HELP....flight academy???

[iriefeet]

Yes this is a nother little or no-timer looking for free information. I'm new to this, so please go easy on me. I have read some of the threads out there, and visited a few academy's and I find myself in worse a position than I did before I started my research. The dreaded gulfstream was looking good before I spoke to some people and read the responses in this web site. Obviously I am looking for the most bang for the buck, and the best way to an aviation career. Basically when I have to start paying off my loans, after training, I want to make sure that I have the best chance for being hired.
I have visited pan am, comair, and gulfstream. Right now I am between pan am and gstream....leaning towards pan am. Any info from people who are in the industry...not selling the schools..or bashing them...would be greatly apreciated.
Please help.....

 

[iriefeet]

miltary

I am also not opposed to the military, if I am sure I will be a pilot after I sign up....

 

[bobbysamd]

College, FlightSafety and Mesa

Do you have a degree? If not, you might consider earning a B.S. in a flight program and/or other field at a college that is tied in with flight training. I'm one of the apparent minority here who likes an Aeronautical Science degree. You'll need a four-year degree in something to be competitive and you will need it eventually.

While you're in the Florida mindset, try checking out FlightSafety Academy in Vero. I worked there ten years ago. It offers a good, and expensive, program. I will vouch for the program. Some of the high quality personnel with whom I worked are still there. FSI would be a direct competitor to Pan Am and Comair.

Another idea is Mesa Airlines Pilot Development. I worked there, too. I did not care for the company at all but I liked the program. You earn a two-year degree in Aviation Technology and all your ratings. The degree is from an accredited junior college, meaning that you should be able to transfer most, if not all, of your credits to a four-year school. The real deal for grads is the possibility of interviewing with Mesa Airlines at 300 hours. A program like this is a sort of double-edged sword, though. You earn your ratings but not a CFI, so if you're hired but don't go to class right away and are placed in a hiring pool, you're stuck for work. Not too many places hire fresh, 250-300-hour pilots without CFIs, so you might find that you will have to earn your CFI, and spend more money, to work and keep flying. Comair grads have to get their CFIs, so they have a fallback plan.

I would say two things about Gulfstream, in this order: (1) Get as much input as possible about the place, its ramifications and all that its ramifications imply. A good place to start is this message board. (2) After receiving input, consider your decision about going there very carefully. We've had quite a few discussions about Gulfstream, including comments from one or two disaffected Gulfstream types.

Military is a great choice if you can find a slot. You will get great training. It takes some ability to get through UPT and fashion a military career. The airlines know that and like it. The military requires a commitment of many years, but at the end you will get to go to the head of the hiring line. Military pilots are one of the best airline job networks around. You have to remember, though, that your membership in the military is your career and flying is your job. Leaving the military for full-time flying will be a career change.

Above all, choose your source of training carefully. Take the career consultants' spiels with a big grain of salt. Some of them can make you feel completely unworthy and beg to be let in, when the truth is you only need to write a check to be admitted.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your choice.

 

[PCL_128]

I will always think that the military is the best way to go. Unfortunately, my very bad vision prevented me from getting a pilot slot, so here I am on the civilian side. If the mil is a valid option for you, I would definitely consider it. It's a big commitment, but you can't beat the quality of trng and the opportunities at the majors will really open up for you when you leave the military.

As for the civilian side of things, here's what I think. Just like you I toured all the big flight academies in FLA and talked to lots of marketing people at these schools. Everything they tell you is utter BS. Nobody is going to get you a job like they say. Even a guaranteed job as a CFI at their own school is very hard to come by nowdays. FSI is a good program, but I don't really think that they produce better pilots than any of the other schools. It's really all about how much effort you will put into it. The school really doesn't make that much of a difference. That's why I tell everyone to go to a local FBO. If you study hard the trng will be just as good, but for a fraction of the price. Think long and hard before giving any of your money to these big name flight schools.

As for Gulfscream, avoid it as best you can. Don't listen to their marketing people, don't visit the academy again, don't have anything to do with them. They will only seduce you with their so-called "Jet-Bridge Program" and then charge you up the a$$ for mediocre instruction and you will still probably not get a job at the end. I used to think the 'stream was a great place, but things have really gone downhill the last couple of years.

P.S. As Bobby said, a degree is a big thing to consider. I'm working on mine now through internet classes, but if you want to get your degree while you do your flight trng there are many colleges that offer aviation degree programs. I think ERAU is overpriced, but there are many others to consider. Look into it.

 

[CFI'er]

Necessary information left out of your original post. What you is your age, and do you have any college experience? Will you be disciplined enough to take college courses using the Internet or will you need to enroll in a traditional campus environment?

bobbysamd had the right response: “Do you have a degree? If not, you might consider earning a B.S. in a flight program and/or other field at a college that is tied in with flight training. I'm one of the apparent minority here who likes an Aeronautical Science degree. You'll need a four-year degree in something to be competitive and you will need it eventually.”

I totally agree with bobbysamd in getting a 4-year college degree. It will be required to fly in the major’s, for sure, and a few of the regional airlines require a 4-year degree if you have low flight time.

Lets start with your age and college experience and we can help you. Otherwise, posters are just guessing as to what is the best path to you future career in the airlines. It won’t be EASY OR CHEAP. I, for one, do not agree with the FBO/CFI, doing it the hard way and paying your dues line of thought.

 

[iriefeet]

thanks....more info

Hey guys, thanks for your reply's and info.
Pcl_128, philiplane, cfi'er, and bobbysamd, I appreciate your responses and info. Sorry I left out my current situation. I am 24 and graduated from a liberal arts college over a year ago.(business minor international affairs major) This is why I am considering going to an aviation academy.
The military does sound like a more than viable option, my only consern would be signing up, and then being told I have to peel potatoes for 5 years. The air national guard may be an option. Again anyone who has been down this path or going down it with an input please reply. Thanx again, Luke

 

[CFI'er]

Don't know where you received the information on total time with the military if you go sky pilot. It is a 10 year or 8 year signup for sure. Correct me if I'm wrong but the Air Force and Army requires min. of 8, the Navy/Marines/Coast Guard require min. of 10 years for going through flight training military style. FLY Navy

 

[naviator]

Ari-Ben Aviator (www.aribenaviator.com) in Fort Pierce, FL.

25 000 dollars: multi-private, multi-instrument, multi-commercial, single comm.-add on, MEI, CFI, CFII! (200 hours of twin time included in program!)

Great school, but more importantly good instructors!

Good luck!

 

[bobbysamd]

A more important concern than K.P.

Originally posted by iriefeet
[M]y only consern would be signing up, and then being told I have to peel potatoes for 5 years . . . .

I'd be d@mn sure that I can meet the physical requirements, i.e. height and vision. I had a female zoomie as a student who told me she was washed out because she was too short to reach the controls! She became an AWACS controller. I had a male zoomie who was a he11 of a pilot. He wasn't sent to UPT for the same reason (he really was short). He worked in some engineering section at Tinker.

Vision is a given. I hear mixed stories here about the military's willingness to accept less than 20/20, even after eye surgery.

Good luck with your plans.

 

[iriefeet]

thanx...military?...ari-ben?

thanks again to all those who replied.
I'm 5'8" 150-155, 20-20 or better vision, I don't know if any of you know if thta meets military requirments. I'm not sure about the 8-10 year commitment, but I was thinking abouth the air national guard, or a navy equivalent...if their is one. .....also some one mentioned ari - ben....anyone here positive or negatives abouthis school. ...
again I really appreciate your responses and info.

Also, someone also mentioned that the airforce will pay for your training at embry...if you sign up, any more info on this... thanx again
Luke