Erau

[CoAPorT]

That's another thing, I don't want to go to ERAU and spend so much money, and in my first years of my flying career have a really hard time getting a job, and making low pay. Pay is also a factor in deciding careers for me. Even though i would love to be a pilot, i get worried about the beginning, and getting furloughed, and making low pay. Even if i love the job, I wanna live comfortably, thats why other ways to get to my goal have to be achieved. In example, getting two degrees.

 

[banned username 2]

That's another thing, I don't want to go to ERAU and spend so much money, and in my first years of my flying career have a really hard time getting a job, and making low pay.

You will have this problem regardless of where you get your ratings.

Pay is also a factor in deciding careers for me. Even though i would love to be a pilot, i get worried about the beginning, and getting furloughed, and making low pay. Even if i love the job, I wanna live comfortably, thats why other ways to get to my goal have to be achieved. In example, getting two degrees.

All these factors are simply facts of life of being a pilot. There are no guarantees you will ever make it to one of the prime jobs. A lot of it comes down to timing and luck, being in the right place at the right time.

Of course there aren't any other careers that offer you a guarantee either.

In my humble opinion, you sound a lot like guys I know who had paid for all their ratings and started on the career only to change tracks while being a CFI of Regional F/O. They decided to go back to office jobs. I think you would probably be much happier in an office job and flying for fun as a hobby, this career isn't for everyone.

Again, I'm not trying to discourage you, just giving you some facts and opinion from my years in the business.

Good Luck!

 

[Gulfstream 200]

If you have concerns about making money right out of college, this career is certainly NOT for you. No offense.

about all you will buy for the first few years is a cold 12-pack after flight instructing all day long..

While a flying career has many rewarding times, it is certainly not the place to come to make money! It takes quite a while to hit a six-figure salary in flying, much longer than most careers....and the job security...well..dont think we need to talk about that!

good luck to you.

 

[CoAPorT]

No offense taken, lol. Flying is very rewarding, but financially not at the beginning. I'm still gonna think about it. If not then i just take up a deskjob, in which i get to travel, or make enough money to travel often and fly. Thanks everyone.

 

[weekendwarrior]

Any reason you don't want to go military? You are so young, you might enjoy it. Do your six years, get paid to earn your ratings, and serve your country all at the same time. I did it backwards. Wish I would have done the military thing first. Instead, I have $60,000 in loans, and no way to pay them back right now. Plus, when you get through flight school, Riddle will give you credits (about 36 I think) toward your degree. Go into the guard after 6 years, and have them pay for your degree.

End result, 25 years old, no student loans, got paid for your ratings, built some good flight time, and had Uncle Sam to pay for college.

Just a thought for your options. Makes me regret not going this way when I was your age.

 

[BoDEAN]

Went to ERAU in DAB for 2 yrs, then went to Western Michigan for 2 yrs.

Most rounded education at Western Michigan. They are #3 on flight schools, opposed to ERAU (#1 or #2 depending on who you ask) but you get a more rounded education with your classes, and fly at the same time.

 

[T/SF34/A]

Spent 4 yrs at ERAU majoring in Aero Sci. My back up was an Air Traffic Control minor and the back up to my back up was getting my Dispatch Ticket. I am currently Dispatching for a 121 carrier and flight instructing on the side with the hopes of one day flying 121.

If I had it to do over again, I would probably do the first two years at a community college to get all the general ed stuff out of the way. I lucked out at Riddle when I was flying because I was in the fixed price program; Private-Comm Multi Inst for 21,600. They stopped that for new students after my first semester.
My sister goes there now and has already spent that and more. She's about half way thru her commercial. The prices of classes has shot thru the roof as well, that's why I would recommend going to 2 years of cc. I'm not sure if they allow flying off campus anymore if you are enrolled in aero sci. You would have to ask.
I hear a few flight schools in Daytona went belly up because of this.

Riddle is a big name and big names bring on internships. Riddle can set you up with lots of them. Once hiring resumes you at least have your foot in the door if leave a good impression. Not saying that other schools do not have good internship opportunities.

I would recommend going to Riddle if you have the dough. I enjoyed my time there. All except for the "run around". I did not even get that $krewed. Only when it came time for check rides. It seems I would wait for ever to get on the schedule.

I can not give any advice on any other aviation schools, due to ignorance on my part. I never looked into any other aviation schools. I am also lucky I looked into a few back ups. If I did not I'd probably be night shift at Walmart after flight instructing all day.

The military is something else to think about. Thats probably where I'd be if I had the uncorrected eyesight to do it. Why pay for flight instruction when you can go somewhere where they pay you to be instructed? Plus you train in jets and have the opportunity to be flying C-5's with 500 hours.

Check out these flight schools as well...
Purdue (Lafayette, IN)
Southern Illinois (Carbondale, IL)
Lynn University (Boca Raton, FL)
Miami University (Miami, OH)
University of North Dakota
Daniel Webster College(Nashua, NH)

There are plenty more.

Good Luck

 

[great cornholio]

Heres the deal with Riddle. I went there right out of high school and looking back I wish that I would have done it different. Currently I am lucky as I am a F/O with a 121 carrier. Riddle had very little to do with that part actually. Anyways this is the same advice that I give to all the people that ask me about Riddle. Go to a community college for your first year or 2. This will save alot of money and hassle. While you are at that CC go ahead and get all possible ratings done all the way thru MEI if possible. But at min try to get CFI.

Now lets look at the actual education you will get at Riddle. First off the ground education is excellent. The classes that you must take for the AS degree are great. I feel that Riddle definately is really high quality on those aviation specific classes. However all of the general ed stuff like tech writing and stuff is basically bs at Riddle. I learned nothing in those at all. But hey they just want me to be a dumb pilot so its all good i guess. So to sum it up do the gen ed at a CC those classes are probably better at your local CC (definately cheaper) and then go get the aviation classes out of the way at Riddle because they are better at Riddle than probably most other schools.

Here is why not to fly at Riddle. Number one the riddle run around. The flight dept is all messed up. They just see you as a pay check. They will take all of your money and thensome. You never get to fly as much as they say. Most of my buddies only flew like 2 times a week. Some were even less lucky than that. Also at Riddle they make your flight schedule and tell you what instructor you fly with. If you dont get along or dont like your instructor then you are screwed and cant change. So you either have to drop out or just put up with it. Riddle is also really exspensive for flight training. I think I heard from my buddies that are still down there that a cessna 172 is $165/hr dual. Well thats pretty much it about the flight dept. I was lucky enough to get some of my ratings out of the way before I got to Daytona so I didnt have to do much flying thru Riddle.

Ok now time for some advice that maybe you didnt thing about and they dont put on brochures. 1st Riddle is 88% guys. Yup thats right after 4 yrs there you will forget what a girl looks like. Fall semester at Riddle sucks there is nothing to do in that town after like the 2nd week cause after that youve done it all. Spring semester is fun though. Starts off with speed weeks then bikeweek then canadian spring break then a bunch of american spring breaks. Its fun but you gotta watch out. GPA tends to drop some in the spring.

Well thats about it. I really hope it helps you out. Also it sounds like you arent to sure that you want to be a carreer pilot so the CC time will give you time to see if you really want to do this with your life. Flying is amazing but some people can only handle this as a hobby and thats just fine. But if that is how you feel then Riddle is not the place for you. Anyways hope this helps I wish someone would have given me this advice 4 yrs ago.

 

[Flyguy5432H]

i was another one of the lucky ones that got the option for the fixed price program when i started back in 1998.

i can't even imagine what they are paying now for pvt through CFII.

it was nice going flying and just leaving, with no recipt to sign

 

[weekendwarrior]

Here is an additional point to the military/riddle thing. I spoke with Riddle today on post here at Fort Rucker. Not only am I getting paid for flight training, but I'm getting 54 hours toward their Professional Aeronautics degree. That's almost half of a degree in one year of flight school. Not a bad program. I already have most of my GS done at another school. Basically I'm up against 30 hours of credit for my degree, and not one cent will be spent on flight training. The only money they get is $480/class.

If you went military, then ERAU professional aeronautics, It would cost you about $11,000 for a degree, and you would have been paid for your commercial/inst/ (insert rotorcraft of MEL here).

Ahh..it hurts when I put it like that...