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Transition training

Rick6a

Well Known Member
I live in the St. Louis, MO. area and have been on a frustrating quest to line up adequate transition training before I take "Darla", my RV-6A aloft for the first time. My insurance company recommended the training and signoff be in a 6A, 7A, or 8A. I have contacted (or tried to) virtually all the published transition pilots listed on various sites, and all I can say is it time for those sites to hit the refresh button. At least one pilot listed in Texas no longer has a 6A. Ditto for unlisted Bob Lynch of Jefferson City Mo. by far the closest to my location. Anybody know of someone I can contact in the Midwest that can provide me with transition training in one of the above mentioned "A" models?

Rick Galati RV-6A "Darla"
 
Rick:

Try contacting Tom Irlbeck on Somerset, WI at [email protected] I just contacted him regarding transition training and he will fly his -8 where you are and then transition you in your airplane. He is "essential crewman" in this instance to satisfy the FAA.

If my memory serves me, his costs are $40.00/hour flight time to your location, then $20.00/hr transition training, with no more than 8 hrs/day. You have to feed and house him.

Regards,
 
Rick:

One more thing....If you live near St. Louis, once I get my 6A flying I should stop in to see you sometime. My brother lives in High Ridge, just south of town. Probably fly into Festus.
 
Too good to be true

painless said:
Rick:

Try contacting Tom Irlbeck on Somerset, WI at [email protected] I just contacted him regarding transition training and he will fly his -8 where you are and then transition you in your airplane. He is "essential crewman" in this instance to satisfy the FAA.

If my memory serves me, his costs are $40.00/hour flight time to your location, then $20.00/hr transition training, with no more than 8 hrs/day. You have to feed and house him.

Regards,

Jeff,

Thanks for the info, but I don't think "that dog will hunt". Bob Lynch offered me essentially the same deal BUT Nationair nixed that idea real fast. They told me the Catch 22 is the aircraft cannot, per FAA regulation be used for instruction until the 25 hours of Phase One are flown off. I then contacted a buddy (and fellow RV-6 builder) who works as a field inspector for the FAA in Oklahoma City and he said pretty much the same thing and further, if the issue were ever raised either thru incident or observation, the chances the FAA would buy the "essential crewmember" rationale for an RV is not likely.

Rick
 
Mike Seager

I know Mike's location is a great distance from St. Louis but the experience one gains from flying with him is well worth the expense and trouble - priceless. (I did a quick check on orbitz.com on a random date and saw that Frontier had a round trip ticket avaliable from STL to PDX for $396.) I 'm not just talking about the familiarization with the RV and satisfying the insurance company. He is a trusted representative of Van's for very good reason. When you go up with him it is not just a ride in someone's RV with you working the stick and rudder. On the day I scheduled with him there was another guy that had come all the way from Maryland for his transition training. Mike is a very pleasant and talented instructor who has probably flown with more new RV pilots than anyone and his goal is to make sure you are safe when you go up on the first flight in your new RV. He does not try to make a big show of how much he knows, your knowledge is what he is interested in. When he signs you off, you are ready.
 
Dittos on Mike Seager. I flew with him a month before I test flew my 7A. Mike is fantastic and he will make sure you are competent. Great Instructor and just a Great Guy!!! Plus you can go see Mt. St. Helens!!!

Roberta
 
Need transition training

Does anyone know of anyone doing transition training in an "A" model in the Northeast? They should be a CFI to be eligible. I need 5 hours and it would be nice to find someone less than 1000 miles away. :)
 
Transistion Currancy

Rick,

A point to keep in mind about insurance is that the underwriter will probably require that you have some degree of currency in type; in my case - maybe because it is a taildragger - within the past 90 days. Check the matter at is applies to you and don't get transitioned too far ahead of your expected first flight.

I used Mike Seagar for transistion training (-7). You're not going to find anyone more competant, and there's a choice of airplanes. He gets booked way ahead, and you might want to have two sessions, each two hours. Therefore, try to book an a.m. then a p.m. flight on the same day to keep down travel expenses. But be wary of early a.m. since Vernonia where he's based is in a little basin, and fog/stratus can hinder that early lesson.

Turn it into a mini-vacation. Late summer is the least rainy time to visit the region, and Homecoming is over the Labor Day weekend.

John Siebold
 
Mike Seager transition

I am scheduled with Mike in August. I'm not doing my first flight even after the training. I'm leaving that to someone with lots more experience than me.

I don't have a lot of tail time. I have learned from others that Mike specializes in people like me. I feel I can get the most bang for the buck there. I also have family in that area. Another aspect is Mike and I both fly the Giant Scale Aerobatic RC models and will probably do that after some of the training. "Any stick time is good stick time."

I maybe a little conservative in this area but I feel that that training time and effort should not be overlooked. Especially early on in a new aircraft's life. I also believe that at least 10% of flying time should be dedicated to training. I don't mean just doing a couple of approaches, I mean a real dedicated plan for that time.

Darwin N. Barrie
Wires and baffles!!!!
 
Mike Seagar

I would tell you to get Mike to fly to you, and then use your plane. If your plane is not option, go to HIM! I used Mike to deliver my RV7A from Florida to Oregon, then spent 3 days with him working on the plane and learning really how to fly it! Don't expect to do it in a day! It was well worth the cost for everything.
 
transition training

Ditto on getting transition training from Mike S. Here is his email. Michael Seager <[email protected]> PS he is booked 5 months out.

I just did training with him a few weeks ago. 10 hours and 62 landings. I consider that bare minimum. I did my first flight of my recently completed 7A and all went per plan. I can't imagine transitioning from a Cessna, Piper or Beach to an RV without CFI training specific to the RV. It is lighter, faster, more responsive, shorter wing and nose gear that doesn't need to smack the ground.

Have Fun
 
Highly Recommend Tom Berge

+1 for Tom Berge. He flies out of the Twin Cities area and does an excellent job.
 
transition training

Dave Austin (214) 236-7973‬, based out of Denton at least give him a call.

Keith Rhea RV7
Dues paid 2019
 
Train8mg

Contact Mike Seager and make a plan with him. Especially since you have a nose gear. He?ll show you the right way to take off and land. You?ll be glad. Make sure you try the Mexican Resturant when you are there.
 
Just finished up with Mike last week, RV-7, all thumbs up!

The Mexican restaurant seemed to be closed for good but, "All In" was good.
 
Did the people providing advice to the OP notice the 14 YEAR gap between page 1 and 2. I hope he managed to get that training.

I'll pitch in my advise, Chris Droege in the Boise area was great!
 
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