Initial Research

I began to research information about flight lessons late summer 2008. At that point I joined AOPA and EAA and started getting magazines from these organizations. I also did a lot of reading on the intranet site of both of these organizations. I began looking at the available flight schools in my area and began discussing the pros and cons of the sport pilot rating, the recreational pilot rating and the private pilot rating. I also got a copy of Microsoft Flight Simulator FSX, and good yoke and rudder pedal system and the book “Microsoft Flight Simulator X for Pilots – Real World Training” by Jeff Van West and Kevin Lane-Cummings. This book will take you through many real world training simulations. I’ve found MS FSX to be a very good training aid for learning basic flight maneuvers, traffic pattern practice, navigation techniques, and have even planned and executed flights that I hope to someday take in a real plane. By the time I picked a couple options for schools that I wanted to visit I had accumulated many hours in the flight simulator. I also purchased a flight training starter package from Sporty’s that contained the Recreational Pilot video training program, a pilots logbook, several books including the FAA FAR/AIM 2009 manual, Airplane Flying Handbook, and a couple of FAA advisory circulars pertaining to Aviation weather all packed in a very nice leather flight bag. I feel that by the time I was ready to speak to prospective instructors and take some introductory flight lessons, I was a very knowledgeable consumer.