In desperate need of a DA40 CFI

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CathyDaly

In desperate need of a DA40 CFI

Post by CathyDaly »

Hello ALL,

I was hoping for some help. I am just closing my purchase on a 2014 DA40 in California on May 29th. My CFI just fell through. I am a student pilot with 22 hours, I haven't went solo, as I wanted to stop training in the 172S and move to my new plane. I have already passed the written.

I'm looking for the following, it would be an AMAZING opportunity to someone if they had some time available:

1.) . I need a CFI with DA40 time to fly back and train me on May 29th from Sacramento, CA to Pompano Beach, FL. I was hoping to do the trip in 2 days (depending on weather, as it's flight time about 16 -17 hours). We could overnight in Dallas. I would pay full expenses for the trip (meals, hotels) and $400 per flying day. Please contact me immediately if interested at cathy@davidcopperfield.com. Must be CALM, and be willing to spend time instructing as I want to take this opportunity to learn.

2.) . I then need a CFI to help me finish my license in Florida. I will pay expenses, just need someone that is a great instructor and willing to work with me around my busy schedule. I'm hoping to finish up from the end of June (around the 20th- into July). I spend most of my time at work in the Bahamas on a private island with a 2,000 ft. runway. After I get my license, I would want someone to work with me for a couple weeks there on landing/take-offs. All expenses paid at one of the most exclusive private islands in the world. You can bring someone to stay with you as well.

Please let me know if you are interested. I'm in a bit of a time issue since closing in on the 29th (in 4 days)!
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Colin
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Re: In desperate need of a DA40 CFI

Post by Colin »

I think you will need to up your pay significantly for the first portion. I bet in Florida you can find someone to do the other part more reasonably. I think I asked a few CFI friends what that crossing-with-me price was and it was more like $800 to $2,000 a day. Depends on the instruction level you are hoping to get. I would give Bay City Flyers a call (they have an all-Diamond fleet) and ask if they have a CFII who would be interested. Obviously, you'd be buying a short-notice one-way trip back, too.

I've flown the cross-the-country a lot, and I think you are low on the hours. For me it was almost always a two night trip.
Colin Summers, PP Multi-Engine IFR, ~3,000hrs
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Colin
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Re: In desperate need of a DA40 CFI

Post by Colin »

And for any CFI looking at this and curious about the resort click here.
Colin Summers, PP Multi-Engine IFR, ~3,000hrs
colin@mightycheese.com * send email rather than PM
http://www.flyingsummers.com
N972RD DA42 G1000 2.0 s/n 42.AC100 (sold!)
N971RD DA40 G1000 s/n 40.508 (traded)
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OriensFlight
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Re: In desperate need of a DA40 CFI

Post by OriensFlight »

Flying across the United States is an amazing experience. I just did it in N556LU flying from Leesburg, VA to Santa Rosa, CA in March, and my girlfriend and I were able to stay VFR/VMC until we got to California. I think we lucked out with the weather! You definitely need a pilot onboard who has a lot of experience and be conservative with your flight planning. You probably want to take the southern route via El Paso.

From a PPL flight training standpoint it's not particularly instructive to fly a long-x/c, even though you will get 20+ hours to add to your logbook. The main benefit I can see you getting from the flight is learning how to use the G1000 along the way, tuning in VORs and programming the GPS. (You're reading Max Trescott's G1000 book already, right?) You may also want to listen to a few of Max's Aviation News Talk podcasts where he describes crossing the country in newly purchased aircraft, I found it immensely helpful.

Good luck, and enjoy your new Diamond Star.

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Hans
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Re: In desperate need of a DA40 CFI

Post by Rich »

A perhaps little-known reg (61.195) states:

A person who holds a flight instructor certificate is subject to the following limitations:

(a) Hours of training. In any 24-consecutive-hour period, a flight instructor may not conduct more than 8 hours of flight training.
...


Any flight time beyond this and the instructor would be carrying a passenger (you) for hire, and things get a bit murky reg-wise. Yes, Commercial Pilots can nominally carry passengers for hire per Part 61, but other parts of the FARs come into play.
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Re: In desperate need of a DA40 CFI

Post by CFIDave »

Cathy:

The good news is that you should eventually be able to achieve your goals.

But there are a number of issues associated with the activities that you've proposed:
1. For a US cross-country flight in a DA40 (I've done it, too), plan on at least 3 days given the typical weather delays and diversions; lots of thunderstorms and frontal systems to contend with going from CA to FL across the southern US.
2. While you will certainly learn a lot from accompanying a pilot on a x-country in your DA40, I'm not sure a CFI flying the plane will also have the time to explain everything that's going on at this stage in your training (for example, spending hours with you on pre-flight weather/navigation/fuel/flight planning/clearance delivery/etc. for each leg of the trip.) Cross-country hours in your logbook aren't what you need right now. Getting enough hours of dual instruction is rarely the limiting factor in getting your PPL; instead it's becoming proficient in all of the skills needed to pass a check ride and to become a safe pilot.
3. Completing your PPL and passing the check ride in less than a month (if I understand your email) in FL, while potentially do-able, is very challenging given typical weather delays, even if you are able to devote 100% of your time to doing it. Most pilots now need at least 80 hours of flight time to get their PPL.
4. Finally, I'm a bit concerned about a newly-minted pilot routinely flying in and out of a runway that's only 2000 feet long in the Bahamas. Even after becoming a CFI, 2000 feet was my "personal minimum" for landing or takeoff in a DA40, and that was for paved runways in excellent condition. Many Bahamas island runways I've flown into are little more than compressed limestone/dirt.

Given your tight time constraints, you might simply hire a ferry pilot -- not necessarily a CFI -- to fly your DA40 from CA to FL. Ride along (not as a student pilot logging hours) only if that works with your schedule. The old adage "Time to spare? Fly by air" comes to mind. Legally, all that's needed is a pilot with a Commercial license for this task under part 91, although realistically the pilot would also need to have familiarity with the G1000 and the DA40.

Then, find a good CFI in FL to help you complete your PPL, but expect it to take multiple months. You really don't want to rush things.

Good luck, and enjoy your DA40!
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Re: In desperate need of a DA40 CFI

Post by jprhode »

I forwarded the link to the CFII I used for my instrument rating, no idea if he’s interested.

That said, I did this when I bought my DA40. Closed on it in Indiana, flew it to Austin with a CFI. I think I had 10 hours total at the time, and we flew about 8 hours. I agree that it isn’t that relevant to passing the Private checkride, but who cares? It was a great experience, and it was very relevant to owning and flying your own airplane to other places, which turns out to be quite different than flying around your home airfield in a rental Cessna. I would absolutely recommend it.

As far as a 2000’ field at sea level, the plane can easily do that (assuming a good surface, see 5.3.6 of the AFM), but as noted above, it’s likely below the personal minimum that most would recommend for a new pilot. But, nothing motivates like a concrete goal, and if you really spend a week or so banging out landings there, I guess you’ll know.

Have fun!
Jason
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Re: In desperate need of a DA40 CFI

Post by Rich »

A flight like this wouldn't remotely resemble the first hours of a flight training syllabus. (You won't want to be stalling your way across the country :) ). But there is some value in getting lots of time to get familiarized with the plane, particularly in these days of the G1000 and the like. BUT don't fall into the following trap (beware: anecdote follows).

Two of us partnered in buying our new 200 Diamond way back when and flew it back from the factory, with the salesman (not a CFI). We were all licensed (PPL, Comm) so there wasn't that "instruction" element. Now the 530/430/steam gauge was pretty much state-of-the-art at the time, so there was the familiarization element. On one leg I was in the back seat with my partner flying and the sales dude in the front seats. I noticed the two of them gabbing and fiddling with knobs and buttons and with long periods not looking out the window :shock: I became the flight nazi, reminding them to cut back their obsession with the "magic" :thumbsd: and remember we were hurling through the sky :tap:
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Re: In desperate need of a DA40 CFI

Post by Steven »

I think you'll have more luck decoupling these activities. Get the plane to Florida, and then find a good instructor once you are there. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of flight schools in Florida.
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