recreational flying

[invertedflyer]

I've had my PPL for a few years now and am currently flying T-34As at a local aeroclub. I'm shipping to TBS hopefully in August 07, but more realistically with Fox Company. I'm from southern cal., so I don't know the area very well with regard to airports/aero clubs etc. I know the club at Quantico has some cessnas and a Cherokee... but I was hoping to find a school with something comparable to the -34As, or even one that offered acro instruction of some kind.

Does anyone know any FBOs that offer this kind of training?

On a related note, have any of you flown at the club at Quantico? Any good? ...And what kind of weather can I expect there during the winter months, and how will it affect flight operations?

Any answers would be great, thanks.

 

[ArkhamAsylum]

Many FBO's in the area; I'm sure you can find something. Stafford Rgnl might be a good place to start. I'd try to stay south of Quantico if you want to practice aerobatics, otherwise, you'll burn 30 mins of each flight clearing the ADIZ.
When I did IFS at Quantico in November, I probably had 3-4 good VMC flying days each week (including weekends).

 

[Gatordev]

that offered acro instruction of some kind.

Word police, on patrol... It's "aero."

 

[invertedflyer]

I noticed that there was a sizeable airport near Fredericksburg while I was there... I'm sure I can find something but was hoping for some specific programs I could get into... or at least a place that had some Sierras or Bonanzas that I could rent.

 

[RyanVR]

You'll probably be too busy getting drunk or writing orders on the weekends of the first 3-4 months to go fly much.

 

[SemperGumbi]

Dude, I don't know about where to fly (BTW- Do the alphas you fly have that expensive wing spar fix or what?) but you can certainly make time for it unless you are a rock. Instead of getting tanked in DC you could easily take a day for flying.

 

[phrogpilot73]

I'm a member of the Ft Meade Flying Activity (it's about an hours drive from Quantico at Tipton Airport), they fly T-41s (a Cessna 172 with 200 hp!). If you're looking to stick with T-34A's, I know that the Naval Academy Flying Club (out of Lee Airport) flies them. I'm not sure if you have to be a midshipman, or if they allow active duty members...

 

[invertedflyer]

Dude, I don't know about where to fly (BTW- Do the alphas you fly have that expensive wing spar fix or what?) but you can certainly make time for it unless you are a rock. Instead of getting tanked in DC you could easily take a day for flying.

to answer your quesion yes, we have the wing spar fix. We just got a 4th T-34 from another club... we have to send it in so that it'll be in compliance with the AD... Anyway, yeah man I'm sure they'll be time to do both, getting tanked and flying that is.

Phrog, that is excellent news... I'll definitely look it up. I'll convince them to let me fly somehow... the air force club that I'm in now gave me quite a hard time when I wanted to join at first... I ended up convincing them though. General rule is that if you're a military member you can be part of a military flying club... the academy's club might have some special rules, however... or might be a private club vice military. I'll check it out. Thanks again.

 

[zippy]

On a related note, have any of you flown at the club at Quantico? Any good?

I have. It was after I did IFS at an AF flying club... quite different (Many steps down from the AF facility- although it was AF and I think they are moving/rehabing the flyin club at MCAF right now... last time I checked they were flying out of Shannon). They seemed to have some good full time instructors there- however, I was not all that impressed with the part time ones they assigned to me (The first one wouldn't even return my phone calls and the next seemed more interested in going to pipeline flying jobs instead of following through with his committments to instruct me.) because most of their full time ones were busy with IFS classes.

The club was/is more anal about things (SOP wise) then the the AF club as well... However, from a price and convenience standpoint (I lived close to the base) it was a more benifical to go with them then one of the civilian places.

 

[invertedflyer]

I checked out Manassas, it appears they've go some pretty good aircraft, but expensive instructors. Anyone every fly there?

 

[jamnww]

I checked out Manassas, it appears they've go some pretty good aircraft, but expensive instructors. Anyone every fly there?

Yes, did IFS there, not bad...route there kind of sucks to drive but overall not too bad...working alot in the ADIZ as well...

 

[xmid]

Unless things have changed alot the last few years, you should be able to fly at the academy's flying club. I used to fly with them when my family lived on the yard. Overall it was a pretty good club and you couldn't beat their prices. It used to be $27 dollars an hour for the 152's when you bought a 10 hour block and $65 dollars an hour for their T-34's, and those numbers where wet. Of course Im sure prices have gone up, but they're probably still very good. The rules used to be that anyone that was a member of the military or a civilian working on a military base could join. Coincidentally Phrog, the Ft. Meade flying club and the Academy flying club used to be all one club at Lee. How are things at Tipton? I hear they have awesome facilities.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Unless things have changed alot the last few years, you should be able to fly at the academy's flying club. I used to fly with them when my family lived on the yard. Overall it was a pretty good club and you couldn't beat their prices. It used to be $27 dollars an hour for the 152's when you bought a 10 hour block and $65 dollars an hour for their T-34's, and those numbers where wet. Of course Im sure prices have gone up, but they're probably still very good. The rules used to be that anyone that was a member of the military or a civilian working on a military base could join. Coincidentally Phrog, the Ft. Meade flying club and the Academy flying club used to be all one club at Lee. How are things at Tipton? I hear they have awesome facilities.

I had never looked into the Academy's club because Tipton is honestly about a 10 minute drive from the wife's house. As for the FMFA, I knew they used to be one club, but it's nice now that they're not. Tipton does have some nice facilities, but the FMFA is housed in a single wide trailer. Not bad, but not great. I've never been to Lee so I can't really compare.

 

[invertedflyer]

I checked out the flying club's website, it didn't seem that they had T-34s listed under their aircraft section. That and the field is 45 minutes plus from Quantico. If they do have T-34s it'd be worth the drive though.

 

[SemperGumbi]

route there kind of sucks to drive but overall not too bad...

Unless you have a sports car, then it will probably be a lot more exciting than your flying there.

:icon_smil