320 TT and about 50 ME when it was all done. I was able to get it all down in about 2 months and a week.

[ryanmickG]

Thanks John the check is in the mail.

Now get back to Ann Arbor you Damn Yankee. J/K

[jtrain609]

I'll get cost breakdown up once I'm back in Michigan and I can get an invoice of what I paid to Skymates.

[KLB]

I got my CMEL, CFII, and MEI , books, charts, and other supllies for a little under $7,000.