Hello I am a current student at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Ok. I am currently working on my private in my first semester as a transfer student from a community college. i am thinking of transfering to Pan Am flight academy for cost plus I love Florida. I currently flying a Cessna 152. Could the current students please tell me what is like to attend Pan Am academy, operations ect. I currently in a Part 141 program flying in an uncontrolled airport. i trained previously trained at Hollywood North perry airport which was a controlled airport. your response is apreciated.
Future Pan Am Flight Academy student
- Thread starter Luke
- Start date
SmitteyB
Well-Known Member
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Hello I am a current student at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Ok. I am currently working on my private in my first semester as a transfer student from a community college. i am thinking of transfering to Pan Am flight academy for cost plus I love Florida. I currently flying a Cessna 152. Could the current students please tell me what is like to attend Pan Am academy, operations ect. I currently in a Part 141 program flying in an uncontrolled airport. i trained previously trained at Hollywood North perry airport which was a controlled airport. your response is apreciated.
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Is there any particular reason you are looking at Pan Am? Like is there something at Pan Am that another school or FBO can't give you? Welcome to JC!
Hello I am a current student at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Ok. I am currently working on my private in my first semester as a transfer student from a community college. i am thinking of transfering to Pan Am flight academy for cost plus I love Florida. I currently flying a Cessna 152. Could the current students please tell me what is like to attend Pan Am academy, operations ect. I currently in a Part 141 program flying in an uncontrolled airport. i trained previously trained at Hollywood North perry airport which was a controlled airport. your response is apreciated.
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Is there any particular reason you are looking at Pan Am? Like is there something at Pan Am that another school or FBO can't give you? Welcome to JC!
Lima_Charlie
New Member
Hey Luke...
Your best bet is to PM "TheFlyingTurkey"... If haven't done so already, you should search through the Pan Am forum for his threads. He has posted a fairly informative history of his time at Pan Am in Ft. Pierce. He is currently an instructor, but has always been very good about being level headed w/ respect to sharing his experience...
I am in Phoenix, so I don't have much to share on the whole Florida operation.
LC...
Your best bet is to PM "TheFlyingTurkey"... If haven't done so already, you should search through the Pan Am forum for his threads. He has posted a fairly informative history of his time at Pan Am in Ft. Pierce. He is currently an instructor, but has always been very good about being level headed w/ respect to sharing his experience...
I am in Phoenix, so I don't have much to share on the whole Florida operation.
LC...
montanapilot
Well-Known Member
no doubt Smitty i was just about to say the same thing.
montanapilot
Well-Known Member
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your response is apreciated.
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If i were in your situation i would keep flying locally and keep on goin to school. Academys are overrated, plus the airlines dont give a darn where you did your training. You can get the same training done at any flight school without having to pay an arm and a leg.
your response is apreciated.
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If i were in your situation i would keep flying locally and keep on goin to school. Academys are overrated, plus the airlines dont give a darn where you did your training. You can get the same training done at any flight school without having to pay an arm and a leg.
TheFlyingTurkey
Fetus Worshiper
I dont understand why you guys insist on constantly bashing academy style flight schools. It is up to each person to decide which style is right for them, and Luke came to this forum to gather information about the school. Right away you guys jump all over him trying to discourage him from even investigating the school. How is anyone supposed to find unbiased information with you guys lurking around the Pan Am forum?
If you read any of my post's you would know that I posted my experience at Pan Am exactly as it happened, and I even use my real name, and everyone knows who I am. So if I was lying everyone could call me on it. I don't know many that use their real names on JC. I have integrity with what I post, that can't be said for some folks around here.
I did not experince the trouble with Pan Am that others have claimed. Why? Was I lucky? No. I was, at age 30, more mature. Some at age 20 may think they are too, but there is a huge difference. (I'll be more mature at 40 than I am now) With this maturity comes disipline. The disipline required to study hard and to understand what I was getting myself into. It was my money, and I wasn't going to waste it by missing flights, showing up unprepared, or staying out late partying the night before a stage check. (which I have seen happen both when I was a student, and now as a CFI)
If a dear friend asked me if flight academies were the way to go, based on my personal experience and situation, I would say yes. But which one? That is a very personal decision, and it takes research, and campus visits to answer that question.
The biggest reason to go to an academy is time. I finished all of my ratings from PVT through MEI including a month for the ACE class, in 10 months+2 weeks. I took 8 checkrides in that time, I busted my a$$. I seriously doubt you could accomplish that at an FBO. Now I have a salaried postion as a CFI with 3 students. I am doing pretty good.
If you decide it is right for you, and you work hard enough, you too could have the same experince I had, at any academy style flight school.
If you read any of my post's you would know that I posted my experience at Pan Am exactly as it happened, and I even use my real name, and everyone knows who I am. So if I was lying everyone could call me on it. I don't know many that use their real names on JC. I have integrity with what I post, that can't be said for some folks around here.
I did not experince the trouble with Pan Am that others have claimed. Why? Was I lucky? No. I was, at age 30, more mature. Some at age 20 may think they are too, but there is a huge difference. (I'll be more mature at 40 than I am now) With this maturity comes disipline. The disipline required to study hard and to understand what I was getting myself into. It was my money, and I wasn't going to waste it by missing flights, showing up unprepared, or staying out late partying the night before a stage check. (which I have seen happen both when I was a student, and now as a CFI)
If a dear friend asked me if flight academies were the way to go, based on my personal experience and situation, I would say yes. But which one? That is a very personal decision, and it takes research, and campus visits to answer that question.
The biggest reason to go to an academy is time. I finished all of my ratings from PVT through MEI including a month for the ACE class, in 10 months+2 weeks. I took 8 checkrides in that time, I busted my a$$. I seriously doubt you could accomplish that at an FBO. Now I have a salaried postion as a CFI with 3 students. I am doing pretty good.
If you decide it is right for you, and you work hard enough, you too could have the same experince I had, at any academy style flight school.
DE727UPS
Well-Known Member
"unbiased information"
I can only speak for myself. The only reason I frequent this and the DCA forum is the lack of unbiased advertising and marketing from the large academies....including PanAm.
You don't think it can be done at an FBO? I think you throw the same money at an FBO that you are willing to throw at PanAm, and it could be done at an FBO.
"I don't know many that use their real names on JC. I have integrity with what I post"
Don Eikenberry, UPS 757/767 F/O, Spokane, WA
I can only speak for myself. The only reason I frequent this and the DCA forum is the lack of unbiased advertising and marketing from the large academies....including PanAm.
You don't think it can be done at an FBO? I think you throw the same money at an FBO that you are willing to throw at PanAm, and it could be done at an FBO.
"I don't know many that use their real names on JC. I have integrity with what I post"
Don Eikenberry, UPS 757/767 F/O, Spokane, WA
Lima_Charlie
New Member
DE... Any chance you feel like posting some SPECIFIC examples Pan Am's misleading/false advertising that you so often preach about? Maybe the "powers that be" will take your opinion into account... Who knows?
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
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With this maturity comes disipline. The disipline required to study hard and to understand what I was getting myself into. It was my money, and I wasn't going to waste it by missing flights, showing up unprepared, or staying out late partying the night before a stage check.
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Which can, by the way, be done at an FBO for a considerable amount less. Trust me on this, that's what I'm doing. Just because you don't have someone to set a schedule for you doesn't mean you can't do it yourself.
With this maturity comes disipline. The disipline required to study hard and to understand what I was getting myself into. It was my money, and I wasn't going to waste it by missing flights, showing up unprepared, or staying out late partying the night before a stage check.
[/ QUOTE ]
Which can, by the way, be done at an FBO for a considerable amount less. Trust me on this, that's what I'm doing. Just because you don't have someone to set a schedule for you doesn't mean you can't do it yourself.
DE727UPS
Well-Known Member
"Any chance you feel like posting some SPECIFIC examples Pan Am's misleading/false advertising"
We already talked about this at another thread here. But, yeah, I think you're "industry news" links are intentionally misleading. There is no mention of the bad things going on in this industry at the present time. Does PanAm have it's head in the sand about the state of the industry? Or do they simply not want to portray a balanced picture?
I guess it's simply good marketing to only tell half the story.
We already talked about this at another thread here. But, yeah, I think you're "industry news" links are intentionally misleading. There is no mention of the bad things going on in this industry at the present time. Does PanAm have it's head in the sand about the state of the industry? Or do they simply not want to portray a balanced picture?
I guess it's simply good marketing to only tell half the story.
Lima_Charlie
New Member
Oh, that's right... So other than that, is there anything else??
SmitteyB
Well-Known Member
Their price...it's outrageous. Are there any guarentees or even positive chances of getting an instructor job there?
Dont feel bad Luke, we all came on here being a starry-eyed-wannabe's set on going to an academy. But thanks to the guys on here, I didn't make the $100,000 mistake. I just don't want someone like you to go to PanAm, get out, have no CFI job, and then find it hard to pay back your loan...because even the guys with CFI jobs are having trouble. Go to ATP, Ari-Ben, or a local FBO and get your ratings. ALL tickets are the same, but do you really think you need the best aircraft, buildings, and uniforms for the FAA to say ''Ok, you're capable of safely controlling this aicraft in these conditions"?
The answer is: No, you dont. The quicker you realize that, the more money you're going to save.
Believe me Luke, I was just like you.
Dont feel bad Luke, we all came on here being a starry-eyed-wannabe's set on going to an academy. But thanks to the guys on here, I didn't make the $100,000 mistake. I just don't want someone like you to go to PanAm, get out, have no CFI job, and then find it hard to pay back your loan...because even the guys with CFI jobs are having trouble. Go to ATP, Ari-Ben, or a local FBO and get your ratings. ALL tickets are the same, but do you really think you need the best aircraft, buildings, and uniforms for the FAA to say ''Ok, you're capable of safely controlling this aicraft in these conditions"?
The answer is: No, you dont. The quicker you realize that, the more money you're going to save.
Believe me Luke, I was just like you.
dakovich
Well-Known Member
you mean I have to pay that loan back...ahhhh, so thats what those letters from Key Bank are all about
the cost is HUGE...of course its HUGE no matter where you go, but if you plan it well it can be less HUGE than you may think. does that make sense??
how much is that ACE thing?? how much is 100 hours of multi at ARI-BEN?? just mentioned that because i know more than one graduate who said afterward..."wow, i could have done things a lot differently/cheaper/quicker".
i actually miss the academy style, i liked the pace of it all, and i really miss that. facilities were nice, planes were nice, people were nice, and just being around so many people who were going for the same goal was awesome. but i really do think that ACE program is a big turn off. and if you don't do it you can't instruct with them...something to think about. if i wasn't forced to return home for family issues i probably would have sucked it up and stayed on...but being as cheap as i am i would have had a bad taste in my mouth from the ACE thing.
the cost is HUGE...of course its HUGE no matter where you go, but if you plan it well it can be less HUGE than you may think. does that make sense??
how much is that ACE thing?? how much is 100 hours of multi at ARI-BEN?? just mentioned that because i know more than one graduate who said afterward..."wow, i could have done things a lot differently/cheaper/quicker".
i actually miss the academy style, i liked the pace of it all, and i really miss that. facilities were nice, planes were nice, people were nice, and just being around so many people who were going for the same goal was awesome. but i really do think that ACE program is a big turn off. and if you don't do it you can't instruct with them...something to think about. if i wasn't forced to return home for family issues i probably would have sucked it up and stayed on...but being as cheap as i am i would have had a bad taste in my mouth from the ACE thing.
Lima_Charlie
New Member
Luke...
Which ever direction you decide to go, just make sure that you do adequate "due diligence" on the options that you consider. Take the advice you get in here w/ a grain of salt. If you can't tell, the "nay-sayers" on this board are rather jaded in their opinion. As informed as they MIGHT think they are, very few of them have any DIRECT experience with any of the academies, and thus have limited credibility. Some people are so invested in their opinion that there mind is closed to other ideas and options. Sad really...
Good luck in your quest! And whatever you decide to do, just remember that if you work hard, study hard, and remain teachable, you will have a positive experience no matter where you end up!
LC
Which ever direction you decide to go, just make sure that you do adequate "due diligence" on the options that you consider. Take the advice you get in here w/ a grain of salt. If you can't tell, the "nay-sayers" on this board are rather jaded in their opinion. As informed as they MIGHT think they are, very few of them have any DIRECT experience with any of the academies, and thus have limited credibility. Some people are so invested in their opinion that there mind is closed to other ideas and options. Sad really...
Good luck in your quest! And whatever you decide to do, just remember that if you work hard, study hard, and remain teachable, you will have a positive experience no matter where you end up!
LC
