Flight Training - February 2014 - 6

RIGHT SEAT

By Ian J. Twombly
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http://flighttraining.aopa.org

THE VERY BEST

JUDGED BY THEIR CUSTOMERS-YOU

his special issue of Flight Training is dedicated to the best
flight schools and flight instructors in the nation. It honors
those training professionals who, according to their students,
are the absolute best at what they do.

The training providers featured in this
issue are the winners of AOPA's Flight
Training Excellence Awards. Those
awards were given as a direct result from
feedback of current and recent students
through an unscientific poll AOPA
conducted throughout last year. In it,
the association asked respondents about
more than 30 factors regarding their
flight training experience. Those results
were added on to a panel-scored verbatim
section to come up with three tiers of winners-Best, Outstanding, and Honor Roll.
OK, so what, you may be thinking. I go
to a different flight school. The purpose of
the awards is twofold. From an industry
perspective they are meant to raise awareness of the methods and tactics of great
flight training providers, in the hopes that
other schools and instructors will learn
what's successful. But for you, the student,
the awards are equally important. That's
because schools and instructors that score
well against the criteria provide a superior
product. Knowing this should empower
you to bring up at your own school. some
of the tactics used by the winners. It may
prompt you to go elsewhere for a better
experience. And it provides an avenue to
rate your current experience.
We say it a number of times in this
issue, but it bears repeating: Schools that
are shown to meet the poll criteria provide a better flight training product. We
know this from independent research into
the ideal flight training experience. It's no

big surprise that some basic themes come
through: An instructor who is interested
and involved, a school that is upfront
about costs and time to train; access to
simulation; a perception of value; introduction to an aviation community; the use
of a syllabus, and so on. Whether or not
your school or instructor was a winner,
having these traits will greatly enhance
your success.
It was no question that winning flight
school San Carlos Flight Center has these
traits. Owner Dan Dyer is relentless in
pursuing the idea of the perfect school.
It comes through in everything a student
sees and does during flight training. Technical Editor Jill Tallman visited Dyer's
California-based school for her story,
which begins on page 34.
To profile Conor Dancy, the best flight
instructor, we took a bit of a different tack
and sent Managing Editor Julie Summers
Walker up for a lesson. Walker has been
around aviation for more than a decade,
but her nervous flying habits would be
sure to put Dancy to the test. You can read
all about it, beginning on page 40.
Finally, don't miss the full list of winners, beginning on page 32. These schools
and instructors are the best at what they
do, as judged by the toughest panel-their
customers.
Email Editor Ian J. Twombly at ian.twombly@aopa.
org; Twitter: ijtwombly; and visit Flight Training on
Facebook.

Check online (http://flighttraining.aopa.org/awards) for the next
poll to be held later this year. Your responses are critical for the
program-and your school and instructor.

FLIGHTTRAINING.AOPA.ORG

Publisher | Mark Baker

Senior VP, Media/Editor in Chief | Thomas B. Haines
Editor | Ian J. Twombly
Editor at Large | Thomas A. Horne
Managing Editor | Julie Summers Walker
Technical Editors | Mike Collins, Jill W. Tallman
Senior Editors | Dave Hirschman, Alton K. Marsh
Media Production Specialist | Sylvia Horne
Administrative Assistant | Miriam E. Stoner
Contributors | Pete Bedell, Greg Brown, LeRoy Cook,
Budd Davisson, Rod Machado, Dan Namowitz, Wayne
Phillips, Bob Schmelzer, Jack Williams

Design Director | Michael E. Kline
Art Directors | Elizabeth Z. Jones, Jill C. Benton
Senior Photographer | Mike Fizer
Photographer | Chris Rose

eMedia Managing Editor | Alyssa J. Miller
eMedia Editor | Sarah Deener
eMedia Associate Editors | Jim Moore, Benet Wilson

Editorial and Advertising Offices
421 Aviation Way, Frederick, MD 21701
301-695-2350 / FAX 301-695-2180
email: flighttraining@aopa.org
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Flight Training - February 2014

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