Reid Hillview is an almost ideal airport to learn to fly or to extend your capabilities. The airport has an FAA control tower and, while we're near the San Francisco controlled airspace, we're outside it so things are a little less constrained. Though there are many general aviation airplanes based at Reid Hillview, more than half the daily flight operations are training. That means the control tower staff are used to dealing with students and are invariably helpful. We have several non-towered airports a short distance away so students get experience in flying at both towered and non-towered airports early in their training. The proximity of the San Francisco controlled airspace also makes it possible to give students training in Class B and C airspace (around busy airports) which is important for student confidence and understanding of the airspace. In addition to a near ideal airport environment, we also have nearly ideal weather conditions most of the year. While it does get stormy in the winter we can still manage to fly 3-4 days a week. During the summer it's the rare exception when we can't fly in very good conditions.
I train students ranging from Primary (just learning to fly) to Advanced (instrument, multi-engine, commercial and instructor). If you're interested in learning to fly - or extending your flying competence with an additional rating - you can reach me via e-mail at [email protected] or on my cell phone at (408) 483-1500.
I teach mostly from a flight school at Reid Hillview - Tradewinds Aviation. You can see their web site at Tradewinds Aviation. Tradewinds has numerous late model Cessna 172 aircraft, several with glass cockpits.
I also instruct students in their own airplanes who are interested in extending their skill, for example to an instrument rating, learning how to use their new GPS equipment, ...
I've been flying since 1969 and have been instructing since 1999. I've had dozens of private students many of whom have moved on to instrument and commercial training. I've also trained numerous instructor (CFI) students who are currently teaching as well as Instrument and Multi-engine Instructors.
If you're someone with an aviation background who wants to become a CFI you can contact me or check with Mike Shifflet who holds a regular CFI ground/prep course at which I instruct. You can reach Mike at checkrides.com. Mike is also an FAA Designated Examiner and I use him for many of my student's checkrides.
You can also checkout the website of one of my previous students who is now an instructor at Reid Hillview at bayareapilot.com .
Instrument Pilot
Commercial Pilot
Multiengine Pilot
CFI - Certified Flight Instructor