Flight Lessons through CAP

[KirkF22]

I had my first O ride yesterday and had the time of my life. We did about 10 parabolas. I've always wanted to be a pilot and take lessons, and my parents are finally going to let me. We are wondering if I should take lessons through CAP, preferably the Pilot I flew with yesterday, and he's a flight instructor. Or if I should take them from an actuall school. I understand that through CAP it is cheaper but it will take longer to get license. I'm in no rush, I'm a sophomore right now and would like to be soloing by my senior year. So what do you guys think I should do?

[MajorM]

Depends on your desired speed, but I've found that instruction through CAP tends to be more thorough and involved, though that also depends on your CFI.  Take the savings and use it to not "ram" through a course but learn all you can. 

Also, and this can depend a lot too, but generally the quality of the aircraft are better in CAP. 

Lastly, your squadron certainly can't hurt from having hours on their airplane.  We have six cadets in our flight training program and those six generate an important percentage of our annual usage requirements.

[Eclipse]

If you're going through CAP, your best bet will be one of the flight academies.

[KirkF22]

If I take lessons through CAP. Am I in my BDU for all my lessons or civilian clothes? And for lessons do I sit in lef or right seat?

[Garibaldi]

If I take lessons through CAP. Am I in my BDU for all my lessons or civilian clothes? And for lessons do I sit in lef or right seat?

If you take lessons through CAP flight academies you will be in whatever uniform they specify for that school.

[Eclipse]

If I take lessons through CAP. Am I in my BDU for all my lessons or civilian clothes? And for lessons do I sit in lef or right seat?

If you take lessons through CAP flight academies you will be in whatever uniform they specify for that school.

Yep - some schools have an NHQ-approved custom uniform, which is usually equivalent to PT gear or similar.

[KirkF22]

But what about if I just take them through a CAP senior that is a qualified flight instructor?

[coudano]

If you're going through CAP, your best bet will be one of the flight academies.

Uh cap flight academies are good for that first 10 hours up to solo or just before solo.
Two major problems...

#1  If your flight instructor at flight academy isn't your flight instructor that you're going to have back at home, you may have to re-do a lot of the stuff you did at flight academy anyway, so it's not necessarily 'wasted' effort, but it can certainly be duplicate effort.

#2.  If you want to start flight instruction next week, the next flight academies aren't for about 9 months from now...  IF you DO start your flight training next week, by the time the next flight academy gets here, you will probably be WELL beyond the intended skill level of that powered flight academy.

Oh and here's a free #3 for you...  A good bit of the national cadet special activity fee goes into things like food, and rooms, and some into transportation.  And some into other administrative and operations overhead.  It's still a pretty good value, but the same $1000 directly into the gas tank will take you (a lot) further than 10 hours in your logbook...


That is not all said to poo on PFA, you're going to get a cadet special activity experience out of PFA that you aren't going to get by just flying with your CFI down at the local airport.  But there are worthwhile things to consider surrounding it, particularly depending on your long term goals.

If you have a CAP plane, and a qualified CAP member CFI, who is willing to teach you...
CAP is a GREAT way to learn to fly, and you aren't going to be able to beat the price anywhere else.
If those stars are aligned for you, and you have the money, my advice is to do what I didn't do, when I was your age, and go for it!!!

[Garibaldi]

But what about if I just take them through a CAP senior that is a qualified flight instructor?

CAP only sponsors flight training at flight academies. If you set up a series of lessons with a senior member who just happens to be a CFI, then you will NOT wear a CAP uniform nor will you be in a CAP aircraft. Using a CAP aircraft for flight lessons outside an approved flight academy is a BIG no-no. And I mean big. Bigger than the biggest thing you can think of.

[Thrashed]

If I take lessons through CAP. Am I in my BDU for all my lessons or civilian clothes? And for lessons do I sit in lef or right seat?

No civilian clothes allowed per regs. Any CAP uniform will do. You sit in the left seat for instruction. Right seat for O Flights (which are not "instruction").

[Thrashed]

But what about if I just take them through a CAP senior that is a qualified flight instructor?

CAP only sponsors flight training at flight academies. If you set up a series of lessons with a senior member who just happens to be a CFI, then you will NOT wear a CAP uniform nor will you be in a CAP aircraft. Using a CAP aircraft for flight lessons outside an approved flight academy is a BIG no-no. And I mean big. Bigger than the biggest thing you can think of.

Huh? Maybe in your wing. In my wing any cadet can apply to take lessons in a CAP aircraft with a CAP instructor. I do it (instruct), so I know.

[Garibaldi]

But what about if I just take them through a CAP senior that is a qualified flight instructor?

CAP only sponsors flight training at flight academies. If you set up a series of lessons with a senior member who just happens to be a CFI, then you will NOT wear a CAP uniform nor will you be in a CAP aircraft. Using a CAP aircraft for flight lessons outside an approved flight academy is a BIG no-no. And I mean big. Bigger than the biggest thing you can think of.

Huh? Maybe in your wing. In my wing any cadet can apply to take lessons in a CAP aircraft with a CAP instructor. I do it (instruct), so I know.

The way I've always believed it to be was that CAP does not authorize private pilot lessons outside national flight academy nor can one use a CAP asset to train pilots. I will check the regs but this is the way I've always believed things to be, and I've been in 3 wings. We have a senior who is a trainee pilot and our CC, who is also a CFI-I has also told her she can't pursue private pilot training through CAP.

*later*

OK. Color me wrong as wrong can be. CAPR 60-1 Chapter 2-8 says quite plainly what I've been wrong about. Teach me to open my mouth again...

[Eclipse]

If you're going through CAP, your best bet will be one of the flight academies.

Uh cap flight academies are good for that first 10 hours up to solo or just before solo.
Two major problems...

#1  If your flight instructor at flight academy isn't your flight instructor that you're going to have back at home, you may have to re-do a lot of the stuff you did at flight academy anyway, so it's not necessarily 'wasted' effort, but it can certainly be duplicate effort.

#2.  If you want to start flight instruction next week, the next flight academies aren't for about 9 months from now...  IF you DO start your flight training next week, by the time the next flight academy gets here, you will probably be WELL beyond the intended skill level of that powered flight academy.

Oh and here's a free #3 for you...  A good bit of the national cadet special activity fee goes into things like food, and rooms, and some into transportation.  And some into other administrative and operations overhead.  It's still a pretty good value, but the same $1000 directly into the gas tank will take you (a lot) further than 10 hours in your logbook...


That is not all said to poo on PFA, you're going to get a cadet special activity experience out of PFA that you aren't going to get by just flying with your CFI down at the local airport.  But there are worthwhile things to consider surrounding it, particularly depending on your long term goals.

If you have a CAP plane, and a qualified CAP member CFI, who is willing to teach you...
CAP is a GREAT way to learn to fly, and you aren't going to be able to beat the price anywhere else.
If those stars are aligned for you, and you have the money, my advice is to do what I didn't do, when I was your age, and go for it!!!

You have salient points, but that CAP plane isn't free either - a 172 is going to cost you about $85 an hour wet - so your $1000
just went up in 12 hours of dino smoke, and if you're depending on a CAP CFI, it's probably going to be over an extended / prolonged period of time - the worst way to learn to fly. 

Then there's ground school - where's that coming from?  One year we had a CFI who offered free ground instruction to
the whole unit - that's a great off-night AE thing to make happen, but those are few, if ever, activities.

[MajorM]

Flight academies (aka Solo Academy) are fine if you want to figure out if your private pilot license is something you want to pursue.  But they won't get you even close to your ticket.

The speed of training largely depends on the CFI.  Find yourself a great, retired CFI who is a CAP member and you can knock your private license out in a relatively short time.

Obviously every unit is different.  We happen to have five CFIs who volunteer their time.  In our case it's almost always money that holds up the training, not the CFI.

[coudano]

We have a senior who is a trainee pilot and our CC, who is also a CFI-I has also told her she can't pursue private pilot training through CAP.

Well you are right, for senior members...
Senior members can't take instruction in powered airplanes in CAP if that instruction is toward a primary certificate.

Cadets, on the other hand, are good to go.


(senior members can take primary instruction in CAP gliders, with CAP CFI's, however)


Also, Eclipse, the $ per Hour on a CAP airplane (wet cost) is cheaper than you will get for a similar airplane at just about any FBO.  Infact it's cheaper than quite a few inferior planes at FBO's.  There are other savings also added there that CAP provides that are not matched by private for hire instruction.  CAP's price tag can't be beat.

Of course you have a lot of hastle to go with it too, like sharing.  Like taking second priority to missions.  Like using CAP's scheduling system, getting a flight release, post flight paperwork, and so on;   good practices all around, but certainly a lot more headache than other options.

[Eclipse]

Also, Eclipse, the $ per Hour on a CAP airplane (wet cost) is cheaper than you will get for a similar airplane at just about any FBO.  Infact it's cheaper than quite a few inferior planes at FBO's.  There are other savings also added there that CAP provides that are not matched by private for hire instruction.  CAP's price tag can't be beat.

No argument there - I just wanted to point out our aircraft have a cost as well.  I've had more than one cadet come
up with a Grande Scheme^® to learn to fly in a CAP plane - even lined up a CFI, then was "surprised" to find that gas costs money. 

If you can get the stars to align on a CAP CFI and plane, good on 'ye, but as you say, there will be a hassle factor that can't be discounted.

[Thrashed]

IF you can get a CAP plane on a regular basis; IF you can get a CAP CFI to teach you for free on a regular basis; and IF you don't have major delays in funds, weather, and maintenance: you can learn to fly for about 1/2 the price of a local flight school. Maybe. I'd recommend the local flight school anyway. Find a cheap C150 with a good instructor and go at it. Get a job to help pay for it. I did my private certificate while in high school while washing dishes at night.

My wing requires squadron and "wing approval" for cadets training and you must use an approved flight syllabus from Jepp or Cessna.

See the following:

1. In accordance with policies concerning flight training, I am requesting approval to begin
Powered / Glider Flight training.
(Circle One)
2. The primary flight instructor will be ___________________________________.
(Name and Grade of Instructor)
3. Any change in Primary flight instructor requires immediate notification from the squadron
commander and approval by the wing Stand/Eval officer.
4. The flight instruction program will follow Wing APPROVED course
syllabus. The syllabus that will be utilized is Jeppesen/Cessna.
(Circle One)
5. I understand that stage checks, according to the syllabus's, will be conducted by a check
pilot other than the instructor pilot unless approved by the Wing Stand/Eval officer in writing.
6. All lessons will be documented in accordance with the appropriate course syllabus.
7. Attached find a letter of recommendation

[KirkF22]

I want to learn to fly from a CFI in my squadron. So I'll talk to him tomorrow and ask if he is interested. If he says yes, then we have to rent a CAP plane and pay for the gass. And I'm all set right? But if I do do this with a CFI in my squadron and in a CAP aircraft do I have to wear my BDU?

[JeffDG]

Unless I'm badly mistaken, you must be in some form of acceptable CAP uniform anytime you're in a plane.

Now the BDU, and the boots that go with it, may not be the best choice to develop a good feel for the rudder pedals...

[C/2d Lt]

What point in your training should you be at if you would like to attend a flight academy