I think that John has hit the major points here and would also agree with
those who suggest taildraggers but personally would prefer a Citabria 7eca
as you can sit and solo from the front seat, they are honest and spin well
and can do simple loops and rolls. They will teach you to use your feet.
It may take you longer to solo but your total dual time should end up being
about the same as a trike.

To me cost would be a big factor and would suggest that you consider whether
the airport has landing fees which can add up quickly if doing circuits. At
busy airports you may spend significant amounts of time in the holding bay
or on long taxis (google hobbs vs tach time) and your circuits will tend to
be bigger which means fewer landings per hour. Bigger/busier airports may
mean that you must fly some distance to get to the practice area. The other
factor that can add up to a big difference is whether the school charges for
ground briefing time. Some schools have good book and video libraries for
student use. I would also want good internet access while training,
especially if you are doing the ground school by self study, and of course
you need to access r.a.s.

I would favor a small towered airport with a school like John suggests that
also does taildragger and acro. In the final analysis the quality of the
instructors is the most important and as each of us has unique learning
styles you may want to go on a road trip. Start in the cheap and cavu
foothills east of the west coast range and try several different places till
you find one that clicks for you. Consider the total sales taxes. Many
airports have camping or cheap accomodation available near by which can also
make a big difference in the total cost.

Never pay in advance.

Good luck and have fun.

"John Gaquin" wrote in message
...

wrote in message .

Hi folks,
If you want to learn to fly .... .

So, if I could focus all of my time and energy on flying lessons, where
would you go? .

Conduct a search, as you are doing. Use other methods as well, although
at
the moment I don't know quite what to suggest. The net will give you the
broadest reach in the shortest time. The point is this: Find yourself a
small airport in a rural or semi rural area, with a little flight school
thats been around for years, with at least a couple of old coots who have
been flying 45 years or so doing some teaching. Latch on to one of these
guys - they've got more aviation in their blood than you'll ever find in a
book.

Get a place to live, and find some kind of simple job. You apparently
won't
need the money, but you will need something to keep you occupied in your
non-flying time. You shouldn't fly all the time - you need breaks to
allow
the knowledge to settle in. Fly about 3 times a week, and hang around the
field some of the other time, but not all the time. You'll learn a lot
there, too.

The school should have some sort of common area - a lounge, or a front
porch
in nice weather - where the regulars hang around and talk flying, even
when
they're not scheduled. Furniture should be some old overstuffed chairs
and
an old sofa, cast off from someone's house, and there has to be a real
coffeepot - not a machine. Check to see if at least some of the
instructors
hang around and shoot the bull when they're finished, or if they pack up
and
bolt right away. Its easy enough to find an "Aviation Academy" that's all
stainless steel and glass, with a legion of anal 23 year-old instructors
who
can recite the FARs and the POH verbatim and debate airspace arcana all
day.
What you need to find is a flying school, where you can learn to be an
aviator - no one can teach you, they just guide you in the right direction
until it clicks. You have to pick it up yourself. Once you've got that,
you can pick up all the rest either from a short stint at a production
school, or by reading books.

Don't cut yourself short on this. The difference is between absorbing it
or
simply learning it, and the value inherent in the fomer won't be apparent
for several years. Good luck.