Air America - Daytona Beach (Hour Building)
 

I'm wanting to build a large amount of hours somewhere in Florida and was very keen on Air America, having seen their website, prices & spoken to them on the phone.

However I'm very concerned now, having read the some of the posts on this forum, can anyone elaborate on there being any maintenance/condition issues with their aircraft?

The thing that's confusing me is that they are a Cessna Pilot Center, and I can't imagine Cessna being associated with an organisation renting out aircraft that aren't up to a decent standard!

Can anyone advise!

Many thanks!

what do you care about prices? your student or company you work for is gonna pick up the bill for you to build hours. right?

I care a great deal about prices! Like the majority of aspiring commercial pilots out there, I have to self fund my flying hours & training:rolleyes:!

well wait, you didn't say you were training, you said you were building hours. You're not supposed to "build hours" while in training.

Air America is an alright place from what I hear... they have a pretty good deal on the BE-76

The RG, (from what I've heard again) has been involved in several gear-ups and/or other accidents (I don't think all of those occured at Air America...just in the aircraft's previous life)..... as you could imagine from that model being used as a training aircraft.

Daytona is frusterating to fly out of sometimes because you will generally wait a while to get off the ground unless you use 7R/25L...

Thanks ryan!
I've just seen your other post as well.

I haven't had much experience with aviation forums and I am getting the impression that you have to take what most people say with a pinch of salt!

When you mention waiting a while on the ground, what sort of time are we talking about, roughly?

Cheers:)

Their maintenance, as far as I know, has improved drastically. I'm not saying it's not still a problem ether. It used to be horrible, (Scare America) you could look at the logbook at what the mechanic said he did, look at the airplane and know he was lying. I flew N19U at a time when each engine was leaking 1 quart of oil per hour and the mechanic said he didn't know why. Several people talked to him, even one who was an examiner and an A&P. When Falcon Flight Center went out of business Air America got their mechanics and fired the old one, and maintenance improved drastically. When I left it was still far from 100% but it was at least up to standard. As they got more mature as a flight school they got more restrictive on policies and they got more organized but, there was a time when there was a very cavalier approach to flying and safety was far from anyone's mind.

Basically it depends on the season you go to Daytona. DAB is filled with Phoenix East and Riddle aircraft (most of whom are courteous)....especially in the fall/spring semesters.....you can imagine what it's like when 30 aircraft don't speak English all that well or are in their very first part of training with poor radio procedures. Most instrument approaches are usually done through ILS 7L/Loc 25R (I can't recall the anyone doing the GPS/RNAV 7R...but they may have) as well as the commercial traffic so if you are departing North and use 7L you will be waiting a while on the ground for your take-off clearance. As a matter of fact just getting in a radio call is annoying because of the level of traffic.

Air America is close to 7R/25L so it is easier to get in and out... and fly South... but generally North departures are on 7L/25R..... in the very rare event they are using 16/34... well then it is pretty congested. Most students in the area go to KXFL/KOMN/KDED/28J

If you're doing commercial under part 61 you do.

I'd say the maintenance is still pretty iffy on the twins. Singles are meh...the RG is a piece.

I had a bad experience here and wouldn't recommend renting here to anyone. PM me for the details.

-Steve