I took a BFR and mountain training with Sue. She's an absolute professional and cool as .. well like the kids say. When my oldest was almost ready to drive, we went up with Sue. It was an awful bumpy day out of KPAO. The best! Not sure how I can give a higher recommendation. Clear right. read more

Just finished an 'introduction' to flying lesson and it was amazing! Sue is not only knowledgeable, she can express the information in a easy-to -understand fashion. I totally agreed with Jason whom left a comment in 2011 - 'I had never flown a plane before and she made everything seem so easy and straightforward. She walked me through every step, taught me how to inspect the plane and before I knew it we were up in the air.' Highly recommended! read more

I don't know if it's due to buying through LivingSocial or what, but we had a sub-par experience. To start on a good note, sue is obviously a very experienced and highly-qualified pilot. No doubt about that, she knows it all like the back of her hand. We felt safe at all times, which is important. However, turns out it is not enough to get a good experience. PROS: - expert pilot/trainer - well-maintained plane (as far as we could tell) CONS: - ONLY ONE PERSON GETS TO PILOT THE PLANE. WTF??? How is this a deal "FOR TWO"??? I double-checked, nowhere in deal details it is specified that only one person gets to be a pilot. This is ridiculous and upsetting. It is natural to expect that if the deal is for two people, both of them get the same service. So this was a classic example of deceptive marketing. - trainer (Sue) was very disengaged and clearly going through the motions with us. Yes, she was saying all the right things, but she was obviously on autopilot (sic). - Short as it is, the session was cut even shorter - we were done in 90 minutes instead of 2 hours, and out of that time the last 15 minutes were the sales pitch for club membership and flight lessons. The flight time was super-short (25-30 minutes) and clearly not enough to get the real hang of it. If you're only letting one person fly, why not give them enough time to enjoy it? Overall, we felt screwed over. Judging by this experience, we are unlikely to come back to this place. read more

Wow, Sue was fantastic. I had never flown a plane before and she made everything seem so easy and straightforward. She walked me through every step, taught me how to inspect the plane and before I knew it we were up in the air. Words can't describe how great it was to fly. I can't imagine learning from a nicer or more competent instructor. Highly recommend! read more

An update to my original review: I did all my training with Sue and received my private pilot's license in July of 2015. As I still travel often for work, I can't devote as much time to flying as I would like. Sue continues to be my go-to for keeping me current whenever I feel I need a refresh. I trust her 200% and know she will keep me on point if I get rusty. Everything I wrote in my original review below still applies. If you want to train hard from the best, learn everything perfectly, and be the best pilot you can be, go to Sue. You won't regret it. Original Review - The Summary: I have been working on my private pilot's license with Sue for two months now (I'm pre-solo), and cannot speak highly enough of her. I wanted to do my flight training with Sue because she's such a rarity - a female pilot with vast industry experience. My husband and I currently live in Brazil, and Sue is worth every penny and every (nautical) mile between me and my husband. Not only is she, beyond the shadow of a doubt, a master in the cockpit, she is a master instructor. You will be learning from the best. Anyone thinking of pursuing aviation should book an intro flight with Sue without hesitation. The Nitty Gritties: Sue is professional in every respect. She has a website (http://skytrekker.net/) that among other things, contains a multitude of training materials for her students. As a new student pilot, you're inundated with volumes of knowledge to absorb. The materials on Sue's site condense info for you (not that you don't still need to do the in-depth studying), and help you understand what's most important at every stage of your training. She sets you up for success. Sue gently gets you involved with the aviation community. Just taking lessons is great, but it also keeps you in a vacuum. Sue understands the importance of community in maintaining a serious hobby, so invites you on monthly fly-outs to meet other pilots. She also encouraged me to attend (and join) the 99s - an international women in aviation organization. Something any student seeks in an instructor is patience. Sue has it in spades! I cannot tell you the number of times she has said, "power to one thousand," "it's whatever is necessary," "wake up your feet." She doesn't get exasperated - she knows you need to hear it again...and again. She is on your side. Bottom line? Sue trains SAFE pilots. Sue is unquestionably dedicated to comprehension, which ultimately means she is undeniably dedicated to safety. She spends lots of time before and after every flight briefing and debriefing. She always explains in depth the maneuvers you're going to work on. Then she has you analyze your performance so she can see if you understand your mistakes and how to correct them next time. She doesn't care that you make the mistakes - of course you're going to make mistakes - she cares that every cell in your body understands how to instinctively correct them next time. I guarantee that she will be on your case (in a good way!) and work with you until you get it, however long that takes. read more

I purchased this as a gift for my dad's birthday through Living Social. Going in we had no idea what to expect. What we got was one of the most informative, professional, and awesome father/son experience from a pilot named Sue Ballew. Sue started the tour with a personal lesson about flight and the basics of what my dad would be doing that day. Next, it was on to a short tutorial about the controls... and before I knew it, we were already outside of the plane, checking fuels, preparing to fly. Moving at such a rapid pace, one might feel uneasy, but Sue made sure everything was in control at all times, and we never felt unsafe. The overall experience was exciting and memorable. I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in seeing the South Bay from another prospective. read more

My husband surprised me with a Living Social coupon for us to experience this together and boy was it fun! I was a little nervous because I'm kind of afraid of heights, but we started with a personal lesson to go over the basics and Sue very patiently answered all my newbie questions. Then we went out on the runway to check the plane and the next thing I knew, we were floating above Palo Alto on THE most gorgeous and clear day! I also couldn't believe how relaxed I felt as we made turns and climbed/descended to test the controls. All in all, Sue was a wonderful instructor and I couldn't recommend her highly enough. Don't miss out on the opportunity to fly with her! read more

Decided to try this out since I purchased a deal from Google Offers. I bought the deal that came with the Introductory Flight Lesson - 30 minute info session + 30 minute flight. Unfortunately, the deal that I purchased only allowed one person to be the pilot. So I ended up being the passenger in the back since I decided to let my friend be the pilot. The customer service was great. Sue was our instructor, she was very detailed yet straight to the point. You can definitely tell that she loves her job. It started off pretty standard - filling out paper work and then went ahead and talked about the basics of flying a plane. We pretty much covered all the material in 15 minutes instead of 30 minutes. Then we headed outside to make sure the plane was ready to go. The entire experience was amazing, I just disappointed that our flight time was less than 30 minutes. We made reservations for 12pm-2pm, we ended up ending at 1:30pm. read more

Sue Ballew is as good as they get! She is extremely thorough with explaining the details of the plane and the mechanics of flying. She is also very patient with and accommodating to her students. I believe she has been flying for over 15 years! I purchased a livingsocial deal for a flying lesson for 2. The only caveat to this deal is that one of the 2 students actually gets to be the pilot and fly. Also, if you are prone to motion sickness, come prepared. Although the weather may be nice, there is a good chance of turbulence during the flight which is to be expected. The experience of flying is amazing and cannot be compared to anything else and Sue is an expert! read more

Coolest thing ever - flying on low speed! If you haven't tried it ever and are a bit afraid even to try, then go for Sue! To begin with it is five starts, but it is really, really difficult to write a review. It can't be regular review like Hamburger was great, or falafel sucked, or mechanic knows stuff. so.... why Sue? She has ton of experience and will tell you how airplane works without wasting much time and will get to airplane with you. Checklist, take off, airborne - boom. Here is where I realized that we just passed 101 and somewhere after 280 I was able to control airplane a bit. read more

I purchased the LivingSocial deal intro flying lesson for 2 as a birthday gift for the bf as neither of us have ever flown! Overall the experience was cool, Sue is very easy to talk to and appreciates the many questions you may have about everything. She also gets us up in the air fairly quickly and gives a nice little tour of the area we fly over. Definitely did not know we had houses here with their own personal lakes. Only downside, when you do lessons for 2, only one of you gets to fly. Apparently there would be only enough time to take off and land for both :(. Backseat passengers be warned, you will probably experience nausea even though you're not prone to motion sickness. The idea of taking a quick trip to Napa or Tahoe is pretty awesome if I ever decide to pursue flying in the future. read more

Very careful, methodical and organized. Exactly the way you want to learn! Sue has instructed me for about 30 hours in the air and with her I've gone from having just my private pilot's license to tailwheel and high performance endorsements, and I'm working on my commercial. Sue also gave me the FAA mandated Biennial Flight Exam, and I passed with flying colors! A great person to fly with and learn from. Very happy with Sue Ballew. read more

I worked with Sue for 3 years to get my private pilot certificate and I would highly suggest that if you are thinking of ANY aviation training to reach out to Sue. So let me start off by saying it took me 3 years due to changing clubs, aircraft, family issues and work (of course). When I was able to buckle down and focus I would tell Sue what my next goal was (solo, cross country, night, check ride etc.) then we would really focus on that. Sue has so much experience and she really brings that to her teaching. Here are just some high points of what I found helpful: 1. Sue highly encourages student introductions - this is great because you meet other students at all levels (ahead of you so you can ask questions, same as you so you can commiserate, and just slightly behind you so you can also guide and build your confidence). 2. Sue has years of commercial and CFI experience - AWESOME just to hear the stories and learn from real examples of what can go well (and not so well). Sometimes these stories of one-off examples you may never encounter but the stories help cement many lessons and regulations so that you can build your aviation thought process. 3. Sue tailors her lessons - Sue does not just come to the table with some rote lesson plan that goes through the motions. She really works with each student to figure out your strengths and weaknesses so that you can use your strengths to your advantage and overcome those pesky not so strong points. 4. Sue will help you grow your aviation skills - if you decide to go beyond your private pilot Sue is the person to help with G1000, instrument ratings and mountain checkouts. In fact, just shortly after I passed my check ride I did a right seat lesson (since my boyfriend also flies) and a night landing refresher. Many of Sue's students go on to excel beyond the private pilot experience. I found that Sue was tough but in a good way. Sue will not let you slack off and forget the importance of safety and "being in the plane". There are so many mantras of "aviate, navigate, communicate" or "fly the plane, don't let the plane fly you" and "stay ahead of the plane". In fact when I went for my check ride and started talking to my examiner the examiner actually said "you must be one of Sue's students." This just goes to show even the FAA examiner has the highest regard for Sue's teaching ability. At the end of the day what it comes down to is that Sue will prepare you to be at your best for whatever your aviation adventures throw your way. read more

Took advantage of a Groupon. WOW what an awesome day. Sue was such a professional and really knows her stuff. Her technique for teaching was calm and thorough. What a privilege to meet and work with such a professional. Will recommend her to ALL my friends who want to experience flying an airplane. Thank you for this awesome opportunity... my horizon has been expanded. Will go back for another lesson. thanks again read more

I won't repeat what others have said about Sue's experience, competence and respectful approach to instruction but will confirm that that was our experience as well. I will say that her clear, direct approach was of benefit to me even though it was my husband who was at the controls. I felt like I learned a lot and thoroughly enjoyed being a passenger. My husband loved being able to maneuver the plane and felt very confident given Sue's calm, clear instructions. I would do this again in a minute - this time with me in the pilot's seat! :) read more

I met Sue in June 2011, when my wife surprised me with a Group-on introductory flight, which I highly enjoyed. The airborne time was about 45 minutes, the rest of the time being spent on the pre-flight of the airplane and ground training. I see a lot of people complaining about the short amount of time spent in the air, but if you do the math and add the instructor's hourly rate and the rental rate of a fairly new Cessna, you'll realize that 175$ is not a bad deal. I've always dreamt about becoming a private pilot, so after about half a year, I decided to return and start working with Sue towards getting my license. I couldn't have asked for a better instructor. She is very dedicated, passionate about aviation and has great teaching skills, tailoring each lesson based on the individual's skill growth needs and goals. There are countless things that she teaches all her students, but above all she stresses out safety and good aeronautical decision making. I had the chance to fly with other instructors and examiners, and I've seen many of them pleasantly surprised about how certain maneuvers were performed or how situations were addressed, and all that happens because of the solid foundation that she builds. She wants you to succeed and will invest lots of energy in making you a better pilot, and if you are at least half as committed as she is, you'll do great. If you are looking towards getting your private pilot, or polishing your skills, or getting a higher rating then I truly believe Sue is one the best instructors you could work with! read more

Sue did an excellent job giving a thorough introduction to what would be involved in entering the world of private flight - walking us through and explaining all the parts of the pre-flight check as well as giving an enjoyable flight experience as well. read more

Scheduled my first flight with Sue out of West Valley flying club in Cessna 172. Sue was patient and did a nice job explaining in a gentle guiding way for me to perform the basic flight maneuvers. She is a true pro and makes flying look easy. read more

Sue's Great! Sue was my flight instructor for my private pilot license. Sue is a great flight instructor with an inspiring dedication to her craft. She goes over and beyond the norm for her clients. Safety always comes first with Sue. Her knowledge and experience in flying around the bay area was invaluable for learning to fly in a very busy environment. Her website, http://www.skytrekker.net was a great tool in the learning process and also links you to many other flying resources. I have since moved on from her great instruction to a commercial flight school to pursue a career in aviation. With out a doubt she has given my the perfect platform to build on! Thanks Sue! read more

Sue's been my instructor for around a year and a half, and instructed me through my Private Pilot certificate and various airplane checkouts. I'm happy to highly recommend her. Above all she's a very professional pilot, and she'll teach you to be one as well. If you're 'just' looking to take an intro or discovery flight (I say 'just' because it's rather easy to get hooked, myself being the textbook example), she's amazing. She knows the area well, is incredibly conscious of safety, and I'm sure will do everything in her power to give you a beautiful, and unique, view of the Bay Area from the sky. If you're looking for a CFI... Sue's an incredibly experienced pilot with an airline background, and she uses that to great advantage. Of course she'll teach you how to fly a proper traffic pattern, what to say on the radio, and how to execute a successful and safe cross country flight, but more than that - she'll teach you how to do it intelligently, incredibly safely, and so professionally that the Southwest captains on the radio will think you're an airline pilot flying your Cessna on the weekend off (well, maybe). The first and most important thing I noticed was how organized she was. I don't mean to speak ill of the CFI community, but it can be haphazard at times. Sue always replied to emails, shown up on time, and best of all for a proactive student: she has a plethora of valuable information available on her website to help prep for lessons. Sue can be one of the 'tougher' instructors, but with very good reason - she wants you to be the best pilot possible. I felt very comfortable going for my checkride, because as the checkride examiner said, "Sue's students are very well prepared". I'd much rather have a thorough instructor and be a safe pilot than a soft instructor and be a questionable one. Sue's also an amazing aviation ambassador, both for women in aviation and for aviation in general. She organizes almost all, if not all, of the group flyouts for my local club. She sends emails, books restaurants restaurants for the (in)famous $100 hambuger lunch, finds seats for not-quite-certified-yet participants (I was one for a long while), and works hard to connect the flying community. Many of the friends I've made in aviation have been as a direct result of Sue's introductions. Sue also knows the planes and the club(s) inside out. If you're looking for an instructor that can teach you to fly any number of types of planes, mountain flying, instrument ratings (the list goes on) ... Sue's your CFI. read more

Took a flight yesterday with Sue Ballew, owner of Skytrekker. What a wonderful experience! Sue gave us a pre-flight lesson about how a plane operates, explained everything as we went along, and then up in the air for a beautiful flight. She clearly is highly competent and completely knowledgable. Great time! read more

I purchased an introductory lesson with Sue Ballew as a Father's Day gift for my husband. He finally went yesterday and had a great time! He said that Sue was extremely thorough and competent and hopes to come back and take some more lessons with her and maybe eventually get his pilot's license -- something he has always wanted to do. Highly recommended! read more

All my life I have been having fond interests in flying and never had an opportunity for many reasons. So on my wife's birthday I gave her a surprise Flying trip with Sue. It could not have been much better than this Great deal. Once purchased, I wanted to keep it as a surprise from my wife - to which I had to let her know on the day!!! boo hoo...anyways she had agreed to fly at that moment but she insisted that I be the co-pilot. It was nice ride over Palo Alto, Stanford stadium and towards the Pacific coast. It was a nice and smooth ride with Sue. Sue was so good in her explanations and soon after - the surprise birthday gift to my wife turned out to be a Student Pilot of Sue. Since then I have been getting trained by Sue and have turned out great. Since then, I took my kids on 2 occasions on Bay Tour which the kids enjoyed the most. I strongly urge people who are interested in flying to give it a try - I bet you all you will love it. Sue is a special instructor and thanks for helping me out. read more