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Delta Connection Academy...THOUGHTS????
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Timebuilder
Entrepreneur
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2001
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I flew down to Sanford in Spring of 2000 to visit the then "Comair Academy" and go to Sun n Fun.
The students were a mess. Imprinterd T shirts, shorts, and sandals. The only people that looked even 50% presentable as professionals were the instructors. They were friendly, and I got some compliments on the Frasca Sim flight I did, with ILS to a landing. I saw some classes, and witnessed a minute of some FO training with senior instructors.
I came very close to taking my CFI training there and becoming a part of that group that hoped for FO positions. Maybe I'd have a job now if I had done so, but that is more a function of the other choice I made: stay at the field where I took my Instrument and Commercial training.
Part of my decision was the cost of the CFI training: far greater than I thought was warranted. Add to that cost the relocation for one to two years, and the cost of an apartment. It seemed that I could do just as well at home, with far lower costs, become the assistant chief instructor, and fly the navajo across the field for charter experience. I would be well on my way with a job, experience, and be well prepared for Comair.
Since then, a lot has happened, and here I am on the ground. I can't say 100% that wouldn't have been the case if I had attended Comair Academy, though. Truthfully, I would have been relying on the idea of getting the Comair interview, and that isn't a shoo-in proposition. Not every instructor stays for the full 800, and not every student becomes a Comair instructor. I can live with the choice I made, and be happy about it.
I do recall the planes looking a little bit "old" compared to what I had exxpected to see, and the students looked out of place compared to the well groomed instructors. The bell in flight ops was a cute touch, and was rung to celebrate a student accomplishment while I was there.
If you have the dough and the drive, it might be just what you are looking for. Then again, if you are a part of an excellent college program, I would stay where you are.
The students were a mess. Imprinterd T shirts, shorts, and sandals. The only people that looked even 50% presentable as professionals were the instructors. They were friendly, and I got some compliments on the Frasca Sim flight I did, with ILS to a landing. I saw some classes, and witnessed a minute of some FO training with senior instructors.
I came very close to taking my CFI training there and becoming a part of that group that hoped for FO positions. Maybe I'd have a job now if I had done so, but that is more a function of the other choice I made: stay at the field where I took my Instrument and Commercial training.
Part of my decision was the cost of the CFI training: far greater than I thought was warranted. Add to that cost the relocation for one to two years, and the cost of an apartment. It seemed that I could do just as well at home, with far lower costs, become the assistant chief instructor, and fly the navajo across the field for charter experience. I would be well on my way with a job, experience, and be well prepared for Comair.
Since then, a lot has happened, and here I am on the ground. I can't say 100% that wouldn't have been the case if I had attended Comair Academy, though. Truthfully, I would have been relying on the idea of getting the Comair interview, and that isn't a shoo-in proposition. Not every instructor stays for the full 800, and not every student becomes a Comair instructor. I can live with the choice I made, and be happy about it.
I do recall the planes looking a little bit "old" compared to what I had exxpected to see, and the students looked out of place compared to the well groomed instructors. The bell in flight ops was a cute touch, and was rung to celebrate a student accomplishment while I was there.
If you have the dough and the drive, it might be just what you are looking for. Then again, if you are a part of an excellent college program, I would stay where you are.
Only 6% Of DCA Students Hired
Ask the CFI's that went to FSI why they were not working at FSI as flight instructors? If you read the ads and look at the FSI website, they make it sound as if FSI is your ticket to the airlines as a pilot. I think FSI is like the rest of the "Big Academies" that promise and "GUARANTEE” airline jobs and connections, but are faulty on most accounts when it comes to the number of actual hires with the airlines. Sure, some make it to the right seat, airline pilot slot, but majority do not. How can a school, such as DCA, boast of having the most pilot certificates issued of any school in the world, and have less than, on average, only 3 former "graduate" students a month get hired by the "connection" airlines. Here is DCA’s own written word in the magazine ads and website.
“Even in today’s job market, 97% of our graduates are hired as First Officers!*”
The asterisk * small print at the bottom of ads reads: “* 728 out of 754 students who completed the entire program through August 2003”. Wow, that is fantastic, don’t you know? DCA has been in business since 1987, which is 16 years. If you divide 728 by that 16 years you only get 45.5 students per year, or 3 students per month on average, that graduate. This means less than 6% of their students make it as First Officers. Do you really want to spend all that money to attend DCA, knowing that only 6% or less of the attending students are hired as First Officers?
Ask the CFI's that went to FSI why they were not working at FSI as flight instructors? If you read the ads and look at the FSI website, they make it sound as if FSI is your ticket to the airlines as a pilot. I think FSI is like the rest of the "Big Academies" that promise and "GUARANTEE” airline jobs and connections, but are faulty on most accounts when it comes to the number of actual hires with the airlines. Sure, some make it to the right seat, airline pilot slot, but majority do not. How can a school, such as DCA, boast of having the most pilot certificates issued of any school in the world, and have less than, on average, only 3 former "graduate" students a month get hired by the "connection" airlines. Here is DCA’s own written word in the magazine ads and website.
“Even in today’s job market, 97% of our graduates are hired as First Officers!*”
The asterisk * small print at the bottom of ads reads: “* 728 out of 754 students who completed the entire program through August 2003”. Wow, that is fantastic, don’t you know? DCA has been in business since 1987, which is 16 years. If you divide 728 by that 16 years you only get 45.5 students per year, or 3 students per month on average, that graduate. This means less than 6% of their students make it as First Officers. Do you really want to spend all that money to attend DCA, knowing that only 6% or less of the attending students are hired as First Officers?
huncowboy
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2003
- Posts
- 616
DCA's Own Numbers
It is DCA's own figures from their website and magazine ads. Do the math. They have 16 years of business and have only 754 students that have graduated. That figures out to only, on average, 47 students per year. What I can't seem to find out is what do they mean by "graduate" and "guarantee Interview"?
It is DCA's own figures from their website and magazine ads. Do the math. They have 16 years of business and have only 754 students that have graduated. That figures out to only, on average, 47 students per year. What I can't seem to find out is what do they mean by "graduate" and "guarantee Interview"?
SMOE
One Lucky Bastard
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2003
- Posts
- 278
Re: Re: DCA's Own Numbers
Where are you getting 12000 from? Math is not my strong suite but 754 x .06 (6%) = 45.24
How could 6% of a number be larger than the original number?
That 754 would be the number of "graduates" who were hired as instructors and logged 800 dual given at slave wages. Who were good little robots, who never spoke up when they saw something done wrong or saw a student getting screwed, who played the game all for an early interview.
huncowboy said:
Where are you getting 12000 from? Math is not my strong suite but 754 x .06 (6%) = 45.24
How could 6% of a number be larger than the original number?
That 754 would be the number of "graduates" who were hired as instructors and logged 800 dual given at slave wages. Who were good little robots, who never spoke up when they saw something done wrong or saw a student getting screwed, who played the game all for an early interview.
172driver
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2002
- Posts
- 744
No, math isn't your strong point. CFI'er is saying that 754 graduates is 6% of total students since 1987. 754 is 6% of roughly 12,000. 754/.06=12,567. Again, where does it say that 12,000 students enrolled since 1987?
CFI'er: I am indeed living on a FO salary and making my loan payment. Your figures are wildly exaggerated. Here's what I spend and how I make it...
Salary is roughly $1700/mo. plus per diem. Lowest take home around $1700, sometimes more.
Loan......................$400 ($50K loan)
Car payment..........$0
Insurance.............. $110 (full coverage)
Apartment..............$300 (with master bedroom and bath)
Food.......................$400 (your number)
Utilities....................$200 (with digital cable and h/s internet)
Total.......................$1410
Don't forget that second year pay will go up to about $3200/mo, not including per diem. There are indeed some lean times, especially instructing at the academy but it is definitely possible.
Where did you get your figure of 6%?? I suspect it is another exaggeration but probably not wildly off the mark. Maybe closer to 25%. However, what you're not pointing out is the normal attrition rate at any FBO, academy, college, etc. who does flight training. To be fair to DCA, you ought to post accurate numbers from at least one of each. I am positive you would find similar results.
Almost all of the attrition I saw at DCA was students with an attitude like yours. 'I can do it cheaper elsewhere.' "I don't like the schedule.' 'The airplanes are old.' 'The academy is charging too much.' Well, these things are all true but they are selling a superior product...excellent training, proven success of grads at the top regional, the interview. I might point out that those who stick it out and don't exercise the 'greener grass' option are 97% successful at the interview.
I moved out from the west coast to attend DCA. Had not a penny to my name and parents who were unable to help financially. I had to succeed or kiss away the money I borrowed. It was the scariest and the best choice I ever made. I love my job.
Many who left did so because they were too young or immature to handle it, didn't plan well financially, weren't cut out to be pilots. But the most common thing I saw was a simple lack of motivation, work ethic, study habits, leading to spending way more than expected.
BTW, Timebuilder, you'll be happy to know that the students are now in uniform.
CFI'er: I am indeed living on a FO salary and making my loan payment. Your figures are wildly exaggerated. Here's what I spend and how I make it...
Salary is roughly $1700/mo. plus per diem. Lowest take home around $1700, sometimes more.
Loan......................$400 ($50K loan)
Car payment..........$0
Insurance.............. $110 (full coverage)
Apartment..............$300 (with master bedroom and bath)
Food.......................$400 (your number)
Utilities....................$200 (with digital cable and h/s internet)
Total.......................$1410
Don't forget that second year pay will go up to about $3200/mo, not including per diem. There are indeed some lean times, especially instructing at the academy but it is definitely possible.
Where did you get your figure of 6%?? I suspect it is another exaggeration but probably not wildly off the mark. Maybe closer to 25%. However, what you're not pointing out is the normal attrition rate at any FBO, academy, college, etc. who does flight training. To be fair to DCA, you ought to post accurate numbers from at least one of each. I am positive you would find similar results.
Almost all of the attrition I saw at DCA was students with an attitude like yours. 'I can do it cheaper elsewhere.' "I don't like the schedule.' 'The airplanes are old.' 'The academy is charging too much.' Well, these things are all true but they are selling a superior product...excellent training, proven success of grads at the top regional, the interview. I might point out that those who stick it out and don't exercise the 'greener grass' option are 97% successful at the interview.
I moved out from the west coast to attend DCA. Had not a penny to my name and parents who were unable to help financially. I had to succeed or kiss away the money I borrowed. It was the scariest and the best choice I ever made. I love my job.
Many who left did so because they were too young or immature to handle it, didn't plan well financially, weren't cut out to be pilots. But the most common thing I saw was a simple lack of motivation, work ethic, study habits, leading to spending way more than expected.
BTW, Timebuilder, you'll be happy to know that the students are now in uniform.
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