Awesome school. Being in the airlines already, I know a good flight school from a not so good one. This school was great on all counts. Friendly staff, great instructors, nice facility and the planes were impeccable. Plenty of new C172's equipped with G1000's plus some of the old steam gauge style C172's. I reinstated my CFI licenses and had Michael McDonald and Carlos Fernandez as instructors. Both were very friendly, knowledgeable and dedicated in what I needed to do to be brought back up to speed. Definite 5 star operation in my books!! read more

This school has great airplanes and staff, I was told that the national average to get my instrument rating was 6 plus months, but with the help of the great instructor that was assigned to me Michael McDonald, I got the rating done in 3 months. This school has great instructors, staff, and equipment. I highly suggest this school if you are in the area of Orlando, Florida read more

Two stars because they have really nice facilities, and newer well maintained aircraft. Unfortunately it goes downhill from there. I came to Sunstate to finish my instrument rating, and spoke to Mike Camelin. He was very nice and when I told him I had all the minimum requirements for the rating and wanted to finish quickly he assured me this would be no problem. I gave him a date for my first lesson, and although the instructor he set me up was nice, I found out after the lesson that he was going to be gone for over a week on vacation. I was perplexed, why set me up with an instructor who is going to be gone when I am looking to finish up quickly? I persisted and started working with another instructor, who was decent, not great, but I was willing to finish up with him. After a few lessons he assured me that I was pretty much ready, and that he would be signing me off for my checkride shortly. When I arrived for my next lesson (I live in Lake Mary so it is an hour drive for me) I found he wasn't there, but was assured he would be arriving shortly. After waiting an hour and a half I was finally told that his grandmother was sick, and he wouldn't be coming in (he was never heard from again). The owner, who witnessed this whole incident, gave me a very half-hearted apology, although Mike did approach me and apologize on my next visit. So I got yet another instructor, and this guy was really subpar. I have worked with many different instructors since I travel a lot and am a member of many flying clubs, and this was one of the worst I have worked with. Tried to teach me many basic things that were incorrect, and had this extremely bizarre idea that I was not taxiing on center line, and continuously harped about it on my lessons, and was generally nitpicky and condescending. Initially told me he would potentially be willing to sign me off after the minimum 3 hours required, then changed his tune and said that although I was "very close" I would have to fly with the chief or assistant flight instructor before he would sign me off, and also would make me do another mock oral exam with another instructor (even though I had already done one with him, and he even told me that I had performed better on it than another student who already passed his checkride, and the other instructor who disappeared told me I was one of the most knowledgeable instrument students he had ever seen). So now I had been lied to, had no end in sight, and even if he did ever deem me ready for my checkride, I would have to spend another $500 or more to fly with the senior instructors and do another mock oral exam, so that he could cover his butt. No thanks. Bottom line, these guys have a lot of potential. The office staff is very nice and friendly, they have very nice planes and facilities. But they are one of the most expensive flight schools around. It's fine to charge premium prices, but you have to provide a premium experience as well, and this where they fall short. I would surely have gone bankrupt if I had tried to get my instrument rating here from the start. You have to give them a $2500 deposit to get their best aircraft pricing, and I burned through almost all of this, with not much to show for it. As much as I want to like this flight school, it is not worth what you pay, you can pay less, have a better experience and get higher quality instruction elsewhere. If for some reason you must go here insist on one of the senior instructors. They all cost the same, there is no point in paying one of their inferior instructors who doesn't know his or her stuff a ridiculous $65/hr. Also keep in mind you can go to Air America Flight Center in Daytona Beach and get the same G1000 aircraft with GFC 700 autopilot for $135/hr with NO deposit, and pay only around $30/hr for an instructor that actually knows his stuff and won't tell you that you "must have been drunk" flying a hold, primarily because he doesn't actually know how to fly the proper entry into that hold. They will actually treat you with respect, make constructive criticism to help you learn, and get your certificate or rating done without trying to milk you for as much money as possible. UPDATE: After sharing my concerns, they informed me that they always require a check from a chief or assistant chief flight instructor. This is typical of a part 141 course, but since I was part 61 this should not have been required. And I should have been told this up front, it is an unnecessary expense for me, I don't think I ever would have started with them. read more

Dysfunctional disaster. Facts: Doesn't provide discounts on "frequent flyer" account holders. They have 1 instructor per 3 students, so forget about accelerated training. The lead instructor goes out to the "semi-nude" bar with student pilots then employs the "I'm the CFI" and chooses favorites so there is definitely discrimination there. The owner, Steve, tells everyone how broke they are. No Chiefs, no Indians, I was there with 7 other students. 1 student flew down from ATL with his own plane to get a instrument ticket, of course he got priority over the other students for instructors, he always had one. RUN AND TAKE YOUR $$ WITH YOU!! read more

Having worked at a few schools earlier in my career I appreciated the hands on and very(!) professional approach SunState took to my flight review as well as my rental with them. Their staff is friendly and extremely helpful and booking is a breeze as long as you plan ahead a bit as they are (understandably) a busy flight school. My instructor (Mike) was awesome and ensured that I felt relaxed at all times at the same time as he didn't let anything slip. Overall a very good experience for my flight review and rental check out. Great facility and amazing airplanes that are exceptionally well maintained coupled with great support staff and you have a winner! read more

I cannot believe the experience I've had with SunState Aviation! I am in the middle of their VIP program for a two week private pilot license, and there is nothing VIP about it besides paying more money for them to instruct you during two weeks instead of three. Today I was in the air at their Kissimmee location in a congested environment I was told we could not leave because they changed policy overnight. There were multiple planes trying to do their practice landings (including me), planes waiting to take off, and of course a large bird that wouldn't get off the runway. I really felt bad for the tower. However, this was not only an unsafe environment for multiple student pilots to fly in, but a very ineffective learning environment! While trying to learn a new landing maneuver, I couldn't even hear my instructor over all the radio communication. Instead of worrying about how to land the plane in the emergency scenario, I was worried about doing a 360 degree bank turn to slow down the traffic pattern or extend my downwind so three planes could land in front of me. I flew there all last week and this congestion issue never came up. We were allowed to leave the airport to work on techniques and go to a less traffic heavy environment. Today's congestion was caused by all the student pilots going out at the same time and trying to fly the pattern and practice their landings. CAN YOU IMAGINE FOUR STUDENT PILOTS PRACTICING LANDINGS IN A NORMAL TRAFFIC PATTERN? How is that not dangerous? After my hectic day in the air, I went to a casual chain restaurant to relax, grab a bite to eat, and study. I found a spot at the bar and ordered a diet coke and some dinner. I got my study book out as I was gearing up for another day at good ol' SunState. I look up and there is the owner of SunState sitting at the same bar. He paid for my meal, which was kind of him. He then came up, put his hand on my arm, and got uncomfortably close to me for a conversation. He obviously doesn't know (or doesn't care) what personal space and boundaries are. A little rattled by the intrusion on my personal space, I told him about the crazy afternoon and the traffic hazard that was caused by his management forcing everyone do their practice landings at the same airport and at the same time. I was hoping he would find the feedback useful and constructive from a paying customer. Quite the opposite. He had more excuses than I could count! First it was that breakdowns need to be close to home, then it was how he needs to watch his airplanes closely in case of damage. And finally his big finisher was insurance policies. I completely understand there are issues and decisions that have to be made in a business. I have my business degree and own multiple companies myself. I am in the asset management business in the trucking industry, so his point made sense (even if they were a little far-fetched). He then said SunState is not continuing the VIP program anymore. When I asked why, he said that it was too expensive and a money loser. I told him that I costed it out and actually chose to pay a few thousand dollars more for this program because it fit into my work life. I suggested that he charge more if the program isn't profitable. He said the margins in his business were small, so I suggested that he calculate his cost and mark it up appropriately. There is a demanding market for an accelerated program for professionals who want to complete the training in a short period of time. He condescendingly told me "there are many things that go into business that you wouldn't understand and you shouldn't worry about it. Business is a hard thing to wrap your head around... Business is tough." I happen to be a female in my twenties, but I live and breathe business every single day. It is what I do and I am very successful. I know my way around an amortization tables, balance sheets, and cost analysis. I deal with bad debts, assets, cash flows, and pricing negotiations daily. I have a strong mentor and a great group of people who support me in my career. I could clear up his balance sheet and calculate his overhead in a heartbeat, but I am just a young girl who doesn't know anything and I should leave the big ideas up to him because he knows better and I should just believe him and everything he says. To be honest, I am shocked he didn't ask me to make him a sandwich and clean his house too with a pat on my tush as I walk away. So yeah, Steve... get your hand off me, go read "accounting for dummies" and try to manage your business better. Maybe you will find a way to make your program profitable and keep your business in the black. Regardless, you should take a nice long look at your operations and safety standards before your insurance company double checks your policy with an audit. I am in disbelief of how I was talked to in this condescending and demeaning manner. It wasn't just that he was the owner of the read more

Syd Jones and Lyle Schofield are as good as it gets. Clean school, attention to detail. If you are serious about accomplishing an advanced rating as I was, you will get the education and proper training here. The folks at Sun State are focused on the student and his or her forward progression in a timely manner. Thanks guys for your hard work on my Commercial Multi. read more

I came to finish my CFI, the staff was very professional and the airplanes in excellent conditions. I finish my training on the time they gave me. Very happy with the service they provide me. read more