Embry Riddle CAPT Program---Anyone know about this???

[Clyde]

Just my thoughts

Remember,
As far as the college degree is concerned, you can get any degree you want and still be qualified to fly for a living, but the reverse is not true if you have an aviation degree. It's useless if you find yourself in an upside down job market.

 

[JAFI]

Not to start a flame war, but just as an observation:


Would it be so much better if some one who did not attend Riddle testify on how great a school it was?

An employer, head hunter, chief pilot, etc.


Just a thought.

JAFI

 

[CBorstein]

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

 

[Vik]

For the money you'll spend there, you could buy a light twin, get all your ratings in it, sell it, and still come out ahead!

Want to break into aviation? Go visit all the flying schools within reasonable driving distance from you. If you're in an area of the country where the weather is not so great, consider moving to California/Arizona/Nevada and getting your ratings at a reputable school there.

You'll come out ahead and with all that extra money, you can buy loads of multi time.

I am a zero time pilot and trying to break into the aviation industry. I've been researching schools like crazy and I think I found a great program. Has anyone heard of this new CAPT Program being offered at Embry Riddle? Does anyone know anybody enrolled in the program or are perhaps enrolled yourself? What are the chances of getting a job after completing this program? This program sounds incredible, but is it all for nothing? It is quite expensive and I want to make the right decision. I appreciate any and all replies. You may also respond directly to me as well at [email protected]

Thank you all,

Chad

 

[bobbysamd]

Capt

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???

That's what the CAPT promoters and promoters of similar programs would like you to believe, that by using them you can bypass the traditional route of timebuilding to get to the airlines sooner. What these promoters do not mention is that aviation is a conservative, traditional business with its institutions, and that those who try to end-run the system are disdained and frequently blackballed at interview.

A type rating is a qualification listed on your pilot certificate that you have taken a flight test in a specific aircraft and are qualified to be pilot-in-command of that aircraft. Aircraft weighing more than 12,500 pounds require a type rating to be pilot-in-command. Most turbine equipment falls into this category, including the DC-9 (MD-90).

The CAPT people obviously believe that the MD-90 type can offset low time. They are wrong. The reasons why the CAPT MD-90 type rating is so absurd is regional airlines do not operate MD-90s and, as I wrote above, regional airlines do not expect applicants to have much turbine time, much less a type rating. In this instance, a type rating does not make for a better-qualified applicant, as CAPT would like you to believe, because they do not have any pilot-in-command time in the aircraft. The type rating is obvious window-dressing. Regionals generally expect applicants to meet their time and certificate requirements. Having a broad range of flying experience commensurate with flight time is what gives applicants advantages, not an irrelevant type rating.

Your having the degree checks off that box. Look for a good, reputable flight school at which to train. Flight instructor employment opportunities on graduation should be a consideration. Alternatively, check out Mesa Airlines Pilot Development. Mesa Airlines owns and operates this school, which means that grads can interview with Mesa Airlines upon graduation with but 300 hours; the reason being is they have been trained the Mesa Airlines way from Day One and are essentially ready to go to work. An A.S. in Aviation Technology from San Juan College is part of the deal; no exceptions. You might be able to transfer credits.

Once more, good luck with the training option you choose.

 

[Clyde]

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.

 

[CBorstein]

The other optionn is to join the military. Very competitive, but well worth it if you can get in.



I am actually currently in the military and trying to go to the aviation side with them. But in order to do that, because it is so competitive, I want to get at least PPL in civilian world. I do not have much time left in the Army, so I figured that would be a great way to build time and transition to the Airlines when I got out.

 

[A Squared]

Not to start a flame war, but just as an observation:


Would it be so much better if some one who did not attend Riddle testify on how great a school it was?

An employer, head hunter, chief pilot, etc.


Just a thought.

JAFI

Outstanding thought, JAFI, although it may be just a shade too subtle for many. For the more literal minded, I'll connect a few of the dots:

I've been seeing thes threads for years, and the one thing that stands out is that the only folks who ever extoll the virtues of ERAU are those who spent 80K (or whatever the number is) on tuition there. Yeah, if I'd sunk that kind of money into something, I'd spend quite a bit of effort convincing myself that it was the right thing to do too. Not surprising in the least that ERAU grads speak highly of their own education. (and of course the ERAU recruiters and administrators)

What you don't *ever* hear in these threads is someone from outside ERAU talking about what a great program it is. You don't hear chief pilots od D.O.s or check airmen (and we have plenty of all three) say yep those ERAU grads are head and shoulders above the rest as pilots. You don't have airline recuiters saying "yep, I wish we had resumes from the entire graduating class at erau"; or "**CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** those riddlers are so good, we put all their resumes at the top of the stack and knock 1000 hours off our minimums for them".

That's what you *don't* hear is people with no connection to ERAU saying ERAU is superior. If it was really as good as they tell thier themselves, others outside the organization would have taken up the cry also, but instead, you have deafening silence from the rest of the aviation commumnity.

This is not to say that ERAU is substandard, or somehow lacking. If you have access to a whole bunch of money, and you don't care that your education has no application elsewhere i'm sure an aviation degree from ERAU is every bit as good as an avation degree from Florida Institute of Technology, Or University of Alaska, or North Dakota. However, it shouldn't go unnoticed that the only ones saying it's better are ERAU grads and admin. This should tell you something.

 

[bobbysamd]

I am actually currently in the military and trying to go to the aviation side with them. But in order to do that, because it is so competitive, I want to get at least PPL in civilian world. I do not have much time left in the Army, so I figured that would be a great way to build time and transition to the Airlines when I got out.

Unless you can build at least 1000-2000 hours of military flight time, do not expect to transition directly to the airlines. You still have to meet airline time requirements. Those requirements generally are at least 1500 total-500 multi (though I saw on the interview board that ExpressJets have lowered to something like 700 total-100 of multi ). 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.

Once again, there are no shortcuts or guarantees. Once more, good luck.

 

[EDUC8-or]

http://www.captiscrap.com/