ppl instructor wanted

[mon876]

 I need a  CAP instructor to begin my flight training through the civil air patrol. i live in tampa bay, florida. im not sure if the pilots are paid for it, but im pretty sure they are. i am a cadet and really want to get my pilots license before im 18, because i want to go into the navy. email me at bentc123@gmail.com.

[Eclipse]

I need a  CAP instructor to begin my flight training through the civil air patrol. i live in tampa bay, florida. im not sure if the pilots are paid for it, but im pretty sure they are. i am a cadet and really want to get my pilots license before im 18, because i want to go into the navy. email me at bentc123@gmail.com.

They are not.

Absent a scholarship or flight academy, there is no program within CAP to pay for cadets to learn to fly.
Being in CAP will grant you access to pilots and CFI's who may be benevolent to your needs and help by providing time
at a lower cost, etc., but you will need to make those connections yourself, locally.

You should start at your home unit, and work your way out from there with your CC or CD's assistance.

Should you decide to attend a flight academy, you'll need to start looking at them now, as applications will be due at the end of the year for most NCSA's.  Johnson flight academy in ILWG is a great place to get flight training and is quite economical.  It is not an NCSA, but applications are processed
through the same system.

[mon876]

I talked to my capt and he said to find a pilot that is certified to train and then CAP will provide the plane, all i need to pay for is the fuel.

[JeffDG]

I would look at nearby units:
http://cap.findlocation.com/results.aspx?page=default

First up, I see two Senior Squadrons, most likely to be populated with lots of pilots and CFIs in the area.

[coudano]

if you are willing/able to drive to zephyrhills, check out the tampa bay soaring society,
cap flies gliders out of there as well

maybe a cap pilot in that area also,


good stuff

[Eclipse]

I talked to my capt and he said to find a pilot that is certified to train and then CAP will provide the plane, all i need to pay for is the fuel.

If your wing is either funding or waiving the rental time for the aircraft, that's a great deal, just be aware you can expect to pay $30 to 40 per hour
for the fuel. 

"Finding a pilot" sounds great on paper, but bear in mind this person needs to be not just a pilot, but a Certified Flight Instructor, and needs to be
one who is willing to train you for free.  Times are tight for flight schools, and they don't always look favorably on their instructors giving away their bread and butter for free.  If you can't find a CAP CFI to give you training free, perhaps you can negotiate a lower rate, etc.  It never hurts to ask.

Expect to spend 35-50+ hours in your training flights, so assuming you are able to find a benevolent CAP CFI, expect to spend $1000-2200+ for fuel
only.  Twice that if you can't use the CAP plane(s).  And bear in mind that even if you have a pilot and the funds, the planes are not always
available on an easy schedule.  You probably have 20-30 other pilots vying for proficiency time, not to mention missions, O-Rides, and maintenance issues.  That also assumes there's a suitable 172 in your area to start with.

Do you have somewhere lined up to do your ground school training?  Learning to be a pilot is not the same as an O-Ride.  You will need
25-40 hours of ground instruction over a 10-12 week period (varies with the school).  Expect to pay $500-1000 for the ground instruction
in addition to your flight hours.

You will also need to budget money for your solo flights as you can't solo in a CAP aircraft - at a minimum you will have to full-rent a plane
for those check rides, including fuel.

So on the conservative side, with a "free" CAP pilot and a gas-only aircraft, you're looking at $2000-4000 conservatively, and probably closer to $5000
once it's all wrapped up.

I'm not trying to discourage you, just get you to understand the financial commitment and to see why the flight academies and scholarships are
such an amazing benefit for cadets.

In most cases you can complete the entire ground school and a huge chunk of flight training in a single week for less than $1000, including
meals and lodging.  In rare cases. cadets are even able to pre-solo at the end of the week.

[coudano]

you can't solo in a CAP aircraft

Have the rules changed recently?  I don't think this is true...

In rare cases. cadets are even able to pre-solo at the end of the week.

I think plenty of cadets full solo at NFA-P,

[Eclipse]

Wouldn't be the first time I was wrong today.

I was under the impression the flight academies were different in that respect, but that normally a cadet can pre-solo, but the final ride has to be
done in a non-CAP airplane.

[Extremepredjudice]

Not that I am an expert/know a lot about this subject, but my squadron's c/cc got his glider liscense through CAP and CAP gliders, and he soloes on CAP gliders,(before he got his license.) when they are available.

[coudano]

Cadets are restricted from soloing gliders, on their first attendance at GFA
(unless they have prior training before arriving at GFA)

However that restriction is not in place at PFA.
I am just about 99% certain that the CFI at my squadron who takes the plane at our squadron to PFA-NE, solo's the cadets that he instructs there (as long as they are ready)

[JeffDG]

Wouldn't be the first time I was wrong today.

I was under the impression the flight academies were different in that respect, but that normally a cadet can pre-solo, but the final ride has to be
done in a non-CAP airplane.

Nope, you can solo and take your checkride in the CAP plane.

Unlike CFIs, DPEs can charge

[Eclipse]

You've got to be a cadet under 18 to receive instruction, but then you have to be over 18 to get a Form 5, right?

[coudano]

CAPR 60-1

Any cadet may receive instruction, solo, and do a form 5 checkride in CAP aircraft.
There is no age limit on instruction for cadets,
and there is no minimum age to do a form 5

There are FAA rules of course, without looking I do believe you have to be 16 to solo ASEL, and 17 to get the private pilot certificate.  (I think it's 14 years old to solo for gliders and 16 to get the PPL)

**Getting the PPL in gliders is a good option, and then you can just add ASEL as an add-on.  Perhaps cheaper, and certainly available at a younger age.


CAP members must, however, be 18 years old to be mission aircrew qualified (MS, MO, MP)
However you can be form 5, and fly CAP planes younger (i've had a cadet in my squadron who did so)(she is now on the flight team at the USAFA hehhh)

[JeffDG]

CAPR 60-1

Any cadet may receive instruction, solo, and do a form 5 checkride in CAP aircraft.
There is no age limit on instruction for cadets,
and there is no minimum age to do a form 5

There are FAA rules of course, without looking I do believe you have to be 16 to solo ASEL, and 17 to get the private pilot certificate.  (I think it's 14 years old to solo for gliders and 16 to get the PPL)

**Getting the PPL in gliders is a good option, and then you can just add ASEL as an add-on.  Perhaps cheaper, and certainly available at a younger age.


CAP members must, however, be 18 years old to be mission aircrew qualified (MS, MO, MP)
However you can be form 5, and fly CAP planes younger (i've had a cadet in my squadron who did so)(she is now on the flight team at the USAFA hehhh)

And, if he's willing, the DPE can sign off your Form 5 if your checkride covers all the elements of the Form 5, otherwise you'd need to do a CAPF5 with a CAP check pilot afterwards.

By the same token, a DPE can sign off a CAPF5 granting instrument privileges if you obtain your Instrument rating.

[EMT-83]

We have a couple of cadets in our squadron doing primary flight instruction, and several more in the Wing. If you are really serious about getting your ticket, it can be a great deal.

If you can find an instructor, do a realistic assessment of the costs. There most likely will be a maintenance fee in addition to the fuel charge – a dry rate plus fuel, or a wet rate. You might even get lucky and find a CFI willing to conduct a ground school.

[Eclipse]

A couple of years ago we had a CFI do a full ground school on an alternate night for anyone who wanted to attend, I think about 10 people including at least one cadet completed it.  Free ground school is interesting even for non-pilots, especially if you are aircrew.

[SarDragon]

A Q for the OP - what difference will it make, going into the Navy, whether you have your PPL or not?

[DakRadz]

A Q for the OP - what difference will it make, going into the Navy, whether you have your PPL or not?

Complete hearsay, but viewed from my perspective, he is saying he wants to get his PPL, through CAP as a cadet, before he turns 18- at that point he joins the Navy and is no longer a cadet (and won't have time for getting a PPL for a long time).

But I could be completely wrong here.

[SarDragon]

A Q for the OP - what difference will it make, going into the Navy, whether you have your PPL or not?

Complete hearsay, but viewed from my perspective, he is saying he wants to get his PPL, through CAP as a cadet, before he turns 18- at that point he joins the Navy and is no longer a cadet (and won't have time for getting a PPL for a long time).

But I could be completely wrong here.

You are. I want his/her answer, not anyone else's.

[simon]

mon876,

My advice to you is to look outside CAP to obtain your PPL.

I wrote a long spiel on why, but decided to retract it. It is difficult to pack one's flying experiences, inside and outside CAP, into a blog entry.

Happy to take an IM.

Cheers