Lets Rank Flight Schools

[need2AV8]

to the original question . . .

With regard to choosing a flight school -

I heard an interesting concept phrased as follows:

How many hours did it take Chuck Yeager to solo? to earn all his ratings? how much did he pay?

Answer: It doesn't matter. The quality of his training and highly refined skills made him THE MAN.

So, when looking for a flight school, I recommend to put marketing tactics on a back burner like, earn your ratings in "X" days, for "X" amount of dollars. Instead, we would be wise to focus primary concern on quality of training. From my experience I have heard great things about the training from ERAU, FSI, DeltaConn, and Sierra Academy. Unfortunately, I have heard several stories about how ATP cuts so many corners that result in "bad habits that haunt you the rest of your career" (last quote was from a former United pilot who performed over 2000 pilot interviews). On that note, you must realize one more important concept - the flight school does NOT get you "done" in "X" hours or dollars - it is YOU!

 

[nosehair]

Rave on, Need2AV8, I like your style! It is "you", not the school who gets you "done". Our Profession is continually eroded by the marketing strategies of major flight schools. And some Mom & Pop schools, too, but most of them rely on reputation, so they try to make pilots instead of "Airline Candidates".

 

[bobbysamd]

Chuck Yeager

How many hours did it take Chuck Yeager to solo?

It might have taken him a while. According to his autobiography, he had bouts of airsickness to overcome. And, overcome, he did. I recommend his book, Yeager, highly.

The comment above about avoiding schools that cut corners is cogent. Don't forget the law of primacy, i.e., what you learn first stays with you the longest. It is very tough to unlearn bad learning. Learn it right the first time at a school or provider that teaches it right the first time. So what if it takes you a year instead of five months? It'll pay in the long run.