My computer doesn't have enough ink in it to write all the bad things about learning to fly at FDK. The flight school wouldn't allow touch and goes (or stop and goes) while solo, so you get about 2/hour. Long taxiing, controllers are at best the B team (near misses), long extensions down wind for incoming jets on 10 mile straight ins... and people waiting at the hold. Schools aren't teaching to slow down in the pattern either... so you're extending 4-5 miles downwind and it continues to grow. Poor or no maintenance... I was the first passenger for my new pilot... took a 172 she used for training, ended up writing 4 squawks on the plane and the maintenance guy told me "I know, the parts were on order...".
I don't recommend Aviation Adventures (anymore) at any of their locations. Mostly kids building hours and not providing any real instruction. Maintenance is a problem. The planes get a lot of use and it is difficult to schedule, only to get bumped from several fights due to maintenance. Getting ready for your PPL check ride doesn't get you any priority. Lots of unnecessary and repeated "stage checks".
I've added 2 pilots to the family in the last 18 months. My advice is to interview the school and check their schedule to see the availability, find an instructor who is older and can provide some value in the cockpit, what are the limitations placed on solo students (full stalls, T&G, alternate airports, etc.), find out who does their maintenance (the shortage of A&Ps is a real problem). All of these things will waste you time an money. Check out the airfield and make sure they aren't planning major construction (that was a big problem at FDK). I might listen to liveatc.net for the field your thinking about and see how things go there.
Good luck... it's rough out there.
MTCW
