Delta Connection Academy...THOUGHTS????

[crjfo2b]

they make u do that at DCA, they make u do at least 2 rating with them before they would consider you for employment as an instructor...

 

[THE Flying Ace]

We fly to SFB a lot during the winter from MN, and the thing I don't like about DCA is those dam# seminoles can only use the long runway, which forces us to do few 360's or S-turns down the final.

 

[Lucky]

We fly to SFB a lot during the winter from MN, and the thing I don't like about DCA is those dam# seminoles can only use the long runway, which forces us to do few 360's or S-turns down the final.

Thats funny, I see the seminoles using 9 center all the time. Correct me if I am wrong, but thats not the long runway.

 

[lymanm]

"Thats funny, I see the seminoles using 9 center all the time. Correct me if I am wrong, but thats not the long runway."

Correct, but only for full strop arrivals & departures. Touch & gos must be done on 9L/27R (the long one) as DCA has conservative minimums for that manoeuver on the PA-44. Singles do their touch & gos on 9R/27L, way the hell out there.

On a related note, the controllers at SFB are among the best in the country (that I've come across). Try mixing 3 parallel runways with 6-7 in the pattern for each of the outer 2 runways, 4-5 arriving/departing in the middle one, half on which are IFR. Oh, don't forget the 5 A330s, 767s and 747s that arrive within an hour of each other every afternoon, not to mention the executive/frax traffic and Pan Am 727 traffic all hours of the day. Most importantly, their ability in dealing and being patient with inexperienced students (and instructors!)

 

[THE Flying Ace]

There sure is a mix of aircraft. Everything from the smallest, to the largest.

Got to hand it to their controllers. Can't wait till they get that north taxiway done!

 

[Lucky]

On a related note, the controllers at SFB are among the best in the country (that I've come across). Try mixing 3 parallel runways with 6-7 in the pattern for each of the outer 2 runways, 4-5 arriving/departing in the middle one, half on which are IFR. Oh, don't forget the 5 A330s, 767s and 747s that arrive within an hour of each other every afternoon, not to mention the executive/frax traffic and Pan Am 727 traffic all hours of the day. Most importantly, their ability in dealing and being patient with inexperienced students (and instructors!)

Y'all might not know it but the FAA recognized SFB tower for Tower of the year award. St. Pete radio for flight service station of the year and Orlando Approach as Approach controller of the year. Not to shabby

 

[1.3XVso]

RUN

RUN..!



My 3 cents.

 

[bobbysamd]

Comair v. MAPD, or, "my school is better than your school"

DCA is the best school for people who are disciplined and realy want to become an airline pilot.

I'd argue with that, having interviewed at Comair and meeting people there, and having instructed at ERAU, FlightSafety and MAPD.

It takes a bunch of discipline to get through Mesa. Students are under the gun constantly to meet flight and course completion deadlines. They have to maintain a B or better average in their flight courses to get the Mesa interview. As well as flying, they are going to college, at least part-time. MAPD is plenty challenging, especially when the sole aim of so many is getting "the interview" and being hired by an airline at 300 hours.

FlightSafety is plenty demanding. One finishes that entire program in seven months or less. The carrot at the stick there is also "the interview."

Please note that along with not caring for Comair's environment, I did not care for FlightSafety's or Mesa's when I worked for the both of them, so I feel I'm being objective in my comments.

 

[SMOE]

Alot of the info in this thread is either out dated or just false,
-Completion of the program means completing 800 dual as a CFI at DCA ( and you WILL get hired )

REALLY? You will get hired? What about the last group of eight that went up to Chataqua and only three were picked up? Why didn't any interview at Comair? Maybe Comair is finally catching on...

You mean you will get hired if you keep your head down, don't make waves, and don't piss the administrators or the slimy Chief Pilot off.

Heck, you may even wind up in the sacred inner circle. Case in point: the contract says your guaranteed ONE interview. What about the instructor who after blowing two interviews is still allowed to hang around and suck oxygen? And, SHE's not the only exception but I see no reason to drop names.

- The program at DCA is one of the most demanding outside of the military,

Are you speaking from personal military experience or is that just more hearsay that DCA instructors pass along to one another like the Gospel?

The experience levele of DCA instructors who start at zero time is a joke. They get into standz with about 300TT and a whopping 20 or so solo hours. Great decision making experience, don't you think? Most won't fly over 10 kts of crosswind and even more are terrified of actual IMC. But, as long as you can memorize the FAR/AIM from cover to cover, that's all you need to know. And, since most checkrides are done in-house, you have the low time evaluating (and I use the term loosely) the no time. What a racket.

Finally, what airline training to you receive before the bridge program other than reciting call-outs on an instrument approach? Why don't you tell everyone how much CRM training you get? Or what about hands on practical experience with FMS, INS, GPS, TCAS, GPWS, turbine engine/advanced aircraft systems? Why don't you tell everyone about the modern 172s the school is overcharging for?

Just two-cents from someone who temporarily believed the 97% lie...

 

[de727ups]

Not knocking DCA...but

It took me 7 years from graduating college to a major with a part 61, FBO, training background. I only mention this because there ARE ways other than DCA to make it in aviation.