As of June 2nd 2011 Makin Air Helicopters has ceased flight training operations. Having worked several years in the area and being familiar withALL of the providers of Helicopter Flight Training in the Bay Area I give my full endorsement and recommendation to the following providers.
Wayne Prodger of http://verticalcfi.com/page7.php (Hayward, CA)
and Matt Angelo of http://www.angeloairtours.com/contact/ (Petaluma, CA).
These two instructors exhibit superior knowledge of course subjects and exemplary competency in teaching flight maneuvers. A pilot trained at either of these schools will have the best knowledge of Helicopter subject matter and have the best foundation for a successful SAFE future in piloting helicopters. Any other training facility in the area is sure to be more expensive per hour, take longer to achieve a license and produce students lacking in subject matter and safety. Thank you for nearly 5 successful years in the bay area.