 Contact by Phone (Members Only) |
I have over 14,000 hours and 35+ years of flight experience. Aviation was my career goal right out of high school. Initially planned on the airlines but soon found I enjoyed teaching even more than the flying and decided to become a career Flight Instructor. I am a factory-trained instructor in Cirrus (CSIP) and Columbia aircraft. In addition to the glass panel aircraft, my specialties are teaching the instrument rating, CFI certificates, and aerobatics.
I also work part time as a corporate pilot in a Cessna Citation.
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Teaches at: PAO SQL HWD E16
Accepting new students? Yes
Email: donstyles@gmail.com
Phone: (650) 773-1683
Hourly instruction rate: $ 80 
Special: No charge for introductory flight, just cover the cost of the plane.
Ratings held: Single & Multi-Engine Land, Instrument, Tailwheel, and Aerobatics. Columbia Factory Trained and Cirrus CSIP.
May instruct in these aircraft types: *Checkpilot
*7ECA, *8KCAB-180, *AA-5A, *AA-5B, *Avions R-2160, *BC12D, *BE-F33, *BE-A36, *BE-A36TC, *BE-G36, *BE-G36TC, *BE-55, *BE-58, *BE-G58, *BE-76, *C-150, *C-152, *C-172, *C-172, *C-172SP G1000, *C-172RG, *C-182, *C-182 G1000, *C-T182RG, *C-206, *C-T206, *C-206 G1000, *C-310, *C-P337G, *CHAMP, *DA-20, *DA-42, *GROB, *M20C, *M20J, *M20K, *M20TN, *PA-J3, *PA23-160, *PA28-161, *PA28-181, *PA28-236, *PA28R-200, *PA28R-201, *PA28R-201T, *PA32-260, *PA32-300, *PA32-301R, *PA-34, *PA-44, *SR20, *SR22, *SR22Turbo, *SR22G2, *SR22G3, *SR22G3 Perspective, *TB20, *TB21
Why are you a Certified Flight Instructor?
I love to teach in a classroom with a view!
How long have you been instructing?
Since 1975.
Do you tend to favor PAO, SQL, HWD or E16, and how might it affect a student's ability to schedule time?
Happy to fly out of any Bay Area airport in your plane or through a club. I teach at a number of locations in the area so if you happen to see equipment you like somewhere, we can usually make arrangements to fly it.
How would you describe your availability in general?
Full-time CFI available any time by appointment.
What method of ground school do you prefer and how does it relate to your syllabus?
Recommend either a formal ground school or a home study course. This is much more cost effective than covering the material one on one.
What is your favorite aircraft to instruct in?
Any plane is a good plane. That said, the glass panel aircraft provide many safety features unavailable in older aircraft. These aircraft are just as affordable and represent the leading edge of General Aviation technology. Their equipment rivals that found in airliners.
At the other end of the technology spectrum, an aerobatic flight going upside down in the Decathlon is a great way to get back to basics and have some fun!
What are your aircraft recommendations for a new student?
For Cessna I recommend the 172SP. The Warrior and Archer are good trainers in the Piper line. The question really comes down to what catches your eye.
Any airplane makes a good trainer - it's the quality of instruction you receive that makes the difference.
What percentage of your students pass their checkride on the first try?
I've had only 6 students who did not pass on their first try. With over 35 years as a full time instructor and several hundred students, that works out to about a 99% success rate.
We train to be safe and efficient pilots. The flight test is just a formality along the way.
Additional Comments:
I enjoy working through problem areas with pilots at all levels. If you�re having troubles progressing, give me a call. Problem areas are just a lack of understanding and/or experience. Providing both in a safe environment is what training is all about.
Continuing education increases piloting skills and confidence. Landing error recoveries, advanced stall recognition and recovery, unusual attitude recovery training (e.g. recoveries from inverted flight and spins), advanced instrument operations, etc are all great ways to feel better about your operations.
Learning the edges of your aircraft's flight envelope and safely exploring these areas is a tremendous confidence builder. For those who feel they didn't get as comfortable as they should have during initial certification, this training can make all the difference!
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