Looking for Avid/KF instructor in SoCal

[JayKoit 1]

Hi Everyone,

 

Well, I just put a down payment on a MK IV, and will be completing my training in it -- at least that is my hope. I got a couple insurance quotes from companies that WILL cover me as 1.5 hr pilot, however there are come caveats: I need 20 hours dual instead of the FAA minumum 15 for the SP ticket (fine, I may need that much anyway), but my instructor needs 250 TT in taildraggers, and 25 hrs TT in exact make and model in order to be covered.

 

Now I heard this can be negotiated to a degree, but if they won't budge on these times, I can't just find a 3000 hr tailwheel instructor out here and go flying. I'll need to find a CFI with 250 tt in taildraggers and 25 hrs of time logged in an Avid/Kitfox. (I'm sure Kitfox time could be negotiated to count since they're so similar to Avids)

 

Anyone know of a CFI in Southern California that meets these requirements? Anyone have any ideas? Thanks!

[C5Engineer 1170]

What most who find themselves in that situation do is either either do your ticket in something else and do a transistion or find an instructor who is willing and hand him the keys and say have fun while you incur all the costs without logging time. Personally I would check out Amelia Reid Aviation in San Jose. Flying one of their champs is still somewhat reasonable.

[JayKoit 1]

Man that's a real bummer. All my money is tied up in the plane, I saved just enough to cover my fuel, instructor and test fees. If I have to rent or pay someone to fly my plane I'll be grounded for at least 6-12 months while I save up.

If anyone within a days drive of Los Angeles is a CFI with 25 hrs time in Avid/KF let me know!

[Av8r3400 1178]

Your instructor may not charge you time to fly by himself in your plane for the 25 hours.  This experience may be enough value to him in his log book.  Just a thought.  

 

Free airplane time for him...

[C5Engineer 1170]

That's what I was implying Larry. Your still gonna be paying for all the operating costs though either way. I wasn't trying to discourage but to my knowledge there is only one CFI in the country thst meets insurance minimums to instruct in a Kitfox and he is in Boise at Stick and Rudder Aviation.

Also contact John Miller at Avidskypics at Yahoo. He is in Corona and knows a lot of experimental drivers in the area.

[lostman 198]

By the time I get this Avid back to St. Louis I'm going to have the 25 hours to meet your insurance requirements, of course I'm more than half way across the country. I do come out to Utah quite often though. If you are wanting to do your pilots license fairly quickly and really have the time to hit it hard I could probably be persuaded to even come out your way. I have over 1500 hours of dual instruction given, including some in ultralight.

 

Either way, good luck on your license, it's a great experience. My only suggestion is to treat hiring a CFI like a job interview. Make sure you think you'd be happy with the way they teach and you can get along well. You will end up spending quite a bit of time together and after all he/she will basically be your employee.

[JayKoit 1]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the feedback.

 

I've sent an email  to John Miller and am also pricing out what will be cheaper: buying 115 gallons of avgas, oil, and overhaul reserves while my CFI flies off the time, or hitting up Kenneth (seriously) about coming out to sunny SoCal for a week to knock this ticket out.  

 

By the way Kenneth, what is your hourly rate for instruction? We can discuss further over PM if you'd prefer. Thanks again everybody.

[Av8r3400 1178]

... to my knowledge there is only one CFI in the country thst meets insurance minimums to instruct in a Kitfox and he is in Boise at Stick and Rudder Aviation.

My buddy JimS from over at Team Kitfox is a CF-II, has over 1000 hours in his own Kitfox IV and at least a couple thousand hours TT. There are plenty of instructors out there, they just need to be found...

Kinda like used 912's.

[JayKoit 1]

My buddy JimS from over at Team Kitfox is a CF-II, has over 1000 hours in his own Kitfox IV and at least a couple thousand hours TT. There are plenty of instructors out there, they just need to be found...

Kinda like used 912's.

Haha yep I'm finding that out slowly as the day progresses. I have found a couple around the US that may be willing to come to SoCal to instruct,  I also talked again with my insurance agent and it looks like if I submit a pilot report of the CFI I want to use and he has a good amount of tailwheel time, then he might be able to instruct me after a 3-5 hour checkout, so that's MUCH better!

 

I'll post my findings as they get figured out. 

Edited 20 Feb 2014 by JayKoit

[dholly 718]

There are plenty of instructors out there, they just need to be found...

Kinda like used 912's.

 

^What Larry said, I've had two CFI's as named insured on my policy.