Ken Hirsch, Certified Flight Instructor

What do I teach? I train pilots for their Private and/or Commercial certificates. I also do biennial flight reviews and checkouts for a variety of Cessnas and Pipers. I especially enjoy taking someone on their first flight/lesson and making a beautiful tour of the Bay Area of it.

Where do I teach? I teach mainly out of Palo Alto airport and use the facilities of Advantage Aviation (formerly known as Palo Alto Flying Club). If you have your own airplane, my area would expand to just about any airport within 30 miles of Palo Alto.

How much does it cost? My time is $45/hour and the cost of the airplane is generally between $89-156/hour. To attain your basic pilot's license, expect to do 60-80 hours of flying and an equal amount of ground training as well.

Do I do Bay tours? Yes, I do. Weather permitting, we would take off out of Palo Alto and follow the 280 freeway and the mountain ridgeline above thousands of acres of lush, green forest up to San Francisco and the Golden Gate bridge and then back down many miles of coastline to get a view of the beaches and vast Pacific Ocean. The Bay Area is one of the greatest places in the country for an aerial tour or a student pilot. A Bay tour makes for an excellent gift and costs approximately $200-$300.

© 2006. Ken Hirsch -- All rights reserved.
(650) 224-8384