Whats the status sel commercial training

[mooneyguy]

First, I'm very sorry for your loss at skymates, My prayers go out to family and friends of those who were lost.

However, I was planning a trip up to skymates to do my commercial SEL! Is there any plans as of yet for sel commercial training?

[JEP]

Originally Posted by mooneyguy

First, I'm very sorry for your loss at skymates, My prayers go out to family and friends of those who were lost.

However, I was planning a trip up to skymates to do my commercial SEL! Is there any plans as of yet for sel commercial training?

You are probably one of many who have that question, but it has not even been a week. The funerals are not even complete yet.

While the current students are important, I doubt that getting a new complex trainer is at the top of the list. That being said, I am sure they will have one soon as they can though.

[embraer07]

I talked to Luca about this on Monday since I was doing my CFI course there.

He said they have another Arrow which may be put up on the schedule sometime this week. It will be used so that the current CFI students can finish up, and maybe a few Commercial SEL guys near the end.

After that he said he wants to get away from Arrows as they have left a sour taste in his mouth...I don't blame him.

However, I talked to a couple of instructors up at Skymates and this new Arrow may or may not be up to FAA standards of airworthiness. This is probably not a problem if you are a Commercial student, but for us CFI guys it is since the FSDO will put whatever plane you use on the checkride under a microscope.

So...in light of that I have switched schools to finish my CFI initial and will be going back to Skymates to instruct and finish my Double I and MEI.

Keep on eye on Skymates' schedule for when that new Arrow should come up. Then call up there and ask how long they are going to keep in online.

-Good luck

[kellwolf]

What happened to P-Byrd's old red Arrow? I think I was the only one that actually LIKED that one.

Not surprised about the decision to get away from Arrows. Seems that's become more and more common at flight schools everywhere.

[ryanmickG]

We have two Arrows. The thing is that we bought them to flip. Never intended to put them on line. They have been hangared for quite sometime. We are not ready to put the wheels up on them. Its so far on our back burner right now that it might be sometime. We are not moving forward on any Arrow projects till the investigation is finalized. That will at least be till after the holidays.

I appreciate the buisness...I really do, but as Jep said its not on our top priority list right now. If you need to get a Commericial SEL done in the near future then you just might want to expore a different avenue right now. We have tried our best not to make empty promises at Skymates and I dont want to do that now.

I'll keep you posted.

Sorry for any inconvience,

ryan

[embraer07]

Ryan,

Have there been any new developments on what happened? I haven't been up to the school since Monday but last I heard the tail ripped off and there was a mayday call. <....edited out....>

BTW: Keep in mind that the C-172RG is a great complex aircraft. I got my Commercial SEL in one and now I'm going back to get my CFI in the same plane. I don't know what complex airplane Luca wants to replace the Arrow with but when he decides to cross that bridge the 172RG is a good one to keep in mind.

[kellwolf]

Originally Posted by embraer07

Ryan,

Have there been any new developments on what happened? I haven't been up to the school since Monday but last I heard the tail ripped off and there was a mayday call. <....edited out....>

BTW: Keep in mind that the C-172RG is a great complex aircraft. I got my Commercial SEL in one and now I'm going back to get my CFI in the same plane. I don't know what complex airplane Luca wants to replace the Arrow with but when he decides to cross that bridge the 172RG is a good one to keep in mind.

Actually, you might not see a complex SE at Skymates. Talk was going around when I was there of nixing a complex SE altogether and just doing CMEL as initials with the CSEL add-on in a 172. A LOT of schools are taking this route now since complex SE tend to be hangar queens and mx hogs. They could either get the MEI as the initial or go back to doing the CFI-I as the initial, and everything is set.

[embraer07]

Originally Posted by kellwolf

Actually, you might not see a complex SE at Skymates. Talk was going around when I was there of nixing a complex SE altogether and just doing CMEL as initials with the CSEL add-on in a 172. A LOT of schools are taking this route now since complex SE tend to be hangar queens and mx hogs. They could either get the MEI as the initial or go back to doing the CFI-I as the initial, and everything is set.

Very true..didn't think about that. One thing though, wouldn't getting your CMEL as an initial be more expensive than getting your Multi as an addon or does it all balance out at the end?

I spent so much money on my Commercial that all the numbers are a blur now but I think I spent roughly 17k on my CSEL and more or less 6k for the multi addon.

Gosh..no wonder more people don't become pilots. That is quite a bit of cash when you think about it!

[kellwolf]

For me, it balanced out since I would have had to do a lot of that time in a SE complex anyway. 'Course this is back when the Seminoles were DIRT cheap. Even with the guaranteed price for the add-on, getting the CMEL worked out cheaper since I could do the CSEL add-on in the even more dirt cheap 172. I did the CMEL, CSEL, CFI-I, MEI and CFI for under $15K back in 2005.

[embraer07]

Originally Posted by kellwolf

I did the CMEL, CSEL, CFI-I, MEI and CFI for under $15K back in 2005.

Has inflation hit us that hard in the past 2 years?? Then again, I did my CSEL part 141 with the obligatory 120 hours. MEL addon was about 15 hours at Skymates.

Kellwolf how long did you instruct at Skymates for before getting hired? I'll be there at least 1 1/2 years because that is how much time I have left before I graduate college...better late than never Of course I had to take entire semesters and years off here and there to pay for some flight training.

Hopefully by the time I am a college man I will be well over Regional minimums. Shoot; I'm at some Regional's minimums right now but you couldn't give me some of those jobs!

[kellwolf]

Originally Posted by embraer07

Kellwolf how long did you instruct at Skymates for before getting hired? I'll be there at least 1 1/2 years because that is how much time I have left before I graduate college...better late than never Of course I had to take entire semesters and years off here and there to pay for some flight training.

7 months, but YMMV. I hardly ever took days off, and many days I flew from open to past sundown. Things you'll do when your wife and kid are in a different state. Brad's been over 135 minimums forever, and he was having to wait to finish out his degree when I left. Not sure if he's even looking at going that route anymore, though. Or even if he's finished his degree yet. Last I heard, he wasn't able to get some of the classes he needed to finish.