Getting my ratings

[left seat]

Hey, I am new to the fourms. Seems to be a busy one. I am a 19 year old 130 hour PPL-ASEL. I want all my ratings thorugh CFII. I am thinking about going to Delta Connections Academy at Broward Community College. All my friends that came out of there said that their only complaint was the cost. I know that the airlines dont care about whether you attend an FBO or an academy, but I feel that the structure would make me a better pilot and more airline ready. Do you all agree? If not, is there any other flight schools in the Ft. Lauderdale area that anyone suggest? I am paying for this all alone (no parent help), so I need financing. I would love to pay all cash, but while going to college, and being a bus boy, I just cant. I know this seems like the same situation over and over again, but I just can't find the answers. Thank you all for all your future input.

 

[AC560]

I feel that the structure would make me a better pilot and more airline ready.

The airlines don't care whether you are a better pilot. They care you have Commercial AMEL certificate with an IFR rating and a pulse. I would get that as cheap as possible then send out applications while working on getting CFI, building hours, and going to school. First regional that offers to hire you take it and finish school while working for them.

 

[pgcfii2002]

Pick the one that costs the most and run away from it as fast as you can!!!

 

[Doc Holiday]

You mentioned structure and being airline-ready. There are schools out there that cost less and have good standardization. Visit some different flight schools and talk to the Chief, ask about their standardization program for the instructors. A good standards program at a flight school will save you frustration because the different instructors you fly with will tend to be on the same page and follow a syllabus.

I'm assuming when you said "airline-ready", you meant being prepared for a company's training program. Besides already having a good knowledge base in areas like the regs, AIM, basic turbine systems, etc., you need to be open-minded. IMHO being open minded is the most important thing. You have to be willing to check your ego at the door and do things the way the airline wants you to do them - even if you believe your way is better. If you end up being 'that guy' who always challenges and argues with the instructors and refuses to modify his behavior when briefed, you will definitely make life harder and could find yourself out on the street.

 

[pgcfii2002]

Mr. Holiday....

"You'll pardon me if I don't shake hands"

 

[pgcfii2002]

"500.....must be a peach of a hand"

 

[Grey Ghost]

try Sheble avaition in Kingman AZ! He could probably set you up on a progam to get you done in a maonth or two at the most and he is really cheap!

 

[pgcfii2002]

I agree................

 

[VW Pilot]

He said ft. Lauderdale Area.....Florida that is....Hey dude...Try Airline Transport Professionals..(ATP) they have a flight school at Ft. lauderdale and
from what I hear, ATP has the least complaints from students to Instructors...check em out. I live in florida myself and I'm due for my private checkride at the end of this month....I want things to go a bit faster myself...currently I''m in Tampa and I have to duke it out at local FBOs...I found an excellent instructor who used to teach type rating for American Airlines....I lucked out I guess because he could tell em everything the Airlines are looking for....As for Delta Connection the quality of instruction from what I heard is of high quality.

The price as you already know is higher than flight level 350.....
there are others you should avoid also that are near the ft. lauderdale area...
simply for your safety. I know what you're going through...I have the same problem...no help only a perfect credit score and the income does not support it.....(they were like, how did you do that?) anyway if you cannot go to a flight academy, do not waist too much time trying to decide what to do...get to a local ft. lauderdale FBO and just go for it.

 

[Goose Egg]

The airlines don't care whether you are a better pilot. They care you have Commercial AMEL certificate with an IFR rating and a pulse.

Depending on the airline. Just because the bar has gotten super-low at some airlines, it doesn't mean that it has at others.

I would get that as cheap as possible then send out applications while working on getting CFI, building hours, and going to school. First regional that offers to hire you...

DO NOT go to the first regional that will hire you, unless you have determined that it will be the right situation for you in terms of pay, commuting, etc., etc., etc. I think that generally most of the whining on this website is caused by people not really doing their homework. Being choosy in terms of which entry-level flying job we accept is one of the rare luxuries that we have in this day and age. I, for one, am going to take advantage of it.

-Goose