"Best" Powered Flight Academy?

Started by gallaher432, November 25, 2011, 02:22:01 AM

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gallaher432

Most likely going to a PFA this summer, and I was wondering which one tends to be the best? I know there's a good chance you'll solo at all of them... I'm looking for percentage of cadets that do solo, the best facilities, best instructors, most fun. Stuff like that. Thanks!
Josh Gallaher, C/SMSgt, CAP
AFLT/CCS
SER-FL-432

Eclipse

I think it is fairly rare for a cadet, without having flown before, to solo after only a week.

Johnson in ILWG is still one of the best deals financially.

"That Others May Zoom"

Cool Mace

I have heard that OKWG has a great one. I know a handful of cadets that have gone (some last summer), and they all loved it.

I want to say around 8-10 cadets got to solo last year.
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SAR-EMT1

Quote from: Eclipse on November 25, 2011, 02:26:39 AM
I think it is fairly rare for a cadet, without having flown before, to solo after only a week.

Johnson in ILWG is still one of the best deals financially.

I don't believe JFA allows first time cadets to solo. Presolo is as high as they get. However, the price is fantastic.
C. A. Edgar
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Capt_Redfox30

I worked at JFA for three years and we had a couple cadets solo in a powered aircraft.  They only did this by having all their check-boxes marked for their solo and attended JFA like two or three previous times.  Nobody there in Power, Glider, Balloon is allowed to Solo the first year, it just doesn't happen after 1 week.  The only solos are for people who went over multiple years, no first time rookies. 
Kirk Thirtyacre, Lt Col, CAP
(Acting) Group Commander
Group 3 HQ

a2capt

The real answer to which is the best one is .. the one you get selected to attend. :)

TKButton

Nothing quite like being able to say your first solo was at Oshkosh, so I would pick that one!
C/Lt. Col
MER-SC-804

Top Dawg

I went to the one in Oklahoma this last Summer. It was pretty great, I learned a lot, and got my solo with no previous flight hours. You'll have to work hard if you want to solo though.
C/Capt Hillman
Cadet Commander,  GA-153

sparks

The Minnesota Wing has an excellent flight academy. They operate the combination  powered and glider academy out of Mankato MN which is about 50 miles South of Minneapolis. Many of the powered cadets solo in a week due to the cadet instructor ratio they have. Solo isn't a certainty but they try very hard to give every cadet the opportunity to get there. Glider cadets are a different story. NHQ has a policy of requiring glider cadets attend two flight academies before solo. Sometimes NHQ waives that requirement on an individual basis upon request from the academy commandant and/or wing commander.

Which academy is best is a tossup. Your decision will probably be based on cost, location and whether or not your application is accepted. Cadets who have attended a flight academy probably are your best source of information. Their impression will be far different than the support staff. Keep in mind there are two different types of flight academies out there. One is the National Flight Academy (NFA) and the other is Wing Flight Academies.  If I recall correctly, NFA includes non-flying Aerospace activities whereas the Wing academies don't.

If someone has better, more accurate information, please chime in.

Silent Panther

Quote from: gallaher432 on November 25, 2011, 02:22:01 AM
Most likely going to a PFA this summer, and I was wondering which one tends to be the best? I know there's a good chance you'll solo at all of them... I'm looking for percentage of cadets that do solo, the best facilities, best instructors, most fun. Stuff like that. Thanks!


I know it's kinda late, being as NCSA applications are already closed, but I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in. I attended the North Central Region Power Track Flight Academy at Camp Ashland, Nebraska last summer. It's 2 weeks long and the instructors are really cool. As for the solo rate, NCRPFA has had 100% solo rate every year since Col. Plum became the activity director. I earned my solo wings within a week & a half, and that was with several tornadoes & other inclement weather. It was a blast. Here is a link to the activity FB page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Flight-Academy-Power-Track-North-Central-Region/366110804296

Hope this helps.
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"OX", "Angel", "GrillBoy", & "Wheels"
There's a story and at least one NCSA behind every one.

Shawn W.

Quote from: sparks on December 22, 2011, 06:44:20 PM
The Minnesota Wing has an excellent flight academy. They operate the combination  powered and glider academy out of Mankato MN which is about 50 miles South of Minneapolis. Many of the powered cadets solo in a week due to the cadet instructor ratio they have. Solo isn't a certainty but they try very hard to give every cadet the opportunity to get there. Glider cadets are a different story. NHQ has a policy of requiring glider cadets attend two flight academies before solo. Sometimes NHQ waives that requirement on an individual basis upon request from the academy commandant and/or wing commander.

Which academy is best is a tossup. Your decision will probably be based on cost, location and whether or not your application is accepted. Cadets who have attended a flight academy probably are your best source of information. Their impression will be far different than the support staff. Keep in mind there are two different types of flight academies out there. One is the National Flight Academy (NFA) and the other is Wing Flight Academies.  If I recall correctly, NFA includes non-flying Aerospace activities whereas the Wing academies don't.

If someone has better, more accurate information, please chime in.


I second that..  :D   I know a few of the CFIs' that instruct there.. They are extremely nice and they are very very good at what they do.. :D

Thanks,

S.W.

Extremepredjudice

Sir, can you please check the date on the post next time? It seems you made a necro post.
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SarDragon

Quote from: Extremepredjudice on May 28, 2012, 02:26:39 AM
Sir, can you please check the date on the post next time? It seems you made a necro post.

Nah, the whole thread's only six months old. Hardly necro at all. And the post was still reasonably relevant.
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#13
Quote from: sparks on December 22, 2011, 06:44:20 PM
The Minnesota Wing has an excellent flight academy. They operate the combination  powered and glider academy out of Mankato MN which is about 50 miles South of Minneapolis. Many of the powered cadets solo in a week due to the cadet instructor ratio they have. Solo isn't a certainty but they try very hard to give every cadet the opportunity to get there. Glider cadets are a different story. NHQ has a policy of requiring glider cadets attend two flight academies before solo. Sometimes NHQ waives that requirement on an individual basis upon request from the academy commandant and/or wing commander...

...If someone has better, more accurate information, please chime in.
I disagree in part with the comments on the "Minnesota Wing" FA (aka the NCR Flight Academy). 

The 2012 NCR Flight Academy is over priced for CAP, particularly given what they offer.  Tuition alone is $1200 and that is not the full cost of the academy.  Why can't/won't they announce the total actual cost?!  Nothing like parents getting another surprise.  Students can expect the total bill to run greater than $1500.  NCR needs to look at what National Flight Academies charge - $1000.  A couple National FAs take place at nearly the same time, including one in NCR; Nebraska!

There are way too many politics currently involved in the MN Wing and they need to re-evaluate their approach (not only to FA but many things).  These politics led to the cancellation of FA two years ago and nearly again last year.   Only a last ditch effort to get FA moving last year saved it.  BTW, that last ditch effort last year was the first out of the box thinking the Wing had seen in a while and resulted in a FA tuition of only $800 which, at the conclusion of the FA, I believe another $100 was returned to all students due to operating costs being lower than expected!   When was the last time you heard that?!  Organizers of the 2011 FA were moved aside despite it's successes and the old guard has taken the reigns again.

Also, I disagree with the approach that soloing should be the objective coming out of FA.   Such an approach compromises safety.  There have been too many incidents over the years as students attempt to rush to solo.  Ex., 3 years ago a student at MN Wing FA went off the end of the runway and into a cornfield.  Rather, the emphasis should be on building fundamental skills based on sound judgement.  If a cadet earns the opportunity to solo while there, so be it but, in 10 days, I expect that to be the exception as opposed to the norm.  The carrot for carrying on flight activities within CAP is the solo.

My $.02 as a pilot and CDC, I can't recommend it to my cadets in good conscience.  If I were a cadet looking for a FA, before incurring the cost of NCR's FA, I would look to National or even skip it and work locally with a CAP instructor. 
"For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

EMT-83

Quote from: Extremepredjudice on May 28, 2012, 02:26:39 AM
Sir, can you please check the date on the post next time? It seems you made a necro post.

Congratulations on being appointed moderator of the forums.

FW

NJWG has held a great PFA over the years.  Professionally conducted and, very productive for the students. 

Extremepredjudice

Quote from: EMT-83 on May 29, 2012, 02:09:15 PM
Quote from: Extremepredjudice on May 28, 2012, 02:26:39 AM
Sir, can you please check the date on the post next time? It seems you made a necro post.

Congratulations on being appointed moderator of the forums.
Thanks
I love the moderators here. <3

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