First Pilot Proficiency Program

COPA has scheduled the first session of the Cirrus Pilot Proficiency Program.

The Cirrus Pilot Proficiency Program will be held as follows:

Location: Barron Field (KDBN), Dublin, Georgia

Timing: Saturday, April 13, 2002 8:00am to
Sunday, April 14, 2002 3:00pm

The program will consist of 8 hours of ground instruction and 4 - 5 hours of flight instruction.

See the CPPP web page for details:

tml>http://www.cirruspilots.org/members/cppp/index.html.

COPA has scheduled the first session of the Cirrus Pilot Proficiency Program.

This is great. Can I assume that the fee for this course covers the hotel costs, all meals, and fuel for the airplane? The cost is kind of high guys. The Mooney PPP Program was $695. Are we competitive with other organizations or perhaps that is meaningless. It would be nice to provide such a course at a cost that would be reasonable that all members would participate. At the current cost, participation might be prohibitive for some of us to realize the cost/benefit. I know, here comes the flames over that comment about my life and the life of my family etc, etc… and how could I put a cost on safety. I think I’m a pretty safe pilot, but a little instruction from time-to-time and new tips and techniques would be a good thing. This kind of instruction is what I would want to walk away with from such a course to make me a little better in the aircraft.

Happy Holidays.

Chris Nowak

Bob,

I’m not getting my 22 until Sept. 02. I have not gone through Cirrus training either. Would the ground school be worth my while or should I sit this one out?

Chris

The cost of the course covers meals.

The motel costs and fuel for the aircraft will be for the members account. One of the factors taken into account in selecting the airport was the availability of reasonably priced accomodations hopefully less than $50 / night.

Re competitiveness, the Bonanza Pilot Proficiency Program is $995 per participant and they break even at 40 participants per course.

We are aiming to be able to run the course for as few as 8 participants, which is a struggle. The biggest expense are the CFI/instructors, their travel and lodging costs. We will be providing one flight instructor for each 2 students. And we have chosen to pay competitively in order to get quality instructors. The FBO is donating their facilities. COPA members are handling administrative and logistics aspects without charge.

While I would love to get the costs down further, there is really VERY little room left to reduce cost.

The costs of the ground instruction are largely fixed and therefore the cost per student would come down if the number of partiipants were to increase. If we were to get FAR more students than the 8 to 12 per course that we are currently planning for, there would be scope to cut the cost of the ground instruction per participant some (from $350 / student). But the inflight instruction costs ($590 / student) would still be there.

Won’t give you the speech about the cost of recurrent training versus TCAS, for instance. But, I really hope to see you in Dublin.

Bob
Chairman
Cirrus PIlot Proficiency Program