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Ferguson Aviation Academy

R

Red2

E-2 NFO. WTI. DH.
None
I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with Ferguson Aviation Academy either through taking lessons or just renting planes. I'm an SNFO who's finishing up intermediate and will be going to VAW-120 for the Hawkeye FRS, but we're being told we won't be leaving Pensacola until April. I thought I'd take advantage of the ~ 6 months of free time (A-pool deja vu!!) and get my private pilot's license and possibly an instrument rating.

Also, to any other NFOs who have gotten civil ratings, how much of my primary and intermediate training will transfer over? I doubt much of the flight time will count since I wasn't PIC but will the ground school count for something? I have the 25 hours and Xcountry solo from IFS and I wonder how much time/ money I should expect to spend.
 
R

redmariner97

Navy
I'm doing IFS right now and my instructor has told me I need only 40 hrs for a private license. Here in Hampton Roads I will have to only complete the 15 hours needed after my 25 for IFS. Again the figures are out of Hampton Roads Regional but Aircraft rental $105 an hour, flight instructor $36 an hour, ground school $36 an hour. For your 15 hours that's $2115.00 for just the aircraft and instructor and depending on the ground school hours you should be around 3 grand or less.
 
Brett327

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Red2 said:
I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with Ferguson Aviation Academy either through taking lessons or just renting planes. I'm an SNFO who's finishing up intermediate and will be going to VAW-120 for the Hawkeye FRS, but we're being told we won't be leaving Pensacola until April. I thought I'd take advantage of the ~ 6 months of free time (A-pool deja vu!!) and get my private pilot's license and possibly an instrument rating.

Also, to any other NFOs who have gotten civil ratings, how much of my primary and intermediate training will transfer over? I doubt much of the flight time will count since I wasn't PIC but will the ground school count for something? I have the 25 hours and Xcountry solo from IFS and I wonder how much time/ money I should expect to spend.
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Why don't you look into the Navy flying club. The costs of finishing your ratings will be significantly cheaper there than if you go to a privately owned FBO.

Brett
 
C

Crowbar

New Member
None
I talked to the people at Ferguson a while back. They told me there was one 152 used for instruction, and they hoped to have an Alarus by the end of the year. The 152 went for $79/hour, instructor $25/hour. I got the contact info for Pensacola NFC but never called. Let us know if you find out their dues/fees/rates.
 
C

Crowbar

New Member
None
As far as I can tell, that site hasn't been updated in a while (>1 year from the info on it). I emailed one of the officers who told gave me a name/number for somebody else. I really didn't find anything of any use on their website.
 
T

theduke

Registered User
1. I'm working on my PPL at Ferguson right now (I'm also SNFO). They're great. My instructor there is an active duty Navy Commander (Tomcat RIO by trade). I think the other instructor is a former Navy officer. They also might cut you a small discount (5% maybe?) if you buy block time (pre-paying for hours upfront).

2. from my understanding, none of the military flight time will count, because the FAA doesn't allow it. Rumor is that they will fix that in maybe 6 months or so, but for right now, no. Talk to them about it to get all the details, though. i also don't know about ground school. my IFS ground school counted, of course.

3. how'd you get 25 hours and XC solo in NFO IFS? they only let me get 13 hours and NO solo. i guess they changed that. anyway, PPL in a Part 61 school requires 40 hours minimum. i don't think many people get it done in that time, although with your flight time in primary and other aviation experience, maybe you can. who knows. at any rate, they have a C-152 that rents for $74/hour, and the instruction is $25/hour...you can prob get that small block time discount, but you'll run up a little bit of instructor time on the ground before each flight, and then there's sales tax...so i figure roughly $100 for each flight hour.

4. I don't know that Navy Flying Club will be any cheaper. there's an initiation fee of several hundred bucks, and it's not transferable to any other NFC. then there are dues every month...you have to fly a lot to make it worth your while. find out what those rates are and do the math yourself for your own situation, but for me, it turned out to not be worthwhile. if i could've saved any money at all, it wasn't enough to justify driving all the way over there, since i live right out the back gate of NAS. i just can't fly enough (in terms of finances or time) to make it worth my while. plus, i wanted to take the lessons from my instructor at Ferguson.
 
C

Crowbar

New Member
None
theduke said:
from my understanding, none of the military flight time will count, because the FAA doesn't allow it. Rumor is that they will fix that in maybe 6 months or so, but for right now, no.
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You've mentioned this a couple of times now. Is there a source for this rumor? Anything to give it some credit?
 
C

Crowbar

New Member
None
Pensacola Navy Flying Club

First, they have a new website, which isn't much better than the old one. But at least it has a name/number for the membership chairman.

http://www.pnfc.org

Anyway, after reading this thread I called them to find out. Initiation is $250, good for lifetime even if you leave and come back (also, I checked some of the other NFCs and some will waive any initiation fee with a letter of good standing from another NFC). $50 badge fee, refundable when you turn in your badge and key (security issue I assume). $30/month dues.
Their rates however are pretty nice. Instructors rates vary, the person I talked to said he charged $18/hour.
152 for $48/hour.
172 for $60/hour.
Arrow for $80/hour.
I was told they have a few other planes but those prices show the low and high end of the spectrum, all rental rates wet.
 
Fly Navy

Fly Navy

...Great Job!
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
Crowbar;176363The 152 went for $79/hour said:
For a 152? You've got to be kidding me. I paid the same price for a 172 at Destin about 2 years ago.
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Fly Navy

Fly Navy

...Great Job!
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
skidkid said:
Uhhh have you noticed a difference in gas prices between then and now?
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Naaaah that's just a lie :icon_wink

Still, I think they rent the C-152 here at Meridian for somewhere in the 50-60 range.

The Pcola area just seems expensive for aircraft. I remember seeing Pnesacola Regional's prices... RIPOFF. Flat out highway robbery. They were charging 100+ for Piper Warriors if I remember right. For those not in the know, that's rougly equivalent to a C-172 (and a better built aircraft too.... I'm a Piper fan).
 
zippy

zippy

Freedom!
pilot
Contributor
Fly Navy said:
The Pcola area just seems expensive for aircraft. I remember seeing Pnesacola Regional's prices... RIPOFF. Flat out highway robbery. They were charging 100+ for Piper Warriors if I remember right. For those not in the know, that's rougly equivalent to a C-172 (and a better built aircraft too.... I'm a Piper fan).
Click to expand...

Perhaps its so expensive because all those places know they will get the money with thier IFS contracts...
 
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