Traxair Aviation Academy

I have been a student at Traxair (formerly Air Orlando) since October 2012, having earned a private pilot’s license (May 2013) and an instrument rating (February 2014). I want to learn how to fly as a hobby, not as a career, and the flexibility of learning at Traxair made this possible: they have an easy-​to-​use online scheduling system, where I can reserve my instructor’s time as well as the specific plane that I want to rent. I can take lessons as my schedule permits and pay along the way. Their MOTUS full-​motion flight simulator was helpful in fulfilling 20 hrs of instrument time that I needed for my instrument rating. The facility is well-​kept, and the staff at the main desk are very friendly.
While all of this is good, what led me to give Traxair «5 stars» is my instructor, Andy. Without a great instructor, learning how to fly would be next to impossible due to myriad pressures working against the typical student. Indeed, Andy was superb — he is encyclopedic in his knowledge of aviation, and hows to to convey that knowledge to students in a friendly and unassuming way. When we were flying, I put my complete trust in Andy — when you are first learning how to fly in real instrument meteorologic conditions (i.e. in the clouds), having an instructor with over 6000 hours of experience is quite reassuring. Andy also helped me purchase an airplane, and once I did, recommended Traxair maintenance, not because of an allegiance to Traxair, but because he trusted the mechanics (who also maintain the fleet he uses to instruct).
Since the Maintenance division of Traxair doesn’t have its own Unilocal page, I’ll give them a shout out here: Trevor was recently promoted to head of maintenance and he, and his predecessor, have been fantastic. Trevor recently helped me on the spot, when I parked my bird on the Academy’s flight line and couldn’t get it started. Dave and John (aircraft mechanics) are really great guys who recently diagnosed a difficult, intermittent electrical problem. I routinely fly my family in our airplane, so having a top-​notch crew that I trust is paramount.