If you’re searching for mountain flying training, look no further!  I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Independence Aviation and Stephen Slade, CFI.  Stephen created a learning plan focused on safe mountain flying and took my aviation skills to a new level.  You’re guaranteed to have an experience like no other, in addition to meeting an all-around great pilot, instructor, and one of our country’s best! Aim high!

I meant to do this sooner but even a few months after the fact I still reflect on the mountain flying course I took through IA as one of the most valuable experiences in my ten years of flying. Stephen Slade was an amazing professional to work with. The forecast VFR weather turned out to be IFR over the central Rockies that day but we completed a challenging day of mountain flying that involved actual instrument approaches into Telluride and Leadville (circle to land in actual conditions at Leadville!). I travelled all the way from Iowa to take this course and it was worth it and then some. Can’t say enough about Mr. Slade. A real class act and a consummate professional.  The experience increased my confidence by leaps and bounds. I’m pretty much counting the days until I can do it again. 

When I first started my transition training with Independence, I immediately wanted to get on the Platinum Access Program.  Although all of the planes at Independence Aviation are newer, low-hour aircraft, the Platinum Access planes take it to the next level. They are very low-hour Gen 6 machines that are equipped with everything Cirrus has to offer.  Although that is very attractive, the main benefit I have found is that the planes are much more available than with the standard fleet. The majority of the time I am flying, we are traveling for a couple of days, and I have had no issue scheduling a Platinum Access plane, even on the weekends. As I was gaining the required hours to join Platinum Access, I couldn’t wait to get into the program. Now that I am in, I love the planes and service. It is well worth the effort. 

This is a great program as it is for serious users only, and you don’t have to compete with a renter scheduled to drill holes in the sky for two hours when you want to plan a multi-day business trip. IA hustles to make an airplane available. I’ve owned two aircraft in my life, and this program is better as availability is 100%, and the planes are always clean and well-maintained. It’s like owning three planes. Show up, they take your bags out, and you fly. If it’s cold, you preflight in a warm hangar. Can’t say enough about this program.