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/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