Delta Connection Academy...THOUGHTS????

[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.