Keephopealive09, others on PAIFA

Planenut

New Member
I have read your messages here, and have definitely taken your advise into consideration and certainly appreciate it. When I talked with PanAm the other day, I questioned them about being able to pay as I go along with each different program, and they said "No, I would have to pay for the whole thing at once". If that is not true, then it's a lie (from PanAm) and I don't need to be lied to. I am (since your postings about PAIFA) having serious second thoughts about going, and would like some recommendations for schools in the Phoenix area to look at. I don't necessarily need it to be FAR-141, but I need a steady curriculum where I'm not penalized for going elsewhere if I'm dissatisfied. I have been looking at Sunbird, and Southwest Flight Center. I prefer newer Piper aircraft over Cessna, but will go along with Cessnas if I have no choice (although I should have a choice since I'm the one paying the big bucks
crazy.gif
). Thanks again for all the input you and the others have provided.

Erik.
 
Erik-

It makes me feel better knowing that I have changed someone's mind about Pan Am. Not because I hate them, but because it will be better for you. The schools you are looking at are pretty good. Email me guidowoods@yahoo.com and I can offer some advice. Good Luck
 
keephopealive09: i'm afraid its a lie bro...unless the SOP (standard operating procedures have changed once again) as well as "company policy"..cause you know how often that happens. i had many friends that chose to pay for each part of the program individually man. i was unwise and did not though. -ifrflight-
 
damn, Phx. sounds like its in need of some help if everything you guys say is true. i'm here in florida and haven'y seen anything close to what you few guys are saying. poeple here seem to be very happy, including myself. anyway, Pan Am is now trainign under part 61, but to part 141 standards. trying to diminish the whole check ride hold up i guess. call and ask about that for details. oh, and you pay 4 installments on your schooling. not one lump sum. you'll have to contact them to get the speciifics. they just don't want to train someone just to be a PP. they want to train airline pilots. if you just want a PPL, by all means go to a FBO and do that there. hey, come check out florida. i wish somebody would, especially one of the people that had such a bad experience. that would help everybody get a perspective on the two campus', they could tell others the differences between the two. hey, they'll pay for your hotel if you come visit.

my opinon: seems like (from what some are saying), that there is maybe an overcrowding issue at the other campus. kindda like most of the other big schools i hear about. that would, in itself lead to each and every problem i've herad so far. i'm sure, if the administrators are monitoring, that this problem will not happen again in the future. first of all, they should be giving an entrance exam just to get into the school. that would do a lot for the school. weed out those not ready for the fast track type of schooling, help those people save some money and maybe start at a lesser pace somewhere else. second, it would benefit the schools reputation. kindda like the ivy league school of aviation or something. more or less, it would keep those not up to the type of training from wasting their money and possibly bad mouthing the school. i'm not saying this to be true in some of these cases on this site, don't take that statement the wrong way. i sitll believe there may be an overcrowding issue. thrid, enrollment needs to be monitored more precisely. if the one campus is overcrowded, why not send some students to the other campus. we're only running at 50% capacity. pay for the flights from the west to the east, stipulate that the student must reside in the dorms for a set number of months (mostly in order for them to get settled, especially if they are paying for the flight). equilize the student population, and don't subject yourself to ridicule form former students that you may have upset. word of mouth is key in this industry as i see, and the school (any flight school), should respect that.

as i said, this is all opinion, i love Pan Am in Florida and its really the extent of my knowledge of the Pan Am Corp. as a whole. i am like the next guy, it is upseting to see people have a bad experience when learing to fly. this IS a fraternity(co-ed) and we should all be concerned when someone states that they have had a less than an enjoyable experience pertaining to flight.
 
Dakovich, wake up and smell the coffee. These huge flight academies are never going to screen students. They want anyone with a pulse who is elgible for a 50,000 or 80,000 dollar loan; more students, more money. It is a business.

I do credit you for the idea of screening students though. That is what any good educational institution needs to do (no matter what it is teaching), and that is exactly what university flight schools do. And don't knock people at FBOS either. There are good and bad FBOS out there just like there are good and bad flight academies. Besides, we all take the same checkrides.

I'm glad to hear everything is working out for you at Ft. Pierce. I won't make any comments on that campus since I've never been there. I only know what happens in Phoenix, and it isn't good. Keep everyone posted on what's happening. We all appreciate your input, and I hope things go well for you.
 
And to answer the person's questions who started the thread: unless you sign up for just one rating, Pan Am requires all the money up front. Yes, it is 4 installments, about 15,000 dollars for each installment. Within three months, all of my money was on their account.
 
yeah, i know its not very likely they will screen their students. but it would be nice. i hope everything works out for you all as well, really sounds like everyone went through quite a bad trip in Phx. good luck to everyone, and i hope to see you all in the air in the future. or at least hear you on the comm.
 
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