Choosing the right flight training school.

[lowtimeguy]

I have been adding more info to the website
Beware the Fast Track to Airlines PFT

As I get info that some schools, such as Regional Airline Academy are bilking students that want to start ab initio and get all their ratings for $100,000 paid up front, there is a need for warning people about this!

Please help with suggestions that help inform and educate the young and uninitiated out there!

Thanks!

 

[flyboy]

Even if you pay more in the end, pay as you go. Do NOT pay a large sum up front. I lost $15k when ATA closed their doors b/c I paid up front.

 

[350DRIVER]

I applaud your efforts but I think for most it will be a lost cause... Many are willing to take daddy's money and "buy" a seat versus earning it, less work for them if they got the $$$.. These folks are so narrow minded that the only thing they see is that shiny new rj and that new uniform awaiting them after they hand over a blank check, sad but true.


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[Thesaurus682]

I think it's still worth the effort. I've learned immense huge amounts of information poring over Jetcareers.com and Flightinfo.com. When I first started exploring options I was convinced I would be going to Delta Connection Academy. Once I started researching my options and reading perspectives and experiences, I realized how bad a decision that would have been.

If they happen to google "regional airline academy" or "first officer program", that link might appear, and give them a heads up to what's goin' on with those programs.

Even if it helps sway just a few from attending these programs, I think the effort would be worthwhile.

 

[350DRIVER]

I will bite....


I just took a look at the former students of ATA website for the first time..... One question, why in the world would you pay on loans for something (present day) that was never given to you (training) in the first place?. I have heard of some crazy things in my lifetime but IF I took a $100,000 + loan out and the following week the place went under then he!! surely would freeze over before I gave them a single dime on that loan. Obviously a legally binding contract had to have been signed by both parties (school + student), etc, so why not allow this to play out in a court of law and not on public boards?. I am confused in the sense that the solution appears to be relatively simple and it requires little thought, you didn't get what you were promised & and what you paid for so hire an attorney and allow him to take care of this.

I cannot see how Key could hold you the "customer" responsible for this since you had nothing to do with this flight school's abrupt closing.

Where in the world could ALL that money have went to in such a short amount of time??

I can understand that you should be held accountable for the training you got, but this seems crazy since 99% of the training that you financed was not provided..


What in thy he!! am I missing here??


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[bobbysamd]

P-F-T Consumerism website

Nice work on the site. I especially like this passage:

If they told you instead, that a 300 or 500 hour pilot with a jet type rating is an absurdity, and that you will have a PFT (Pay For Training) stigma attached to you (if you do manage to actually obtain a job, and I think it's rarer than they say) and you will have paid MUCH more than is necessary to get your ratings, would you think it sounded like a good investment?

It would be great if you could establish a Google reference returning hits for your site if someone searches "flight schools," "airline careers," "aviation careers," etc. (Hits for "ripoff," "scam," "fraud," "conjob," "flimflam," etc. would also be nice. )

 

[bobbysamd]

School choice aside

When I first started exploring options I was convinced I would be going to Delta Connection Academy. Once I started researching my options and reading perspectives and experiences, I realized how bad a decision that would have been.

So, which school did you choose?

 

[Thesaurus682]

When I first started exploring options I was convinced I would be going to Delta Connection Academy. Once I started researching my options and reading perspectives and experiences, I realized how bad a decision that would have been.

So, which school did you choose?

I chose Gulfstream. I felt it offered the best of all worlds. Reasonable price, quality flight training, and an unbeatable opportunity to earn 121 turbine time.

 

[Thesaurus682]

Just kidding.

Actually, I'm still a bit up in the air about that. I was intending to go through MAPD ab-initio, thanks in part to your and 350Driver's encouraging perspectives on it, but I was only provisionally accepted into the program. They wanted me to earn twelve college credits prior to entering, and delay my entry to Spring 2005. I turned the offer down, but for various reasons.

My options:

Lane Community College (which I've heard you heard is very good; I just visited there yesterday and it looked promising)
Ari-Ben Aviator (earn degree through distance education)
SkyMates (again, degree earned through DE)
ATP, though not likely because of expense (again, DE)

 

[bobbysamd]

School choices

My options:

Lane Community College (which I've heard you heard is very good; I just visited there yesterday and it looked promising)

I have a friend who is an ASI at the Portland FSDO. She might have been the program's POI. She would rave about the Lane CC program. Only drawback at that time was no multi.

Ari-Ben Aviator (earn degree through distance education)

I'd search the board thoroughly for comments before committing. Ari-Ben has received bad reviews.

SkyMates (again, degree earned through DE)

Don't know it.

ATP, though not likely because of expense (again, DE)

ATP feeds you a lot of training in a short time. It might be too much to absorb at once.

Good luck with your choice.

 

[Thesaurus682]

I have a friend who is an ASI at the Portland FSDO. She might have been the program's POI. She would rave about the Lane CC program. Only drawback at that time was no multi.I'd search the board thoroughly for comments before committing. Ari-Ben has received bad reviews.Don't know it. ATP feeds you a lot of training in a short time. It might be too much to absorb at once.

Good luck with your choice.

I've seen the bad rep that Ari-Ben gets around here. I don't really understand why. All the folks at jetcareers.com are very positive about their experience at Ari. They're like two totally different flight schools, looking at flightinfo vs jetcareers. I've actually toured there, and it seemed pretty bare-bones (to say the least), but decent.

SkyMates runs a similar operation to both ATP and Ari-Ben. Low(er) prices, and emphasis on multi-engine time. Located in TX. Something of a new competitor.