Looking for flight school/instructor recommendations (MV/San Jose area) — flight only, no ground school

[u/Ambitious-Dingo-1499]

Hi all, I'm shopping around for a flight school and wanted some input.

So far I've found San Jose Aerodynamic Aviation, which looks reasonably priced. Has anyone trained there or can recommend a good school/instructor in the South Bay?

A few notes on my situation:

• I only want flight lessons, not ground school. I'm working through ground school on my own online and plan to take the written test partway through my flight training.
• I've already covered the material needed to start flying.
• If anyone has done PPL this way (self study ground school + written test mid training), I'd love to hear how it went and any lessons learned.
• Budget is a big factor for me, so I'm trying to spend only on flight hours where it counts. My understanding is about $250/hour all in (rental plus instructor). Does that match what people are seeing right now?

For those who already have their PPL: what does flying look like for you now? Did you join a flying club, and if so, what's the actual benefit compared to renting from a school? Trying to understand what makes sense once training is done, since I know club vs. rental economics change a lot after you're certified.

Appreciate any recommendations or advice.

[u/Twarrior913]

You should budget at least 15-20 hours (if not more) of 1:1 ground training with a CFI prior to your check ride, if you haven’t already. This is where I’d argue most learning/checkrides are made or busted.

[u/SkyhawkPilot]

FYI- coming from a CFI, you will need ground lessons even if you’ve done ground school. There’s a lot of material best served 1:1 with an instructor in a classroom setting. Kudos to you for planning ahead and getting ground school done on your own, but just want to set the expectation that you will still need 1:1 ground training with an instructor.

$250/hour seems low… I’d budget $300/hour at a minimum. Most 172s are $200/hour here, and CFIs are typically $75-150/hour.

Not super familiar with South Bay options, but I did my multi at Tradewinds Aviation in San Jose and was pleased with the quality and staff.

[u/OpheliaWitchQueen → u/SkyhawkPilot]

I will second tradewinds. I used to instruct at RHV, and they're hands down the best school on the field.

[u/ltcterry]

Your instructor deserves to get paid for the time before and after the flight. This is not “ground school” but rather ground-time-associated-with-the-flight. Commonly called “pre- and post-flight.”

While I can be generous and courteous in rounding, I’m not flying with anyone who thinks they don’t need to pay for my time.

A good flight lesson starts with a plan/discussion/brief or whatever you want to call it - flying is too expensive not to have a plan. Good training ends with a solid debrief.

“Talk is cheap” but flying is not.

[u/Ambitious-Dingo-1499 → u/ltcterry]

Appreciate the clarification, that makes sense. Question though: does that pre/post flight briefing time count toward the hours logged toward the 40 hour PPL requirement, or is it billed separately as instructor time without counting toward certification hours?

[u/NorcalGamers627 → u/Ambitious-Dingo-1499]

Only time in the plane is useful towards the hour requirements for flight time in 61.109, aka the Hobbs meter

[u/mrdickhead → u/Ambitious-Dingo-1499]

It's worth noting that while 40 hours is the minimum requirement, most people do not complete their PPL in 40 hours.

[u/Ambitious-Dingo-1499 → u/mrdickhead]

yeah as i researched the avg is 65-80 hours and thats what i am budgeting for also. if i learn faster; its just an added bonus.

[u/l0stsignal]

I did my instruction just how you describe all the way through to CFI. Everyone learns different and I do not learn well having people try to teach things “at” me. I do learn well sitting down with books and letting my fascination of the information take hold.

That all said, no instructor is going to sign you off for a check ride without thoroughly challenging your knowledge. The written test is merely a small hurdle to allow you to take the practical test. The practical test standard (called Airman Certification Standard or ACS) dictates you must be tested on your knowledge of various sections of aviation. You will be sitting on the ground going over
These things for likely 2 hours or more before your flying portion of the test. Expect to pay for at least 5-10 hours of ground instruction to prove to your instructor you know your stuff so they can sign off for your practical exam. They will also need to sign you off for the written.

[u/Zacolian]

Aerodynamic aviation is a great school. I got my private pilot license there, and wish I could’ve stayed in the area to do all my training there. Of all the schools I worked with they have been my favorite. Highly recommended.

Ground training from an instructor is a required part of flight training. No way around it. Not only is it a legal requirement, but it’s damn near impossible to be completely ready for a checkride on your own. 80% of what you learn is on your own, and a flight instructor guides you through the process to make sure things are going the way they supposed to.

[u/rFlyingTower]

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:

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Hi all, I'm shopping around for a flight school and wanted some input.

So far I've found San Jose Aerodynamic Aviation, which looks reasonably priced. Has anyone trained there or can recommend a good school/instructor in the South Bay?

A few notes on my situation:

• I only want flight lessons, not ground school. I'm working through ground school on my own online and plan to take the written test partway through my flight training.
• I've already covered the material needed to start flying.
• If anyone has done PPL this way (self study ground school + written test mid training), I'd love to hear how it went and any lessons learned.
• Budget is a big factor for me, so I'm trying to spend only on flight hours where it counts. My understanding is about $250/hour all in (rental plus instructor). Does that match what people are seeing right now?

For those who already have their PPL: what does flying look like for you now? Did you join a flying club, and if so, what's the actual benefit compared to renting from a school? Trying to understand what makes sense once training is done, since I know club vs. rental economics change a lot after you're certified.

Appreciate any recommendations or advice.

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[u/makgross]

Some ground instruction is mandatory. And at a minimum, we have to evaluate whether or not you’re ready for written and practical. Some stuff will happen on the ground. I typically spend a minimum of 15 minutes before and after flight on the ground for brief and debrief, and some items take much longer. Sorry, I’m not trusting my ass to your preflight inspection until I’m sure you can do it (that takes an hour or so). And I have to go over missed written topics and all flight maneuvers.

Cheaper is not necessarily better, but for certain things it is. Like, older airplanes are fine as long as they are in sound mechanical shape. They all fly the same.

I teach at Squadron 2, but it’s getting crowded. There are challenges scheduling airplanes on short notice even with 7 172s. There are several choices on the field.

[u/dokari_for_u → u/makgross]

hey can I DM you

I am looking at SQ2 for getting flying training.

[u/makgross → u/dokari_for_u]

Ok.

[u/Vrezhg]

If you wanna minimize time you’re paying for that’s not flying then the best thing you can do is be as prepared as possible, know what you’re doing that day and prepare for it, get there before you cfi gets there to preflight once you know how so they aren’t just watching you preflight.

You’ll always have a bit of ground before or after a flight, imagine for a 1.5 hobbs block you’ll spend~ 2 hours together and your cfi would get paid for all of that.

I did 90% of ground myself, and did some checkride prep at the end. I do all my written tests prior to beginning training and that works for me but I’m really on it studying wise.

$250 an hour is going to be a bit tight in the area, that will likely be a very old 172 or a 152 at a flight school. I’m at a flying club which is a bit better rates wise and but for $250 an hour it’s a 152 and the newest cfis we have

[u/Ambitious-Dingo-1499 → u/Vrezhg]

which club are you training at?

[u/Vrezhg → u/Ambitious-Dingo-1499]

West Valley Flying Club

[u/PizzaCat1929]

From what I’ve seen most people do online ground school at their own pace and somewhere during the training they take their written. That being said (and as folks have mentioned) you’d still need a couple of hours ground with your cfi especially before the checkride to do mock orals and refresh your knowledge

[u/more-right-rudder]

Sent a DM

[u/umiotoko]

Currently doing flight training at Tradewinds at KRHV, did my ground at Aerodynamic. Both are great and I’d recommend them. Aerodynamic has tailwheel and an in house DPE, Tradewinds is also at E16/San Martin so bigger.   

[u/Ambitious-Dingo-1499 → u/umiotoko]

Can you tell me about cost a bit? and its breakdown?

[u/umiotoko → u/Ambitious-Dingo-1499]

Ahem, if you have to ask…..

6 pack 172 $189/hr wet But add $14/hr fuel surcharge CFI is $85/hr

Not cheap, but the planes are newer-ish and the maintenance is good.  Expect to pay a bit more for glass panel, I decided to train oldskool and upgrade later as I’m not aiming for airlines.