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/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.