Flight Schools: Who offers the BEST training?
Recently, I have been researching multiple different flight schools. Each school has a unique curriculum that is touted to be the "best" way to get students that much sought after airline pilot position.
Of course, I have noticed Delta Connection Academy's www.deltaconnectionacademy.com large, full-page ads in a variety of aviation magazines. They did send me a packet with a cost breakdown. It appears that I would be spending approximately $62,000 in twelve months and finish with an Mult-Engine Instructors license; 163 hrs. single engine; 33 hrs. twin; 48 hrs FTD (flight training device). Now, the most alluring aspect of DCA is they are affiliated with Delta and its subsidiaries (airlines that are part of the Delta Connection network).
In DCA's brochure, they claim in black and white the following:
1. Our Graduates fly jets straight out of the academy.
2. There is no wait time. Delta Connection Carriers hire our graduates.
3. Being Airline owned, we have the ability to make your transition from student to first officer seamless.
4. Become a first officer in 12 moths and as few as 330 hrs, without the need to become a flight instructor
5. Apply and be accepted into Jet Direct.*
*Graduates who are interviewed and hired by a Delta Connection Carrier.
6.As a graduate of the Academy, the hiring Delta Connection carrier will pay your First Officer Training...a value over $13,000.
Naturally, to all of us aspiring pilots, both young and older, DCA would appear to be the hands down choice. But I have read some posts on this website that have been somewhat alarming and a few comments were downright frightening. I realize not everyone is going to have a great experience at any school, or even Disney World for that matter, but what counts the most is...the job.
Does DCA's connection with Delta and companies carry that much clout? If so, it's worth the extra money to get a relatively "better" shot at working for the airlines, and possibly, in less time.
Next, there's ATP's www.allatps.com Airline Training Program for $38,000 in either ten or three months. For approximately $22k-$24k less than DCA one could get approximately: 10 hrs single;140 hrs multi; 50 hrs mult FTD; 3 hrs Citation; CFI multi, CFI instrument. (subtract $6-8K from this "savings" total for private license; ATP requires students entering the compared Airline Training Program to have their private or so I've been informed).
I was told by ATP's corporate office, they offer "some" of their graduates a CFI position, whereas DCA offers "most" of their graduates a CFI job. This seems to be critical; due to the fact, it would be highly undesirable to be a new graduate with a new, large debt, relatively few logged hours, a fledgling pilot in a highly competitive field, unemployed for an indefinite period of time with very few options to bulk-up your log book outside instructing. So, to drive the point home: The CFI job offer appears to be a very critical step, which brings me to the next flight school...Embry Riddle's CAPT program.
The CAPT program www.captprogram.org claims to have designed a brand new approach to getting us wannabe pilots into the airlines. They claim to place a greater amount of focus in the "quality" of the training. You don't get any CFI certificates, but you do get a commercial mult-engine; instrument rating; and a MD-90 EFD type rating. Their course is $80,000 and can be completed in twelve months.
Since CAPT graduates do not get a CFI in their program, their is no CFI job offer. So, how does a new graduate earn a living unless they are offered an airline or corporate pilot position? This seems an unlikely event or could a graduate of the CAPT program, with their "unique" training likely get a pilot position? If not, these new graduates will have a very large debt and no "obvious" way to earn a living and no way to start paying on the rather large $80k debt.
Lastly, there are our good old FBOs where many of us started. Because most people in these forums are familiar with the pros and cons of this final flight school candidate, I'll spare us all the "windy" details, while maintaining the respect and consideration the typical, local FBO derserves. *Currently, the small, local aiports in my city do not have a twin as part of their programs.
Okay, that should be enough mental information to digest for now. But the above schools and their respective programs had to be thoroughly explained, in order to accurately present the total quagmire that we aspiring pilots are facing. This is a very serious issue, if misinformed, could land an otherwise future, great pilot's career, finances, and possibly his/her life, upside down!
So the BIG questions still remain:
1.Which of the above schools (Or, if there is an unmentioned better alternative, please inform) would be the best choice to get an airline pilot's position?
2. If a graduate was offered a CFI position with his/her school, do their CFI hrs count as PIC? If not, how is the time taken into account by the airlines?
3. If you are a CFI-multi instructor, how does one get any jet time -- is it necessary -- jet time seems to be a requirement to fly jets?
4. What credentials do the commuter airlines and the majors typically require of a potential pilot in order to get the job...not the minimum requirements?
5. How long can the "average" pilot with the "base" commuter airline qualifications expect to be unemployed while actively seeking a pilot's position?
6. If your flight school doesn't offer a CFI position, how difficult on a (1-10) scale is it to find a CFI position, preferably CFI-mulit?
7. Are there truly a large number of highly qualified pilots with thousands of hours (many of them jet hrs) who are actively looking, but cannot find a job?
8. Are the prospects of quality pilot jobs and pilot earning power truly as bleak as many former and current pilots report? -- If so, this would be a crushing reality to many hopefuls. I'm hoping the glass can be seen as half-full if you're looking from the right vantage point.
9. Is the future of the airline pilot profession improving, leveling off, or going down?
I want to thank each of you who respond to this post. The valuable insight offered by you, experienced, successful pilots, could be the direction needed by many, many pilots, like me, who are standing at the same point in the crossroads.
Recently, I have been researching multiple different flight schools. Each school has a unique curriculum that is touted to be the "best" way to get students that much sought after airline pilot position.
Of course, I have noticed Delta Connection Academy's www.deltaconnectionacademy.com large, full-page ads in a variety of aviation magazines. They did send me a packet with a cost breakdown. It appears that I would be spending approximately $62,000 in twelve months and finish with an Mult-Engine Instructors license; 163 hrs. single engine; 33 hrs. twin; 48 hrs FTD (flight training device). Now, the most alluring aspect of DCA is they are affiliated with Delta and its subsidiaries (airlines that are part of the Delta Connection network).
In DCA's brochure, they claim in black and white the following:
1. Our Graduates fly jets straight out of the academy.
2. There is no wait time. Delta Connection Carriers hire our graduates.
3. Being Airline owned, we have the ability to make your transition from student to first officer seamless.
4. Become a first officer in 12 moths and as few as 330 hrs, without the need to become a flight instructor
5. Apply and be accepted into Jet Direct.*
*Graduates who are interviewed and hired by a Delta Connection Carrier.
6.As a graduate of the Academy, the hiring Delta Connection carrier will pay your First Officer Training...a value over $13,000.
Naturally, to all of us aspiring pilots, both young and older, DCA would appear to be the hands down choice. But I have read some posts on this website that have been somewhat alarming and a few comments were downright frightening. I realize not everyone is going to have a great experience at any school, or even Disney World for that matter, but what counts the most is...the job.
Does DCA's connection with Delta and companies carry that much clout? If so, it's worth the extra money to get a relatively "better" shot at working for the airlines, and possibly, in less time.
Next, there's ATP's www.allatps.com Airline Training Program for $38,000 in either ten or three months. For approximately $22k-$24k less than DCA one could get approximately: 10 hrs single;140 hrs multi; 50 hrs mult FTD; 3 hrs Citation; CFI multi, CFI instrument. (subtract $6-8K from this "savings" total for private license; ATP requires students entering the compared Airline Training Program to have their private or so I've been informed).
I was told by ATP's corporate office, they offer "some" of their graduates a CFI position, whereas DCA offers "most" of their graduates a CFI job. This seems to be critical; due to the fact, it would be highly undesirable to be a new graduate with a new, large debt, relatively few logged hours, a fledgling pilot in a highly competitive field, unemployed for an indefinite period of time with very few options to bulk-up your log book outside instructing. So, to drive the point home: The CFI job offer appears to be a very critical step, which brings me to the next flight school...Embry Riddle's CAPT program.
The CAPT program www.captprogram.org claims to have designed a brand new approach to getting us wannabe pilots into the airlines. They claim to place a greater amount of focus in the "quality" of the training. You don't get any CFI certificates, but you do get a commercial mult-engine; instrument rating; and a MD-90 EFD type rating. Their course is $80,000 and can be completed in twelve months.
Since CAPT graduates do not get a CFI in their program, their is no CFI job offer. So, how does a new graduate earn a living unless they are offered an airline or corporate pilot position? This seems an unlikely event or could a graduate of the CAPT program, with their "unique" training likely get a pilot position? If not, these new graduates will have a very large debt and no "obvious" way to earn a living and no way to start paying on the rather large $80k debt.
Lastly, there are our good old FBOs where many of us started. Because most people in these forums are familiar with the pros and cons of this final flight school candidate, I'll spare us all the "windy" details, while maintaining the respect and consideration the typical, local FBO derserves. *Currently, the small, local aiports in my city do not have a twin as part of their programs.
Okay, that should be enough mental information to digest for now. But the above schools and their respective programs had to be thoroughly explained, in order to accurately present the total quagmire that we aspiring pilots are facing. This is a very serious issue, if misinformed, could land an otherwise future, great pilot's career, finances, and possibly his/her life, upside down!
So the BIG questions still remain:
1.Which of the above schools (Or, if there is an unmentioned better alternative, please inform) would be the best choice to get an airline pilot's position?
2. If a graduate was offered a CFI position with his/her school, do their CFI hrs count as PIC? If not, how is the time taken into account by the airlines?
3. If you are a CFI-multi instructor, how does one get any jet time -- is it necessary -- jet time seems to be a requirement to fly jets?
4. What credentials do the commuter airlines and the majors typically require of a potential pilot in order to get the job...not the minimum requirements?
5. How long can the "average" pilot with the "base" commuter airline qualifications expect to be unemployed while actively seeking a pilot's position?
6. If your flight school doesn't offer a CFI position, how difficult on a (1-10) scale is it to find a CFI position, preferably CFI-mulit?
7. Are there truly a large number of highly qualified pilots with thousands of hours (many of them jet hrs) who are actively looking, but cannot find a job?
8. Are the prospects of quality pilot jobs and pilot earning power truly as bleak as many former and current pilots report? -- If so, this would be a crushing reality to many hopefuls. I'm hoping the glass can be seen as half-full if you're looking from the right vantage point.
9. Is the future of the airline pilot profession improving, leveling off, or going down?
I want to thank each of you who respond to this post. The valuable insight offered by you, experienced, successful pilots, could be the direction needed by many, many pilots, like me, who are standing at the same point in the crossroads.
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