Hey JHoffy8
I don´t like these black and white paintings. There is no doubt that FSA has the better maintenance with all the 60 hour checks and the really clean maintenance. But you pay for it. And everybody has to think about if that is necessary.
I can also understand that somebody is very shocked if he sees the different to some other flight schools. I was shocked as well after changing to another flightschool (not AriBen and not from FSA). It takes some time to change and get used to other methods etc... -
!but!
that doesn´t mean that everything else than FSA is unsafe. You learn a lot at these other schools. You have to give it a really good preflight, at least at my school in case of problems i could go to maintenance and ask the #### out of the guys etc... They showed me the parts in question(what to look for etc..) - so I learned a lot and I don´t complain. I never attended FSA so I can´t say how much I would have learned about the maintenance etc. there.
And: You don´t put your live at risk if you train at the AVIATOR. Do a good preflight, runup etc.. don´t expect to have a 100% perfect airplane. But you shouldn´t do that at FSA as well - it´s like the engine failure on takeoff. Always expect the unexpected.
Believe me...you can learn a lot at these schools. And people need to understand - you are flying with trainers at flight schools that are in the air all the time. Do you need seat heating (*g*), air condition etc.? Go and pay for it.
One more example: I don´t get distracted in IFR anymore when an instrument really fails or something else doesn´t work correct (look into your 141 syllabus...training with real distractions) -did I put my life at risk at anytime? No! Flight schools do train you. Nobody needs a pilot that freaks out in the first real emergency.
If you don´t like the Aviator...just leave for another school. It is not really compareable to FSA. It starts with the price, most likely maintenance etc..
But If you want to learn to fly the Aviator it is as good as FSA. Yes, you have older planes at the Aviator...but you pay less and you have more multi engine time in the end. I really don´t think they put your life at risk up there.
The Aviator has some friends here...that stick around for ever and start bashing the school for years. If you want to find out something about a school. Go and visit them and take a flight, talk to students, instructors etc...give them the credit that things can change.
Is the thing with the illegal aliens proofed ... or is it just a rumor someone picked up somewhere?
I don´t get the whole point of outflying somebody. What does that mean? Flying a better steep turn than somebody else? Every monkey can fly the maneuvers after a while. Airlines are looking for team oriented people. Things like ADM etc. are much more important. I´m not sure if I want to be a passenger of you guys flying together in the cockpit. Probably somebody wants to outfly the other and puts the passengers at risk???
People have to understand that there are different ways to do something. You can become a pilot at FSA, DCA, local FBO as you can at the Aviator. Is flying at the Aviator unsafe? I don´t think so. Is the maintenance better at FSA? I do think so. Is everything great at FSA? I don´t think so.
Everybody should take a look at different flight schools (including your local FBOs). Talk to the students, instructors, alumnis etc. Take a demo flight with an instructor. Do backseating etc...
but don´t use black and white painting. A = completly good : B = completly bad
My 22 cents
