I’m a low time pilot and decided to get my I-tix before going out and buying a beloved SRXX. Anyone out there that can critique Doug Carmody as an instructor for low time pilots?
I got my IFR rating in Doug’s M20C on the 8th day following a week at 73J (known locally as “Frogmore”). Doug was a B737 & Fokker captain and check pilot with USAir. I believe he may have retired (early) by now. He has a wealth of knowledge and an easy-going style. Originally, he was going to accompany me on my winter 2002 delivery, but pilot duty beckoned that weekend. By now he’s probably got a few SR2X hours under his belt.
Doug’s pool house was just being completed while I was there, and it will be convenient to the airport; however, if you can get some wheels (even a bike) the town of Beaufort is beautiful–I’d highly recommend the Beaufort Inn B&B.
If you’d like another opinion, check with Whit Lord, who’s used him within the last year, and seemed to be well pleased. Doug is good company with a dry sense of humor and a bad sense of direction…tell him I said so! BTW, it’ll take him a week till he figures out how to pronounce your name…
–Michael
Michael is correct, Doug has worked extensively with me. I have had the pleasure of working with both Luke Lysen and Doug Carmody and would highly recommend either. I am surprised more Cirrus owners on the East Coast haven’t taken advantage of Doug’s training services. He is very comfortable with Cirrus planes and is very thorough. He has an interesting training module for the Garmin 430 that allows learning with ease. Doug is very bright and organized and has written his own training manuals.
I assure you that you will be extremely pleased with Doug and I could not recommend him higher. There is great comfort knowing that you are being trained by someone who has spend many hours in the left seat with a major commercial airline.
Doug is the only airline captain that I know who decided to leave the airlines to pursue his first love of teaching general aviation. He can provide lodging in an outstanding compound that he owns next to his house on the waterways of Beaufort. The views are outstanding.
Whit Lord
The best part of this Forum is that you can ask one question and get lot’s of different answers !
I was a low time pilot who signed up for Doug’s " one - on - one " instrument course. I left the course with my IFR rating on time - but without the focus and attention Doug had committed to. I think there are better instructors out there who are well positioned for the low-time pilot’s IFR training.
I would suggest Jon Fiscus, from The Flight Academy over Doug Carmody any day of the week. I think for Doug it is more about the revenue than about the teaching. The pool house accommodations are an example of his "additional revenue per student approach "and frequent double bookings of students ex. " you stay here and fly this simulator while I go fly with this guy who stopped in today ".
Knowing what I know now, I would have Jon Fiscus fly with me for two weeks and seek out IFR conditions either in one location or through several days of travel, and experience actual practical IFR procedures and IMC conditions.
Doug is very enjoyable to have cocktail with, and his knowledge is extensive, but it’s tough to watch a new student make the same mistakes all the time and find it interesting. Jon Fiscus is patient, and thorough – and a pleasure to have in the cockpit.
Good luck - pick a date and get scheduled – and get that ticket eh ?
Here is a photo enroute over Wisconson a couple of months ago - isn’t this Avidyne display wonderful to fly with in IMC ???
Thank you all for the help! Indeed, what I love about this forum is the quality of critque and quickness of replies. It seems Doug has his many fans and will benefit from the feedback. Timing (an open slot in Aug) and the fact that I can fly his SR20 for the course, coupled with all your responses adds up that I’ll try and work with Doug in a few weeks.
thanks