Mesa "PACE" Program

[daddysquared]

Does anyone out there have any experience with the PACE program offered by Mesa?

 

[smallfishinabig]

Re:

I think its something like 500tt, multi, inst, comm, at least a 2 year degree, and pass the interview and sim check to get in.

 

[acabello]

I would not reccomend it for one reason, Fredom Air. If your not familiar with that, it was a non union airline started by Mesa but now it is combined with Mesa so from what I understand all Mesa pilots are black list for the most part. I checked out there program with a friend and he did not like it either. He ended up going to Gulfstream Academy in Florida, I would do that if I were you.

 

[Flying Illini]

Gulfstream Academy isn't much better. I went and visited there (did the rounds in FL looking at all the "Flight Academy" type schools that had programs that put you in the right seat of an airliner. GA is a PFT (pay for training) school. It sounds like a good deal since they will put you in the right seat of a 1900 for 250 hrs but after that you are guaranteed nothing. GA has a bad rep within the industry because of the PFT and the fact that they ONLY hire their graduates into their airline. SO, if you haven't given them $20K, they don't want you in their airplanes. When I brought up the question about PFT at GA when I was there I was fed a BS line and then the "gentleman" there proceded to pull out numerous resumes and read off some with rather impressive TT and experience but ended every resume with a toss aside and the line, "not gonna work here because they didn't go here."
The MESA program is also a tough deal because of the merger. IF you are dead set on giving some company 20-25 Ks for a chance to get into a right seat somewhere, FlightSafety and PanAm Academy are two to look at. I decided I couldn't afford the cost of either one of those and decided to enjoy the journey to the right seat rather than rush to it. Right now I am instructing and loving it. I would also like to give Banner-towing and skydive flying a shot.
I hope this helps. GA is frowned upon in the industry and now the MESA PACE program is as well.

 

[jerichka]

Can anyone give me a brief history on what is going on with Freedom and Mesa? How are the pilots blackballed? Why would the PACE program be frowned upon in the industry? I understand that Mesa seems to have accepted a not so great contract recently. I am just about to get my Comm./ Instr/Multi and I'm seriously considering PACE. Im 35 y.o. and dont want to instruct. I want o get to the flightline ASAP. The PACE program boasts a 98% placement rate for their graduates who take the interview. Does anyone know why the other 2% don't get hired?

 

[bobbysamd]

Perhaps another P-F-T discussion to love

Pay-for-training, aka P-F-T, is a favorite and frequent topic on the board. Do this: make a pot of coffee and run "P-F-T," "Gulfstream" and "Freedom Airlines" on the board's search function. Guaranteed, after you've read all the returns from your search and finished your pot of coffee you will be fully briefed on this issue and your questions will have been answered.

I would also give you a friendly hint. Part of the problem is so many people do not want to instruct and want to get to the flight line as soon as possible without making all the required stops along the way.

 

[Flying Illini]

you may need 2 pots of coffee!!

 

[airwinger]

PACE Program

I looked into the PACE program as well. The tt req are 300tt with a associates degree, bachelors preferred. The school is in Farmington NM. One of my friends went there and he got through his Baron time in about 45 days. The 1900 wasnt available at the time so he had to take a few weeks off. I heard in August they will have the crj sim online so you wont have to get time in the 1900. The cost is 12k.

 

[bobbysamd]

PACE "Program" aka pay-for-interview

I heard in August they will have the crj sim online so you wont have to get time in the 1900. The cost is 12k.

Interesting . . . . one of the so-called deals of Mesa's training programs was getting real turbine time. MAPD has offered it - although ten hours in the right seat really doesn't mean all that much (MAPD grads used to get a 135 letter after the ten hours.). RJ sim, to me, in my 2¢ opinion, means even less.

You're better off taking the $12K and using it for your CFI, if you don't already have it, or for job searching, or paying down loans, or . . . . . (insert logical financial option here).

 

[ERJdca]

I didn't attend the Mesa program i went to riddle diddle, but i fly with ALOT of guys who did attend it. From what i understand it is a very thorough and professional course that most of them do recommend. (usually everyone has something negative to say about everywhere else). It seems especially helpful to those who are older, and want to get in the door quicker. I was in ground school on the EMB145 with guys that had 300hrs. Knowledge wise, they were pretty sharp. Its definately a quicker way to the cockpit, although i do recommend flight instructing. You certainly can tell when flying with someone who instructed and who didnt. Some people care, and some people dont.

My 2 cents