Mike Seager Training

Just wanted to recap my recent experience training with Mike up in Vernonia, Oregon.
What a great experience!!. Except for a flight with a friend last year, this was my first time REALLY flying the 10. (On the way out the door, my wife's comment was "I really hope you like it, because we're kind of committed at this point")...
As for the plane, All I can say is, wow, I can't wait. Flies like a bat outta ****. Super fun, climbs fast, predictable, stable.
We were flying in the Van's factory 10. Mike just swaps out whatever plane he needs for whomever is in town to train.
It's a pretty little grass strip you fly out of. My first. You then go to a bunch of other Portland area airports for pattern work and practice. I needed/wanted 10 hours of training, and even with the wet weather last week, the ceilings remained high enough we were able to stick to our 2 flights a day.
Mike is an awesome instructor. Very knowledgeable and very fun to fly with. I think if you looked up "laid back" in the dictionary, there would be a picture of Mike. I don't think anything get's him flustered. Even me completely blowing a couple of my first landing attempts.
He taught me a completely different way to take of and land than what I had learned. It's much better. Let the plane fly itself off the runway instead of getting to speed and rotating.
Anyway, it was a great experience and I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to do their transition training...
And Vernon is a cute little mountain/logging town with very nice people...

Sounds super fun! Can't wait for my turn...

I'll echo the comment-it was a great experience flying with Mike. Matter of fact, I'm thinking of heading up there again now that I have ~100 hours in my -7 for an advanced/refresher course now that I have my training wheels off and can focus better on really max performing the aircraft.

And I too enjoyed flying into/out of Vernonia. Kinda neat flying a modified base with the landing area barely in sight until turning short final and then "shooting the gap" between where they've taken out the trees for a clearway to runway.

Two thumbs up too, for the B&B Mike recommended in town as well...clean, well equipped, quiet. Nice bike trails lead out towards the airport to walk or jog.

It is a bit of a hike outta PDX though, and not the easiest place to get to.

Scenic, and worth it, though!

Rob Schroer

All the comments +1

Did Mike fly his RC helicopter for a break? Confident in his skills, he had it bouncing inverted over his plane!

It was like a first basketball lesson from Michael Jordan. After a 100 hrs, going back to really learn something sounds like a good idea.

My Experience was almost 3 years ago now, but I still recall it fondly.

Mike did a great job, the B&B was very nice, great little town with some good food, and a fun strip to fly out of!

Mike is living the dream up there, managing the field, flying RV's, playing with his antique cars etc.

Got a ride in this while I was up there:



Watching him start/shift that sucker gave me a better understanding of the phrase "busy as a one-armed paper-hanger"...