My experience at Ben Aviator College in Ft. Pierce, FL

Seriously, do they give out free epaulets and sunglasses for posting their obviously self promoting, marketing-based postings?
 
John Grier said:
I've been to Aviator....it was the worse experience of my life...I would say 90% of the student hate it there and if they could leave they would. Most are locked in due to their visa. The planes are always broke down, I heard stories how the aircraft logs are "doctored" stories of them "fabricating" new wings. I had a plane for my check ride with large crack on the nose gear so I grabbed a mechanic and he said nope can't fly it has to be fixed. I grabbed another plane for the checkride and the next day the plane with the crack is out flying around and still hasn't been fixed. I heard about the linkage rod for the flaps broke on a checkride and the plane ended up doing a barrel role. Not all the instructors are mature enough to be teaching. They lack work ethic, cancelling flights just being plane too lazy to get out of bed. Some speak really poor english so there is a communication barrier. I ended going next door to the mom and pop opperation and finished up my instrument, single and multi commercial there. It took a month before they noticed I wasn't flying there but still living in the dorms...They really don't care about the student. I could go on and on....The DPE calls that place the junkyard. Some planes have fuel pressure and oil pressure gauges that seem to glued to be in the green..they never move...Some never make it in the green but it's OK because it never moved yesterday and the engine still runs.

Time building might not be so bad...if you have the time and do a really good pre flight...Do know that you can only go as far as the fuel in the tanks will allow...They will only reinburse you up to like a $1.20 a gallon for av gas. Your only flying at night so if you do need to put it down it will be at night. I would check the regs on the safety pilot logging..I don't think you log that as x country time as a safety pilot.

Good luck! You have been warned....

Trade Winds is just next door and always treated me right!
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In response to all of this "heresay", these accusations of this school are absolutely ludicrous. I did go to Aviator and would personally recommend to anyone who wants to get the most out of their money to attend this ACCREDITED organization. I emphasize strongly on the heresay that has been introduced into this review of this school and can also say that it is not true. There are just too many negative things said about this school in this particular post to write anything short of a book on in proving them wrong, but if anyone is interested in this school whatsoever, I can personally provide contacts who have, or currently attend this school, both as staff or students and they can provide honest opinions that are directly the opposite of this 'experience'. Please do not stop your research of this school if you have any interest in it at all. If you go to this school prepared then you will have nothing short of a positive experience and come out on top.
 
bala0909 said:
If you go to this school prepared then you will have nothing short of a positive experience and come out on top.
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Really I was prepared and the only good thing I can say about my time at Aviator is I got to meet some great people, and MX works thier asses off(To bad Mike is to cheap to give them what they need). Lets be honest, Aviator is the Wal-Mart of flight schools.
 
bala0909 said:
I did go to Aviator and would personally recommend to anyone who wants to get the most out of their money to attend this ACCREDITED organization.
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Is this a jab at UND/ERAU or are you somehow implying that learning 1 on 1 with a qualified instructor (CFI/CFII/MEI) 0-multicomm is somehow not accredited and the wrong way to do it?
 
Any kid with half a brain is going to look at the post counts on either side of the issue and...draw their own conclusions. That said, it does irritate me that Doug's Living Room can be turned in to a spamfest. Are there any depths to which you won't sink? Don't answer that.
 
According to Flight Dispatch today there are 45 instructors here now and 26 planes (10 BE-76, 11 172s, 4 PA-28s, 1 Arrow).
 
dwe213 said:
According to Flight Dispatch today there are 45 instructors here now and 26 planes (10 BE-76, 11 172s, 4 PA-28s, 1 Arrow).
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The duchess is a beautiful plane

Do you all really only have one arrow? With all those students I figured you'd need more since you know, for a commercial single (even if just an addon) you need to do takeoffs and landings in a complex single and not a multi anymore (changed regs)


ah who am i kidding... big business doesn't need to follow the rules, they probably do them in the multis anyway
 
elmetal said:
for a commercial single (even if just an addon) you need to do takeoffs and landings in a complex single and not a multi anymore (changed regs)
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FALSE. If doing a single-engine addon to an existing commercial certificate, you do NOT need to fly a complex aircraft on the checkride.

FAA Commercial Pilot PTS said:
The commercial pilot—airplane applicant is required by 14 CFR section
61.45, to provide an airworthy, certificated airplane for use during the
practical test.
This section further requires that the aircraft must:
be a complex airplane furnished by the applicant, unless the
applicant currently holds a commercial pilot certificate with a
single-engine or multiengine class rating as appropriate, for the
performance of takeoffs, landings, and appropriate emergency
procedures.
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Roger said:
FALSE. If doing a single-engine addon to an existing commercial certificate, you do NOT need to fly a complex aircraft on the checkride.
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IF the existing commercial certificate is for an airplane! Not true for commercial airship/glider/rotor... Really the only time that is true is adding a C-ASEL to an C-AMEL.
 
Roger said:
FALSE. If doing a single-engine addon to an existing commercial certificate, you do NOT need to fly a complex aircraft on the checkride.
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I stand corrected. I was sure you needed it, went to check the regs and I was wrong.

What I was thinking was that you can no longer use a multi as the complex part of your checkride if you are doing a single initial and then a multi addon same day

Right?
 
drunkenbeagle said:
IF the existing commercial certificate is for an airplane! Not true for commercial airship/glider/rotor... Really the only time that is true is adding a C-ASEL to an C-AMEL.
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True. Or vice versa, if you have a C-ASEL you don't have to use a complex for your C-AMEL ride.

elmetal said:
I stand corrected. I was sure you needed it, went to check the regs and I was wrong.

What I was thinking was that you can no longer use a multi as the complex part of your checkride if you are doing a single initial and then a multi addon same day

Right?
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That is my understanding as well. The 2 checkrides are separate and you CANNOT count your landings in the multi during the addon ride towards the required landings for your initial.
 
bala0909 said:
In response to all of this "heresay", these accusations of this school are absolutely ludicrous. I did go to Aviator and would personally recommend to anyone who wants to get the most out of their money to attend this ACCREDITED organization. I emphasize strongly on the heresay that has been introduced into this review of this school and can also say that it is not true. There are just too many negative things said about this school in this particular post to write anything short of a book on in proving them wrong, but if anyone is interested in this school whatsoever, I can personally provide contacts who have, or currently attend this school, both as staff or students and they can provide honest opinions that are directly the opposite of this 'experience'. Please do not stop your research of this school if you have any interest in it at all. If you go to this school prepared then you will have nothing short of a positive experience and come out on top.
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Isn't it funny how someone with a post count of 1 posts this? ;)
 
They may have 10 Be-76's...Just one less than they had a month ago after a multi private student gear upped it on the runway with his instructor.... They had gear trouble...Who has gear trouble and not make any calls saying they have gear trouble or fly off fuel...or try and fix it somehow?

You can come prepa

red all you want, study as much as you want..but when you have 45 people trying to fly maybe 3 or 4 planes that are up and running in one day..not possible...Some days they shut things down all together because they say everything is broken....

Hanger flying doesn't get you ratings, you have to fly to get a ticket. Flying needs to be consistent, everyday not a day here and day there. It took days after I got there to even get in an airplane to start flying, 3 weeks to get 10 hours of flight time to get my multi private... I learned that flaps down is good for VMC but isn't "just because". Every question I asked was answered by the instructor as just because...I had to go read it in a book because he didn't have the answer.

The school sucks...plane and simple. I can give you names and numbers of plenty of students who will tell you how it sucks there and how they wish they could get out.

There are multiple law suites out there against Aviator for fraud, taking advantage of students. Do your research...I would go to ATP if I had to do it all over again. You get what you pay for.
 
dwe213 said:
No. I think it's odd that in your last two posts you've dismissed information without contacting the authors to verify their claims.
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Hmm... A bit defensive I see. Why the need to be defensive? I don't think I mentioned anything about the school other than, just that it's odd that those that have good things to say usually have a post count of 1 that stays at 1. Doesn't that sound like someone joining ONLY for the purpose of advertising?
 
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