Delta Connection Academy

[Long Time Gone]

Long Time,

I'm curious, how hard was it attending CAA AND working full-time? I see most of the academies strongly advise against trying work while attending.

As you say, anything is do-able is you have to and really want to. I'm just wondering, how bad was it doing both?

It wasn't easy. Luckily, my instructor requested early sessions for me, and they were mostly granted. That did help alot. On those days that they weren't, I just had to make due with what I could. Luckily also, I had a boss who was understanding up to a point. Eventually, I stopped selling my "quota" (not intentionally) and was fired.....but that was good, because then I could collect unemployment and still finish.

As said, it wasn't easy.

LTG

 

[buzzer]

Iceman...Purely out of me wanting you and your students to live long and have good carreers, give my opinion some thought. Just as you MUST be able to work, know and understand the modern avionics your aircraft may have, you MUST be able to do without their help. If not, you WILL be bitten hard at some point. I'm sure many others here would agree.
Cheers

 

[bobbysamd]

Pilotage, ded reckoning and E6-B v. GPS, RNAV, and state-of-the-art (?) avionics

Times are changing my friend, it is an old and tired argument that simply isn't true any longer

It is not an old and tired argument at all. In fact, with all the high-tech equipment available these delays, knowing basic navigation is more relevant than ever.

The reason why it is relevant is twofold: (1) To understand why these whiz-bang black boxes work you have to understand basic navigation. (2) More and more black boxes increase the chances of them failing at some point. Avionics reliability has improved, but they are certainly not infallable (though it still amazes me how a navcomm can fail and fix itself during the same flight!). If they do fail, what would be your backup plan if you are incapable of dialing in a VOR, tuning and identifying it, and centering the needle. Taking cross-bearings? Shooting a VOR approach.

I had an Italian student eleven years ago who would schlep his handy-dandy handheld GPS in the airplane with him. He had a great time playing with it. I feared that he completely missed the point about learning basic navigation.

It all goes to the building-block concept of flight training. Before you can use all that impressive glass, you have to build a good cross-check using the time-honored six-pack. Same with navigation. You have to know how to calculate a wind triangle, use landmarks on the ground, and deduce your ETA to a checkpoint to grasp how to program in waypoints.

 

[LAXSaabdude]

Re: Pilotage, ded reckoning and E6-B v. GPS, RNAV, and state-of-the-art (?) avionics

It is not an old and tired argument at all. In fact, with all the high-tech equipment available these delays, knowing basic navigation is more relevant than ever.

Absolutely right. You'd be amazed at the number of times you hear conversations like this:

Pilot: "Uhhhh, So-Cal approach this is Bugsmasher 12345 VFR to Podunk, request VFR advisories."

So-Cal: "Bugsmasher 12345 say position"

Pilot: "Uhhh, I'm heading 327.3 degrees."

So-Cal: "No sir, where are you located right now?"

Pilot: "Uhhhhhh, I'm 163.2 miles from Podunk right now, I will arrive there in 1 hour 23 minutes and 18 seconds."

So-Cal: "Sir could you give me your location reference your nearest airport or navaid?"

Pilot: "Uhhhhhhhhhh....." (VERY long pause) "......I am 23.2 miles from the ABC VOR. It looks like ABC is on a 231.7 heading from where I am."

So-Cal: "Ok, 23 miles northeast of ABC. Squawk 1234 and say altitude."

Pilot: "Altitude 4500."

So-Cal: "Radar contact. Now I am having a hard time finding Podunk Airport. Could you give me the ID?"

Pilot (quickly responds): "KXYZ."

So-Cal: "OK thanks. Still not sure about where that is. Do you know what another closeby airport is in that area?"

Pilot: "Uhhhhhhh......"

This goes on and on. He knows where he took off from, he knows where he is going, he knows how far away it is to the tenth of a mile, he knows to the second when he will arrive there, he knows the heading he needs to fly right to the Nth degree, but he doesn't have the foggiest idea where he is, what he is close to, or what is near his destination. He probably has no idea how to read a chart, or use any of the other navaids in his airplane other than his GPS.

These type of conversations happen with alarming regularity. I think instructors are doing their students a disservice by not teaching them the fundamentals of basic navigation.

LAXSaabdude.

 

[huncowboy]

I can tell you that whatever quote they give you that you are guarnteed to go over. If you want to start from private through MEI it will cost you close to 100,000 dollars.

Where on Earth did you get $100,000 from? Why not $1,000,000? I am about to be done with my commercial rating from zero hours (may be 2-3 review flights, the final stage and the FAA) and have spent some $23-25k so far including books and everything. Right now I am not current with my accounting normally I would be able to give you an exact number. I am training at Broward county not at Sanford but regardless never ever have I heard anyone spending much over $50k at Sanford. Mostly it was around $50. I can imagine $55 can be realistic now. $100k is complete nonsense!

There was one guy here at Broward who was very slow he might have spent may be 10k over me, and he was at the exact same spot where I am right now. He finally left. I felt for him but it was obvious that this was his own problem. I never heard him complain either. Some people are slower.

The other comments about prices going up, and 1-2 years instructing seem to be correct. I am multiplying the quotes by about 1.3 when I try to figure out how much will something cost. But that goes ONLY for Broward. Not the main location.

 

[DHPFLYN]

If you don't believe it then go on up to Sanford and ask how much is being spent. Heck call the school add up all the flight time all the ground the checkrides books and everything rlse that they charge you. I know instructors there that have been pulled aside because they haven't charged there student's for ground that they don't even need. Those satelite flight schools are not even run the same. I can tell you that they in the next few months will be raising the mins for instructors to get interviews to atleast 1500TT then making you pay for a turbine transition course on top of that. All i can tell you is that you are sure lucky to be where you are and not Sanford

Good Luck

 

[huncowboy]

I don't need to go to Sanford I have been there (not training). So far I flew with at least 3-4 instructors who received their ratings there and talked to several others. 100k is BS. Sorry I don't want to offend you but there are no 2 ways about this.

The jet transition course was free for already employed CFIs or those already in the program, and the latest is that it will be free for a while. BTW when I 1st heard about the jet transition I was really pissed and I thought if they were to go through with it I was out. I just would not have had another 8k. You could get a type for that in a 737, not that it would be of any use at this point but still. Why not a full type in the RJ? I would rather pay for that than a "jet transition course"... at first it sounds like a "safe driver course" but my CFI told me that the curriculum actually looks real interesting and good. Anyways not an issue as it is offered for free and free is always popular.

I have heard nothing about new minimums like 1500. I just talked to my current CFI last week and he was almost counting on his fingers how many hours he has until 800 dual given.

Anyways... I felt I needed to comment on your post. No offense like I said, I understand some people don't like the DCA way... not for everyone. Good luck with your flying.

 

[DHPFLYN]

Don't get me wrong I have nothing against the academy. I went there got the rating I wanted and left. I am not a instructor that is against the school or anything like that. If they have changed and arent screwing with people that much then that is great! I am just telling him what I have heard and what friends have told me that currently go there. I do hope that they arent still telling people that they will instruct for 8 months and then have there interview? I do know and I am sure you do also that isnt happening most are there for almost 2 years and when you do get a interview there is up to a 5 month wait for your class date. But atleast it's a job !!

 

[huncowboy]

I agree with the 2 years instructing. Also the wait seems to be right with 5 months.

To be honest I am still wondering how the hell can they still hire new CFIs. At least the location I am at is already loaded with CFIs. I don't know about Sanford, I was there last time on my long solo and it was crowded with students and CFIs, I would say 40/60 stud/CFI just based on the image in my memory.

I am wondering how long can they keep going because I don't see many new students.