On 8 Dec 2005 04:47:11 -0800, "
wrote:


Interesting. When I visited California about 10 years ago, I wanted to
rent a plane and fly so I went to Van Nuys to be checked out. The
check-pilot made me do so many landings in every configuration, plus
local airspace familiarization, that the checkride was just under 3
hours. I definitely felt he was bleeding me. When I (finally) got
signed off, I was too damn tired to rent and go flying, and I left LA 2
days later.

We used runway one six LEFT the whole time.

I think you were being jerked around too. I learned to fly at VNY
and still fly out of there. In all my training, checkouts, BFR's
etc, I only had one CFI stretch out a BFR beyond reasonable limits.
You just had the bad luck to get one on your first try. If you ever
get out here again, try the people at Van Nuys Flight Center at the
northwest end of the field. They are very professional and won't
jerk you around.

As far as flying off 16 Left, that much is normal for training and
practice landings. 16 Right can get pretty busy at times and with
the jet traffic, you can get delayed and slow your training. That
said, once you get checked out at any FBO on the west side of the
airport, you'll depart from 16 Right. Coming back in from the
North, West, or Southwest, 95% of the time you'll land on 16 Right.
It's only repetitive operations that get shifted over to 16 Left.

Ron