American Flyers

I was browsing American Flyers websites and I actually like their program. The rates aren't bad at all as for 1 hour of flight all it would cost me is $30 for the instructor and $55 for a C152. If I wanted a C172 it would cost be $63 for the aircraft.

Now I hear from many of you to stay away from American Flyers. Could I please get some reasons why I should stay away from them? So far it seems like the best flight school around in my area.

Nevermind. These rates are for a flight school called American Flying Academy. But I would still like to know why to stay away from American Flyers.

[avi8tor]

Well I will give you one good reason to stay away.


Click Here For The Story

It seems that the FAA was investigating the American Flyers at DPA, because they falsified training records, issued certificates to students who did not pass the written, or who failed their checkride. I am not to sure what is going on out there now they are still in operation.

[FalconCapt]

[ QUOTE ]
Nevermind. These rates are for a flight school called American Flying Academy. But I would still like to know why to stay away from American Flyers.

[/ QUOTE ]

American Flyers is WAY overpriced... When I managed a flight school they were our best ally on the field, people would come into us and I would give them our prices and then tell them to be sure to shop around and send them to American Flyers... The next day they would be back signing up with us for training!

[SUSPilot]

[ QUOTE ]
Nevermind. These rates are for a flight school called American Flying Academy. But I would still like to know why to stay away from American Flyers.

[/ QUOTE ]

Stay away from them too, PM me if you want my story about the experience I had when I rented a plane from them.

So you guys say to stay away from them and then don't have a reason to?

[Doug Taylor]

Well, keep in mind that you asked for opinions and not examples.

[ QUOTE ]
Could I please get some reasons why I should stay away from them?

[/ QUOTE ]

Reasons are more like examples than opinions. People said not to go to American Flyers but for what reasons?

[Doug Taylor]

[ QUOTE ]
Stay away from them too, PM me if you want my story about the experience I had when I rented a plane from them.
--------------------
SUSPilot

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
American Flyers is WAY overpriced... When I managed a flight school they were our best ally on the field, people would come into us and I would give them our prices and then tell them to be sure to shop around and send them to American Flyers... The next day they would be back signing up with us for training!

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
It seems that the FAA was investigating the American Flyers at DPA, because they falsified training records, issued certificates to students who did not pass the written, or who failed their checkride. I am not to sure what is going on out there now they are still in operation.

[/ QUOTE ]

[mtsu_av8er]

[ QUOTE ]
So you guys say to stay away from them and then don't have a reason to?

[/ QUOTE ]

Brian, go to American Flyers. Just do it - nobody has a reason for saying avoid them. Everybody has pretty much decided that they don't like the name...so go ahead!!!

Then, come back and let us know what happened....

[C150J]

You should keep in mind the fact that many, MANY flight schools were "under investigation" from 9/11 to the beginning of 2004 (and beyond). I know of several reputable schools that were looked at by the FAA. Getting jammed up should tell the observer to look further, but not to look over.

Personally, I know an excellent CFI that came out of AF.

I really aviation training is what YOU make of it, as long as the appropriate resources are available to you. This is very similar to colleges. If you go to a "good" school, you are held to a certain level of expectations (you can't go lower). If you go to a mediocre one, I guarantee you can get a similar eduction...HOWEVER, you will also have classmates who do nothing, yet still get the same degree. "Mixed bag."

J.

[mtsu_av8er]

[ QUOTE ]
Personally, I know an excellent CFI that came out of AF.


[/ QUOTE ]

I know more than a few that went there, and they're great! I also know a few that are crappy.

I know some great pilots that went to PanAm. I know some that are crap.

I know some great pilots that went to Riddle. I know some that are crap...

And so on, and so forth....

[Doug Taylor]

Who you callin' crap, punk? Step up yo!

(I'm just kidding people!)

That's very true though. I've flown with guys that learned to fly at a generic FBO in the middle of South Dakota that are exceptional pilots. But then I know a guy who was a member of a "Precision Armed Forces Flying/Demonstration Team"* that couldn't shoot a visual approach to save their lives.

*Deidentified

[ready2fly]

Yeah, but Doug - how exciting is:

"AND NOW - ladies and gentlemen! Direct your attention to the North end of the runway as the "Precision Armed Forces Flying/Demonstration Team"* performs an...... ILS!"

[Doug Taylor]

Yeah I guess you have a point!

I can probably out visual approach/ILS the guy, but if we went head-to-head in Combat Flight Simulator, I might as well not even boot up.

[KBC]

[ QUOTE ]
Nevermind. These rates are for a flight school called American Flying Academy. But I would still like to know why to stay away from American Flyers.

[/ QUOTE ]
I am an instructor at American Flyers.

AF from what I was told is the largest flight school in the country. Unlike flight schools like Comair, it has more than 15 locations around the country, generally around big metropolitan areas. Because all offices combined it's a fairly large school it gets a lot of attention. It's been around for more than 40 years. Unlike some local FBO that trains 10 pilots a year.

Despite all bad stuff that some people could say, it is a fairly popular school. There is no shortage of students. There are students that have switched from other big flight schools.

It's very expensive, but probably as expensive as those big flight schools in Florida.

Like someone mentionned, there will always be bad and good instructors. Individual experiences will vary.

[ QUOTE ]
Stay away from them too, PM me if you want my story about the experience I had when I rented a plane from them

[/ QUOTE ]
That can't be the case because Flyers don't rent airplanes. It's not an FBO, and all flights are for the purpose of training for a LICENSE.

[project7]

[ QUOTE ]
all flights are for the purpose of training for a LICENSE.


[/ QUOTE ]
I know this is lame but we all need to stop saying "license". They're Certificates.

See now this confuses me. I don't know if I should go with whatever I think its right or what other people say. I am 15 and I know I am nearly as experienced as most of you guys here so I listen to the advices. But when I listen to advices there is not one school I don't hear something negative from. Every school has something negative.

[mtsu_av8er]

Yes, every school does have issues.

Has anyone that didn't work for AF say anything positive?

Hmmmm......

What's wrong with the FBO you mentioned? Why would you go to an overpriced school when there's an affordable FBO right there?

[KBC]

Hey mtsu_av8er,

Back to AF topic

[ QUOTE ]
Yes, every school does have issues.

Has anyone that didn't work for AF say anything positive?

Hmmmm......

What's wrong with the FBO you mentioned? Why would you go to an overpriced school when there's an affordable FBO right there?

[/ QUOTE ]

I did all my ratings in Flyers except my private pilot license. I started with a small P61 school. I experienced a lot of cancellations, problems with instructor and a/c availability, instructors leaving the school, etc, etc... Right before soloing, my instructor left. I was assigned a new guy. It took another few weeks to prove to him that I was worth his sign off. Overall, t took me much longer to get my license than I thought it would.

I switched to Flyers. It was expensive (I am still paying back my loans). But scheduling was excellent. There was a well-defined syllabus. If there was a shortage of airplanes, the school would fly themfrom other locations. I could come in and train any day, even late in the evenings or on holidays.

It worked for me.

Would I do it again? It depends. If I could do it full-time I would go to one of those guaranteed programs schools. If you're stuck in one geographical area and are able to do it part-time, I think going to Flyers is a good choice. At least I don't see other schools around that would be as organized as we are.

Yes, things could be improved significantly. I think prices could be lower.

Hope this helps.

[Ecl!pse]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Could I please get some reasons why I should stay away from them?

[/ QUOTE ]

Reasons are more like examples than opinions. People said not to go to American Flyers but for what reasons?

[/ QUOTE ]


Did you miss Avi8tor's link and post? They were passing students who werent ready to fly...read all of that page in the link!

[Kristie]

[ QUOTE ]
See now this confuses me. I don't know if I should go with whatever I think its right or what other people say. I am 15 and I know I am nearly as experienced as most of you guys here so I listen to the advices. But when I listen to advices there is not one school I don't hear something negative from. Every school has something negative.

[/ QUOTE ]Everything has issues... it's not just about schools, planes, instructors or what not.. life itself has issues.. you'll find as you go along in life that everything has a good spot and a bad spot.. it's all dependent on what experiences people have (in their opinions) and what experiences you yourself encounter - ie: just because they have a particular problem doesn't mean you will, but it's something to watch out for...so, you have to make your own decision... collect the data you find, do your research and you decide what school to go to.. how much $$ to spend etc...nobody else should make that decision for you!!

some of the comments may influence your decision, but overall - the final decision is yours.

if you want a career as a pilot Brian, you have to start doing your own work.. people telling you what to do & where to go will not help you when you have an emergency onboard the 757 your flying in the future... your going to have to learn to make decisions - clear, concise, ones you won't regret and these decisions have to be made on your OWN using the resources & research you've gathered and studied...

If you don't plan on studying, doing your homework & researching your career and if your planning or even *god forbid* hoping to use others to do the work for you (like not researching or searching the forums BEFORE asking a question) or make the decisions for you - you may want to look for a different career.

this is a hard career Brian.. you have to bust your a** to make it and nobody can do that for you.