Getting my ratings

[left seat]

<div class="bbWrapper">Hey, I am new to the fourms. Seems to be a busy one. I am a 19 year old 130 hour PPL-ASEL. I want all my ratings thorugh CFII. I am thinking about going to Delta Connections Academy at Broward Community College. All my friends that came out of there said that their only complaint was the cost. I know that the airlines dont care about whether you attend an FBO or an academy, but I feel that the structure would make me a better pilot and more airline ready. Do you all agree? If not, is there any other flight schools in the Ft. Lauderdale area that anyone suggest? I am paying for this all alone (no parent help), so I need financing. I would love to pay all cash, but while going to college, and being a bus boy, I just cant. I know this seems like the same situation over and over again, but I just can&#039;t find the answers. Thank you all for all your future input.</div>

 

[AC560]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 34416" data-quote="left seat" data-source="post: 1324886" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/goto/post?id=1324886" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-1324886">left seat said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> I feel that the structure would make me a better pilot and more airline ready. </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote><br /> The airlines don&#039;t care whether you are a better pilot. They care you have Commercial AMEL certificate with an IFR rating and a pulse. I would get that as cheap as possible then send out applications while working on getting CFI, building hours, and going to school. First regional that offers to hire you take it and finish school while working for them.</div>

 

[pgcfii2002]

<div class="bbWrapper">Pick the one that costs the most and run away from it as fast as you can!!!</div>

 

[Doc Holiday]

<div class="bbWrapper">You mentioned structure and being airline-ready. There are schools out there that cost less and have good standardization. Visit some different flight schools and talk to the Chief, ask about their standardization program for the instructors. A good standards program at a flight school will save you frustration because the different instructors you fly with will tend to be on the same page and follow a syllabus.<br /> <br /> I&#039;m assuming when you said &quot;airline-ready&quot;, you meant being prepared for a company&#039;s training program. Besides already having a good knowledge base in areas like the regs, AIM, basic turbine systems, etc., you need to be open-minded. IMHO being open minded is the most important thing. You have to be willing to check your ego at the door and do things the way the airline wants you to do them - even if you believe your way is better. If you end up being &#039;that guy&#039; who always challenges and argues with the instructors and refuses to modify his behavior when briefed, you will definitely make life harder and could find yourself out on the street.</div>

 

[pgcfii2002]

<div class="bbWrapper">Mr. Holiday....<br /> <br /> &quot;You&#039;ll pardon me if I don&#039;t shake hands&quot;</div>

 

[pgcfii2002]

<div class="bbWrapper">&quot;500.....must be a peach of a hand&quot;</div>

 

[Grey Ghost]

<div class="bbWrapper">try Sheble avaition in Kingman AZ! He could probably set you up on a progam to get you done in a maonth or two at the most and he is really cheap!</div>

 

[pgcfii2002]

<div class="bbWrapper">I agree................</div>

 

[VW Pilot]

<div class="bbWrapper">He said ft. Lauderdale Area.....Florida that is....Hey dude...Try Airline Transport Professionals..(ATP) they have a flight school at Ft. lauderdale and<br /> from what I hear, ATP has the least complaints from students to Instructors...check em out. I live in florida myself and I&#039;m due for my private checkride at the end of this month....I want things to go a bit faster myself...currently I&#039;&#039;m in Tampa and I have to duke it out at local FBOs...I found an excellent instructor who used to teach type rating for American Airlines....I lucked out I guess because he could tell em everything the Airlines are looking for....As for Delta Connection the quality of instruction from what I heard is of high quality.<br /> <br /> The price as you already know is higher than flight level 350.....<br /> there are others you should avoid also that are near the ft. lauderdale area...<br /> simply for your safety. I know what you&#039;re going through...I have the same problem...no help only a perfect credit score and the income does not support it.....(they were like, how did you do that?) anyway if you cannot go to a flight academy, do not waist too much time trying to decide what to do...get to a local ft. lauderdale FBO and just go for it.</div>

 

[Goose Egg]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 26216" data-quote="AC560" data-source="post: 1325038" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/goto/post?id=1325038" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-1325038">AC560 said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> The airlines don&#039;t care whether you are a better pilot. They care you have Commercial AMEL certificate with an IFR rating and a pulse. </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote> <br /> Depending on the airline. Just because the bar has gotten super-low at some airlines, it doesn&#039;t mean that it has at others. <br /> <br /> <blockquote data-attributes="" data-quote="" data-source="" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> I would get that as cheap as possible then send out applications while working on getting CFI, building hours, and going to school. First regional that offers to hire you... </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote> <br /> DO NOT go to the first regional that will hire you, unless you have determined that it will be the right situation for you in terms of pay, commuting, etc., etc., etc. I think that generally most of the whining on this website is caused by people not really doing their homework. Being choosy in terms of which entry-level flying job we accept is one of the rare luxuries that we have in this day and age. I, for one, am going to take advantage of it.<br /> <br /> -Goose</div>

 

[left seat]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 30084" data-quote="VW Pilot" data-source="post: 1328087" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/goto/post?id=1328087" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-1328087">VW Pilot said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> He said ft. Lauderdale Area.....Florida that is....Hey dude...Try Airline Transport Professionals..(ATP) they have a flight school at Ft. lauderdale and<br /> from what I hear, ATP has the least complaints from students to Instructors...check em out. I live in florida myself and I&#039;m due for my private checkride at the end of this month....I want things to go a bit faster myself...currently I&#039;&#039;m in Tampa and I have to duke it out at local FBOs...I found an excellent instructor who used to teach type rating for American Airlines....I lucked out I guess because he could tell em everything the Airlines are looking for....As for Delta Connection the quality of instruction from what I heard is of high quality.<br /> <br /> The price as you already know is higher than flight level 350.....<br /> there are others you should avoid also that are near the ft. lauderdale area...<br /> simply for your safety. I know what you&#039;re going through...I have the same problem...no help only a perfect credit score and the income does not support it.....(they were like, how did you do that?) anyway if you cannot go to a flight academy, do not waist too much time trying to decide what to do...get to a local ft. lauderdale FBO and just go for it. </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote><br /> Thanks for the info all. I was thinking of ATP, but it did not get the &quot;great flight school vibe&quot; when I talked to the instructors. Congrats on the almost private pilot certificate. Are you financing or paying flight by flight. If you obtained a loan, who did you get it with?....Will you continue your training there? Thanks.</div>

 

[fried chickens]

<div class="bbWrapper">First of all I don&#039;t recommend this career for anyone anymore. With that out of the way, how fast do you want to get to the airlines? All ATPs and Shebly&#039;s are pretty fast and you could go to one the carriers that hiring people with just a comm amel by the end of the year. Fly with them till you get enough time to go to skywest, republic, xjet or eagle then jump ship and you&#039;re young enough that the lateral move won&#039;t hurt.<br /> <br /> If you take the quick route you&#039;ll be stuck at the regionals for a long time since you won&#039;t have your degree. Sounds like you want your education so look into the programs at colleges where get your cfi and instruct before you graduate. I think at ERAU you graduate with just a comm.<br /> <br /> Isn&#039;t there a program at Jacksonville State? Checkout Arizona State mesa pilot program. I think you instruct your senior year there and no you won&#039;t have to go to mesa. Since you&#039;re paying it yourself, location shouldn&#039;t matter and go to place that meets your needs.<br /> <br /> Basically, get your education, live the college life and get get real world experience. That&#039;ll mean more to you and be more helpful than being at a 141 school.</div>

 

[VW Pilot]

<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 34416" data-quote="left seat" data-source="post: 1329173" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-title"> <a href="/goto/post?id=1329173" class="bbCodeBlock-sourceJump" rel="nofollow" data-xf-click="attribution" data-content-selector="#post-1329173">left seat said:</a> </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-content"> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandContent js-expandContent "> Thanks for the info all. I was thinking of ATP, but it did not get the &quot;great flight school vibe&quot; when I talked to the instructors. Congrats on the almost private pilot certificate. Are you financing or paying flight by flight. If you obtained a loan, who did you get it with?....Will you continue your training there? Thanks. </div> <div class="bbCodeBlock-expandLink js-expandLink"><a role="button" tabindex="0">Click to expand...</a></div> </div> </blockquote> <br /> Well at KVDF, (Vandenberg) they have Leading aviation...61 school. They have a Pilot finanace program but like all unsecured loan programs, they still<br /> look at you income levels. My credit score was great...I&#039;m working two jobs still..at KTPA as a ramp agent full time and part time as a BMW Service tech at my old job...I used my credit score to get credit cards with healthy spending limits. I was able to get three without hurting my score. So I charged them for aircraft rental and instructor fees. And just pay off the balances with the money I get from two jobs. Believe me it is very hard to find time to study...but if you really want it, you&#039;ll get there...I have no other choice. I simply didn&#039;t have enough income to score a loan. Now that I think of it, I&#039;&#039;m glad I didn&#039;t get a loan because you have to pay it back(of course) with ugly interest rates. So I pay flight by flight with plastic. One downside is that if I max out, I have to wait until I can pay again.....Also check out Professional flight training ...it&#039;s somewhere in Ft. Lauderdale. I had been to all the sanford flight schools. no luck....including DCA. So far this is working for me. not going as fast, but I&#039;m not sitting still. The fact that you are looking for a great flight school is ok....but if I were you this is what I&#039;d look for.....A knowlegeable flight instructor,(establish a friendship or make sure you two can sit in the plane without giving each other right hooks) aircraft in great condition and enough of em, great aircraft maintantence, structured program, fair pricing.....if you think that is worth the price you are paying then pay....don&#039;t look for the cheapest of the cheaps or you&#039;ll get just that but don&#039;t let anyone &quot;Milk&quot; you. Sheble from what I hear is great but not in Ft Lauderdale...... feel free to IM me. If I can, I&#039;ll try and give you more ideas....</div>