Pan Am Intl' Flight Academy?

[ChadCRJ]

Naviator

I sent you a PM maybe you haven't recieved it. Anyways I did take a look at Ari Ben's website. It does seem like a deal when it comes to pricing. I do have some questions for ya.

Did you do the professional pilot course there? How did you like it? How long does it take to complete? (I'll be going in with a PPL)

They talk about flying there mult-engine a/c it seems more than the C172's or whatever they use. Is most of your training done in the twins? Also, do you really get to pick flights to fly from coast to coast as they say on their website?

Once you complete the whole program are you guranteed a flight instructor posistion? How big is their fleet? Are the planes pretty new?

And finally, did you just get hired somewhere? Do a lot of there grads get hired? Where?

I would really appreciate a post back from you. Thanks again.

Chad

 

[darien]

aviator

chadman
AriBen is the best bang for your buck. They are a small flight school their instrument course is part 141. It's like going to a local FBO that has great instructors. Your paying for the flight time not the facilities or brand new planes. You should take a trip to fort pierce and check it out. Pan Am is right next door and Flight Safty is ten miles up the road. Go compare them for yourself then make that 30k decision. I recommend it. I've seen quite a few guys transfer over from pan am to aviator, but not vise versa.
I went their with my private pilot license and went up to my commercial. Since you have your private you will only do a few hrs in the single for your commercial ticket. They have about 7 beech duchess. You are guaranteed a job instructing for them if you finish the course. They been in business for a long time so they have a ton of guys who are flying for the majors now. You'll see all the old pics on the wall.
Great luck to ya!

 

[jborsdrf]

DRIVE THROUGH 100 HOUR

I've got lots of buds that fly for or buy time at Aviator. Beware... it's cheap but you get what you pay for. Planes are ragged out beyond belief. Friends have told stories of assymetric brakes, electrical failure in IMC, engine fires, props that won't feather, props that won't unfeather, engines that won't start, flashllights for landing lights. One of their mechanics came to work for us (Pan Am) and told stories of auto parts, bad logs, and my favorite 15 minute 100 hours (our mechanics take two days to do a seminole and thats if nothing is wrong). The best is when tower asked "is that a new Duchess?" and the guy replied "yeah barely 9000 hours on it"

But what the hell I guess you can't f*ck with a bargin

 

[ChadCRJ]

PanAm

Yea, thats one thing I like about Pan Am. All there planes are practically brand new. I also like how they have the multi-engine route flying program to build time. I will probaly end up going to Pan Am but still I'm doing my homework.

Chad

 

[naviator]

Alright, I wasn't gonna do it, but I couldn't help myself

First of all, if you want the best deal out there Aviator is the place to go. And like you said, you have to do your homework and consider each school and weigh up the pro's and the con's.

If I had to do it all over again, there's no doubt in my mind I'd go back to Aviator. I most definitely would not go to Pan Am. As an Aviator instructor I had several students that left Pan Am and joined Ari Ben. And the previous post is right, you get what you pay for, and Pan Am definitely did not give you what you paid for, according to my former students.

When it comes to Aviator. Sure the airplanes are used. That's how they can give you such a great deal. And if you're looking for new airplanes to train in go to Pan Am. I'd say that would be you only reason why going there.

After over 900 hours in the "raggedy" Duchesses at Aviator I never had an engine fire, electrical fire, brake problems, and gee I didn't even have to use my flashlight as landing light. But of course there's gonna be things that go wrong from time to time. Any instructor could probably tell you some interesting stories about airplanes doing weird things. Maybe even a Pan Am instructor

But again, like you said, add the plusses and subtract the minuses and you come up with your answer.

Good luck.

 

[jon210]

I began my private at Comair Academy in June of 2002. The class started with 25 students. Only 3 cared to stick around long enough to CFI there. I bailed after commercial single engine. The 3 that stuck around were asked to go instruct at their Jacksonville campus and from talking to one of them is getting only about 30 to 40 hours flying time per month. Which really sux. The training there was good but as a whole the school was just b.s. Stay home save money and train at your local fbo.

 

[Chunk]

FSI

I'm a student at FSI and I couldn't be happier. They treat you like a customer, offer the best civilian training available and have a great reputation that will carry forward with you. I don't know anyone who regrets coming here which is saying something.

Tip: Check out jetcareers.com for discussion groups specific to each school. You can ask the students of whatever school you are interested without having to deal with marketing weasels.

G'Luck to everyone in their career,

Chunk

PS--BobbySamD....what restaurants are you talking about on US 1?

 

[bobbysamd]

U.S. 1 restaurants in VRB

Try Taste of Italy, at 1540 U.S. 1. I've had some of the best Italian in my life there.

Also, Fat Boy's Barbecue, at 685 U.S. 1.

Bon appetit!