So I have made the decision to get my pilot's license. (Actually, I made that decision years ago. It just hasn't been financially feasible. I'm looking at maybe next year.) The first thing I have to decide is where I'm going to have my training.
The first option is Gwinnett County/Briscoe Field (KLZU) which is south of me off of Highway 316. It has a control tower, and is a busy airport. It only has one runway, measuring 6000 x 100, so it has plenty of runway. I want to train with a tower, but I worry about how busy this airport is. I don't want to have to fight for a place in the pattern with corporate jets, fast twins, etc. There are several flight schools there, including Atlanta Pilot Training, Advanced Aviation Diamond Flight Center, The Flight School of Gwinnett County and Atlanta Flight Training. I'm sure there are others, but those are the ones I found on the web.
The next option is the Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport in Gainesville (KGVL), which is northeast of me. While it has two intersecting runways, it only has one flight school that I can find, the Lanier Flight Center. The runways are configured as follows: Runway 4/22 is 5500 x 100, and Runway 11/29 is 4001 x 100. GVL is also an uncontrolled field.
The last option is the Winder-Barrow County Airport (KWDR). KWDR is farther from me than either KLZU or KGVL, and it also has no control tower. It has two intersecting runways. Runway 13/31 is 5500 x 100, and runway 5/23 is 3610 x 100. There is one flight school, The Flight School of Barrow County.
There is one final option, and it will get me my license in the fastest possible time. I can get my license in two weeks by going out to Arizona and taking lessons at West Mesa Aviation. The tradeoff is that it will cost approximately twice as much, almost $10k. While I'd like to get my license in two weeks, I think I'll skip this option. It's just too expensive. I may try some kind of accelerated training when I go for my IFR rating.
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