Justice Aviation in SMO

[dingo222]

Has anyone had any dealings with Justice Aviation in SMO? anything would be helpful, but word from any previous instructors there would be most helpful! Prices. scheduling, anything at all. Thaks all, and keep the blue side up!

 

[ragear]

took lessons there and now i rent from them, they are excellent. i have no comparison for the prices but they seem reasonable. scheduling is done online, they have a bunch of different airplanes and it's usually not too hard to get the plane you want.

 

[DruDown]

One of the best schools in SoCal. Lots of planes, lots of quality instructors. Great place to rent and train. Even better place to work - great owners! PM me if you want any more information.


DruDown

 

[legaleagle]

Justice

Justice has good planes and good instructors, but their prices are high. Prices are similar to the bigger schools at Van Nuys, so maybe that's the norm now with fuel, etc. But, I rent a nice Arrow for $85 an hour with a KMD-150 at another place. So, I think they are high.

 

[DruDown]

Prices may be a little higher than some other smaller airports in the city, but between fuel prices, rent in Santa Monica, etc., prices are fair. Maintenace at Justice is very good and timely, that too adds some of the cost.

 

[BluDevAv8r]

Has anyone had any dealings with Justice Aviation in SMO? anything would be helpful, but word from any previous instructors there would be most helpful! Prices. scheduling, anything at all. Thaks all, and keep the blue side up!

Dingo,

As a former client of Justice (did my MEI there) and then instructor for Justice, I give my unreserved endorsement of the owners as well as the maintenance, etc. These kind words come with one exception - DruDown, a former instructor as well, is a bit of a dweeb.

Seriously though, Joe, Sharon and Glenn (the owners) are great people with a true passion for general aviation as well as their clientele. Their airplanes are in good shape and the maintenance is good. A testament to their operation and the legacy it leaves behind is their Christmas hangar party every year where tons of current and former clients gather for food and adult beverages to hangar fly...and I go back every year and invariably so do many of the other CFI alumni from there.

The only negative is the quality of the facility and that is less a function of the owners and more a function of no space anywhere on the airport for a good flight school to inhabit. All of the flight schools on the field are in pretty spartan facilities.

Overall, if you want a good family-owned and run operation that cares about its clients, Justice is the place to be.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

-Neal

 

[DruDown]

While BluDev makes some excellent points, his statement directed at me only shows he is overcompensating for some of his own "short" comings!The Holiday Party is an excellent example of the kind of place Justice is. This past year there were over 500 people in and out throughout the night - former and current instructors, former and current students, renters and other various clients. No other school, that I know of, draws that many people back. And no other school I know would put on a bash like that!

 

[BluDevAv8r]

While BluDev makes some excellent points, his statement directed at me only shows he is overcompensating for some of his own "short" comings!

Were you peeking at me in the bathroom that night?

The Holiday Party is an excellent example of the kind of place Justice is. This past year there were over 500 people in and out throughout the night - former and current instructors, former and current students, renters and other various clients. No other school, that I know of, draws that many people back. And no other school I know would put on a bash like that!

Ah yes, and who could forget all those trophy wives. Wow.

-Neal

 

[lawfly]

Had no idea the Holiday party there was such an event. I didn't go last year, my first year on the Justice renter pilot roster. I like the place. Prices are higher than a number of other places and some of the older aircraft on the line are just that: older. Something more substantial in the multi realm would be nice, but it, too, would be pricey, considering the current rate for the little Duchess. As I said, I like the place, overall. I have been flying out of SMO off and on 18 years and the airport is geographically feasible for me. I wouldn't rent at Justice if I thought it was substandard. I do like to fly after 5:00pm, though (have about 900 night hours) and one problem with that is that they want you to pick up the a/c keys before 5pm, as the official closing time for the office/front desk is 5:00 p.m. It would be nice if someone planning to launch at, say 6 or 7pm, could pick up the keys closer to launch time. In my case, I would fly more, as I cannot always make it there before 5 p.m. or do not want to have to make 2 trips: one to pick up the keys and one later to actually fly. And I don't know what happens if the airplane you want to fly later that night is airborne when the office closes. Does that mean you can't fly later, because the keys are unavailable at 5pm?
Do the former Justice instructors know?

 

[BluDevAv8r]

Had no idea the Holiday party there was such an event. I didn't go last year, my first year on the Justice renter pilot roster. I like the place. Prices are higher than a number of other places and some of the older aircraft on the line are just that: older. Something more substantial in the multi realm would be nice, but it, too, would be pricey, considering the current rate for the little Duchess. As I said, I like the place, overall. I have been flying out of SMO off and on 18 years and the airport is geographically feasible for me. I wouldn't rent at Justice if I thought it was substandard. I do like to fly after 5:00pm, though (have about 900 night hours) and one problem with that is that they want you to pick up the a/c keys before 5pm, as the official closing time for the office/front desk is 5:00 p.m. It would be nice if someone planning to launch at, say 6 or 7pm, could pick up the keys closer to launch time. In my case, I would fly more, as I cannot always make it there before 5 p.m. or do not want to have to make 2 trips: one to pick up the keys and one later to actually fly. And I don't know what happens if the airplane you want to fly later that night is airborne when the office closes. Does that mean you can't fly later, because the keys are unavailable at 5pm?
Do the former Justice instructors know?

I think that we used to utilize a "drop box" where people could get the keys later at night without anyone being at the desk. That may have changed though...or maybe my memory is taking me for a ride. DruDown, do you know more definitively?

-Neal