If you could do it.....where and why.....

[meyers9163]

If you could do your training all over again where would you do it and why? I am going to graduate from college in December and am looking for peoples thoughts on this topic. I have it narrowed down myself to places such as Skymates, Ariben, ATP, Epic and Falcon along with an FBO possibly. However if you were to do it again, where and why? Also what were the pluses and negatives of your training where you did it?

 

[AAflyer]

In my humble opinion,

I would highly consider your local FBO, depending on side and quality of aircraft and instructors. I have had the opportunity to try all. I was a member of a flying club in my teens, attended UND, and later finished my CFII at American Flyers and ATP at ALL ATPS. My MEI at the local FBO.

What I enjoyed most about the Flying Club and FBO is the atmosphere. Less stress, not an overwhelming desire to get you the door with the minimum required experience or completition standards. ( I have a problem with guranteed and what that gets you.

Cost wise it may be equal or a little cheaper, you will have to draw out that sheet. However many FBOs offer a discount when purchasing hours in Block. And you can get financing with out having to attend big name schools. Check out Pilot Finance, and AOPA flying Loans (though MBNA).

While you may find the syllabus more detailed at the schools you can have a very well outlined plan locally.

When you are done you will be most likely wanting a job, both can offer this. The big name school may hire you if a position os available and you performed well, you can also pick up a job at the local airport.

However in my opinion the networking potential at the FBO, flying Club could me more. You are meeting all walks of people flying at the local airstrip. Airline pilots, corporate pilots, wealthy individuals with their own airplanes etc. At the big named schools you are teaching the same type of individual that were, a person looking to get their tickets, and then teach there.

At my FBO I am helping one of the MEIs try to get on with American Eagle. Another CFI become good friends with one of his students who owns a A-36. He now gets to use at whenever he wants for the price of gas.

The big name schools are great, do not get me wrong, however I really enjoyed my time at the local airport and people I have been fortunate enough to meet and become friends with.

Any other questions feel free to PM me, I head out on 4 day trip tonight but will bring my laptop.

Good Luck and happy flying.

AA

 

[100LL... Again!]

One word:

CAPT!!!

 

[Smash312]

My honest advice is buy a Cessna 150/152 for upto $20-$25k. Do ALL (obviously you'll have to spend out of pocket for the multi and the complex portion) but then once you sell the 150/152 you'll get back a fair amount of cash. You'll find you can even share the timebuilding on it and it could cost cheaper. If I were to do it, this is the route I'd take. Or if you REALLY want to spare the headache and get tonnes of multi time from the get go in record time then www.allatps.com I think in 90 days you'll be good to apply for a paying job.

 

[pilotpat]

I'm sure we're all gonna have opinions to throw out there to 'ya, but in the end its your decision. I was 32 the day my wife and I drove from NY to AZ so that I could start my training. I had been in the business world for over 12 years and was sick of it. I researched schools for a year before choosing one - which I visited before making the final decision. What I chose to do was go with a 141 syllabus, but not at the big schools. I went to Double Eagle in Tucson, AZ. Why? Because it was at least $30K cheaper, and I was still able to get PPL through CFI in 3 months. I left my job to learn how to fly, so learning to fly became my job for those 3 months. I flew 8 - 10 hours a day. I worked my butt off and didn't look back - even when 9/11 happened (got my CFI on 8/26/01).
That being said, what worked for me or someone else, may not work for you. I wouldn't change a thing I did. Be persistent and professional. That's all I can give for advice...
AAFlyer hit it right, too - a local flying club is great. My father in law is involved in one and you can rent a 172 for like $35/hr on tach time! But again, that's in NY and the weather isn't perfect for year round training like AZ is. Good luck in whatever you choose - just make sure you keep tabs on where your money is going and don't listen to the hype people are gonna feed you to go to their school.

 

[AZaviator]

I got my private pilot's license while I was in college at an FBO. AFter I graduated college, I did the rest of my training a at ALL ATPs in PHX back in the year 2000. I wouldn't change a thing. I finished all my ratings in 3 months and never had a flight canceled because of weather.

Back then, their program was $24k......and now I believe it close to $40k, so I'm not sure if I would go there now. As previously mentioned, you can do all your ratings at an FBO for much less and still finish in a reasonable amount of time.

I would avoid most of the big name flight academies. I instructed at one and would not recommend going there. PM me if you have any questions.

 

[NYCPilot]

You'll get a more diverse experience locally but get done quicker in a more organzied fashion at one of pilot factories. I'd say ALLATPS is worth looking into as you get a bunch of multi time which happens to be gold.

 

[minitour]

I woulda used the $50k loan for a down payment on a twin....done my training in my own airplane and kept my job...fly when I want...not when the club's schedule/weather will allow.

-mini

 

[Resocha]

I attended ERAU, but if I were to beginning again, I would complete the flight training at a local FBO and get a degree that actually has value outside of the cockpit.

 

[FDAFCFI]

i agree with everyone here as well. The experience collectively shows through. i piece-mealed each rating at a lot of different places and am now instructing at a national school. From the inside looking out I must say, we don't look to screw people. If you want to come to our school and go get drunk everyday you will have a hard time getting through all your ratings. i saw that at Pan Am. That was a tough lesson to learn and I'm still paying off that damn loan for one rating there! Small FBOs are great but I had so many instructors who didn't want to do any ground. The majority handed me a book or a CD and told me to study on my own. That's fine for some folks, and it was fine for me. I passed the commercial written with no one's help. My flight instructor just liked to be in the air and I can't blame him. I always like to fly but I know that my students benefit greatly by my devotion to broadening their knowledge.

My suggestion is to put your licenses together at a lot of different places so you can learn from a wide swath of different instructors and their individual styles. Get a CFI job and try to be the best, most positive teacher you can be and you'll learn more than you thought you'd ever learn in the air and be ready for the airlines or corporate world or whatever it is you want to do. Good luck to anyone who is at this place in their life, flying is a great way of life.