Anyone rent from Air Desert Pacific?

[azpilot]

Just curious if anyone has rented Seneca's from Air Desert Pacific, in LA, in the past year. I want to build additional multi-engine time and they look like a reasonable outfit. Any feedback from renters is appreciated.

Thanks,
AZPilot

 

[English]

Be careful, go somewhere else...

 

[azpilot]

Be careful, go somewhere else...

It is always helpful if you list a reason. They stole your money. The planes are pieces of junk, etc.

- AZPilot

 

[Wiggums]

Their planes are junk.

 

[English]

Their planes are junk, shoddy maintenance, history of fatal accidents...

 

[LAXSaabdude]

I called them a few months ago, thinking about renting an airplane (172, Archer, or similar), and they told me that as part of their checkout, they require EVERYONE to do a X/C with an instructor to Big Bear.

Now as an airline pilot with 7300 hours, I have not touched a single in about 6 years, so I know I need a checkout, and will gladly take one. But I want my time spent productively. I want to do lots of takeoffs, landings, stalls, emergency procedures, etc. Droning along for a couple hours just to show that I can takeoff and land at a high altidude airport that I had no intention of going to in the first place is nothing more than a waste of my time and money.

Back when I was an instructor, we always joked around that the other instructors were "milking" their students. It was completely in jest, but IMO, Air Desert Pacific takes the cake!

LAXSaabdude

 

[VMC]

So lets be honest here.

Just because you got the shaft at ADP does not mean everyone.

Here is the real deal.
The Seneca's are fine.
I instructed there and still rent the planes. Here is what you need to do.
First...figure out which Seneca you want with the type of equiptment, ex: HSI, etc.
Not all the Seneca's will have six seats.
Some have just have two.
Next book it early, or you'll never get it.
Check on the annual or when the 100 is due so you get the one you want.

The mechanics are great and don't beliver what you hear.

Sure they have some accidents. But it is the pilot, not the equipment. Most of the accidents came from pilots that flew into weather that they were not licensed for.
I flew 120 hours a month as an instructor and never had a problem.

Now in regards to flying a cross country to Big Bear. Yes you fly to Big Bear for a high density check out but this is for insurance purposes. On the way to Big Bear or on the way home, a complete check out in the plane is done. Stalls, steep turns, emergency procedures, landings, go arounds, etc. I have flown with some pilots that did not need to do this check out but hell, thats life.

If any other questions, ask.

 

[CFIIer]

I've never flown their airplanes personally, but I've heard some stories of instructors I know and people that have rented there. I've been in and out of POC plenty of times, and I would never fly one of those airplanes. Those things look like they need to be retired. I don't think I would drive a car that looked that bad.

 

[VMC]

Hey you are right that the planes do look ugly. But, why do you think they are so cheap.

I always said, if you can fly an ADP plane you could fly anything.

 

[Socalplt]

I instructed/rented at ADP a few years back and have about 900 hours in their airplanes (about 350 in the Senecas). In that time I had at most a half dozen minor maintenance issues. The airplanes do look pretty crummy but mechanically they are OK. For the price, I think they're a good deal. Follow the advice VMC gave and do a good preflight and you should be OK.

As far as the Big Bear checkout goes, there were some that didn't need it. However, many of the checkouts were for foriegn and out of state pilots that didn't have any high density altitude airport experience. Most of these pilots benefited greatly from the experience, as it was a real eye opener when up at Big Bear on a warm day.

I don't know what their prices are now, but several years ago you coundn't beat them in Socal. Multi time at just over $100 an hour with upwards of 15 Senecas to choose from. Good place to instruct at if you want to build experince fast. While I was there we had one instructor log 200 hours of multi time in just 2 months! -- honest truth! I received my MEI there and gave 320 hours of multi instruction within the next year. Most of the instructors had more students than they knew what to do with.

The last maintenance related crash that I"m aware of happened back in 1997 or so. All the other ones have been pilot error so I'm told. With 30 something airplanes flying thousands of hours a month, statistically, it's probably not a bad record.

 

[garyg]

I and another pilot rented a 100 hour block from them in June/July of 2000. The price was great. The planes were mechanically sound although not the most beautiful planes. They gave us three quarts of oil to use and we put 2 and a half cases in the aircraft over the course of 80 hours. We went IFR everywhere in all kinds of weather.

Neither of us had the prerequisite hours at the time so we each put in the mandated 10 hours with an instructor to include an ICC and a trip to Big Bear. We also did a minimum 25 T/Os and landings. By the way the instructor was a blonde Swedish girl. It was a most pleasant experience.

If you want to build some time they seemed fine to me. This info is 2 and a half years old but it's my 2 cents worth. I'm still in the service flying C-12s (King Air) and my buddy got out and is a first officer at ACA.

Gary

 

[Pistonpilot]

Wasn't so bad

I had a similar experience Socalplt and Garyg had. I did 100 hours in their Senecas in 1999. Always did a good preflight. Biggest problem was scheduling. We'd show up and the plane we reserved would be out flying or in for inspection.

 

[Simon Says]

ADP is one heck of a place to get some quality time. Mx is was not an issue during the year and half that I was there. You are able to take the planes on long cross countries and log some good quality time in the LA basin. I reccomended it to most of my buddies that wanted to build some multi time.

If you instruct there, plan on working 7 days a week 10 hour days. I always had way too many students, and not enough time in the day.