My mission is to be a mentor to both men and women in the aviation community or who want to learn to fly for the first time. The ultimate goal is for my students to be exceptional pilots based on the principles of strong pilot knowledge, especially in the area of safety, and sound judgment which in turn encourages continuous improvement.
Just as the title says, we offer a one hour introductory flight to acquaint you with the thrill and technical skills to fly an airplane. Get behind the wheel and take off, fly the friendly skies and land comfortably with the instructor right next to you guiding you with ease.
This is a great way to sample the experience of flying and determine if this is something you want to continue learning for personal or professional reasons.
Or you may be interested in buying a gift certificate for your spouse, friend or any loved one for birthday, anniversary, or any special occasion.
For the introductory flight or gift certificates at a competitive rate, please contact Eusebio Valdes at 305-255-5519.
Ready to take off???
The Private Pilot License is your first step for embarking on an adventurous hobby or rewarding career or both! Once you complete the following steps and meet the prerequisites, you’re off to take your first trip as the captain of the plane to the destination of your choice.
Prerequisite: The minimum age requirement is 16 years old to hold a student pilot certificate. The certificate is attained by passing a medical exam given by an FAA-designated physician. The ability to read, understand and speak English is also required.
Time Frame: depends on the student’s ability to absorb material and apply lessons to acceptable standards.
Flight training and costs:
Dual Flight (with instructor): minimum 30 hours but average learning curve is 45 hours
45 hours x $130/hour = $5850
Solo Flight: 10 hours x $90/hour = $900
Ground Training: average 30 hours x $45/hour = $1,350
FAA Flight Test: 1.5 hours = $150
Approximate Total is $8,250
For more information visit Miamifly.com
TO EXPERIENCE THE COMPLETE FLIGHT REPETOIRE:
Airplanes were designed for three-dimensional flight. Unlike an automobile, train or boat, an airplane can truly move in three-dimensional space, yet most pilots never learn to fully maneuver the aircraft in this 3-D environment. Student pilots learn to takeoff, climb, turn, descend and land, but that’s a very small part of the total flight repertoire of which many aircraft – and pilots – are capable.
TO INCREASE CONFIDENCE AND PILOT SKILLS:
Pilots who have flown aerobatics develop an instinctive awareness of attitude and the fastest way back to straight-and-level controlled flight. They are able to quickly identify upsets and properly react to them, resisting the urge to pull back on the yoke when an upset occurs. They become familiar and comfortable with the mechanics of spin recovery. Aerobatic pilots develop an increased feel and sensitivity for the controls of their airplane, leading to improved handling of the aircraft both on and off the ground.
BECAUSE IT’S FUN!
The new aerobatic student quickly learns that AEROBATICS IS FUN! . . . perhaps more fun than working on any previous rating. The pilot who completes a 10 hour aerobatic course does so because he enjoys it. Learning loops, rolls and spins is exhilarating, and a beneficial side effect is the increased skill and confidence the student takes back to his regular flying experience. The pilot who regularly flies solo aerobatics experiences a unique sense of freedom and personal fulfillment as he fully controls the airplane through true 3-dimensional flight, using the entire flight envelope.
Frequently Asked Questions about Aerobatics:
Q: Is there a special Pilot’s License or “rating” needed to fly aerobatics?
A: No. A Private Pilot certificate is all that is required to fly solo aerobatics. With the exception of airshow flying, the FAA does not regulate aerobatic competency; however, it is the pilot’s responsibility to get the dual instruction required to fly safely. There are no special requirements to be an aerobatic student pilot other than good health.
Q: Isn’t it dangerous?
A: No more so than other types of general aviation activities. Aerobatics is not “stunt flying”. Safety is the prime objective in aerobatic instruction. The International Aerobatic Club (IAC), who sanctions aerobatic competitions, has maintained a perfect safety record for more than 25 years.
Q: Will we wear parachutes?
A: Yes, it’s a requirement by the FAA (FAR 91.307). We have both chair-pack style and seat-pack style available to assure the best cockpit fit.
Q: Will I get airsick?
A: Probably not. Most people find that if they’re busy flying the airplane, they won’t get queasy. Whether you’re flying a structured lesson or just a ride, we encourage you to do as much of the flying as possible.
On May 11, 2009, the front page of the Wall Street Journal featured the following article that speaks to safety training and practicing what you learn to beyond proficiency.
By ANDY PASZTOR
The captain of a commuter plane that crashed Feb. 12 near Buffalo, N.Y., had flunked numerous flight tests during his career and was never adequately taught how to respond to the emergency that led to the airplane’s fatal descent, according to people close to the investigation.
All 49 people aboard were killed, as well as one person in a house below, when the plane crashed just a few miles short of the Buffalo airport en route from Newark, N.J. The Bombardier Q400 turboprop in the crash, which will be the subject of a National Transportation Safety Board hearing Tuesday, was operated by commuter carrier Colgan Air Inc., a division of Pinnacle Airlines Corp.
Capt. Marvin Renslow had never been properly trained by the company to respond to a warning system designed to prevent the plane from going into a stall, according to people familiar with the investigation. As the speed slowed to a dangerous level, setting off the stall-prevention
system, he did the opposite of the proper procedure, which led to the crash, these people said.
Additionally, his 24-year-old co-pilot, Rebecca Shaw, had complained before takeoff about being congested and said she probably should have called in sick, according to people who have listened to the cockpit voice recording.
The circumstances surrounding Continental Connection Flight 3407 have prompted investigators and regulators to examine Colgan’s hiring and training practices. At the NTSB hearing, witnesses are expected to provide new allegations about training shortcomings, as well as the prevalence of chronic pilot fatigue and lapses in cockpit discipline. The NTSB also is expected to be critical of the Federal Aviation Administration’s oversight of the airline. The FAA, which has said it is investigating the airline over pilot scheduling, declined to comment on issues likely to be raised in the hearing.
Pinnacle has said its pilot training programs “meet or exceed regulatory requirements for all major airlines” and crews “are prepared to handle emergency situations they might face.” On Sunday, spokesman Joe Williams confirmed in an email that Capt. Renslow had five “unsatisfactory” training check rides in his career — including two at Colgan — but passed a subsequent series of training tests and was “fully qualified in the Q400” aircraft.
Testimony Tuesday
In recent weeks, Colgan’s top two training officials resigned; Mr. Williams has said their decisions were voluntary and not connected to the accident. Darrell Mitchell, Colgan’s departing director of training, is slated to testify at Tuesday’s hearing.
Colgan, based in Manassas, Va., operates nearly 50 planes, carries 2.5 million passengers annually and employs about 480 pilots. It serves as a commuter airline that feeds larger carriers, such as Continental Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways.
Colgan serves 28 routes for Continental Airlines Inc., which said it retains “full confidence in Colgan and its ability to conduct its operations safely.”
US Airways Group Inc. and UAL Corp.’s United Airlines said there haven’t been any changes to their Colgan contracts.
Capt. Renslow, 47, joined Colgan in September 2005 after graduating from a pilot-training academy, employment records show. He had a history of flunking check rides — periodic tests of competency that are also required anytime a pilot begins flying a new type of aircraft. Before joining Colgan, he failed three proficiency checks on general aviation aircraft administered by the FAA, according to investigators and the airline. Colgan’s spokesman said the company now believes Capt. Renslow failed to fully disclose that poor performance when applying for a job.
Once at Colgan, he failed in his initial attempt to qualify as a co-pilot on the Beech 1900 aircraft, and also had to redo his check ride to upgrade to captain on the Saab 340 turboprop, according to investigators. Repeated check-ride failures raise red flags, and large carriers rarely keep pilots who require such extensive remedial training, according to numerous industry officials. Colgan’s Mr. Williams said Capt. Renslow’s last unsatisfactory check ride occurred 16 months before the accident, and he subCapt. Renslow had about 109 hours of experience flying the Q400 as a captain, an unusually limited amount of time by industry standards. He had started flying the craft only two months earlier. According to investigators, the co-pilot, Ms. Shaw, had a clean training record.
The pilots’ families couldn’t be reached for comment.
People familiar with the investigation of the accident — the deadliest U.S. commercial crash in more than seven years — gave the following account of the plane’s last flight:
Both pilots were returning to work after a day off. Capt. Renslow was coming off weeks of late-evening and early-morning flying schedules, often sandwiched around only a few hours of rest. Ms. Shaw had spent the day before the accident skiing. She then took a red-eye flight from Seattle to report for work in Newark.
It was a frigid night. Other planes in the region had reported light to moderate icing, and the pilots observed ice buildup around their own windshield. Bombardier’s twin-engine Q400 has a reputation as a workhorse used extensively in winter and isn’t known to be susceptible to ice accumulation.
Approaching Buffalo
As the plane made its approach toward Buffalo with the autopilot engaged, the crew exchanged idle banter, according to people who have read transcripts of the conversation recovered from the cockpit voice recorder. Federal rules and airline policy prohibit pilots from having extraneous conversations while flying below 10,000 feet.
Flowers lay under a sign outside the Clarence Center United Methodist Church in memory of the victims of Continental Flight 3407.
The crew initially didn’t notice the plane’s speed had dropped dangerously low, sliding under 115 miles an hour, and risked going into a stall. The slowing speed set off an emergency system called a “stick-pusher,” which pushes the control column down in order to send the aircraft into a temporary dive so it can regain speed and recover from a stall.
However, Capt. Renslow tried to force the plane to do the opposite. He yanked back on the controls while adding thrust. His effort was strong enough to manually override the stick-pusher. Within seconds, the plane lost lift, bucked violently and started to roll. It slammed into a house five miles from the runway.
Colgan’s standard training program stops short of demonstrating the operation of the stick-pusher in flight simulators. Without such hands-on experience, safety investigators argue, pilots could be surprised and not react properly when the stick-pusher activates during an emergency. The FAA is required to sign off on all airline training manuals.
On Sunday, Colgan said its FAA-approved program includes “comprehensive” classroom training on the stick-pusher but emphasized a demonstration in a simulator “is not required by the FAA and was not part of the training syllabus” Colgan received when it obtained its Q400s.
Mistaken Assumption
Investigators surmise the pilots didn’t fully understand the operation of one ice-protection system, and therefore incorrectly programmed approach speeds into a flight computer. Startled by an initial stall warning at low altitude, Capt. Renslow reacted with the mistaken assumption that ice accumulation on the tail caused speed to suddenly drop well below normal, investigators believe. The NTSB has said the plane wasn’t significantly affected by icing.
Since the accident, industry and government safety experts have uncovered what they claim are other shortcomings at Colgan. The airline began flying Q400s in February 2008, but Colgan pilots say it wasn’t until nine months later that they received a detailed bulletin on how to use some of its ice safety features. However, the bulletin was delivered three months before the accident. Colgan said that since it started flying the aircraft, pilots “were trained on the use of all components of the ice protection system on the Q400.”
More recently, Colgan removed several of its senior management pilots, known as check airmen, who are responsible for evaluating the performance of crews in the air as well as in simulators. The airline said that “from time-to-time,” it relieves check airmen of their duties if they fail “to perform to the company’s high standards.”sequently passed six consecutive competency tests and completed three regular training sessions.
The experience of flying thousands of feet in the air under your control is exhilarating–The freedom, the thrill, the communion with the endless skies. However, would you know how to handle landing an airplane if for example, you lost both engines?
Comfortably confronting the unusual or unexpected is my specialty. A perfect example of this is the USAirways flight that landed safely in the Hudson River after the loss of both engines from a bird strike.
Pilot Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger was the hero that landed the USAirways plane with minimal damage to aircraft, crew and passengers. He is praised by his colleagues, industry officials and more importantly the passengers. For the full story, click here for the CNN report.
Below are two videos to demonstrate this masterful landing.
The first is re-creation with animation to depict the bird strike and landing with audio. You’ll notice the calm and decisive tone in the pilot’s voice. He was thinking ahead, he was ready.
The second video below is another simulation. The Audio is the author who offers details and explanation on the pilot’s course of action.
Due to the pilot’s quick assessment of his altitude, speed and surroundings, he was able to safely land the plane and all 155 passengers and crew survived!
Ask anyone with a pilot license and they’ll give you a host of reasons.
It may be a family who enjoys weekend trips and to save time, would rather hop on a plane and fly from New Jersey to Cape Cod in less than an hour instead of sitting in highway traffic.
Or it may be the busy professional who understands the importance for meeting a client at the drop of a hat.
Or flying may be a long-time goal to accomplish a new skill that requires a multitude of skills.
Perhaps you were not athletically inclined. It is often said that learning to fly is easier than learning to drive. That goal evolves into a hobby or career — whatever you choose.
The best part about flying–Leave anytime and get to your destination at the predicted time!
Basically it boils down to two reasons:
- Convenience
- Achievement
CONVENIENCE
Driving time can be cut in half. Where do you live? What cities within a 100, 200 mile radius would you like to visit that doesn’t have a major airport? With a private pilot’s license you can fly into smaller airports and it will cost you less! If you’re a business owner, did you know that flying time and expenses are tax-deductible?
A Sense of ACHIEVEMENT
Everyone has or anyone can obtain a driver’s license. Take a class, practice with your parent and instructor for a few hours, take a quick written test and a five- minute driving test and you are instantly granted a driver’s license.
Earning your pilot’s wings is different. You become part of an exclusive group and with reason. You’ve successfully endured intense training and passed all the rigorous testing. You emerge one of a few who have the right, the privilege to command a flying machine. You are no longer forced to confront the wrath of mother nature and can adjust your routes and navigation around the expected. Not so with an automobile.
A pilot’s certification on your resume speaks volumes. It shows you achieved a high level of responsibility, situational awareness and quick thinking skills. Making quick decisions in extreme situations is second nature to you. You have the complete confidence because you have achieved your pilot’s license.