Ormond Beach Aviation - Hour Building

[VFR Transit]

Hi peeps



I am after information and advice regarding Hour Building sessions at Ormond Beach Aviation. I am soon to complete the PPL and am looking to complete a range of hours in the USA, the package i am going for will be about 75 to 100 hours in a PA28.

Can anyone who has been to OBA recently tell me what the PA28's are like, I would also like to find out were the best places to fly are in Florida.

I am looking to visit the usual Miami, everglades and NASA etc etc and would like to find the airpark for John Travolta (maybe a touch and go on his runway lol)

I have just got a copy of the rental agreement, which i will of course study with a fine tooth comb.

Any advice from all and recent students too.

I know OBA has got it's problems, and understand MR AT may not be a nice person, however I feel that doing Hour Building should not have any problems at all.

Thanks
VFR

[geordiejet]

I've never flown the pipers so cannot comment on them.

But someone has a review of them here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/64278242@N00/

Best places : Fernandina Beach, St Augustine, Merritt Island and Flagler - not the most interesting place - but Hijackers Restaurant is top notch!

Try Key West - but you get back very little in terms of fuel money - the hour building only includes fillups at KOMN. Looking at a good 3.5 hour each way. So burns up the hours nicely.

JT's house is great - and well worth the visit! The 707 was in residence when I was there.

[hughesyd]

Aircaft old and tatty but well maintained. Make sure before you book that there are not too many students booked on the same aircraft or getting the hours in could be a problem. AT not that bad, a typical yorkshireman whos running a business!. Some students have had problems and he can be unreasonable in certain situations, but on the other hand, some students have deserved his barracking.

I myself have had issues with them in the past, but nothing that has stopped me going back, and i would still use them in the future. Some staff will go out of their way to help you if you show them respect and try and work with them when there are problems.

In terms of hour building, a good place to do it. you may be limited to how fly you can fly, but call them and check. John Travoltas place a nice little trip but it is a private airfield and you cant land there.

[99jolegg]

The location is great for hour building, up to the north you can fly to Flagler, St. Augustine and the other airport to the north west that I can't remember the name of - US airways do some regional flights into it.

To the south, you have some picturesque views and busier airports (Sanford) to put your skills to the test.

They have a large fleet of aircraft and those doing the hour building packages when I was there had an aircraft to themselves for the entire day.

Yes the aircraft are dated, some in better condition than others. Just make sure you keep your eye on the ball and know your emergency drills inside out.

For hour building, OBA is a good choice.

[ab33t]

You pay for what you get , did my PPL there in nov/dec 2005 . Just be carefull as ,mentioned above if there are a lot of ppl's and hour builders you may end up doing your hours at night as we had a few of those when I was there. Not that they would not get their hours it was just very busy. Another thing to be aware of is refuleing away from base and there is a restriction on distance away from base. Check this out before you go.

[XL319]

There are just places in the UK just as cheap if not cheaper!! Shop around.

Only downside here is the weather.

[civil aviation]

Come off it !

There are just places in the UK just as cheap if not cheaper!!

Whatever you like, or spend, some know-it-all says you could get it cheaper.
I've no idea how much OBA charge and what's included e.g. accomodation but they always seem very good value- when comparing like with like. However, I'm sure that Redneck Air Center in Hillbilly County and many other dubious operations in the US will be cheaper. However, the suggestion that places in the UK are cheaper is both proposterous and unsupported or are you referring to gliding or somewhere using stolen fuel?

[mad_jock]

There is a engineer and pilot on pprune who has a few aircraft who will give you a plane dry for a USA rate to do with what you want as long as you get it back for a 50 check.

No doudt he will PM you if you ask nicely.

AT who owns OBA is a fanny of the highest order, rule 5 should be applied. ie find out when he is holiday and go then or stay well away. There is no prob with OBA just AT when he is there.

Hours at night are not such a bad thing in FL it is 100000 times safer doing night hours in FL in a SEP than in the UK and might do you a favour for ATPL issue.

But FL is boring as hell for hour building especially if your trapped with wet rates which mean it costs an arm and a leg if outside 1.5hours flying from one of the FTO's

If you can find some school which will give you it dry at tacho hours and bumble around FL at climb out speeds paying 75% for ever hour logged thats the way forward.

[nich-av]

OBA is far from the cheapest in the U.S. for hour building, actually they might be one of the most expensive. That is surely because they have the privilege of being a JAA school.

What about hour building in Ohio?

Major cities in the area, beautiful landscapes (Great Lakes) and cooler, more stable weather during the summer.

Add lower cost, better value, available planes (20 aircraft in the fleet) and excellent service.

If interested, pm me.

[selfin]

geordiejet, this URL with photographs is a sleight of hand considering present equipment at OBA. The vast majority of these defects have been attended to, with 7 excellently maintained PA28s added to the fleet in May. There is in fact a reimbursement for fuel purchased away from base. And I can only add that AT was in my experience a gentleman, to such an extend I returned to give the company further business.

Chauffeured from the international airport to spacious and clean accommodation, not a single delay with aircraft scheduling, professional and courteous staff, experienced instructors happy to go out of their way, paperwork expeditiously handled, honest accountancy, telephone always answered, the list goes on. Plenty of other schools out there if you prefer the self-punishment approach.

[geordiejet]

geordiejet, this URL with photographs is a sleight of hand considering present equipment at OBA. The vast majority of these defects have been attended to, with 7 excellently maintained PA28s added to the fleet in May. There is in fact a reimbursement for fuel purchased away from base. And I can only add that AT was in my experience a gentleman, to such an extend I returned to give the company further business.

I've made no reference to AT whatsoever in this thread. Perhaps a new paragraph would be appropriate - if that one is not directed toward me.

There is a reimbursement for fuel - which I've mentioned - but it is WAY below what you pay for the actual fuel. I.e. - you get the equivalent COST PRICE of the fuel that OBA use (they own the bowser that you fill up from). Which is a lot less than the RETAIL price that you pay for fuel in other airports.

This is very important if you do want to venture further afield - as it adds a substantial amount on to the cost of a flight if you fill up away from home, especially now avgas is through the roof.

[VFR Transit]

Hello All

First of all, please let me say a massive thanks to all those who have taken the time to reply, please do keep them coming.

I have spoken to AT several times yesterday using their free phone number to the state (excellent idea)

From what i gather, AT is a good man and is an old school business man. A major part of his PPL(A) are young lads who think they know it all, and infact do not put in 100%.

I feel as an hour builder, this would not cause me any problems when just collecting and dropping off a PA28.

Some of the questions i asked are below:

Q. What is the distance away from the airfield allowed.
A. Anywhere in the Florida state and into georgia.

Q. What is the drawback for up loading fuel away from home airfield.
A. $3.00 per Gallon

Q. How many PA28's do you have
A. 10

Q. How many hours do i normally get in a day
A. Between 2 and 3 hours per day

Q. Can i take the aircraft away overnight.
A. Yes but there must be a minimum flying of 6 hours per 24 hours.
(MR AT advised if i book plane from 1pm to 1pm i could fly 3 hours each day)

I do have a copy of the rental agreement (17 pages) and will look over it.

I do understand that florida is boring in regards to hour builders, but at the end of the day all i want is to Build my Hours up. I know of lots of places i would like to see from the air and i think Florida is a good place to start.

If you have anymore information please do let me know, and would like to see any recent (2007 onwards) pictures

Thanks
VFR

[hughesyd]

MR AT advised if i book plane from 1pm to 1pm i could fly 3 hours each day)



Oh so AT is now letting hour builders book timeslot to suit!!!!. He must be softening in his old age!!!..........i think not!

[VFR Transit]

MR AT advised if i book plane from 1pm to 1pm i could fly 3 hours each day)



Oh so AT is now letting hour builders book timeslot to suit!!!!. He must be softening in his old age!!!..........i think not!

I think your comments are rude!!!

Who are you to tell others what Mr AT is thinking and what he said, when you were not talking to him on the phone.

Adrian stated that if you advise ops that you require the aircraf tover night, they will noramlly allow this from 1pm.

VFR

[TicketyBlue]

OBA PA28's

Not long back from OBA where I flew the PA28's. The older Warriors N215SA & N44930 are well past their best. 5SA's engine cuts out if you brake hard and the strobes don't work. Having said that, they have brought in 7 Piper Cadets which are very nice, giving them 8 Cadets in total. JT's house is located at a private strip out to the NW called "Greystone" (near Ocala). I think the field another poster mentioned out to the NW is Gainesville.

[177Pilot]

Caution on Payment

The point has been made above about the condition of the aircraft and the points of interest in the Central Florida area. But, be cautious about paying too much up front. If you don't get the hours in, they will not refund all the unused flying money. They will recalculate your plackage, charging you independently for each item at full price (hours, housing, transportation, etc.) then take a 25% cancellation fee from the balance. Best bet, take it in small 10-25 hour packages. Save in the long run...

[gfunc]

Just curious....

I'm just wondering why you've chosen to go with OBA? I see from their website that the price is quite good and includes accomodation (unknown quality!), but from what you've said you will only realistical be able to take the aircraft for trips to airfields within a few hours radius. It might get a bit dull once you've visited every one and still have 40 odd hours left to burn.

Have you considered getting block hours from another provider where you have the aircraft to yourself for an extended period of time? This way you could string together the mother of all cross countries (e.g. to NYC and back), which would benefit your experience more than being 'tied' to Ormond beach. If you use the internet to find cheap digs (i.e. away from the biggest cities) I bet it wouldn't be too much more than the package at OBA and a great deal more fun.

Since you will already have the PPL and you aren't training toward another licence I don't think you need a special visa (M-1) for hour building, so you don't have to be tied to the JAA schools. Best to check though.

Best of luck with whatever you go for!

Cheers,

Gareth.

[A and C]

Civil Aviation

You are talking like an idiot who hs been sucked in by the "it's always better in the USA" attitude that you will find on these pages.

Before you make sweeing statments please check your facts, it will stop you looking stupid, as it happends XL319 has done his reserch very well.

He has taken the time to cost the true cost of flying in the USA and not just the headline rate that you see in the publicity and if you look around you will find that the price diference is vey small and sometimes in favour of flying on this side of the Atlantic (and that is before we get into aircraft quality issues).

[VFR Transit]

I personally don't care about the cost of Hour Building.

I have family out in the USA, so will not need to have the OBA accomodation either.

When I go out to complete my Hour Building next year, I shall be using a business trip to complete it.

So bring on the USA (even if it is expensive)

Rock on

[civil aviation]

What Are The Facts?

I did not suggest it was (always) better (or worse) anywhere but siimply question the suggestion that it could be cheaper in the UK.
Instead of resorting to abuse, just post the facts:
the UK FTO's
the price of their package
the numbers of hours and
what they include/exclude