Maui Aviators Pirep

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asgcpa

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Spending my honeymoon on Maui; decided to check out Maui Aviators based on recommendations here and from Mark Jones at Moore Air (flew with Mark last year when I was in Oahu).

Tuesday we went to see Maui Aviators. Eric Gilbert gave my wife a fam flight in their 172. She had never been in a small plane and enjoyed it. Today, with Eric acting as a tour guide up front and my wife in the back, I flew their 2006 172SP for 2 hours around Maui, Molokai and Lanai. Lots of fun.

Although ones experience is dependent on the CFI for these types of flights, I would highly recommend Eric and Maui Aviators. He is a nice young CFI and really knew his stuff around the islands.

A little pricey due to the fuel surcharge, and Hawaii tax, it was a lot of fun and an enjoyable morning. I'd do it again.
 
That has to be an awesome experience. I never got to fly the Hawaiian islands, but it did get to ride a Heritage Softail on the road to Hana. I highly recommend the road to Hana, the waterfalls and scenery on the way are not to be missed.
 
Sounds great,glad you had a good time.
 
That's the one Dan. But they just had the seats reupholstered on Thursday, so the interior was nice and comfy.
 
Cool, it was pretty much brand new when I flew it. At the time they also had an older Archer, took one look and said "Ah...... lets take the 172.":D
 
My wife and I just had a great time circling Muai and a few other small islands. I did all the flying but Katy came along to help show us the sites.

It was awesome when the 20 something CFI tour guide pointed out George Harrison's house, "he and his family spend a lot of time here":rofl::rofl::rofl:

My wife couldn't help her herself "I'm pretty sure he died a long time ago".

Overall an awesome experience and the pricing was not that far out of line from Chicago FBO rentals.

I highly recommend Katy and Maui Aviators.
 
I was in Maui this past December, and went up for a flight with them. The CFI that I flew with was super cool and we did a pretty short flight - out to Molokai, circling the small airstrip at former leper colony and back - exactly 1 hour on the meter. He took care of the comms and I flew the plane, with wife in back seat. I will definitely fly with them again if/when I'm in Maui next, and do a different route.
 
HouTxPilot82 said:
I was in Maui this past December, and went up for a flight with them. The CFI that I flew with was super cool and we did a pretty short flight - out to Molokai, circling the small airstrip at former leper colony and back - exactly 1 hour on the meter. He took care of the comms and I flew the plane, with wife in back seat. I will definitely fly with them again if/when I'm in Maui next, and do a different route.
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We did the same thing. Great flight, though we had a little rain. Lots of whale watching and flying along the beach. Great time!
 
MarkZ said:
That has to be an awesome experience. I never got to fly the Hawaiian islands, but it did get to ride a Heritage Softail on the road to Hana. I highly recommend the road to Hana, the waterfalls and scenery on the way are not to be missed.
Click to expand...

I've driven to Hana twice and flown out there once (Maui Aviators, of course). Flying is much easier. :D
 
I flew with Maui Aviators back in 2008. I flew their 172 N6009V. Great experience.

Drove the Hana highway the next day. I would do both again if I made it back to Maui.
 
We stopped at Lindberg's grave.

Lindberg1__Medium_.jpg
 
asgcpa said:
Spending my honeymoon on Maui; decided to check out Maui Aviators based on recommendations here and from Mark Jones at Moore Air (flew with Mark last year when I was in Oahu).

Tuesday we went to see Maui Aviators. Eric Gilbert gave my wife a fam flight in their 172. She had never been in a small plane and enjoyed it. Today, with Eric acting as a tour guide up front and my wife in the back, I flew their 2006 172SP for 2 hours around Maui, Molokai and Lanai. Lots of fun.

Although ones experience is dependent on the CFI for these types of flights, I would highly recommend Eric and Maui Aviators. He is a nice young CFI and really knew his stuff around the islands.

A little pricey due to the fuel surcharge, and Hawaii tax, it was a lot of fun and an enjoyable morning. I'd do it again.
Click to expand...

Try Maui Flight Academy next time. Newer equipment.
 
Maui Cirrus CFII said:
Try Maui Flight Academy next time. Newer equipment.
Click to expand...

Is there another choice now? Glad to hear it. I used Maui Aviators for my flights in Maui. Good people, good instruction (trade winds were blowing something fierce, we were landing far above demonstrated crosswinds...36G42 in a 172L!). Two things did irk me, though.

The equipment wasn't in good condition. I flew their two SPs and also the L in three total flights. GPS in the SPs were broken. The L was ratty. Glad to hear they redid the interior on one. I found it hard to trust the aircraft.

The other piece was fuel surcharge. Yes, it's expensive to fly in Maui; I get that. But the fuel surcharge was not adequately disclosed. During my stay, it was $45/hr. That's not a surcharge anymore...that's just deceptive. It's not on the website, and it wasn't posted when I was there. It just got tacked on.

I'm glad I got to fly in Maui. The experience was amazing. I probably wouldn't go again with Maui Aviators, though. Worth it once, though!

https://arnoha.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Maui/n-rJcQkb
 
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Maui Cirrus CFII said:
Try Maui Flight Academy next time. Newer equipment.
Click to expand...

I called Maui Flight Academy to get the scoop. Got their name from COPA. Spoke with a nice lady on the phone. I hear the equipment is a Cirrus (god I hope I don't get dinged by some for "yet" another Cirrus thread). When my wife and I go back to Maui we will look them up.
 
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