Air Desert Pacific - California

[no sponsor]

Anyone had any experience of this outfit? I intend to do some hour building.

They look like a good outfit, and their fleet seems good enough.

Anyone who states its $85 for a wet mooney can't be too bad...

[calibrated]

It depends on what you are going for.

[Jockflyer]

If I were you, I would check out Merritt Island Air Service in Florida. C150/152 for $42 or a warrior for $60.

I was there for the past two years hours building and had a great time. The people are great the weather is excellent and its a very friendly airfield. I racked up over 100hrs without any problems or hassles.

They've good a freecall number for you to call them on 0800 891693.

They also have a website www.flymias.com (http://www.flymias.com)

If you want to know more you call email me

[no sponsor]

Calli - Pure hour building - no instruction or ratings.

I thought about Florida, but the availability of flights to LAX is better - and far cheaper.

[Billy M]

Went to ADP to do some hour building about 3 months ago and had a great time. They are very cheap (I think I paid $50 per hour for an Archer), and although they are old and well-used they are more than adequate. They have a big maintenance hangar there and will fix anything you don't feel happy about. At the end of the day, if you can afford it, go somewhere that have newer planes, and sit on more comfy seats, but if like me you are on a budget, they are fine.

In my opinion, the happiness of the students is a good indication of the school and everyone I met was very happy with the place. In my experience of US schools, this is fairly unusual.

If you are doing quite a few hours, it's worth taking the plane away for the duration of your time there (you'll need to average 4 hours a day to do this). I did this and got to fly all over California, Nevada and Arizona. Not only do you get to see some great views and fly into some amazing places, but you don't have to fly to/from the same airport every day and stay in the same hotel!

Having flown in both Florida and California, I reckon there's no comparison - go west. And, for me, ADP were brilliant.

If you want any more info, email me. Enjoy yourself, I know you will.

[This message has been edited by Billy M (edited 06 February 2001).]

[calibrated]

Everything above is true although I did have
a bit of trouble finding a dependable
instructor.
You'll find it hard to find a better place to
build time on a seneca.
When I was there a guy took the mooney for two weeks and came back with about 70 hours on the beast!
Mail me if you need more.
Regards.

[LAVDUMPER]

My brother was a flight instructor at Air Desert Pacific a few years back. He gained quite a few hours (probably close to 500 multi-engine hours in one year). The instructors tend to be very good - many were trained at Embry-Riddle in Arizona.

He definitely enjoyed instructing many European (especially English and Irish) and Middle-Eastern students. The weather is great, the flying conditions in SoCal (Southern California) are excellent for training (because of high-density traffic and occassional foggy flying) and the women are gorgeous. What else could you want (if you are a male)?

Cheers

[Token Bird]

Dear California flyers,

I'm currently trying to decide between ADP and Anglo-American in San Diego for some hour building later in the year. Currently, AAA have the advantage, simply because I have seen photos of their accommodation, whereas ADP have none on their website or in their brochure. Has anyone experienced their cheap accommodation?

Also if anyone has any comments about AAA good or bad, let me know,

Token Bird

[capt_kangeroo]

Token Bird

I have been e-mailing another ppruner who has used both outfits. He said the accom at ADP is bunkhouse and fine for guys but they encouraged women to find an alternative. Make of that what you will - it helped me.

He did say that the accom at AAA is outstanding. Really great two bedroom apartments.

The aircraft rental isn't to far apart although AAA are slightly more expensive and they don't have as many planes as ADP.

When are you thinking of going? Another ppruner and I are hoping to head off to California May/June.

[Token Bird]

Sorry, capt_kangeroo, I don't even have a PPL yet, and probably won't have one by May/June. I'm planning on September when the flights are cheaper.

Thanks for the info - I feel v.positive about AAA now,

Token Bird

[Flying_Steph]

There's not much I could objectively add, but my opinion on ADP is the following:

Accomodation (the "Residence") - yep, it's a dormitory. You share a room with somebody you might not like but I'm sure in that case you can sort things out. Furniture is minimal, very limited privacy . It's relatively cheap, but if you're going there with a friend (for not too long, I'll definitely recommend you to spend a few extra bucks and go to the Shilo Inn (free shuttle, breakfast included, 10-15 min drive). If somebody in your "party" is a girl, go to the Shilo.

Instructors - This is where you'd better be lucky. There are excellent, good, and... huh, let's say... average instructors. Here again, not enough people to do the job. All the instructors have something in common: they're flying there because they need hours, and if they have an opportunity somewhere else they'll run away at VERY short notice and you might find yourself stuck on the tarmac because all the other instructors are already fully booked.

Airplanes - I didn't always feel comfortable with a few technical problems and I grounded planes a couple of times. The planes fly a lot, and it shows. In addition to that, I'm not absolutely sure they have enough mechanics to maintain the entire fleet in top condition. When the FAA makes a spot check, the walls sometimes shake ! ;)

Girls - (sigh) :)


CONCLUSION: It's fine if you just want to build up hours (dry lease a plane), not if you have a tight schedule to complete a licence. The problem with ADP is that they want to have a maximum of customers but don't have enough workforce to handle the crowds they generate.

[no sponsor]

What sort of technical problems... You can mail me.

[Flying_Steph]

I remember once it was the rudder pedals that were really too "sluggish" and the instructor grounded the plane, another time I taxied the airplane back after the engine run-up (I really didn't like the sound), and the rest of the time it was inoperative equipment noticed during pre-flight checks (like fuel gages, nav/strobe lights, radio, etc). Not necessarily a big deal you might say, but since on a non-MEL airplane everything is supposed to be working, I'm not playing with my licence and my life.


By the way, when I was there a student and his instructor killed themselves in the nearby mountains during an IMC night approach into La Verne. I'm still waiting for the final report by the NTSB, but most probably they'll say pilot error, visual illusion, and loss of situation awareness or something like that. Sad incident which unfortunately fueled the bad jokes about ADP (supposedly meaning "Another Dead Pilot") because they don't really deserve a bad reputation.

[ZAZOO]

Token Bird,

AAA flats at the Majestic appartments is one of the best being offered today in California all included with two swimming pools (nothing beats that swim after a days flying in Sun Diego) just don,t use it after midnight :) uhm hmm we got in trouble!! ;)

It's also a 15 to 20 minutes walk into AAA but you can always get a lift in and they do provide you with a bike if they are available, me I just walked felt good in that morning sun, had breakfast on the way and sometimes stopped at the pilots shop and a very good one too that shop.

About the aeroplanes make sure you give them a call and book the aircrafts well in advance so they can fit you in I did some training with AAA for a while and with so many hour builders and full time students around you might find yourself waiting around for a plane especially the period you are thinking of going to el cAjun its busy and you could have things occuring that they can not avoid like flight test resits which require more training for the individual and aircrafts breaking down or staying overnight in some desert airport cause he/she gets lost and its getting too late to get back to gillespie :) and of course maintanance, those aircrafts fly a lot 8/10hrs a day sometimes and therefore are regularly in the hanger you cannot avoid this things, they always occur!!

If you think a months stay will be enough for your training or hour building then add another week, because of what I have mentioned above, it helps.


Regards
Zazoom

[Flare_you_fool!]

Zazoo,
When were you there?
How many times and who was your insructor?
regards
FYF

[ZAZOO]

ooh, very pretty lady!! and was their a couple of times.

Email me Flare_you_fool!

Zazoo

[gearup-lightup]

no sponser, get yourself out to ADP@la verne.
youll get what you want hours they dont p**s about, 1hr checkride then its up to you
the mountians are a bit further to the north than they look on the chart but they are high, and can mask a vary high upper wind I TOOK OFF IN A PA28 FROM R26 , CLIMBING TO 10000 ON DOWNWIND RIGHT FOR A LAUGH,GOING INTO ONTARIO CA ABOUT 8000 I FLEW INTO THE ROTOR OFF THE HILLS AND STOPPED LAFIN i was able to regain control again at 4000 after a very scary few moments.another time going to palm springs,vfr on top [just, cos the 4 seat fighter would not go up any more] would you believe, a great big lump of granite passed about a half mile under my wing? irt was all covered with snow , so i started to read the charts a bit closer after that.the best flying i have ever done though much better than the ripoff u.k. go for it!!!

[Jimmy Mack]

I spent 3 weeks with ADP in November and got 100 hours done. Want to see what the flying was like, take a look at my web site....

http://www.btinternet.com/~paul.sims

...and check out the flying section.

They are good, but prone to administrative c0ck ups as others are...double check everything and make sure no-one rubs your name out of the booking sheets (they do them in pencil!!).

:)

[no sponsor]

What a fantastic set of photos!!

I'm looking forward to it.

[Big G]

I rented a PA28 last April from ADP.It was tatty but flew like a dream.I had a great time there,the staff were helpful & friendly,if a little over stretched at times,accommodation was ok,but stay at the Shilo if you can.All said & done it was a great place to fly from.