Foothill Aviation, LLC - San Andreas, California

Mason Tatum

Absolutely fantastic experience. Float plane training had been on my bucket list and I finally pulled the trigger after a friend recommended Foothill Aviation. Very glad I did! The entire experience was seamless and thorough. Terry is a fantastic instructor with decades of float experience and was a pleasure to fly with. Exhibiting patience in the airplane, knowledge in the classroom, and professionalism with the examiner, Terry does it all. Her demeanor in all aspects is calm and collected, indicative of a highly experienced instructor.

First day of training consisted of one flight and a couple hours of ground. We were supposed to fly a second time, but got weathered out. Second day of training, we got weathered out again (very unusual for this area) but did more checkride prep ground. Despite having to reschedule two flights, Terry worked diligently to ensure I received all 6 hours of flight training within the allotted 3 days. Even when I had questions after our training was done for the day, Terry still made herself available via phone call. I really appreciated her willingness to meet me early in the morning to get my training done and make sure I received true glassy water experience.

Checkride was very straight foreword and the DPE, Richard Conte, arrived with friendly energy, a big smile, and two cookies stuffed in his mouth. The ground lessons prepared me perfectly for the oral exam and there were no surprises. The flight was exactly as expected and in accordance with the ACS, and overall felt very prepared going in to it. (Terry if you're reading this I did in fact remember both mags)

Overall, I had a great experience with Foothill Aviation. Terry, Brian (owner), and Cathy (friendly lady up front) made the experience that much more enjoyable and I would highly recommend Foothill Aviation to anyone looking for float plane training.

Eric Ladenheim

Pricing is a little deceptive. Be sure to budget for extra training time to get signed off for your check ride to avoid unpleasant surprises. They advertise advertise check ride fee included in the pricing but I was asked to pay the examiner directly and then paid another check to Foothill Aviation for extra training hrs.

The textbook provided written by Burke Mees isn't bad but it did not contain the information covered by the oral examination. Their ground training is almost nonexistent so be sure to obtain and study the FAA seaplane book.

Foothills Aviation is a pretty serious place with high standards for precise flying. I just fly for fun and felt out of place here. I came with 600 hrs and instrument rating and I flew with Terry and Jim and Examiner Richard Conte for 10.1 hours but still couldn't fly well enough to meet the standards. I love seaplanes and I'd like to continue flying; however I think I'll have to look elsewhere.

Chris Barrett

I can't say enough great things about Foothill Aviation. First of all, Terry Hayes is an incredible instructor. She is knowledgeable, patient, and throrough. The whole operation puts you at ease the moment you arrive and aims for the student to have fun while preparing you for the FAA required checkride. They send you out all of the information that you need to prepare for this checkride prior to your arrival, along with a wonderful seaplane book.
Terry was even so nice, to pick me up at the motel each day and drive me to and from training. Where else are you going to get that sort of reception? We went over all of the required items to know for safely operating a floatplane/seaplane and being prepared for both the oral and flight portions of the practical test.
Everyone was so nice at this operation. I met Jim McCloud at the airport and he enthusiastically showed me a plane that he has been working on. He has a contagious love for aviation and he was a pleasure to speak with.
I felt more than prepared for my checkride and the pricing was EXACTLY as advertised. The checkride fee is paid directly to the examiner and deducted from the amount of the course listed. The examiner was extremely fair and made you feel at ease. Read the ACS for your pilot certificate level and look up the required tasks for ASES add on. You'll know exactly what you can be tested on.
I had so much flying floatplanes with Foothill Aviation and I can't wait to go back and attend their advanced course. Its true what they say about "getting bit by the seaplane bug", I can't stop thinking about flying floatplanes now.
I HIGHLY recommend Foothill Aviation for your seaplane rating. You will have a fun time with knowledgeable, kind instructors that don't just pump out the bare minimum to pass a checkride. They will make sure you are a confident, safe seaplane pilot all while having a great time.
Thank you Foothill Aviation!