Ari Ben Aviator Inc

Unairworthy airplanes, poor maintenance and incorrect/misleading pricing. An example of the worst the flight training industry has to offer. Avoid.

I am Soumalya Chatterjee from Kolkata,India.I want the all information. What is the total cost of the CPL training(with multi engine,food cost,living cost, ground classes cost, simulater cost, book cost, exam cost etc every thing).And how much time it will take to complete the course. And also the flying condition?In winter will there be any flying or not?
Ok I hope u will send me all the information as soon as possible.Thanking You with anticipation

Ari ben Aviator and its owner, Michael Cohen took $9,000.00 from me. They did not provide the flight training I paid for. Their instructors had never seen an FAA 141 syllabus and had to study my text book which i bought on my paid flight time. Then, the syllabus was not followed.

Michael Cohen denied me student housing and required me to rent from his freind who made constant sexual advances to me, and I was afraid of being raped.

Ari Ben Aviator's flight examiners twice failed me because I happened to be a female (their exact words.)

Because of Ari Ben Aviator, I have no ratings and am unemployable due to two failed checkrides just because of my gender.

Incidently, Michael Cohen's attorney has been harassing me and I am truly afraid for my safety.

Pretty much the most dysfunctional organization I have ever seen.

HEY MAN COULD U TELL ME IS THIS flying academy is good!!
pls tell me soon .. i would like to join this flyinng academy!!

Bad flight school. Staff steal money from students. Expensive training. They trick Indian students.

Why? I want to go to training to this school, but I don't know now... I want JAA training too, and I want J-1 visa and I want to spend any time like FI (due to time building). Can you suggest me any better school?

I went to the school a year ago. I paid less then I would have anywhere else. The school is not perfect. But the planes were safe and the price is unbeatable. I almost all of my time being multi time. I was then offered interviews at four regional airlines and offered the job at all of them. I am currently flying for a regional airline and compaired to other schools, I am not paying as much back on loans. The school is not perfect, but as you look at school you will find that none of them are. This school however does offer you the least cost for all the multi time.

i went to aviator last fall.
i spent way too much and feel a bit ripped off. their published rates are used to bait you in. regardless what the fast talking owner tells you. there is cheaper, and better.
dont sign any contracts with these people. if you need a student visa, they will get you one, but you and your money will be held captive.

if a student visa isnt necessary i wouldnt bother with these people. there are worse rip offs in florida. Phoenix East and ATP to name a few. although it is less of a rip off it is none the less a rip-off.

not true, last that i heard aviator does not recompensate students for fuel bought out of the home airport. which means you will be flying circles around ft.pierce for a few hundred hours or pay for your own fuel. their dutchesses hold 100gallons at $4 a gallon for 100/ll avgas. how much will it really cost you? The school i found in daytona, i pay $78/hr for the plane(dutchess) and they reimburse me $3.10 for each gallon of gas. if you can find an FBO that charges less than 3.10 they will credit your account the extra cash.

Hi,

Could you please let me know what school you are talkin about, i wana complete 100 hrs of time building from a fair and professional school with mininmum associated cost and time. Your help will be of great help my friend.

Thanks

Hi i too have a ppl sri lankan, remember when your are out of your country for every thing you have to spend a lot ok. I have found out one have to spend around 38000-46000 us to achive what you intent, and there is conversion cost too. Good luck TC

HEY THERE IS PRESENTLY A STUDENT IN FLORIDA WHO FILED A FEDERAL LAWSUIT AGAINST MICHAEL COHEN AND KEY BANK ALONG WITH ARI BEN AVIATOR, INC. MAYBE WE SHOULD CONTACT THIS email and get the information any students who Ari Ben Aviator, Inc. Michael Cohen who have been fincially damaged by this school.

There are mnay aviation students effected across the usa especially in Florida Tab Expresss, Airtran.

Ie : SILVER STATE HELICOPTER SCHOOL IN CALIFORNIA AND FLORIDA
LAW FIRM IS FEDERAL SUING FOR THE ftc LAWS THE FLIGHT SCHOOLS VIOLATED, FRAUD, AND UNFAIR CREDIT PRACTICES.

For more information contact aviationjustice@gmail.com their is more strength in numbers.

I would not recommend this school to anyone stay away from them and save yourself the head ache. They rent their planes to a foreign school where a student was killed some years ago . The flight school in Texas Mr. Cohen had student and an examiner killed.

Ari Ben Aviator, Inc. stay away from them they are deceptive.

Please contact and read above comments many students have been deceived by unfair deceptive business practices.

Stay away from this school spend the extra money and go to a professional flight school call the faa and request information.

I have known Mr Mike Cohen for 10 years and he was most cordial when I owned my own twin, however I observed him be ing rude and overbearing with his employees. Then, after falling upon tough economic times I approached him for a job as an instructor [highly qualified ATP,CFII-A MEI] and he was extreemly rude and abusive in his speech. He is totally self centered and motivated by greed and his inferiority complex. GOOD LUCK!

Stay away from Ben Air!!! Mike fuck off!!!

Aviator is deceptive as many wrote. Planes have been grounded by the FAA on many occasions for more than 10 reasons. I assume that the lawsuit deals about their way of logging flight time.

This will explain why you get their low price:

The Dutchess is a light twin. There will always be two pilots flying (some smart insurance regulation). This also means that two pilots PAY. So the low rate will be charged twice for each pilot. Since the airplane however is not multi-pilot operation rated, only ONE PILOT CAN LOG THE FLIGHT TIME. So image you flying from A to B and the other pilot flying back, you can only log the actual leg that you flew, but you will be charged (as will the other pilot) for A - B - A. Since no-one tells the FAA (since you paid and you are on their boat), everyone logs these flights as PIC, MULTIENGINE for the whole A-B-A trip. The only escape they use is getting one pilot fly under the hood and let the other one be safety pilot (both can log PIC flight time).

So paying for 200 hours should be read as paying for 100 hours as a pilot and 100 being a bored passenger.

By the way, the crash of N6701C @ Frisco airport mentioned earlier in a post, did only kill the designated examiner and not the student (but he was severely wounded).

I would suggest not to use Aviator in your goal becomming a professional pilot.

I personally suggest you don't ever try for this fucking school. Here, the staff is shit. They all are jewish people. They only know how to empty the pocket from students especially foreign students. TJ is the most fucking lady in this school.

Maintainence is worst over here. Some instructors logged fake time in the log book, I don't want to mention their names. In the beginning they will commit like $110 for single engine n $200 for multi. but later when you start your flying they will start charging $200 for single n $300 for multi. These are some of the things which we faced when we were enrolled.

So better don't stuck in fucking aviator.

Dear budding Pilots,

I personally suggest you don't ever go to Ariben aviator. Here the staff is shit. Lemme tell you frankly some staff like T.J. Mete, she ask foreign students to spend nights with her as she is a prostitute. So beware of this school. They ditch foreign students as they know, once the student is enrolled with them, he/she is not gonna leave the school.

I left Ari Ben (now called 'The Aviator College') about a month ago and can tell you that everything you read above is still accurate and true. I left because of the slow progress of my training. I think I averaged about two flights a week, I arrived with my private certificate and just got my instrument rating after almost four months at the school. The planes are just dangerous, and they are far more expensive than they claim. If I had known when I signed up how bad the training would be, and how badly I would be treated I would never have gone.

Do your career a favor and look elsewhere for your training.

Sorry to hear that. Check this one out:
www.FLFlight.com

as to defend The Aviator College, I to went there several years back, along with a guy that I meet and become friends with, we both started at the same time, I finished well before he did, maybe even 3 months, but can we say that is the schools fault because of our own ability to learn at the same pace as someone else, you better look long and hard at every flight school, They all have problems and there planes have been well abused, not by the school but the pilots that fly them. I went there and had a good time got a job flying for American Eagle, I have been there for 3 years and I love every minute of it, so for you out there that is wondering about this flight school, I would say It is above average as a flight school, good luck to all and happy flying seee yaa

I totally agree with this comment. I was there in 2009. I got my instrument rating in under a month. I'd say the pace of your training depends much more on the student than the school or instructor.
And about the maintenance, I flew their aircraft for hundreds of hours and never had a near-death experience. If people think those airplanes are unsafe they obviously haven't done much other flying. That being said, dutchess were not made past 1985, and I'll guarantee they've been used harder than your 1985 girlfriend.

I am supposed to go to aviator college this august but after reading all of the comments and seeing that 95% are negative reviews I'm not to sure anymore. Can someone please give me an honest breakdown of why the school is so bad and also why it's good. I'd like to hear from students that are currently attending thanks.

even i am planning to go to aviator next year for my cpl. i would like to know the exact scenario there. plz guide me. i would like to hear from someone attending the school currently. n how long will my training take if i want to complete it asap. il be very obliged for ur guidance.
thank you

Do not waste your money the school promise and does not deliver I just found on Public Record someone suing this school in Federal Court Ft. Pierce Florida case no i found 10-cv14111 martinez/lynch and state court indian river county case number312010ca010643

its public record

You need to check out US Federal Court case in Ft. Pierce and State Court Case in Indian River County Public record case number 312010ca010643 fed case 10cv14111 martinez/lynch

hey is this really true about lawsuits agaisnt this school? anyone really know

I had in the past really bad experience with this flight school,but it was in 2005 that i can say years after years day don t change,stay away of this flight school ,they take your money and if you are lucky you can ask a refund,but they not really want you to go anyway.
Remember something guy the training did not depend of the flight school but from you and your instructor,you can have the best flight school of the world with the most scheet instructor no change,find a flight school is a jungle and like all jungle you need to be carefull and i know what i am talking about.For ariben they could be good but i think they looking to much money poket of student than focused on training,of course aircraft is sheet ,student flying training on day and when night come up timebuilder come also seem to be a 24h flight exploitation from a DUCHESS more than a B737,one day or no crash will be apointed again with this types of method.

For this reason and to counter this types of people i build cabinet of consulting name is GTAC (GLOBAL training AERONAUTICAL CONSULTING)just to disturd and advice my customer from people like this flight school.

Be carreful and have a safe flight

NEXT I WILL HAVE A WEB SITE,

My best advice is take time to do some research ,of if you don t have time guive some serious consulting agency to find out good flight school for you and your poket

Take care

Your totally correct. Especially with their mis leading prices.

The lawsuits are pubic record, concerning a student who paid for training she didn't get. Nice to see someone taking some action, although the school can certainly afford lawyers and she's representing herself. I'll wish her luck, someone should fight back for all the students the school has ripped off!

think twice before attend this school they rip people off their id presently a lawsuit against mr cohen in us FEDERAL COURT IN FORT PIERCE AND IN INDIAN RIVER STATE COURT FOR SCHOOL THEY ARE FRAUDS PROMISE A PRODUCT AND DO NOT DELIVER THIS IS PUBLIC RECORD SOMEONE HAD THE GUTS TO FINALLY GO AFTER THIS GUY

were in the same boat. truly depressing isin it? please let me know if you happen to find other schools that offer the same kind of degree program

I did just finish training and like Aviator.
Ask for the price per hour and living cost, thats all that matters. Ive been paying 250 for multi dual and 79 dollar for time building which is a good price.
The prices you see att the website is based on minimum hour requirements and a lot of people are not good enough to meet those and need extra training which mean it get more expensive...
The planes are not dangerous but old so they are often down due to maintenance and it takes a bit longer time to finish training than expected. But except from that i like the school.
Mike Cohen is a nice guy by the way, no problem with him.

Stay away from Ari Ben. They will steal from you any chance they get. I know several students that went there and were ripped off. Some were unable to fly for months because of plane problems. One student engine quit on take off and almost killed him due to the horrible maintenance. They treat females like crap there. They had a mechanic there that was always drunk, while fixing planes. He was always harassing and trying to rape the students. Enough said.

Hi there,

I have been looking at Ari-ben for some time as a place to go to get my MEL training. After reading many of the comments on this forum, it appears that this place is not a good option. Can you give a few examples of what happened in your time there? What were the actual prices for training in the Duchess as opposed to what they advertised? Did they have accommadations for you as they claimed?

Did you find another school to get your other ratings? Would you reccomend a good school in FL?

Any and all advice would be helpful, Thank You.

-Geoff

Hi Geoff, I am a current student at Aviator, working on my Flight Instructor Ratings. I also drive the shuttle bus part-time and answer the phones too. I transferred here in January after my last flight school in Kansas went bankrupt. After that bad experience I spent six months visiting flight schools in Florida, wanting to find the best place to finish my training.

After making two visits to Aviator I decided to come here because they use twins as their primary training aircraft, whereas most flight schools use single engine planes. This means that you leave with mostly multi-engine hours as both a student and as an instructor--if you stay here to teach. I also liked that they have housing at the airport and that there are about 250 students, 50 instructors, 30 planes and have been around for over 30 years, so they probably won't go bankrupt.

It's funny to read all the wacky, anonymous and vague accusations written above about Mike, TJ, the mechanics, the planes etc. Nearly every day there are FAA Designated Examiners giving check-rides in these planes--so the planes must be both safe and airworthy! Yea, the planes are old, but they also get flown a lot (about 80 flights/day are scheduled here) and some planes get 100 hour inspections as often as every two weeks (maintenance is done on-site).

My experience here has been good. The Chief Pilot, Pierre, is an amazing teacher--fluent in F.A.R.s and aerodynamics and he is a great role model. The Assistant Chief Pilot, Dave, is like a kid at a playground--everyday having fun and sharing his infectious enthusiasm for aviation minutia with students who stop by his office to prepare for their next oral exam, or who just have a quick question.

The owner has treated me and my classmates well. He goes out of his way to help you if you need a job, or have a problem. I've seen him pick up the phone on the spot when a student has come into his office with a problem. He works long hours because the school is growing really fast: 100 new students are coming here in August and September.

Having lost a lot of money and time at my previous flight school, I feel fortunate to be here. But don't take my word for it. Go visit! Aviator will pay for a hotel for a night and transport you to and from Orlando or PBI airports. You can ride along on instructional flights, meet with students and instructors, attend ground school classes, see the housing, meet Mr. Cohen and basically live the life of a student for free, for two days. I'd suggest visiting several flight schools and comparing them after all your visits.

Feel free to contact me if you want to know more about this place, or if you would like to communicate with a student here who is from your country. From working here I've met most of the students and can put you in touch with them.

Hope this helps. Best of luck on your career! David Elliott 607-351-2191 dwe213@yahoo.com