Rainbow Air Renting

[j0_ey]

Has anyone used Rainbow Air in Long Beach CA. I have looked at their website because I want to complete around 100hrs rental early next year.

I want to fly around the US as mentioned in Hour Building with NAC (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=92258) but Rainbow's website does not say anything about long term renting or restrictions regarding this.

Has anyone ever used Rainbow Air specifically for hour building and does anyone know whether their policies would allow me to rent out a Cessna 172sp with my PPL for example and fly around the US for around a month, and then return?

I know the requirements now implicated by the US for flying there. But do Rainbowair have any of their own requirements in relation to hours logged, age, length of rental etc when renting one of their planes?

Thanks a lot. :D

Ref : Rainbow Air Academy (http://www.rainbowair.com)

[Sensible]

Why don't you ask Rainbow Air? Requirements change according to many factors and second hand information is invariably incorrect. Flying around Long Beach is a fantastic experience anyway!

[Flying surfer]

have you thought of using air desert pacific www.adp-flight.com

I used them last year as was impressed, very reasonable rates and relatively large fleet, you will be limited to flying with CA, AZ and NV but only because that is where their insuracne covers them if you want to go further afield maybe they can extend it for you?:D

[j0_ey]

Hi, I have e-mailed Rainbowair and I am awaiting a reply, although I only sent it late last night so I doubt I'll receive a response anytime soon :rolleyes:

I have checked out ADP's website, but they do not allow planes to rented for longer than 24 hours if the pilot is without and Instrument rating, I simply have my PPL + Night, hence why I am building my hours in preparation for CPL training. Also I want to fly around the states and if insurance is a problem it could complicate things quite a bit, but thanks for the suggestion :D

[BRL]

j0_ey But do Rainbowair have any of their own requirements in relation to hours logged, age, length of rental etc when renting one of their planes?

I found all this info plus a lot more in two mouse clicks of loading up the site that you linked to.

Your question here is in 2 parts really. First part being if anyone had been there, what are they are like etc and thats ok, fair question but the second part of the post all the info can be found in the site or they are things you should be e-mailing them direct to ask.

Good luck.

[j0_ey]

I found out the same information that I am sure you found, as I have read everyting on the site. But I found no information on age restrictions, hence why I asked. Like I said I have e-mailed them, but I would like to get opinions from people that have been there.

I have also found that websites can be misleading and I never know how out of date they are, I have had problems with sites not disclosing all the information, usually when it's too late.

Even if it says that I could fly a Cessna 172sp with my ratings etc, I would still prefer a confirmation.

But the website does not say too much about long term rental, and that is the main reason for the querie, because I know plenty of schools have strict restrictions when pilots use their planes for X-Country hour building.

[j0_ey]

Well I haven't received an email back...

Does Rainbowair still exist? Their website says "Last updated in 2000" So that is nothing to go by... Has anyone used them, seen them, heard about them at all recently. And does anyone know whether they are now capoot or whether they just changed their website etc...

Thanks. :rolleyes:

[The Nr Fairy]

As of February 2002, Rainbow were still operating - I rented an R22 from there over three weeks, but no f/w stuff.

Facilities wise, the place was a dump, but I think they've moved. As long as they've got shot of that spongy sofa when they moved, you should be OK.

The R22s I flew were well maintained, if a little worn. I did have a minor problem where my request for booking an a/c all through one week had been missed, but the owner rectified that in 5 minutes with a pencil and rubber.

Try ringing them - they should be open at about 4pm UK time.

[englishal]

Yep they exist ok, it may take a few days to get back to you so be patient.

Briefly: they're excellent, very laid back, the 172SP's are lovely aircraft and you should have no problem renting for extended periods. You may even be able to negotiate a 'dry' rate, which might be more convienient for you [saves keeping the receipts to claim back from RA on your return]. They'll tell you this though.

Oh yea, they did move to a brand new building at the end of 25L, they have a really good setup now....

Cheers
EA:D

[j0_ey]

Thanks a lot...

I do have the phone number from the website, but if they've moved I doubt that will work... I'll still try though.

[onehunga]

J,

All is not necessarily as you would believe!! I am heading out to ADP later in the year and saw from their website that they have quite strict renting criteria when compared to the other "usual" players that are discussed here on pprune. Contact them directly and give them your flying experience and background and you just might find that in fact you do NOT need an IR to rent.

[j0_ey]

I phoned them and they said X-Country rental is restricted to a 600 mile radius, which can't get me far when I want to fly around the US. Oh well...

I will ring ADP as suggested, but my experience is not much to shout about so I'm unsure whether they'll allow me without an IR.

Does anyone know of any other flight schools in California that are good for renting?

Thanks :D

[englishal]

Who did you talk to at Rainbow? Never heard of the 600nm thing, I am going to take their Seneca on a pan-US tour later this year. In fact I know a bloke who took their Archer III to Florida....

Odd, maybe their Insurance requirements have changed...Still 600nm will get you a third the way to Hawaii :D

Cheers
EA

[slim_slag]

If you are looking to do 100hrs, why restrict yourself to one place? Plenty of FBOs all around the US would give you a better deal. If you save only $10 per hour you are quids in! If you want to rent out of S California you should join a club. consider MYF in San Diego. Better rates and no sales tax if you are a member, that will save you 8% off the bat. Head for the mid-west and you will save even more.

Anyway, Rainbow comes well recommended.

[j0_ey]

I talked to a woman, she neglected to tell me her name but she had a british accent and went to ask someone else about the 600 mile thing so I don't really know.

The reason I am looking at California is because I want to spend a little time there anyway beforehand (a week or 2)... If I can't find a school in California then Naples Air Center looks fine.

Rainbowair's 2 hour a weekday and 3 hour a weekend minimum looked very good which meant I could stay longer at destinations than most other schools would allow.

Who is MYF, and do they have a website? :O

[Sensible]

MYF is the airport identifier code for Montgomery Field Airport

[RPM Cutback]

I've used Anglo in the past, based out of an airport on the outskirts of San Diego:

see: http://www.flyaaa.com/

Like Rainbow, the school has lots of Brits and Europeans hour building and doing PPLs.

[j0_ey]

Thanks for the link...

Anglo Ameican Aviation seem great! I have requested some info but do you or anyone else know what their restrictions are on flying the complex aircraft - Like the Arrow?

Also do you know whether they have a maximum of days aloud for hour building... In other words can I hour build for over a month? Because their daily minimums seem very good (3 hours a day) This means I could effectively fly for around 33 days when doing 100 hours. :D

[Flying surfer]

When you say ADP require an IR to take a/c away that can't be right as I flew with them last year and though I hold a UK IR this is not valid in the US without doing a written exam. I think they will be happy to hire an a/c especially if you are planning a long trip and many hours. check out www.private2atp.com

This web site has a database of all schools in the US and can find you the cheapest flight time all you need to input is the zip code

Good luck:D

[englishal]

Because their daily minimums seem very good ...about average.

To fly a Complex A/C like an Arrow in the states requires a complex endorsement by an FAA instructor. most places won't let you take one away unless you have around 25hrs complex, or 5 hrs dual in their A/C [due to insurance requirements]. An FAA Complex is an instructor sign off and could possibly be done in an hour. If you have no previous complex then might as well use the full 5hrs for the endorsement....

EA

[Ace BigCat]

I'm going to Rainbow Air in September and will be renting their newish Archer III. I have found them very easy to deal with, sometime a little slow on replies but overall ok. I've got around the 600 mile limit so I think it just depends on your own circumstances experience etc. With regard to Air Desert, they are ok too the only problem is that I wanted their Arrow and my friend (works for BA) visited them in May and said the Arrow was a bit of a wreck and had clearly been used and abused so he put me off that. Rainbow was the next choice and I was "sold" on the idea of renting a 3 year old plane so that was that. Another plus point is that I was able to deal with Jim Powell of UK Flight Training here in the UK who has set everything up including hotel accomodation. This was then all confirmed in an e-mail by Dave Parsons VP of Rainbow Air.

[Charlie Zulu]

Hi Ace BigCat,

Was that ADPs Arrow III N47455? Or one of their Arrow II's? I flew their Arrow III in September/October 2001 and it was really nice with HSI, etc etc. Their Arrow II's weren't up to much though.

As for taking the aircraft away, back then they required a PPL and nothing else to take the aeroplane anywhere in the States. This is exactly what I did. However since then they have changed the Insurance requirements to require an Instrument to take it away for more than a day and more than 350nm away from KPOC.

Another problem is that all aircraft are now unable to leave the bounds of California, Nevada and Arizona for insurance purposes, even if you have an Instrument Rating.

The reason for knowing this is that I now have an FAA CPL/IR (okay FAA CP-ASEL IA) and have asked about flying coast to coast using their Arrow III. Unfortunately, even for repeat customers I'd be limited to the three states mentioned before.

Best wishes,

Charlie Zulu.