What Makes a Good Training Airport?
8/15/2011
Posted in
Flight Training
Tags: airportrs, airspace, controlled, uncontrolled
Deciding where to fly is just as important as deciding whom to fly with. The airport that you choose to fly out of will play a pivotal role in the development of your piloting abilities. So what makes for a good training airport? Well, there are a number of key issues that you should think about if you have the choice between multiple airports. With a national average of 97 airports per state, and most having flight training; chances are you’ll have to make an informed decision. In this article I’ll discuss some of the things you should be aware of in choosing your home base.
What Makes a Good Training Airport?
Written by Jacob Kasprzyk, Gold Seal CFI, CFII, MEI, ATP
Deciding where to fly is just as important as deciding whom to fly with. The airport that you choose to fly out of will play a pivotal role in the development of your piloting abilities. So what makes for a good training airport? Well, there are a number of key issues that you should think about if you have the choice between multiple airports. With a national average of 97 airports per state, and most having flight training; chances are you’ll have to make an informed decision. In this article I’ll discuss some of the things you should be aware of in choosing your home base.
First and foremost: What quality of flight instruction is offered at this airport? Until recently this was nearly impossible to determine. The only insight a potential student had was by personal recommendation, by scouring various aviation forums, or posting a query in hopes of a response. Today you can visit Pilot Planet’s database on flight schools for information as well as our growing list of reviews by fellow pilots. Nothing beats a PIREP (Pilot Report) for what is really going on! You will want to make sure that the airport you fly out of has a flight school that offers the level of training and services that you are looking for. Why settle for less if you can find exactly what you need?
Whether or not an airport has an operating control tower will make a major difference in your day-to-day training operations. Beginning before you start to taxi, your process for properly operating in a controlled environment will differ from that of an uncontrolled environment. The major difference lies in whether or not you will need to obtain a clearance to perform certain procedures such as taxiing, take-off, changing radio frequencies, entering controlled airspace, and of course landing. This does not mean that one can safely adopt the policy of anything goes at an uncontrolled airport. One should argue quite the opposite. Without the supervision and guidance from an ATC professional, a pilot is solely reliant on their safety procedures and must be on the highest level of alertness for the actions of other pilots. This in my professional experience can at times actually increase the stress in the cockpit and lead to a higher task saturation by the pilot. Having ATC there for support can help minimize these issues. However, having ATC at your local field comes at a price. At many controlled airports you can expect longer taxi times, take-off delays, and delays in receiving your landing sequence and clearance. This unfortunately will likely lead to an increase in your cost of training. You will also be required to become proficient and expeditious with your radio communications. This for many people can be a challenge. Learning to speak on the radios is similar to learning another language. Good news is that whenever you’re in doubt of what to say, just say it in plain English. Through many in person discussions with ATC professionals, I have been told time and time again that I should pass on to my students that if they do not understand an instruction from ATC it is always best to stop and ask ATC to clarify. Yes, they may sound surly when you do this, but I promise you they will be even surlier if you fail to do what they instructed you to do.
The type of airspace that surrounds your airport should play a role in choosing an airport that is right for you. You should stop and think about what your aviation goals and concerns are. Are you training to be a sport pilot for recreational purposes, or are you beginning your journey to becoming a commercial pilot in hopes of working for an airline? Think of what kind of environment would best suite your role. Do you want the traffic congestion of a major airport when learning to fly for fun, or would you want to be at a quiet grass strip trying to understand airline operations? If you want to avoid traffic congestion and train in a quieter environment then I recommend an airport that operates in Class G, E, or D (However, class D airspace can become heavily congested at times and that traffic congestion is largely dependent on the local airport and the environment, not with the class of airspace alone). If you are looking to become a commercial pilot, then I recommend Class D or C airspace. This will ensure that you are exposed to a number of procedures that will provide a more realistic training environment. I strongly advise against any training at a Class B airport. These are the busiest airports in the nation and if they provide training, it will come at a premium price!
The last, but not least, consideration should be if the airport has the infrastructure needed to complete your desired level of training. This is usually only an issue when it comes to training for your Instrument Rating. In your training for your Instrument Rating you will be required to complete a number of published procedures that help you navigate and operate in IMC (Instrument Meteorological Conditions). Certain procedures need special equipment installed at your local airport (Localizers, Glide Slopes, Distance Measuring Equipment, VORs, etc). Without the ability to practice instrument procedures at your local airport, you will be forced to fly to other airports nearby. This will add time and money to your training. Every 6 minutes of flight with an instructor will cost you approximately $15-20. Even flying to an airport 20 miles away and back will likely increase your cost by as much as $80/lesson. That is a cost that can be reduced by staying close to your home airport.
In conclusion, do your due diligence before selecting an airport that is right for you. Review the quality of instruction, whether it is controlled or uncontrolled, the airspace and congestion, as well as whether or not there are instrument procedures available. Visit our page on airport information at www.pilotplanet.com to help assist you in your search.