I am a student pilot with about 15 hours. I purchased a sr20 position due for delivery in April/May. To my surprise the flight school I was attending announced its going out of business on 10/11/02. I would like to find a flight school or instructor in southern California with access to a sr20 so I can continue my schooling and build up some time in type before I get my plane.
Does anyone know of anything. THANKS
Blake,
Sorry to hear about your problem. I am base in NE Florida, and a long way from you, but if you really get stuck, please let me know.
Matt (CFII, IGI, ASC.)
Blake: I don’t know of any in Southern California. I went to Seattle to Wings Aloft.
One thing you can do in California is the Garmin course at Avionics West in Santa Maria. Check out www.avionicswest.com for details. They spend a day and a half on a weekend, the first day on VFR operation and Sunday morning on IFR operation. They have approximately 6 GNS 430’s and 2 GNS 530’s on tables and a presentation with overhead slides and a workbook. If you know the Garmin forwards and backwards, that will make the actual flying much simpler. If you can fly up, great. If you can’t the drive is not too bad. There is a hotel right on the field with access to the ramp right from the hotel. Avionics West is in a new building on the field on the other side of the runway from the hotel.
You might check with Van Nuys Flight center, at Van Nuys airport (818 994-7300).
They had talked about getting a Cirrus on their line, but I’m not sure it it happened.
I haven’t heard of any others in the valley or Oxnard area.
Contact Walt Conley the California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon sales representative for Cirrus at phone: (831) 206 9385. He should know who is using Cirrus aircraft for training.
There is an owner/instructor located at Whiteman Airport in the Valley (Pacoima) with an SR-20. Call Jim Campbell at 818-366-7877 or e-mail avi8tor@jps.net. Hope this helps.
Hi Blake and Stephen
I do offer Cirrus flight instruction (CFII) as well as advanced Garmin GPS ground and simulator instruction in LA. I do own an SR20 but unfortunatly I do not offer it for rent. When you get close to picking up your bird give me a call. I will be able to help take the mystery out of the Garmin GPS for you.
Jim Campbell
SR20 7788T
818-366-7877
Thanks for clarifying that, Jim. I (mistakenly) thought you were giving instruction in your Cirrus. A big issue is still the requirement for “factory” training to insure a new pilot. I know COPA is working on this, but I am not sure the insurance companies are in tune.
One of our Members, Kevin Baines is a CFII with the Cirrus factory training certificate. He has over 5000 hours and probably over 100 SR22 hours. He was on the faculty of the CPPP in Van Nuys. He is in La Canada Flintridge. For details see the membership directory.
If you can find an aircraft, he would certainly be an appropriate person to train with.
just to have another piece of info,
i am currently training for my private in my sr20. only requirement was that my CFII have 25 hrs in type and that i get 15 hrs dual before solo. jt helms at nationair in st louis was a great help with the insurance,