Is Delta Connection Academy A Good School?

[DAS at 10/250]

Well said standaman.

 

[polysciguy9]

Does anyone know if DCA will admit you after you've completed your Priv/Inst/Comm somewhere else and plan on doing your CFI/CFII/Multi with them? If this were possible, it might save you a fair amount of money. The advertised cost for Priv - CFI is $53,091. But of course, if you skip paying $78p/h for a 152 and $54 p/h for the instructor and go through a local FBO, I imagine you could save quite a bit of money. I'm sure they wouldn't like you doing this - but I'm curious how far ahead in their program you can "skip" when you come in.

 

[moxiepilot]

my friend came with her commercial single/ instrument, so I know it is possible although I did not attend DCA

she ended up getting her cfi/ii/mei there & hired on up at their boston campus

 

[jarhead]

Does anyone know if DCA will admit you after you've completed your Priv/Inst/Comm somewhere else and plan on doing your CFI/CFII/Multi with them? If this were possible, it might save you a fair amount of money. The advertised cost for Priv - CFI is $53,091. But of course, if you skip paying $78p/h for a 152 and $54 p/h for the instructor and go through a local FBO, I imagine you could save quite a bit of money. I'm sure they wouldn't like you doing this - but I'm curious how far ahead in their program you can "skip" when you come in.

Here is one item you might want to check out. It may or may not have a parallel at DCA. Back in the early 90's, my son went to UND in the aviation program there. He already had his PPL from a local FBO near our home in Minnesota.

However, even though he had his PPL, he had to take a 101 level course and log 10 hours in one of their single engine airplanes with an instructor at UND, to be able to go on to get his various other advanced tickets and ratings. That was because UND said he did not get his PPL under their tutelage, and under their rules, in order to get credit for his PPL as a college credit course, it was required. It was pure B.S., but UND needed to raise cash for the program, so that's one way they did it. Even though around $5,000 in 1988 - 1989 dollars had been spent to get the PPL plus recreational flying during high school, another $1,200 in “lab fees” (the airplane and instructor) was spent to get "credit" for that 101 course at UND.

Again, I have no idea if there is a parallel here or not, but you might want to check it out.

BTW, my son has been a Comair pilot since 1997, and he never went to DCI.

 

[huncowboy]

Also, if you need a year and a half to get 700 hours you need to get up before noon.

I got 550 in about 10 months. So keep your comments to yourself about when to get up. I am up 5am on average and home 9pm for that time.

Truth is, it depends on where you end up. This goes for DCA as well for some extent. You can get into a rat hole FBO and never fly, or get into one that flies the crap out of you. You can become a CFI at DCA when there is a wave of students, or you can try to ride a slow enrollment. It makes a big difference.

There is no scam. They tell you what it is day one. Not once has anyone lied to me about anything. Prices are public. If you are an idiot you can figure what kind of deal you are getting yourself into latest week two when you are in ground school still. If it took you a whole instrument rating to figure out you don't like it, than that is not a scam, it is your lack of judgment.

Mins like 600/100 are very rare and don't last long. It is already over at Xjet I thought. Colgan is low for a reason. I have seen their business cards not so long ago on the dispatch desk. They are still there, not one is missing.

I have several friends who left DCA, and work for an FBO. They are having hard time getting calls with 1000-1500 mostly because it is hard to break the 200 multi. I am sure they will all land at a job sooner or later, I just don't see it to happen with 800 dual around me at FBOs. It is also the exception, rather than the rule to fly 120h/month at most FBOs. If you get that at an FBO, it is probably the right place to be, as they must be good at what they are doing. I see good, and able pilots instructing a year or more longer than I may. While I am sure you keep learning new things every day, and I still do, the curve does get flat while the pocket gets empty and you lose another year seniority that you could hold.

The real scam is the industry creating CFIs who never wanted to become one on the first place.