Phoenix is a modern metropolis with a wide variety of things to do and places to visit. It is an affordable place to live that is filled with things to do, and the weather is excellent for flying! From simple recreation, ideal weekend getaways, sporting events, and entertainment—Phoenix has it all!

Excellent Flying Weather
Because Phoenix is in the desert southwest, the atmosphere is frequently clear, dry, and stable. This makes for an excellent flight training environment with comfortable conditions, excellent visibility, and minimal weather cancellations. Why are we so fortunate? The winds aloft throughout the continental US are primarily from the west. While we are only about 325 miles from the Pacific Ocean, the southern part of the Sierra Nevada Mountains keeps most of the moisture in the Los Angeles Basin, and west of Palm Springs, CA. This leaves Pan Am in the middle of the Sonoran Desert where Phoenix lies. Phoenix averages 300 days of sunshine a year and an annual rainfall of only seven inches per year. Most of this rainfall occurs during the late summer months when a southerly wind brings in moisture from the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of California, and the Gulf of Mexico. This is called “Monsoon Season,” and increases the average monthly rainfall to a whopping 2-3 inches per month. Temperatures are comfortable throughout most of the year, aside from the dry summer heat that averages about 105 degrees in August.

Where to Live
Phoenix is a very diverse city with housing costs that vary substantially depending on lifestyle choices. Many of our students choose to rent an apartment nearby. The average rents for a one-bedroom apartment vary from about $500/mo to $700/mo, and there are many apartments within 15 minutes of Pan Am. For Assistance, please contact Jerry Maliva at 602-424-4400 for a free apartment referral.

On the other hand, many of our students prefer to purchase a house nearby. You might want to check out Housing In Phoenix or AZCentral for links to reputable realtors. In general the cost of living in Phoenix is below the national average.

 

What to Do
As a modern metropolis, Phoenix naturally has a plethora of things to do when you need a little breather from flying. Phoenix has some wonderful natural preserves for hiking and biking. Aside from the mountains and hills, the rest of the Valley is relatively flat so it is easy to bike around town.

Many of our students and staff are members at LA Fitness nearby and enjoy the pool, workout facilities, and classes (aerobics, yoga, etc.).

In addition, there are waterparks, and public city parks for pick-up games of basketball, volleyball, soccer, etc. Another Pan Am favorite is to spend the day relaxing at Lake Pleasant where you can swim, hike, bike, fish, camp, or rent boats.

Phoenix, being a major city, also has professional baseball, basketball, football and hockey. You can check out the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Phoenix Suns, the Arizona Cardinals, and the Phoenix Coyotes while you’re living here in the Valley. For all you baseball fans—or even those who just like an afternoon outside—Arizona is home to the Major League Baseball Cactus League and hosts numerous spring training games between professional baseball clubs during the month of March. Teams that train in Arizona include the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Socks, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Colorado Rockies, Anaheim Angles, and others. You can get close and personal with the players and get good seats for professional games for as little as $10!

If you are looking for shopping, food, or movies, the Deer Valley Mall and Happy Valley Malls are frequent places to hang out. Downtown Scottsdale and Tempe—home of Arizona State University—have large nightlifes and are not far from Deer Valley.

While Phoenix is a thriving metropolis, there are many small towns nearby where you can getaway from the heat and the crowds. Beautiful, charming, and quaint towns are only a short drive away such as Sedona, Prescott, and Payson.

We’ve saved the best for last! While Phoenix has many places to go, a trip to Arizona is not complete without a visit to the Grand Canyon National Park only about 230 miles north of Phoenix. Almost equally stunning is Monument Valley on the Arizona/Utah border.

Where to Work
If your spouse will be joining you in Phoenix then there are plenty of opportunities for them to get a job! In a city with 3 million people the opportunity for jobs are numerous. Some web sites to check out are azcentral.com, phoenixjobs.com, careerbuilder.com, arizonajobs.com, and jobsinphoenix.com.