Pan Am Flight Academy?

[flyguy_022]

Hey is there anyone that has any feedback for this flight school or has anyone gone through this program? I would appriciate the feedback. I am looking for a school like this one. I just want to find out more info!

Thanx!


www.panamacademy.com/career

 

[msuspartans24]

BEWARE!!!

I attended Pan am, and it was a horrible experience. Long story short was that they "accidentaly" overcharged me and a number of fellow students on some of our activities (flights, groundschools, etc..). I myself was overcharged around 5000 dollars, and I didn't get that back for about 7 months after I brought it to their attention. When I did bring it to their attention they denied it, and told me not to worry about it. One student had to hire a lawer to get his money back. Just what I want to have to deal with when I'm trying to learn, and get my training done.

Don't buy into all the fancy marketing, and pretty brochures. Pan am is a bunch of money hungry executive business men who don't know the first thing about aviation and flying. Their after one thing, MONEY. And they do a pretty good job getting it (or should I say stealing it). I'm not saying everyone who has gone there has had problems, but I know a majority that have. Out of the 9 that started in my private class with me, 6 ended up leaving because of administration, and went across the street to Westwind. Smart move!

I will say that Pan am did have a great bunch of instructors, and you will learn your stuff there. There are two sides of the school, the flight side and the business-administration side. It's unfortunate that the administration side of things is so corrupt, because the flight side is really good. Bottom line is that I wouldn't do business with a company that has those kinds of moral's and ethics. Take your business to someone who appreciates it.

 

[mcjohn]

I have considered for a while going to those big academies and the more research I do the more I think they are way too expensive. Everyone seems to have a different experience when they go which makes me question their consistency with instructors. I always heard great things about them until post 9/11. What used to cost 30,000 to get to an interview now typically costs 50-80,000 at those places. You can still go to certain small FBO's and pay 25-30,000 for the same level of ratings the academy grads have. Beware of part 141 programs at small FBO's. I learned that the hard way! And stay away from Cessna Pilot Centers that want to sell you a kit that costs $299. King Schools put the kit together and it is seriously cheesy. Go with Jeppesen kit.

 

[flyguy_022]

Wow! See I was thinking about the price for this school because it is really big!! thats why I want to get personal feedback and Im glad You have shared this with me!

 

[ParrotheadPilot]

And stay away from Cessna Pilot Centers that want to sell you a kit that costs $299. King Schools put the kit together and it is seriously cheesy.

Sure the kit is cheesy, but I personally thought it was great. I either had the choice of spending 299 on the kit or spending multiple hours with an instructor at my FBO for a lot more.

Head over to Westwind at Deer Valley. A buddy of mine used to work there, and they're a lot cheaper than Pan Am is.

 

[Flyeys]

I completed all my training(private to MEI) at the Fort Pierce,FL campus and I must agree with msuspartans24 that the management side is a bunch of money hungry bas*ards. The flight side on the other hand is excellent, with top notch aircraft and even better instructors and resources. I just left there 2 months ago to go to a regional(Which panam did not help me with) and I have not been happier. 6-8 months ago I would have recommended it but not now. It used to be that you could steer clear of the management, with the exception of them constantly over charging you, and get your flight training done which is what you came there to do. It seems more and more that they are reaching their hands farther and farther into the flight dept. side and stirring the pot. Good luck in your search for a good flght school. I would recommend saving as much money as possible on your private,inst., and multi ratings and then going to an academy for the rest. More bang for your buck. Landings.com has lists of flight schools by state.

 

[mcjohn]

I would recommend saving as much money as possible on your private,inst., and multi ratings and then going to an academy for the rest. More bang for your buck.

No mention of commercial in there. Is it not so good to show up at an academy if you got commercial somewhere else?

 

[Flyeys]

Since commercial single and multi are relatively short ratings so to speak, you can usually get them done at the academies for a reasonable cost. I instructed in the commercial programs at pan am and the single engine was 12 lessons and multi was 3 lessons including stage check. Not too bad at all. Single was in the arrow after lesson 3(archer before for x-cnty's) and multi was the seminole.

 

[User546]

Flyeys, are you serious?? Did you really attend Pan Am? Sure, the Commercial is 12 lessons, and the Multi 3 (I remember there being many more then that) BUT how many lessons they have opposed to how many lessons it actually takes are two entirely different things.

If Pan Am says its going to take 10 lessons to do something, expect to double or even triple that amount. It is considered very rare for anyone to pass a lesson on the first try. Then you throw in the stage checks, with the inevitable "find something to fail you for the first time" then the retraining and the stage check again. You very quickly find yourself spending a couple months on something that should've taken one month. And all the while, keep in mind you'll be losing about $600 A DAY in the Arrow, and around $850 A DAY in the Seminole.

Run as far away from Pan Am as you can. I went there but quit while I was ahead and managed to find another academy that finished up my training within budget. I got four friends who are still there and now instructing, and believe me when I say things haven't changed!

And from first hand experience, I can verify what MSU said about management. If you want to know more about my opinions, do a search and you'll find three or four other posts regarding this subject.

Good luck with your searching!

 

[CUEBOAT]

ARIBENAVIATOR.COM sure the planes are ratty and the facility is a dump, but you will have great training at the lowest price in the country with the most actual multi time. I think everyone agrees on one thing once they finish training, is that they wish they could have don it cheaper, Aside from the few thatt had mommy and daddy fit the bill.

 

[B GUMPS]

Flyguy, If your considering the PanAm facility at Deer Valley you may want to rethink your options. I have heard very little good things about them. You will just be overcharged for instruction from very inexperienced CFis for the most part. West wind is a little better but not much. If your looking to get your rating go check out some of the smaller schools. Some I have had students share good experiences are- Glendale Airport - Glendale Aviation, Scottsdale Airport - Southwest Flight Center, Stellar Airpark ( Chandler) - Angel Air,great planes, Do avoid Chandler Air Service -Chandler Muni.