Air America Daytona Beach FL
 

The best or the worst part of that place.. I will state the fact & U can decide...

The place is run by a few teenagers who are watching all kind of stuff on the net & playing games etc while on the desk, playing ping pong & more interested in other things than what their job is... The A/c condition is below average or acceptable condition, even if I am very liberal...

The FAA Examiner I went up with, said that he has seen a lot of a/c in sh**ty condition but this was by far the worst he had seen .....

It Started with renting the Duchess at $195 per hour, then they said I need to pay tax, I said that it is a training flight as I going use the rental for training to do a FAA checkride & prep for checkride. Then they said in that case I need to pay for Instructor at $32 per hour or if my instructor doesn't want to charge me anything, then Instructor fee which is $8 per hour, to avoid paying Tax...

So, in other words, either pay Tax for rental or pay then half the tax to them...

Then, the renter has to pay a $5000 deductible if something happens or I need to buy renter insurance, which cost me approx $400.00 from Avemco. Believe me U need a lot more insurance than minimum.... That A/c, U are just happy to make it back on land...

U can't do any flying in DAB because of R/W closure, so U have to go outside to do any practise. DAB is the JFK for light singles & twins....... most of the time U are number 8 or 10 or 11 for departure...... Average time .4 to .6 from start up to take off.....

The hobbs start when U turn MASTER ON,
AirAmerica procedures say do a walk around with MASTER ON & hobbs running.....

Then, they re-imburse only $2.70 per gallon if U buy fuel from any outside place.

Go out side to fly, so if U need to stop at a FBO, pay the Ramp fees or buy fuel or Go Back to DAB, either way, every flight $25 to $35 for Ramp fees.

I had to do a 300 NM X-C, re-postion the A/C for checkride, and do training, so had to buy the fuel. I had to buy nearly 80 gallons of fuel which I had to eat approx $3.25 to $3.50 per gallon, approx $400 total....

I flew 19 hrs & had $800 incidentals so the cost is $40 per hour + $8 tax/instructor fee + $195 for A/C = $243 per hour....

It does not end here......

U have to be back by 7:00 PM or U are subject to night charges, they say they will leave a key card to get out but forget more more than 90% of the time.......

The day I was to go for my 300 X-C & then checkride, there is no fuel in a/c, there is no fuel in their self serve Tank, I had to taxi accross the field to Sheppard Air to get Fuel..... wasted .4 on the hobbs for getting fuel... Didn't get reimbursed for the time wasted or extra cost of fuel...

I bring it to the attention of the Chief pilot & he says, "we will not re-imburse any more than our policy, U didn't have to take the a/c if there was not enough fuel, ........ U don't have to rent it you don't like the a/c or our system ..... "

Your check ride appt doesn't mean anything to them.......

The attitude of the chief pilot describes the attitude of the place....

A lot of people will say it is not a big deal to all the things that I have mentioned above......

I am also one of the open-minded, liberal guy, who doesn't complain much, takes life as it comes & looks to the positive side of things.....

Also, I had someone say similar things to me when I was standing outside their door, but I said to myself, HOW BAD CAN IT BE, the plane is cheap & I will Manage.....

I can use a lot of adjectives for these guys but... anyways, I have seen a lot of Jerks, and, the air america guys just took the # 1 spot & I think they will stay there for a very long time.......

Do a search on this forum or google.......... U will know...

If U still decde to go there, let us know what your story is, when U are done with them......

Does anyone know of, or have flown with this company? :
Dutch Wings Flight School. Flight Training from Private to ATP in Houston Texas. Affordable Flight Training

He won't be able to fly here unless he gets a visa. He needs to enroll into a school to be granted a sponsorship. I could be wrong but you check into this closer.

Yea, from what I understand the Visa obtained on arrival is sufficient

So I just wanted to add my $0.02 about Air America in DAB. I actually did my Multi-Commercial-Instrument using their aircraft a few years back. I would agree that it is definatly a little different than a lot of other local flight schools I have flown out of. But I will say that the instructor that I had was excellent. I used a guy named Chuck Stroman who was I think one of the cheif instructors at the time (I think he's gone now), but he was excellent. As for the aircraft, I seem to remember they had 3 Dutches airplanes, none in great condition. I think I was paying something like $180 an hour wet and while the planes were not great, you get what you pay for. I will say that in my experience everything (pretty much) worked. Didn't have any problems with engines or instruments. They just looked beat to hell. The main problem I had with the A/C was that the seats were reclined too far back and wouldn't adjust. I felt like one of those guys from the hood who drives their car with the seat reclined way back lol. I eventually just started bringing my own seat cushion with me that I would place between the seat and my back to help with position.

I wouldn't want to really rent aircraft from there, but my goal was to get my Multi add on done, and done economically. Which I did.

I don't remember doing pre-flight with the master on other than to check lights and stall horns and such, but in my experience you have to do that anywhere you go. I never had a problem getting in or out of DAB in a hurry when I flew there, in fact I did my primary training in 1999 at FXE (Ft laud) and that was wayyyy worse than anything I ever saw in Daytona. I remember at FXE often times being number 4 or 5 for departure and flying extended downwinds due to traffic or being told "N1234 remain outside class Delta airspace, I'll call you back". I guess I got lucky at the time I was at DAB it wasn't so busy. And about repositioning for the check ride, I had to do the same thing.. The DE wanted to meet at the FBO so he told me to bring the plane there for the checkride, but I don't think that's Air America's fault is it? Although I agree and I've often thought its ridiculous that you have to pay for time spent on the ground in ANY aircraft. I really think they should bill flight time only, it just doesn't seem fair to pay $3-$4 per minute to sit on the ground waiting for your turn to take off. Your not really wearing out the airplane at that time, but then I don't know how else they could do it. I wonder too, was it even legal for me to taxi an aircraft solo (to meet the DE for my checkride) for which I was not rated at the time?

Lastly I do have to say that I've definatly seen aircraft in conditions just as bad of condition as the some of the old birds flying at air america. Which is exactly the reason why I mostly only fly new aircraft. (But this costs me, right now I pay around $190/hr for a 182 -- but thats what it costs for a nice new bird with new interior and shiney paint... Air Conditioning - G1000 - XM Radio & Weather - TIS...

RE Air America in DAB
 

lstorm2003;1030277]So I just wanted to add my $0.02 about Air America in DAB. I actually did my Multi-Commercial-Instrument using their aircraft a few years back. I would agree that it is definatly a little different than a lot of
I wouldn't want to really rent aircraft from there, but my goal was to get my Multi add on done, and done economically. Which I did.

...[/QUOTE]

@ lstorm2003

I am totally OK with waiting for my turn to takeoff or accepting the A/C which is beat up & Old........


We are the customers & it is a business....... If U can't do something, then say U can't do it.....
If U say, there will be a golf cart & gate card, then make sure someone leaves it.
If U enforce the fuel rules so strict, then Make sure that the plane has fuel & your Fuel Tank has Fuel.....

My problem was with their attitude.. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT, If U don't like anything here, Then **** Off ; That was the attitude of the Chief Pilot........

I just posted my experience for others, just like someone told me......

Like U said, "I wouldn't want to really rent aircraft from there", I also felt the same way that I would never rent from that place again......

I found another place in Sanford called FALCON Flight
Low Rate Cessna Beechcraft Aircraft Retals at Falcon Flight Sanford Orlando Florida

I'm no expert but how do you obtain a visa on arrival? The process from my understanding is you need to obtain the visa from for local USA embassy prior to arrival. If you show up at customs without a visa you will only be here as a visitor. How is the school going to adjust your status? Your correct status needs to be declared first. I don't believe your friend will be able to rent under the plan you outlined. If anyone does rent to him it would be illegal.

What is your friends country of residence?

It would depend which country one is coming from, Like UK or Canada, don't need anything.......

Also, I don't think that U need to have a special Visa (M-1) or TSA clearance just to do BFR's, proficiency checks, check outs or airplane rentals.

Again, I could be wrong, check with the school or your embassy...

Yes you're right. Quite a few countries are part of what's called the visa waiver program. Basically you can just fill out a green piece of paper on the flight over and you will get an i-20 on arrival. Most civilized countries have this arrangement with the US.
You might need to register online these days before coming over (heard something about it, but its been some time since I was in the US last). However you don't need an embassy visit unless you're doing real flight training at a school etc (then you might need a M visa or M-1, F-1 etc)

The I 20 you fill out grants you permission into the USA as a tourist not to do flight training. I'm a aware many countries do not need a visa to enter the USA but none of them will allow flight training without changing your status. I'm sure you will find someone that will rent to your friend but you will have a difficult time finding someone. When I did a BFR they wouldn't fly with me until I was able to prove my citizenship. Another FBO I rented from to get checked out in a 172 also required my passport before we started.