My experiences at Ari Ben

[Metro752]

I AM NOT A EMPLOYEE OF ARIBEN

First off you got booted from jetcareers cause you were posting under multiple screen names and lieing about it even after a moderator and the site owners called you out on it.

Second it won't take you long to figure out who I am by my screen name so lets limit the bull$&*@.

For those of you who want to act as the jury. I flew 11.5 of his 16.9 hours while at Ariben.

So lets cover his issues! First off let me tell you I have spent alot of time in every single Duchess at Ariben and all of them are airworthy and comply with regulations for Day/Night VFR and IFR flight. Every Aircraft also complies with the POH and its required equipment list for known operations of flight. Are some aircraft better then others ofcourse but what school isn't that way.

First off his fuel pressure issue! The fuel pressure gauge on the right engine was at the lower end of the exceptable limits while inflight even with the back up electrical driven fuel pump on. I made note of it early inflight and kept my eye on it. Well after 2.8 flight hours and multiple full stop taxi back landings we decided to call it quits because at static the right engine was only producing 2300 to 2400 rpms. My guess is because Dan landed without putting the props forward! Remember that cause I do? Not only that but he took the runway for take off and ran the engines to full throttle when I looked down and caught it called for the abort and went back to the run up area. On a previous flight we had a debate about putting the props forward while on approach and he informed me that at ATP they didn't do this. Keep in mind this was a approach were he knew our intentions are togo missed.

Second his altinator issue. I was not the other pilot on that flight but my roomate was and the story he tells is a bit different then the one on here. Never once did he say we have another one lets just continue he infact demonstrated by using different power settings, turning on landing lights and turning off opposite altinator switches that both altinators were infact functioning. Anyone who has flown the Duchess or is familar with the electrical system knows that when in cruise flight with a light load being split between both altinators one if not both guages will show little or no load.

I myself coached you through the whole electrical system when you thought we had that problem on one of our flights and we continued on. Why because I demonstrated by turning off the opposite switch the amp meter then showed a load. I myself did have a altinator failure in a Duchess and can tell you that if you turn off the opposite switch without reducing the load almost immediatly you will see the dash lights dim and the screen on the garmin dim aswell. Which I told you! By the way the checklist and poh both state to check for failure by turning off opposite switch.

This ended up in dcramer squaking the airplane for the rt altinator failure and to quote "nose gear strut doesn't look right" After talking to his partner we learned that it was due to a very firm 3 point or possibly nose gear first landing. His partner a CFI/CFII with over 4 times the flight time that dcramer has grabbed the controls in time to save possibly shearing off the nose gear but alittle late to get a main gear first landing. The altinator was found to be working propperly and the shimmy damper had to repaired because the seals were blown out.

Make note to the situation above and refer to our fuel pump problem while doing multiple landings. This was because I had a similar situation with him and we discussed it and determined we needed to get him more landings. So our next flight we did just that with me demonstrating to him different techniques to help him with the different landing picture and characteristics of the Duchess.

Wireless internet!!!!! Who cares you are there to fly airplanes not play online!!! I did't have a computer but was able to use 1 of the 6 at the school 24hrs aday. When we flew and you made me aware of your concerns I told you not to worry give the system time, live at the airport and you will get done. Like the day we had the gear intransit light you left to eat I stayed another airplane came up and I got a extra 4 hours. Besides hanging at the airport talking to other pilots, instructors and mechanics is how you learn.

Lets address the gear intransit light problem. Not a big deal we returned to base because the poh states the system must be checked before your next flight. So obviously we couldn't continue on land and return. I hope that if you learned anything from that event it was that you don't attempt to troubleshoot a problem while in HARD IFR!!! Unless ofcourse it pertains to saftey of flight or keeping the aircraft airborne.

You got kicked out because you never told anyone to thier face your problems you went on a internet message board and blasted them.

Anytime I had a problem or delay I went to Mike or Mary and the problem was fixed immediatly. When I was there the first time I did have some delays and they did everything in thier power to make it right.

You wanna continue on with this debate I am more then willing. But I promise you that you will not like the outcome!

As for those of you that are thinking about the Aviator I would strongly suggest you do more research then on a message board that seems to harbor negativity. Why don't you check thier saftey record with the NTSB. Or for that matter PM me and I will give you either my email or cell phone and will answer every question you ask me the best I can with honesty.

Just take this into consideration at the Aviator those planes are going 24 hours a day 7 days a week. They spend the day doing training events and the night going time building. You can either go 2.5 hrs oneway and return or spend the time doing what I did which is multiple approaches at different airports allover Florida. I challenge you to find a school that flies thier airplanes more. Take this into consideration the more they fly especially doing training flights the more problems will come up.

Never once did I feel unsafe at the Aviator and never once did something I squaked not get fixed. I left there with a great experience and can honestly tell you I am a much better pilot from my experiences and friendships developed there.

Do you really really not know how to spell alternator, and a multitude of other words you butchered?

 

[flynryan15]

Metro

I really shouldn't post drunk but after my buddy( Not someone from ariben) told me about this thread today I had to reply.

Sorry spelling sucks but the information covered is 100 percent true

 

[Daytonaflyer]

dcramer16,
I went to Ariben Aviator about 3 years ago. My experience was almost identical to yours. They lied about every little thing. The airplanes are some of the worst I've ever seen.
They overcharged us. They constantly encouraged their students and instructors to violate the FARs by refusing to fix the airplanes and then telling them they are airworthy.
I got my flying out of the way there, but it took me a week and a half longer than I had planned. If you can find another multi-engine time building company; any other company, I would recommend going there instead.
Also, did they tell you about the deaths they had in the past? My isntructor told me they had a crash due to faulty maintenance and that's why they changed their name from The Aviator to Ariben Aviator.

Flynryan15,
You must either work for Ariben Aviator or you are just lying. When I flew there, the oil pressure and engine temperature gauges didn't work half the time. Both of these are required instruments for VFR. There was not one single airplane that had all of the REQUIRED gauges working.
One time the carb heat didn't work. This is required equipment for carbureted engines.
None of the autopilots worked. Only one airplane had Wx radar and we weren't allowed to fly it. It was reserved for checkrides.
There IS an airplane that frequently shoots blue flames out the exhaust pipe. They did tell us it was normal for that airplane...and NO, that is not supposed to happen if the maintenance is done correctly. Fortunately the flames did not cause any harm.
I have flown at some pretty shady operations, and Ariben Aviator was one of the worst. Those guys should be arrested or shut down.

 

[flynryan15]

Daytona

First off I do not work at ARIBEN and never have. Second nothing I said in my above post was a lie as you have stated. Do the gauge clusters have problems yes they do. I have had them have problems so I write it up and it gets fixed. I am willing to bet most of the problems come from pilots banging on the glass with pens and flash lights. So are you going to tell me that every flight you flew the oil pressure and temp gauges weren't working? Cause I think that would make you the liar. I know I never took off in a airplane without those required items working!

I thought the point of building time there was to refine your skills hand flying the airplane? So why do you need a autopilot?

Radar hmmmm the only one that has it that I can remember is 5236m. To the best of my knowledge it does work I have used it and had alittle bit of instruction on how to operate it. But seeing how I have no real formal training with it I would never depend on it to work my way around convective weather.

The blue flame well in that aircraft it does seam to be larger then the others. And could be rather alarming if not warned about it. I can however tell you that I have had several friends at other schools flying the Duchess see the infamous blue flame aswell. On a side note the aircraft in question recently had new engines hung on her and I didn't notice the flame to be as large. I have also been told that serveral aircraft produce them we just don't realize it cause the exhaust is out of site. And no it was not from a aviator mechanic.

Common sense tells me that if you had a large blue flame shooting out your exhausted that was a danger to flight it wouldn't be long before things got alil warm.

Carb heat? Did you write it up? Did they fix it or just blow you off? Are you gonna tell me that everywhere else you did your training you never had one mechanical problem?

I am not on here lieing for the Aviator I am on here presenting the other side to the story from the other pilot in the aircraft!!!

 

[IFollowRoads]

So how many hours do you guys need before you can get into the PFT program over at Gulfstream

I KEED I KEED!!

 

[Metro752]

Flynryan,

It might help if you stopped calling it the Aviator, and took off your sunglasses at night.

 

[Daytonaflyer]

Ifollowroads,
It looks like you're closer to doing the Gulfstream thing than I am. Aren't you a little old to still be flying props?
I guess a Beech 1900 would be a step up from anything on your list. JK. I KEED too.

 

[The_Russian]

FlynRyan

He does not work at Ari-Ben.

Maintenance is part of the game boys. Wait until you fly for a 121 company. The maintenance sucks everywhere. If you get over it now, you'll be better off.

 

[CA1900]

Really? Because the maintenance at my last 121 job was fantastic. Don't tell me Gulfstream is cutting corners! Surely with all that seat-rental revenue from the FOs, they can afford to maintain the equipment.

 

[minitour]

When I flew there, the oil pressure and engine temperature gauges didn't work half the time.

I'm not going to get into the debate on what Ari Ben does or doesn't do. I'm sure their airplanes are safe and legally maintained or they'd be out of business. If they have all the equipment that their ads say they do, fantastic...if not, I don't know about it.

Easiest solution is to (shameless plug alert) just come to www.americanjettraining.com and do your time building here. Same type of program...duchess...from $89.95-$87.95/hr depending on the block purchased. Blocks from 50-250 hours available in 50 hour increments. (plug over)

FWIW

While oil temperature and pressure gauges are required, the duchess uses (L) and O-360 air cooled engines and therefore a temperature gauge is not required per 91.205(b) [(6) Temperature gauge for each liquid-cooled engine.] for VFR flight. The oil temperature gauge is required for air cooled engines.

That being said, if the CHT gage was inop, it needed to be deactivated and placarded INOP per 91.213 to keep the airplane going.

The exception would be if the CHT was required equipment listed in the Duchess POH/AFM/TCDS, in which case you can't placard it INOP.

Example - One of our skyhawks' landing lights just burnt out and it's about 10 hours from 100 hour. Rather than put the plane down for a light bulb, we deferred the mx to 100 hour by placarding the light inop and having it deactivated. The A&P will do the replacement with 100 hour. Had this been listed as (R) in the POH, we couldn't have done that.

-mini

 

[The_Russian]

Really? Because the maintenance at my last 121 job was fantastic. Don't tell me Gulfstream is cutting corners! Surely with all that seat-rental revenue from the FOs, they can afford to maintain the equipment.

What does the FO program have to do with aircraft maintenance? Nothing. Our mechanics do a fantastic job. BTW GAA and GIA are two separate companies.

The equipment is maintained well, but it is old. Just like at most airlines. There is a difference in handling maintenance issues as a professional and a momma's boy. The ones complaining on this thread are not handling this issues professionally.

From my personal experiences, I have found that if a person complains a lot, they usually suck at flying.

 

[CA1900]

What does the FO program have to do with aircraft maintenance? Nothing... BTW GAA and GIA are two separate companies.

So are TSA and GoJet, but the money goes to the same place.

My point was that, with all that extra cash rolling in from what amounts to an additional paying passenger on every flight, they have no excuses to cry poor and cut corners on maintenance, as a previous employer of mine did regularly (a flight school). That's all.

Our mechanics do a fantastic job....

The equipment is maintained well, but it is old. Just like at most airlines.

So when you said this...

Wait until you fly for a 121 company. The maintenance sucks everywhere. If you get over it now, you'll be better off.

You said the mx "sucks everywhere." I pointed out that it didn't at my previous 121 carrier, and you counter by saying that it's good at yours, too.

Which is it? I agree that old equipment can be maintained well; I've seen it regularly. I disagree that "maintenance sucks everywhere." I think we agree and don't even know it. :0

From my personal experiences, I have found that if a person complains a lot, they usually suck at flying.

Heh, you must have met the my training partner for upgrade at CommutAir. During the walk-around inspection, he actually said to the examiner, "how come he gets all the easy ones?"

"He's not getting the easy ones. He's just answering them quickly and correctly." DOH! Scaaaary....

 

[The_Russian]

Oh, nevermind! Let's get wasted.

 

[CA1900]

I'll drink to that! :beer:

 

[flynryan15]

First off the Aviator is another name for Ariben!!

Second off what the Russian said was exactly my point. If he had handled himself in a professional manner and went to see Mike or Mary about his issues he would have some solid ground to stand on. But he didn't he went on the World Wide Web and blasted them.

Come on you are gonna tell me if he makes it to a regional and starts posting a day to day diary on here he is not gonna get fired. I could see it now day 1 at xyz airlines lots of info instructor went to fast. Day 15 simulator is broken again am I ever gonna get to IOE? And if I do what are the planes gonna be like if they can't keep the sim up?

 

[Mike man]

Wait until you fly for a 121 company.

What??? The maintenance at my carrier is second to none. What do you mean?

I made the trip down to Ft. Pierce to build time about 7 years ago...and the airplanes all had the same trouble then too. The WX radar didn't work, the AP didn't work, blue flames shooting out of exhaust, and all of the other stuff too. When I was there we paid 49.95/hour wet...what did I expect? Exactly what I got, if you go to the worst flight school in America to build time you get exactly that...the worst flight school, with crappy CFI's who can't talk on the radio or know how to do Vmc demos, and crappy airplanes that hardly work.

So what is my point? I survived and lived to tell about it. And learned tons flying all over Florida every night. I flew 72.3 hours in 9 nights...exactly what I set out to do.

 

[Daytonaflyer]

I'm not going to get into the debate on what Ari Ben does or doesn't do. I'm sure their airplanes are safe and legally maintained or they'd be out of business. If they have all the equipment that their ads say they do, fantastic...if not, I don't know about it.

Easiest solution is to (shameless plug alert) just come to www.americanjettraining.com and do your time building here. Same type of program...duchess...from $89.95-$87.95/hr depending on the block purchased. Blocks from 50-250 hours available in 50 hour increments. (plug over)

FWIW

While oil temperature and pressure gauges are required, the duchess uses (L) and O-360 air cooled engines and therefore a temperature gauge is not required per 91.205(b) [(6) Temperature gauge for each liquid-cooled engine.] for VFR flight. The oil temperature gauge is required for air cooled engines.

That being said, if the CHT gage was inop, it needed to be deactivated and placarded INOP per 91.213 to keep the airplane going.

The exception would be if the CHT was required equipment listed in the Duchess POH/AFM/TCDS, in which case you can't placard it INOP.

Example - One of our skyhawks' landing lights just burnt out and it's about 10 hours from 100 hour. Rather than put the plane down for a light bulb, we deferred the mx to 100 hour by placarding the light inop and having it deactivated. The A&P will do the replacement with 100 hour. Had this been listed as (R) in the POH, we couldn't have done that.

-mini

Minitour,
I'm sorry, but you are mistaken. I never said that an oil temperature gauge was required. I stated that an oil pressure gauge and an engine temperature gauge are required. I am referring to an engine temp gauge, not an oil temp gauge. An oil temp gauge is only required for liquid cooled engines, however, an engine temp gauge is definitely required for air cooled engines. Those gauges were INOP regularly at Ariben Aviator.
Second, I never mentioned anything about CHT (cylinder head temp) gauges. Were you replying to somebody else's post about CHT gauges?
I spoke of INOP carb heat (ya know the little lever you pull that allows warm air to flow around the carburetor assembly) to avoid carb icing. Carb heat is a required item according to the AFM and is very important when flying in humid areas like FL. It cannot be MEL'd or placarded.

 

[Daytonaflyer]

He does not work at Ari-Ben.

Maintenance is part of the game boys. Wait until you fly for a 121 company. The maintenance sucks everywhere. If you get over it now, you'll be better off.

The Russian,
I'm confused too...my former employer was a 121 carrier, and their maintenance was pretty good. It was at least 10x better than the maintenance I experienced at Ariben Aviator.
My current job is 135 and has crappy maintenance, but I'm not paying them for the privilege of flying their airplanes. I am not giving my employer $5000 out of my own pocket.
I would still say that my current job has better maintenance than Ariben did.

 

[Metro752]

First off the Aviator is another name for Ariben!!

Second off what the Russian said was exactly my point. If he had handled himself in a professional manner and went to see Mike or Mary about his issues he would have some solid ground to stand on. But he didn't he went on the World Wide Web and blasted them.

Come on you are gonna tell me if he makes it to a regional and starts posting a day to day diary on here he is not gonna get fired. I could see it now day 1 at xyz airlines lots of info instructor went to fast. Day 15 simulator is broken again am I ever gonna get to IOE? And if I do what are the planes gonna be like if they can't keep the sim up?

Yeah you are still missing the part about how YOU are paying to fly the airplane, they aren't paying you.

Plenty of people post their day to day "diary" when in flight training, on the interweb.

 

[flynryan15]

And you are missing the point that there was nothing actually wrong with the aircraft. He saw a indication problem he did not troubleshoot it he did not consult the POH he simply returned and complained about it. The other pilot a CFI/CFII with 4 times the experience attempted to troubleshoot it and show him it was because 2 alternators were sharing a light load.

That in its self is a big problem there. People come in to time build they don't take the time to study the systems of the Duchess and begin to think there is more of a problem then there actually is.

It doesn't matter if I am paying or being paid to fly an aircraft the nature of anything mechanical is to develope problems overtime. That is why there are required inspections for aircraft and preventative maintenance with automobiles.