Delta Connection Academy...THOUGHTS????

[NuGuy]

Was that not the original intent of the Gold Seal CFI program? The Gold Seal is an accomplishment of which I am proud, but it only resulted in a nice extra credential to put on my resume. . . . . and, don't forget, serving as management and ownership's lackeys. As long as they are serving in that function, don't count on them to be entirely supportive of and helpful to the instructor masses. They will cover their respective asses long before they stick their necks out for you.

Very true. I've seen a few guys that will hang it out for you or take a stand, but chances are those guys already have their ticket out the door.

I have worked in three well-known 141 schools and have experienced Comair (DCA). Based on my experience, I would say these problems plague many schools, with some being bothered more than others. But that does not mean these problems are acceptable, tolerable, and should be tolerated. Once again, whether you are a new instructor just there to build time or a career instructor, it all boils down to respect. Respect may not mean much to you when you're young, but as you gain life experience you find it starts to mean something. My earlier comments about Comair turn on that issue.

True beyond words...

In any event, thanks for an intellegent conversation on the topic. Happy Holidays!

Nu

 

[bobbysamd]

You bet, my friend. Happy New Year!

 

[jaywc7]

RAA (www.raajobs.com) has extremely presentable students as well as instructors and personell. Things are conducted in a wonderful airline geared atmosphere. They have like a 98% hire rate and a 100% interview rate. Most of their alliances are about 500/100. Their program includes a CRJ or ERJ type rating in Denver at CAE. The program is very efficient, and not misleading. You get there, you get things done, and still don't feel pressure in the atmosphere provided. Despite the low time, the instruction is good quality, and the FOS course is taught by very experienced pilots who come from great backgrounds including airline capt., military and airline training. The planes are not the newest, but they are kept up, and work great. The cost is competitive, and not the cheapest, but relative to the quality of the school, it's impressive. Many of the airlines who have alliances make regular but unscheduled stops to give pre-interviews. Many have been hired before they even finish the FOS, or step foot in Denver assuming they finish the program and have the minimum time. I don't guaruntee this experience to everyone, but simply offer that it's what I've experienced personally. With this said, I want to offer that I at no time "bashed" another school, but only complemented mine. Though this may bring due discussion, I urge to continue the respect...

and no,,, I don't work for RAA

 

[convair007]

GLW,

I too attended WMU, like you I was completely satisfied with their program. If you are as satisfied with WMU as you say you are then why change. You're gettinga good education at a great school. Stick with it you won't be dissapointed. Besides, how could you live without The Wayside!!!

 

[350DRIVER]

RAA (www.raajobs.com) has extremely presentable students as well as instructors and personell. Things are conducted in a wonderful airline geared atmosphere. They have like a 98% hire rate and a 100% interview rate. Most of their alliances are about 500/100. Their program includes a CRJ or ERJ type rating in Denver at CAE. The program is very efficient, and not misleading. You get there, you get things done, and still don't feel pressure in the atmosphere provided. Despite the low time, the instruction is good quality, and the FOS course is taught by very experienced pilots who come from great backgrounds including airline capt., military and airline training. The planes are not the newest, but they are kept up, and work great. The cost is competitive, and not the cheapest, but relative to the quality of the school, it's impressive. Many of the airlines who have alliances make regular but unscheduled stops to give pre-interviews. Many have been hired before they even finish the FOS, or step foot in Denver assuming they finish the program and have the minimum time. I don't guaruntee this experience to everyone, but simply offer that it's what I've experienced personally. With this said, I want to offer that I at no time "bashed" another school, but only complemented mine. Though this may bring due discussion, I urge to continue the respect...

and no,,, I don't work for RAA

The program may "include" a CRJ or ERJ type but be assured it would take a fool to believe they weren't actually paying for this. I find it extremely comical in more ways than one (and I will keep this civilized) how anyone could possibly advocate a program where the student pays for a regional jet type rating only to get hired into the right seat making peanuts, longer upgrade times, etc, when in reality the normal career path is to spend X amount of years in the right seat, upgrade to captain, and have the company pay for this type rating during upgrade training. Just maybe with the likes of this sort of a program/set up new regional first officer minimums will state "CRJ/ERJ" type rating preferred but not required." If this practice doesn't allow the bar to continue to go even lower then I surely don't know what does. A low time pilot being sold a regional jet type rating is getting raped as well as taking it from the backside.

I guess it comes down to personal preferences but a few would tend to think that a "type rating" should be company funded during upgrade, I am one of those people. I certainly hope that this practice will continue to be very isolated.

I have never met a lower time pilot who needed that sort of a type rating to get into a regional airline, any suggestion of such I think is insane.

 

[taters]

"Fu#%" DCA

It is aimed at the zero time wanna-be pilot who has done no research on flight schools. Furthermore, there is a group of pilots that are preparing a class action lawsuit against DCA for false advertising.If you have a deep enough pocket you will make to to CFI, then they will send you home for 6 mo.. And , finally after you tell them NO, they will never stop harrasing you.........My advise go to ATP or something similar were there at least a guranteed price as long as you dont biff any check rides.............

Oh ya forgot the most important part ....it REALLY cost about $ 65-$75000 to go there ,,,,,that is financial sodomy

 

[BLing]

Oh ya forgot the most important part ....it REALLY cost about $ 65-$75000 to go there ,,,,,that is financial sodomy

Dont they actually quote that amount, but in reality it actually costs $100K? Anways...financial sodomy is a new one, but yet it does speak the truth about alot of places.

 

[lmevans1]

As an aspiring airline pilot and University of Illinois Student I find the viewpoints here interesting. I toured the DCA 1 year ago and I didnt have enough time to form much of an opinion die to a late arriving flight and space available tickets. I also work ramp for Comair and ahve run into many pilots who graduated from DCA, U of IL, Flight Safety, and just some old farts no ffense who went to DCA when the total cost of training from 0 to Left Seat was $7000. I'd like to know if anyone visited the Flight Safety Academy in Vero Beach, FL. It is my next stop once I get time off from the ramp and school. The DCA Director of Admissions was here last week and I had a brief moment to speak with him as I boarded him. From my 2 hr personal tour I gathered that the aircraft were in good condition although compared to your average FBO but lower than University standard. The staff, instructors and students were wonderful and friendly. The one major Con is the cost, which is why I'm not there and most likely will not be. If anyone has an extra $56,000 don't mail it, I'll fly to your hometown and pick it up.

 

[Almerick07]

I got my private done in 2 weeks for a little less than $4000 at a mom and pop FBO....I just dont see the point of a flight academy.

 

[ubpilot]

Don't waste your money in DCA. I am currently working for DCAirline, I remembered in my class out of 16 new hire pilots only 1 was DCA CFI. As you can see, airlines don't care what school you have attended. After Delta and Comair filed Chapter 11, I really don't thnk DCA can promise you anything.

 

[Cat3C]

Is Susan Burrell still there at DCA or.....

 

[standaman]

Is Susan Burrell still there at DCA or.....

Has M.S. (multiple sclerosis). Has left the company.

 

[DGdaPilot]

Don't waste your money in DCA. I am currently working for DCAirline, I remembered in my class out of 16 new hire pilots only 1 was DCA CFI. As you can see, airlines don't care what school you have attended. After Delta and Comair filed Chapter 11, I really don't thnk DCA can promise you anything.

My class (of 12) at Comair was 90% DCA. And I heard it come right out of an upper management mouth that they prefer to get people from DCA. Of course, I didn't go to DCA, so it makes no difference to me......and I don't think Comair's gonna be hiring for quite some time now.

 

[mnixon]

Don't listen to mnixon (aka Matt Nixon). He's a two-faced carcinogen smoked filled SOB. Matt had his students sit around all day while he CONSTANTLY took smoke breaks...uke: Pretty much how he smells, too. Reeeel nice in the swirling wind environment of a C172 cockpit...

I know as I backseated one of his flights as an instructor under Loren's BS little instrument "syllabus". He flew like crap (i.e. dangerous) and all he cared about was getting into the little smoker, hoarse voiced female student's pants.

Matt, I'm sure you remember me. I was the one that made the comment to her about questioning the leadership. Remember how you violated DCA's policy about no tobacco in the aircraft? Ya disgustingly dipped the entire flight then dumped your container out on the farkin ramp next to the aircraft!! Do as I say, not as I do, right? Goes for many, many other instructors and the bean counter "leadership" as well at DCA

No wonder all those planes smell like azz... The next pilot is going to step in your cr@p and track it into the airplane. Yeah, the DCA "senior" flight instructior leadership really rocks.

Wow! You are very angry boy. I would suggest that you think twice about spreading slander about a fellow pilot though. First off, it is not courteous, and second of all, in most states you could be taken to court for some of the things you have said. In fact of I could sue you for defamation of character if I would like to. I remember exactly who you are, can't remember your name though, davitt or something like that, but I am sure you won't remind me in public though. Former Navy guy that "Thinks he's too good to be here" and that's a quote from someone else not me, unfortuneatly, it looks like it has turned out to be true in this case. Oh well. And yes I did "scold" you for what you said to the student. Like I told you then and will tell you again, what you did was very unprofessional. If you enjoy spreading rumors about people, that's fine, but remember that karma is a biaaatch, somewhat like yourself and the way your acting. I need a cigarette now! whoooo!

 

[jeroom]

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?

And if I may....

I don't get what is the point here...
I don't understand why so many young people think that they HAVE to go to those academies in order to get a FO job in a regional...
Guys...when the regional are short of FOs, they will interview everyone who has their minimums...
And there are some excellent schools out there that are not "FLIGHT ACADEMY", where you will get an excellent training and where you won't be in debt for 30 years.
I did all my training at P61 school that also does 141. I was super happy with my training, free-lanced as a CFI there after, did some corporate in light twins and had my interview at a regional. They didn't care if I came from a flight academy...They made sure I knew my stuff, that I had some basic IFR, and could have a normal talk with someone...that's it...
Now, paying $30K or $40K to an academy only to get a FO position... I don't think it's worth it (not the FO position...but all that money for training.) I'd rather buy my own airplane and build my time that way.

 

[mnixon]

Exactly right! And with the attitudes like that of mnixon above being very prevalent at those "academies". quote]

How did I give you attitude in my post? Just wondering.

 

[LSU Fan]

Okay, we get the fact that you don't like DCA. But is it really necessary to bash people and attempt to spread rumors about them? I went to DCA just the same as you and disliked it just as much as you. But it seems your anger is misdirected. Did it ever occur to you that Carlos has some other obligations that would preclude him from making the move to the oh so coveted regional jet job? Did it ever occur to you that nixon doesn't work for DCA anymore? Did it ever occur to you that nixon's financial situation isn't any of your business? And finally, did it ever occur to you that nixon hated working there(just like the rest of us) as much as you hated being a student there. Look, some of us made a decision at one time, whether it be right in your eyes or not is immaterial, to attend DCA. Some of us, like me for instance, had to go to work there and do what we had to do to support ourselves. You should take a step back and realized you got hosed like the rest of us and Carlos, nixon, or whatever other white shirt you care to name didn't do it to you. That was Susan, accounting, mother Delta, etc. Lay off nixon and the rest of them because you have no idea what it islike to work there and the he!! we as instructors had to go through just to get you the student in the air. Don't forget, when you went home after your lesson, we had to stay for paperwork, meetings and too many other BS responsibilities to list here. So buffett, why don't you lighten up, get a beer, and get laid. Sorry, rant over. Oh by the way, Key has quit doing flight training loans for everyone(schools) as of 10/05.

 

[Cat3C]

So what is the story with Susan? Was she liked down there or was she part of the sales process? Just curious because I knew her a long time ago before she came to DCA. I was down there on a trip recently, called over there to the school and got a wierd reaction from the woman who answered the phone - like I was asking for the nuclear launch codes or something.

 

[mnixon]

Double Post

 

[mnixon]

Got beat to the response but to answer some of your questions Scott:
1. I don't work for DCA anymore.
2. I'm paying for my own loans thanks.
3. It's none of your business, but my Father is a Episcopal Priest, so I'm on my own financially.
4. Yes, I'm glad I have moved on.
5. Do I regret the experience? Not one minute. I went into it with my eyes wide open. Maybe you should have opened yours also so you would have less to bitch about. Nothing that you have stated here is a surprise. It's public knowledge to anyone who researches the school.
6. I'm not from New York. I grew up in Tennessee. Close but no cigar.
7. I do have an attitude yes, because I have worked very hard to be where I'm right now. Outside of DCA also.

If you have quams with me tis is fine, but don't spread propaganda about people you don't know. And don't bring up peoples families. Your acting like a juvenile schoolgirl with a skinned knee, and not looking very intelligent doing it. Good day.