My bf and I had a lesson with Mike yesterday, young friendly guy. The instructor himself was a cool…read morekid, has nothing to do with the 3-star rating. I think all of the lessons are the same despite which instructor you get. Appointment: It was difficult to get an appointment because almost every weekend is not available. The customer service number didn't connect us to a live person. So we called the morning of our appointment to confirm since it's a 2-hour Drive and couldn't reach anybody. They eventually called back and told us it was cancelled. So we were able to book another date, to which they called to confirm the day before. However, our lesson was supposed to start at 2, and didn't start until 2:15-ish. Not too bad. Lesson: The Groupon said 1-hour ground lesson and 1-hour flying. It was more like 10-min set up, 5-min quick overview of controls, and 1-hour in plane movement. We had to pay $20 per person for a fuel charge. The guy controlled driving the plane on the ground, lifted off, and just helped stabilize the plane. For the most part, I was the one who steered until arriving at the stop. We flew from East Farmingdale, over Fire Island, and landed in Long Island Airport. Then switched with my bf whose flight was not as long because I think we went straight back to East Farmingdale which was fine for us, since we were getting nauseous. By the time we got back it was 3:35, so a solid hour. Complimentary video: It was recorded on an iPhone from the POV of the instructor in the passenger seat. I think that POV is still worth having. It's free anyway. Overall experience: I think if you actually want to learn how to fly a plane, go to a real school. This is more laid back, you learn the basics and steer a plane. Still cool if you ask me. We tipped our guy through Venmo because we didn't have cash.

GROUPON WARNING: FALSE ADVERTISEMENT!!!…read more I think this is simply some guy with a plane who is certified to give instructions so he decided to make some extra $ by putting up a groupon. I say this because I don't actually see a business structure for this "company" - using term company lightly. What I'm saying is, do not expect professionalism by any stretch of the word. My Story: 8/9/17 I purchased flight instruction with video for One; via Groupon for my boyfriends birthday. 8/11/2017 I called to make my requested appointment (8/26) and leave a message with the requested date and asking that they call me back. Leaving my cell phone number. 8/17/17: After a week of phone tag I am finally able to reach a person. But it's too early and I'm told to call after 10am. 8/17/17 (after 10am): left another message requesting callback. It took a week because, though I left my direct cell phone number for them to call back, they repeatedly called my work phone; the number they received my missed call from. This tells me, they don't bother to listen to the messages. 8/21/17: Call and speak with women to make appointment. She tells me first open appointment is 10/17 (a Tuesday) I advise I am looking for a birthday present and a weekend and was told they don't have any weekends until 2018!!! Asked about a refund and was told to speak with groupon, which I understand. What I don't understand is the attitude of the person who is supposed to be working the phones. If anything she should have been overly apologetic for not being able to provide what they claim. Instead she was short with words and didn't seem to care that they were in the wrong. I'm in the process of fighting with Groupon for refund or credit as their initial ad was facetious as it states: The Fine Print Promotional value expires 180 days after purchase. Amount paid never expires. Limit 2 per person, may buy 2 additional as gifts. Valid only for option purchased. Additional fuel surcharge of $20 applies. Reservation required, recommended 1 week in advance for weekday trips; 2 weeks in advance for weekend trips. 48-hr cancellation notice required. May be repurchased every 30 days. Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.

Did my intro fly a couple years ago the CFI was very nice as well as the front desk employees…read more Planes were well maintained mostly equipped with glass cockpits. I don't recommend this for flight lessons since the total price will be high due to the planes and their performances I recommend you going to a steam gauge cockpit.

If you enjoyed going to the DMV In the 80's for the service then you would love this place. I for…read moreone, do not, this place is unprofessional, unreasonable and rude. Trying to schedule with Gina is an exercise in futility, even after numerous complaints from multiple students the owner refuses to reach out to offer a simple apology which would have smooth everything out. I would prefer flying and crashing to my death at another school than deal with this one.

I earned my instrument rating at Academy of Aviation almost 20 years ago, maybe more, and I'm…read morepretty sure that was around the time they first started. Even back then, it stood out as one of the best flight schools around, and what really impresses me is that they've remained steady and reliable all these years. A lot of flight schools come and go, but Academy of Aviation has stayed strong, which says a lot in this industry. If you're looking for a cheap flight school, this might not be the place--but that's a good thing. Too often, budget schools shut down without warning, leaving students stranded and out of options. Academy of Aviation has a well-maintained fleet, structured programs, and a solid reputation. Whether you're pursuing a career in aviation--military or civilian--or just flying for fun, this is the place to go. I'm not sure why it took me over two decades to write this, but I can say with confidence that this is one of the best schools I've trained at. I have great memories, especially from those early days when the owner was also my instructor. The training was thorough, professional, and effective, and I left with a strong foundation. About two years ago, I tried to rent a plane from them again after not flying for about 10 years. The process felt different, more geared toward structured student training rather than casual renters, which I've grown to accept. I flew with an instructor who was a bit wary about spins, and while I can't blame him--considering my long break from flying--I couldn't help but reflect on how the CFIs from my training days were probably more daring. Back then, they'd get excited, and I'd be the one nervous. These days, I understand the pressure instructors are under. One mistake can cost a career, and I respect that fully. While the experience of returning wasn't quite what I remembered, it doesn't take away from the fact that this school provides top-notch training. It's structured, professional, and results-driven. It may be costly, but you're paying for quality, safety, and real results. I would still give Academy of Aviation a 5-star rating and highly recommend it to anyone serious about flight training. Whether you are just starting out or looking to take your aviation journey to the next level, this school will set you up for success.

I enquired about an accelerated PPL within a reasonable time frame, given that I was willing to…read moretrain intensively. I was met with a rude response from Tim Schill, admissions officer for Orlando, where he mocked me for the suggestion and did not answer any of the questions I specifically put forward to him. I would not recommend any school which treats prospective students in this manner. Extremely rude!

Thanks to Julian for bringing me to aviation world, it was my best decision to attend this flight…read moreschool

Airborne flight Services is a great flight school operating out of Republic Airport. A lot of…read moreschools have questionable maintenance but the fleet is well taken care of. Julian is a staple at the airport and has years of intense training experience as a flight instructor. If you want to become a safe, competent pilot give him a call.

There's no reviews for this place on yelp; which should've warned me from actually trying; but…read morelearning how to fly a plane isn't a common everyday thing people do - so I looked aside when I bought their 1 person flight lesson. Now I WISH I can tell you about the flight lesson; but I seriously couldn't because it's not possible for you to book a lesson. They won't call you back. My husband's bucket list of things he wanted to do included learning how to fly a plane. I wanted to get the flight lesson for him for his birthday AND fly it together with HIM ON his birthday. I emailed. I texted. I initially got messages back via text on questions answered. I bought a Groupon; and they told me there was a $100 surcharge for the student; and $50 surcharge for the passenger. Fine. This was already turning out more expensive then other schools in the area; but I had already committed and purchased their groupon and didn't want to go through the hassle of exchanging it. The lady told me I had to call her to leave a credit card to officially make a reservation. I said that's fine; I'll give her a call in a little bit. My little bit did turn out to be the next day. I called the next day and left a message. I called again 2 days later to leave another message. And 2 days later to leave another message. I texted. NO response. I emailed. Finally I receive a call back from an instructor saying the lady is in charged of reservation and he'll make sure she calls me. 4 days later; she still didn't. So I called again this morning - still no answer. She calls me back an hour later saying she's not in the office yet; and can't tell me if I can have the time slot OR take my credit card info; and that she'll call me later. It's now been 6 hours since THAT call; and I'm officially agitated. She even reprimanded me for not calling her to leave a cc number. Lady - I have my call logs; and I did call you - and leave you MULTIPLE messages. I hope business is so good for them that they don't need any new customers; and perhaps that is what it is. As for us; we'll never know if this was a good school or not; but warning - if you do see them on groupon - don't buy it. Don't bother buying it unless you call and can reach the people to actually book your flight; because you likely won't be able to.

Flying for the first time was amazing especially with Mohcine! He was so kind, funny, and made us…read morefeel comfortable instantly. Booked this Groupon as a surprise birthday for my fiancé and it was absolutely incredible. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, and I'd also book Mohcine as my pilot any day!! We couldn't be happier with our experience!!!

Horrible....from the moment I walked in. The women behind the desk was rude, and the guy behind…read morethe desk gave the impression i was a disruption to his day. Nothing but short answers and finger pointing. Plane was old and very out of date, not sure how it passed FAA standards. Pilot Jake was a nice guy. How this place has such a high rating is obscene. They must sit all day and rate/write their own reviews. Fuck this place and the people who work there.

Loved our two hour experience for two with Global Aviation Corp. Like many others we purchased a…read moreGroupon for this, and booked our time slot. It was extra special for us as we booked this on our first wedding anniversary and it was extremely memorable first time flying! Our instructor was fabulous and really made the whole experience feel safe from start to finish. I flew to Connecticut from Long Island, and my husband flew the route back. It was basically a roundtrip flight where each of us got to fly one-way! The other person sat in the back while the first person was flying. Our instructor also indulged us and took some pictures when we started and finished in each location and we even got little certificates to commemorate our first flight together! The only negative point I will make was that Global Aviation Corp does fully disclosing costs for gas and fees that were not mentioned in the fine print. It was an extra $100 or more if I remember correctly which they only told us on the phone when calling to make the appointment. I wish they would have had it in the fine print so customers do not go through with buying a Groupon without all the information/pricing first. Overall it was a fantastic time, and I would 100% recommend it to anyone for a really unique experience, solo or as a couple!