Air Ben Aviator

[ParrotheadPilot]

Does anyone here have any experience with Air Ben Aviator? A friend of mine is looking into their twin time building program. I noticed that they now have a $10/hour fuel surcharge which makes the cost of 100 hours $7995, with half of that time being safety pilot time if I read their web site correctly. I was wondering if their Duchesses are pretty nice or not so nice. Is this one of those places where you should avoid at all costs paying up front with crappy maintenance and trashy planes? Or is it a pretty reputable outfit where a friend of mine could expect decent planes, decent maintenance, and decent instructors?

Also any opinions of the usefullness of (i.e. what will airlines think of it...or will they even care) 50 hours of safety pilot time is also appreciated.

I already searched the forum and nothing came up....Thanks!

 

[SevenDos]

I did all my ratings and instructed at aviator. It's the best deal around. Equiptment is good too. The flight time is legit for any airline.

 

[LSU Fan]

Maintenance was terrible. Planes were crap. Housing was worse. And scheduling beat all of them. Just my experience though.

 

[Steveair]

I looked into doing it a long, long, long time ago and opted not to do it since they LIED about the price... Magazine Add said one thing, called and got a much higher price.

Also, FYI, you will be flying with another pilot at all times. He/she will be your safety pilot while you are under the hood or vice versa. Additionally, (and here's opening a BIG can of worms), you both log it as PIC... personally I don't believe thats legal under my interpretation of the regs. I know a lot of airlines feel the same way but some don't...

Have him go to Pinnacle.... they're hiring with 500 tt and a multi-engine rating. Build some time and bail before NWA destroys that company. Peidmont has similar low mins.

 

[MFRskyknight]

Does anyone here have any experience with Air Ben Aviator? A friend of mine is looking into their twin time building program. I noticed that they now have a $10/hour fuel surcharge which makes the cost of 100 hours $7995, with half of that time being safety pilot time if I read their web site correctly. I was wondering if their Duchesses are pretty nice or not so nice. Is this one of those places where you should avoid at all costs paying up front with crappy maintenance and trashy planes?

I would avoid at all costs paying that amount up front to ANY flight institution.

MFR

 

[minitour]

I would avoid at all costs paying that amount up front to ANY flight institution.

MFR

AMEN!

wrt logging PIC as safety pilot AND being under the hood:
It's legal IF both pilots agree that the safety pilot IS the PIC for the flight.

I other words, if one person was signing for the aircraft, it would be the one that is safety pilot. Since he's now a required crew member (regs on safety pilot), he can log it as PIC. The guy under the hood can too (regs on logging PIC - sole manipulator for aircraft you're rated or have privileges).

Do airlines like it? Don't know, but why wouldn't they?

To me, red flags go up when a company says "well yes the regs say that's legal but we don't care it doesn't count". What is next? Duty time regs that are "gray area"? Rest periods? Flight time limitations? I would be skeptical...every airline has their own "requirements" though and it's their right...but if it were me in the interview and someone said "well that doesn't count", I'd politely explain the regs and if it still "didn't count" I'd politely thank them for their time and go right on home.

...I may only have that opinion because I don't really have a drive to get to the airlines, but that's my take.

-mini

 

[LSU Fan]

Actually, I don't have any debt. Are you stalking me?

 

[MFRskyknight]

...I may only have that opinion because I don't really have a drive to get to the airlines, but that's my take.

-mini

Me neither, but I've also wondered about their view of logging PIC from time to time, as well as freight companies, etc. Oh well...whatever gets me to the magic 250TT/50XC. Then I'll rack up the "real" PIC.

MFR