Flight School questions

[Go Ugly Early]

I'm interested in getting back into flying and am looking for someplace to get my CFI and then get some time instructing afterwords to get my time up. The three schools that I have my eye on are:
All ATP
Delta Connection
Pan Am Flight Academy

I'm leaning toward All ATP since the program is fast and the CFI program is mostly in a multi. I'd like to instruct for them afterwords, but I hear that they usually only hire students that come in at the very begining of the program and not students that come in for just the CFI portion.

I'd be really interested to hear about either Delta or Pan Am as well if anyone has really good information about them, or any other good alternatives.

Thanks.

 

[pilot1704]

where do you live!

IF you are flexible about where do live, I would take a look at North American Institute of Aviation , in Conway SC.

Good school, can build a lots of hours fast and to obtain licenses it is much cheaper than those what you had in your list!

www.NAIASC.com

 

[FL000]

Pilot1704 beat me to it. Don't overlook NAIA.

 

[pilot1704]

Fl000

Did you went to NAIA, I went 1998

 

[SMOE]

I'm interested in getting back into flying and am looking for someplace to get my CFI and then get some time instructing afterwords to get my time up. The three schools that I have my eye on are:
All ATP
Delta Connection
Pan Am Flight Academy

Thanks.

Run a search on DCA and you'll find plenty of reading material on this board.

 

[ATRGuy]

Without a doubt....All ATPs. the best school there is BAR NONE. I am sure the other schools are fine, but if you want to move on and advance your career. ATP will put you lightyears ahead of the others.

My .02.

 

[ERJDRVR]

NAIA is a great place to go. Great instruction and GREAT price.

Dorms right on th field, and new office/school being built, (or already done).

Everything is top notch, (minus chief instructor, Dan Flagherty, he is a jerk-off).

15 miles from Myrtle Beach.

 

[FL000]

Did you went to NAIA, I went 1998

I didn't train there, but I was there a lot in '98 for checkrides with Bob Burroughs. Spent some time there during charter ops hanging out in the lounge too.

 

[pilot1704]

Naia

Chief pilot is Mr. James Trautman and Mr. Flaherty is DO!

And other long time CFI is called James w. LAmb!

Anyway at NAIA you get your licenses for a good price and fast. They have good placement history for graduate CFI's around the country!

number is 1 843 397 9111

Good luck!

 

[ERJDRVR]

Pilot 1704,

I almost forgot about PVT PILE Jay Lamb... What a Doucebag..

Besides those two clowns, NAIA is a great school.

Bob Borroughs was a great guy to do a checkride with. Did all my licenses with him.

IS Lynn Leslie still run admissions? If she does, she is the lady to talk to you. She will help you with $$$ and getting EVERYTHING you need set up.

Good luck

 

[Jungle_Jet]

NAIA has a good rep, no problems there.


The issue you will have with Delta Connection, Pan Am and ATP is that none of them will hire you on after you get your CFI. They want you to start off with them as a primary student in order to instruct there. Add to that the demand being so high for CFI spots at those places anyway, then you can be assured you won't get in.

What I'd reccomend (as the CEO of a company that includes a flight school among our holdings) is that you find an FBO at a fairly busy muni airport and do it there. You're more likely to find a professional instructor to teach you (versus a time builder dreaming of an rj) and they will likely hire you when you finish.

Just my advice, good luck.

 

[paid4training]

NAIA has a good rep, no problems there.


The issue you will have with Delta Connection, Pan Am and ATP is that none of them will hire you on after you get your CFI. They want you to start off with them as a primary student in order to instruct there. Add to that the demand being so high for CFI spots at those places anyway, then you can be assured you won't get in.

What I'd reccomend (as the CEO of a company that includes a flight school among our holdings) is that you find an FBO at a fairly busy muni airport and do it there. You're more likely to find a professional instructor to teach you (versus a time builder dreaming of an rj) and they will likely hire you when you finish.

Just my advice, good luck.

what else do you "Hold"? maybe your little guy?

 

[huncowboy]

what else do you "Hold"? maybe your little guy?

ROFL...

on the other hand I agree, that it only makes sense to go to an academy if you can start from private or instrument. Anything after commercial = hard time getting on as a CFI.

My vote goes for ATP. Sounds like a great deal with their CFI, CFII, MEI rating for 5-6k. Many good feedback on that all over the net.

 

[Go Ugly Early]

Thanks guys. I'll have to take a look at NAIA as well.

Ragardless of where I go if I can't get hired on there, I do have a few places as a back up where I have a pretty good shot of being hired.
I'm just looking for someplace where I can get going fast and get my hours up, with the more multi the better. I've worked in aviation for several years but am tired of an office job and want an office with a view (say around FL370 ).

 

[standaman]

The issue you will have with Delta Connection, Pan Am and ATP is that none of them will hire you on after you get your CFI. They want you to start off with them as a primary student in order to instruct there. Add to that the demand being so high for CFI spots at those places anyway, then you can be assured you won't get in.

Where did you hear this information? The students that should be hired are hired. Plain and simple. It is based on merit. I know of several people at all three of these flight schools that went through just fine.

 

[Flyby519]

I went through the Total CFI program at ATP and got hired with them, I know that they prefer to hire Career Pilot grads but they cant fill the instructor slots because so many are getting hired with regionals. Definitely give ATP a shot, loads of multi time.

 

[SMOE]

... The students that should be hired are hired. Plain and simple. It is based on merit....

LOL...

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

There are plenty of schools, ie. DCA & PanAm, that would be happy to take your money with the promise of hiring you as an instructor when you finish. This is the case at many smaller FBOs as well. Like anything else, I think it is being in the right place at the right time. I was instructing at an academy (ATA) that closed and ended up at an FBO making twice the pay, but half the flight time. Meanwhile, friends of mine were working for free (painting, cleaning, working the customer service desk) at flight schools in the hopes of getting a CFI job.

If you are flexible on where you live, my advice would be to get your instructor ratings as inexpensively as possible and then go find a CFI job. Don't get your mind set on instructing where you got your ratings because I have rarely seen it work out.

Don't give up and things will work out.

 

[DirkkDiggler]

Make sure you talk to some of the students at each school. It's one thing to get hired. It's another to get hired and actually have enough students to build reasonable time each month. Some of the schools have a poor student/instructor ratio and the instructors are hardly building any time.

 

[SoBeFlyer]

You could go work for Gulfstream!!!

If you like peanuts...

(see other thread here)