Doug Stewart (DSFI) vs. P.I.C.
August 27th, 2009. Filed under: IFR Training.
Scheduling conflicts are all too common when you’re doing training. I had about 55 hours of instrument training and was chomping at the bit to get done. About this time, my two CFIIs that I used got really busy with their other priorities. It was really hard to get in one day of training per week, let alone the three or four that I wanted to do. I was becoming very frustrated. I looked for alternate instruction to get this rating done.
What I looked into was two options: Doug Stewart’s Narly Northeast IFR course and Professional Instrument Courses (P.I.C.). I contacted them both and here is what I found.
P.I.C.
P.I.C. will send a high-hours CFII to your location for as long or as little as you need. They have standard 3 and 5 and 10 day courses.
The latter is designed to take someone from zero IR training to being ready for the check ride. I hear that it is a very intensive 10 days and you should be doing NOTHING during those 10 days except focusing on your training. I’ve also heard that the course is very effective for someone who can learn quickly and has that kind of stamina… with the caveat that you need to plan on practicing a lot after you get your rating. “Something that is learned quickly is forgotten quickly.”
The three and five day courses are pretty much designed as “finish up” courses. This is what I focused on. I went to P.I.C.’s website and filled out their “more information” form. Almost immediately, I received a call from Donn. I explained my situation and goals to him.
He thought the 3-day course might work for me, but recommended the 5-day course just to be sure. I didn’t think I needed five, but was sure I needed more than one. There was some back and forth about how many days I might need. Donn then said that I could sign up for five, but I could cut the course short if I needed to. Although, it was nice to know I had the option, I felt that the training would somehow fill the time allocated.
Typical day: A few hours of ground work. Talking about what is going to be done today, then some simulator work – each CFII brings some kind of (I believe logable) sim. Then out to the plane for a few hours of practical work. It works out to be a 8 hour day. Starting time is flexible. Donn says that many students like to go to work for a few hours in the morning and start the training at 10a or 11a. I assume that this type of schedule only works for “finish up” courses.
Costs: PIC charges $600 per day plus hotel room.
Donn was a little aggressive, looking to close the sale. I’m a sales person too and I respect the need to “get the sale” but it’s always a bit uncomfortable being on the other side. He really wanted to know why I couldn’t commit to the training right now. I told him, reluctantly, that I was also going to check out the training from Doug Stewart. I seemed to perceive a sigh as if he knew he had lost the sale when I mentioned Doug’s name.
Doug Stewart – DSFI, Inc.
I sent an email to Doug explaining my situation and goals – to use his Narly Northeast Instrument course to finish up my training. Within an hour I received a response indicating that, depending on my skills, it was very possible. We got on the phone and discussed things further. I explained where I was in my training, my strengths and weaknesses. He suggested that I bop up to his place and we fly a few approaches to size up my skills. I set an appointment with him to do just that.
I met him at his office at 10am Monday morning. He greeted me on the ramp with a big warm smile. We went to his office to go over the plan. Then climbed in the plane and headed for ALB. We proceeded to do VOR 28, ILS 1 and then back to Columbia County (1b1) and do the NDB-A. Went back to the office for debrief. He said “if that were the check ride you would have passed”. WOW! That’s good to hear. “So I think you’re up for the Narly Northeast course.”
We scheduled the course for a Thurs/Friday in about 2 weeks.
Narly Northeast IFR Course
The description on Doug’s website is pretty accurate:
“The trip starts at Columbia County Airport (1B1) in Hudson, NY, heading south to Long Island, and then up the coast to Bangor, ME. On the second day it returns through the White and Green mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont, flying some of the most difficult approaches in New England.”
“This course is designed as a refresher course for already rated pilots (although IFR students may certainly take it as well) and serves as an excellent IPC (Instrument Proficiency Check).”
“The total flying time averages 13 hours and 12 approaches will be flown, both precision and non-precision. Approaches will include ILS, LOC, LOC Back Course, VOR, PAR, and GPS.”
Typical Day: Pretty much each airport was a full stop at which there was a debriefing and a briefing of the next leg. Debrief during the dinner at Bangor. Briefing over breakfast and then land, debrief, brief, fly, land, cycle again several times to make a long day.
COST: $600/day ($1200) + his and your inexpensive but very decent hotel rooms, dinner, your lunches.
I’ll have a full PIREP on this course in an upcoming post. But let me tell you now, WOW it was intense. It was some REALLY interesting approaches. I learned A LOT from it. I’m sure any IFR Pilot could learn from this course.
