Geoff I think I may be able to help you out, seeing as you asked in the first place if anybody had been through the Ari-Ben training school and I have.
My situation is very different to yours, yet quite similar in a way, here's my story...
I'm a dual US/Australian citizen, mum from Michigan, born and raised in Sydney Australia. I began flying in September 2004 (2 years ago today actually). I completed my private license at a flight school in Sydney and towards the end of my private license I realised that I LOVED aviation and wanted to get the rest of my ratings and fly professionally.
Seeing as my grandparents live in Florida ("because they're over 65 and that's the law" - Jerry Seinfeld) and seeing as Florida has some of the best flight schools and some of the best weather in the country for flying, I chose Florida as the place to continue my aviation training because I had somewhere free to live, and because I figured that I could get the stuff done faster in FL than anywhere else in the US.
I was soooo right. I chose American Flyers in PMP as the school to get my IRA and CAX ASEL and began training with them on 9/16/2005. I know alot of people knock Flyers because they charge higher prices than the norm (and that's true) but the instructors really knew their stuff and I was able to complete my IRA and commercial in one month each, including having to do about 80 hours of timebuilding in a cheaper Cessna which I rented elsewhere.
Once I completed my commercial single I went up to Ft Pierce to get my multi rating and time-building done at Ari-Ben Aviator. I'd heard instructors and students at Flyers talking about the program up there and decided it was the right way to go. Another good decision. I have to say I really lucked out since I got to the US in that nearly every big aviation decision I made really paid off for me.
At Ari-Ben I dropped 8k and did my multi commercial instrument rating and built time until I had 100 hours multi in the duchess. That was a load off. I now had the rating and the prized 100 multi that the regionals and most multi-engine operators look for.
I completed my CFI-II at American Flyers in January this year and as soon as I'd completed them I began work at Flyers, worked my butt off and in the 6 months between 3/1/06 and 9/1/06 I'd taken my total time from 330 to 750. 420 hours total time at 70hrs per month average. Not so bad considering April and June were slow for us.
Interviewed with ExpressJet on August 14th with 700/110, was hired, and I'm beginning my training class in IAH tomorrow (9/11). I promise you once you have that 100 multi you ARE COMPETITIVE as long as you interview well. I prepared well, knew my stuff and was hired with relatively low time especially when considering that alot of guys who weren't hired had over 1500 tt with 300+ multi.
Then again, maybe it was just the Aussie accent (jk).
As I said, my situation is different to yours. I'm a 23 yr old single guy, with no mortgage, no commitments and no family to speak of besides my gparents here in FL and a few aunts and uncles. But my situation is similar in that just 3-4 months ago I was in precisely your shoes, 500+/- total time, and instructing.
My advice to you is to get your 100 hrs multi at Ari-Ben, get your total time up to about 650-700 and send out your resume, you might get an interview or two, and then it's up to you to sell yourself.
As I said, I had low time, I'm young... hell I haven't even finished my bachelor's degree yet. I thought during the interview process that I didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of getting hired, yet here I am packing my bags for Houston tomorrow.
Chase your dreams, Geoff... the hell with the naysayers
Connaz
