Originally Posted by
Crism
I'm not saying that the instructors are bad. I've been there and I've seen the maintenance and I didn't like what I saw. Ex. constant writeups on the 182 for fluctuating tach, duchesses with low oil pressure, seatbacks, this that and the other thing. And you're right about the staff...that's a BIG opinion. Especially with the owner...who I cannot stand. I just don't feel she should be getting any business after the experience I had.
Let me preface this by saying that any discussion is kind of a moot point- the guy asking the question has already flown at A.A. and had a generally positive experience, according to the third post in this thread.
Ok- your "problems" with the maintenance at Air America:
The aircraft that flight school operates are not all brand new G1000 172SP's. Yes, they do indeed
have brand new G1000 C172's (5, and 2 were actually delivered less than 3 months ago), but as with most part 61 flight schools, they operate a fleet that has aging aircraft. These "major" maintenance items that you list- are either part of routine mechanical wear and tear that is perfectly normal in older aircraft (such as 1970's Duchess's) or, in the case of the tach problem in the 182, is addressed by published Cessna Service Bulletin (
SB07-77-01). I'm also going to go out on a limb here and guess that you don't have much flight time in older aircraft. I would bet anybody with a substantial amount of time in an aircraft more than 10 years old will tell you this- things break. That simple.
As for M, the owner. She is one of the best employers that I've ever worked for. If you think you were somehow slighted, let me say this: I've never, in two years of working directly for M, ever seen her treat a client, instructor, student, employee, instructor or contractor unfairly. I've seen her go out of her way (and I mean WAY out of her way) to help people out- and this is from an owner who let her employees, for the most part, manage and run the company while she steers the general direction of the business. I'm not sure what your personal experience with her was, but I would be very shocked to find that what she did was wrong.