Aviator College Ft. Pierce, FL

Andrew Byrd

Andrew Byrd

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FlyingByrd
Hey guys, I am looking at going to Aviator College in Fort Pierce, Florida, and I was wondering if anyone knows anything about the school, good or bad. I live about 10 hours away, and I am planning a visit, but if I here too many bad things, the visit will be a no go.

I'm not planning on doing their associates degree, just a multi-engine training program that gets me a PP multi add on, IR and Commercial multi in that order.

Any comments will be greatly appreciated! Thanks guys
 
Sounds like one of the Ari-Ben Aviator flavors.

IIRC, he has a pretty good rep, but his planes are really dated. He's a bit of a pilot mill as well. He really pushes multi training. His ab initio students will start out with multi's and after getting their ratings, then get their single engine add-on.

So, if building multi time is what you want to do, it may work out.

BTW... I haven't been to the Ft Pierce area in about 7-8 or so.
 
They rip their students off with their Hobbs billing (their Hobbs runs when master switch is turned on). So expect to get A LOT less flying than what you pay for. They are very good with that (they require a "post-flight check" of lights etc, which always costs you that 0.1, which adds up).
 
mtuomi said:
They rip their students off with their Hobbs billing (their Hobbs runs when master switch is turned on). So expect to get A LOT less flying than what you pay for. They are very good with that (they require a "post-flight check" of lights etc, which always costs you that 0.1, which adds up).
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Thats good to know! Thank you.
 
mtuomi said:
They rip their students off with their Hobbs billing (their Hobbs runs when master switch is turned on). So expect to get A LOT less flying than what you pay for. They are very good with that (they require a "post-flight check" of lights etc, which always costs you that 0.1, which adds up).
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I honestly didn't know that was possible, but just googled it and sure enough...that's pretty crazy if you ask me.
 
They don't push multi engines, most students are Chinese (that's pretty much SOP these days), their housing or campus is right on airport property which is nice. Every school uses the hobbs meter it seems. There is another school just south at Stuart I would visit if coming this far, they are associated with Palm Beach State College.
 
teejayevans said:
They don't push multi engines, most students are Chinese (that's pretty much SOP these days), their housing or campus is right on airport property which is nice. Every school uses the hobbs meter it seems. There is another school just south at Stuart I would visit if coming this far, they are associated with Palm Beach State College.
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Yes, but most schools have the Hobbs meter wired in as originally intended = when engine runs, Hobbs turns.
At Aviator, Hobbs turns when master switch is on. That's a ripoff.
 
Don't know anything about that school but FPR is a nice area and airport. I go there all the time for the Airport Tiki restaurant as a $100 dollar hamburger run. I also just flew in and out of there today to go visit the US Navy Seal museum, which is also worth your time to check out if you are making a trip to FPR to check out the flight school
 
+1 for Airport Tiki -100 for those ****ers that turn the hobbs on when the master is on!
 
EminiTrader said:
+1 for Airport Tiki -100 for those ****ers that turn the hobbs on when the master is on!
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Is that a big deal, my engine is started about 10 seconds after the master is switched on, and switched off about 2 seconds after I shut it down?
The practice area is very close and parallel runways allows the school to have exclusive use of its own runway. Means a lot less time being asked to extend your base because of incoming non training traffic.
If turning on the master is required for stall horn and lights check, add another 18 seconds. 30 seconds is what we're talking about.
 
teejayevans said:
Is that a big deal, my engine is started about 10 seconds after the master is switched on, and switched off about 2 seconds after I shut it down?
The practice area is very close and parallel runways allows the school to have exclusive use of its own runway. Means a lot less time being asked to extend your base because of incoming non training traffic.
If turning on the master is required for stall horn and lights check, add another 18 seconds. 30 seconds is what we're talking about.
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It is a big deal when you have to follow their procedures (including a post-flight lights check). They'll give you crap if you don't follow their nonsense "checklists". It's a good 5-10 minutes per flight of useless hobbs time. It adds up when they already are the most expensive player in the game.

Also, the tower there is crap. Last time I waited for 5 minutes for landing traffic, I could've been out of their way 5 times during that time.
 
Every place I ever flew small airplanes the Hobbs was linked to the master. Who knew??
 
mtuomi said:
It is a big deal when you have to follow their procedures (including a post-flight lights check). They'll give you crap if you don't follow their nonsense "checklists". It's a good 5-10 minutes per flight of useless hobbs time. It adds up when they already are the most expensive player in the game.

Also, the tower there is crap. Last time I waited for 5 minutes for landing traffic, I could've been out of their way 5 times during that time.
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Where do you get 5-10 minutes per flight? Post a copy of this checklist, I want to see what checks require the master to be on.

FPR is my home airport, never had a problem getting off. It can get really busy around 10-15 minutes before the hour, as students are all returning around the same time.
 
teejayevans said:
Where do you get 5-10 minutes per flight? Post a copy of this checklist, I want to see what checks require the master to be on.

FPR is my home airport, never had a problem getting off. It can get really busy around 10-15 minutes before the hour, as students are all returning around the same time.
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1. Turn master on
2. Untie aircraft
3. Check fuel and fuel cap security
4. Check tire pressure using gauge. Get A&P to pump up tires if 1 pound off.
5. Check oil
....
84. Start engine.
 
Anymouse said:
1. Turn master on
2. Untie aircraft
3. Check fuel and fuel cap security
4. Check tire pressure using gauge. Get A&P to pump up tires if 1 pound off.
5. Check oil
....
84. Start engine.
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If that's sequence is true and forced onto the customer, then that's a pretty cut and dry case of rent-seeking. Not particularly surprising either if we're talking about a place that relies on price inelastic foreigners for their main source of revenue.

There's no reason the master should be left on for the exterior pre-flight. It's also unnecessarily draining the battery when it comes time to start the engine. airplane batteries are relatively weak and short lived in the big scheme of things. It would make sense however, if you're billing people based on the switch. Good ol GA flight training, always showing their rear. Underbelly of the beast.
 
hindsight2020 said:
If that's sequence is true and forced onto the customer, then that's a pretty cut and dry case of rent-seeking. Not particularly surprising either if we're talking about a place that relies on price inelastic foreigners for their main source of revenue.

There's no reason the master should be left on for the exterior pre-flight. It's also unnecessarily draining the battery when it comes time to start the engine. airplane batteries are relatively weak and short lived in the big scheme of things. It would make sense however, if you're billing people based on the switch. Good ol GA flight training, always showing their rear. Underbelly of the beast.
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Their "SOPs" require an external light check before and _after_ your flight. It might only take a minute of master switch on-time, but that means .1 billed time once every six flights. The only reason you'd wire your Hobbs that way is to rip people off. Also, you have to use your before startup checklists etc where the first item is master switch on - takes a good 2-3 minutes every time. It all adds up. Probably .2-.3 hours for every flight.
 
I did my PPL with them in 2005, shortly before the admin lady was arrested for embezzling $100k+ of student money.

It did help to explain why she was so fervent about ensuring people always had their accounts a long way in the black, if some of it was going in to her pocket!
 
Whatever you do, don't pre-pay for any training. No information about this particular outfit, but it is a time-honored tradition of FL flight schools to take large deposits from prospective students and to abscond with the money. 'Pay as you go' and settle the bill after each lesson.
 
Anymouse said:
1. Turn master on
2. Untie aircraft
3. Check fuel and fuel cap security
4. Check tire pressure using gauge. Get A&P to pump up tires if 1 pound off.
5. Check oil
....
84. Start engine.
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Reminds me of some of the CAP checklists.
 
murphey said:
Reminds me of some of the CAP checklists.
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I was honestly looking into CAP and about 15 minutes into my research, I did a standard rate 180 and got the hell out of IMC! It just sounded awful and pointless with little flight time.
 
Andrew Byrd said:
I was honestly looking into CAP and about 15 minutes into my research, I did a standard rate 180 and got the hell out of IMC! It just sounded awful and pointless with little flight time.
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True, 90%, even 95% of the time. I hate that checklists are so cumbersome. But right now, there are 200 senior CAP members from Texas and 6 (or more) other surrounding states flying 6-8 hours a day over the areas hit by Harvey, doing photo shoots for FEMA and others. It aint fun, in the heat & humidity. BTDT. At last count (this evening) more than 66,000 photos have been taken.
 
Anyone have any recent info on Aviator College? I did the tour, liked what I heard from management , now just want to confirm from past or present students/instructors.
Looks like they have reinvented themselves. As well are the prices quoted pretty much the norm?
 
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