CBorstein said:
I am happy everyone is being so "brutally honest". As I am totally new to this, I am uninformed. I am simply looking for a good route to take to achieve a goal and stumbled across the CAPT program. As for a degree, I already have a BS in Criminology so I don't have to worry about that. As for ERAU, I am quite skeptical of that program, which is why I asked the experts about it here. How can a pilot with 500-700 hours, with a type rating, which I dont even know what that means, expect to get a job with an airline when they ALL say you must have a minimum hours of at least 2000 just to interview, from what ive seen??? Is their program that specialized that the airlines they are affiliated with will hire out of those graduates???
Keep em coming guys, and thanks. I'd love to hear from someone who is in the CAPT program...
Chad
CB,
If you already have your degree, all you have to do is get your flying certificates. Don't worry about going to a flying university to do that, YOU WILL BE WASTING MONEY. Start looking at your local airports and interview instructors and staff. Go around to the local flying clubs and hangars and ask people what they know about certain schools as well. The airlines don't know nor care where you received your flight training, as long as you are licensed, meet the minimum requirement for flight time, and have a clean record (meaning no violations).
Before I go any further, I am a 757/767 copilot with a major carrier and have been flying since day 1 for almost 14 years now, all civilian. At no time during my training, did I ever go through any type of program similar to CAPT.
What is a type rating? In order to operate a turbojet aircraft or any aircraft with a gross weight of more than 12,500lbs, as the pilot in command (captain) you must have a special rating for that particular aircraft. You don't need it to serve as a copilot. You will obtain these as you move your way up the ranks, and your employer should cover the cost of this. I got my first type rating with almost 2600 hours in my logbook, so there is no need to get one right away.
So, what will a 500-700 hour pilot with an MD-90 (or any other large turbojet) type rating expect to find? Absolutely nothing. In fact, to take it a step further, the MD-90 type rating is useless. The only carrier (to the best of my knowledge) still flying MD-90's is Delta, and they are not even hiring.
Also, keep this in mind. Any type rating you have, especially if you are low time, is pretty useless to carry around anyway. The reason is that even though you are typed, chances are you will not be proficient.
So, in a nutshell, the ERAU CAPT program is a HUGE WASTE OF MONEY. You will get nothing out of it. They will tell you how important it is that you will learn crew coordination and procedures in a multi-crew cockpit. That's a crock of BS. It's like showing a person who wants to be a doctor, how to work with others in the operating room when that person has yet to start pre-med!! Guess how much of that he will retain 8 years down the road. ERAU is a business, and they are out to make money.
Here's what you need to do. Go get your private pilot's certificate. When you have finished that, add your instrument rating and then begin training for your Commercial certificate. Once you obtain your Commercial and instrument, train for your flight instructor tickets and add your multi-engine rating after that. Begin building flight time as an instructor and make as many contacts at the airports as you can, all the while keeping your eyes peeled for any better flying opportunities. Don't worry too much about what all the different certificates mean right now. A 10-minute conversation with a flight instructor will answer all of your questions quite easily.
Remember, the airlines want to see a college degree, required licenses, a minimum amount of flight time (realistic numbers: 2500-4000 hours) and a clean record to show no DUI's, arrests, convictions, and FAA violations. The CAPT program more than likely won't even be recognized by anyone doing the hiring, and time between interview and CAPT program will likely be several years. Discussing playing football in high school will get you more recognition than CAPT. Football, or any sport like that, will show teamwork ability. And that is where you learn skills to work with others, not in an MD-90 sim with some has-been pilot telling you stories.
The other optionn is to join the military. Very competitive, but well worth it if you can get in.
Don't mean to sound like I'm being too harsh with this CAPT program. It's that I went to ERAU for one semester, and I found it to be the biggest waste of money I ever spent. When I see them trying to take money from unsuspecting people by making this CAPT program look so rosy by telling everyone how this will help you at the airlines, it makes me sick. They are lying to you, and this CAPT program will do NOTHING for you.
Just my $0.02, give or take a quarter or two.
). Expect to instruct and/or fly 135 or corporate, etc. for a while before you are airline-qualified. And, at that point, do not expect to be hired immediately. The legacy carriers and others have a ton of furloughees to recall before they can consider new street hires.
