Regional or Corporate?

[Yellow Snow]

I agree with Kingair, we started at the same "academy" at first and it was deplorable. All they wanted to do was milk you for money and you never got to fly because of too many students and no acft. Also no slight to some instructors on this site but when I found an instructor that had about 20,000 hrs at an FBO (he had been flying for forty years) the difference in flying skills I learned was night and day. If you can work at your training during the weekdays at a local FBO with good instructors who aren't biding time until they go to a regional you can get your ratings as fast or faster than at an academy. The biggest advantage is that you can stay locally and save a ton of money on housing. I have come to the point after being burned a couple of times that I don't trust any of the academies.

 

[Wanna Fly!!]

kingaira90- Yellow Snow-

Thanks- wow, enlightening. The academies- MESA, Phoenix, etc. make things look so good. Like you can fly all kinds of hours and then walk right into a regional. The only drawback to where I live (Savannah, GA) there is only one flight school and they want 20,000 for a commercial. They are expensive. Other thing is the money. At least at a school you can get the loans and then pay them off. Here it's pay as you go. I'm thinking that the share in an A/C looks better every day. Once again-money up front though. I guess racking up credit cards for training ain't too bad. What about CFII and MEII? Thought's on those? For time building sake.

 

[kingaira90]

input

kingaira90- Yellow Snow-

Thanks- wow, enlightening. The academies- MESA, Phoenix, etc. make things look so good. Like you can fly all kinds of hours and then walk right into a regional. The only drawback to where I live (Savannah, GA) there is only one flight school and they want 20,000 for a commercial. They are expensive. Other thing is the money. At least at a school you can get the loans and then pay them off. Here it's pay as you go. I'm thinking that the share in an A/C looks better every day. Once again-money up front though. I guess racking up credit cards for training ain't too bad. What about CFII and MEII? Thought's on those? For time building sake.

I wish I would have gotten my instructor ratings, trying to get them while working a flying job now. Good for timebuilding. Unlike what some of the schools try to sell you on, it is well respected to be an instructor and it will lead into your next job. It is also an easy first job to get into, a good backup in case your company folds or furloughs (happend 2x in my short career), and can be a supplimental income after later. This is a volitile industry. GET THEM!!! and don't let them laps after you do.

The intrest on good credit cards WILL be lower than the intrest on loans you can get from places that do flight school loans. If you have a good paying job, work during the day and fly on nights and weekends. I have a buddy who worked full time and got his pvt-CFI in 9mo. It can be done!

20k for your pvt-comm doesn't sound too bad, am I missing something. The plane share could be really sweet! Some of my buddies from flight school and I wish we would have bought a plane, flown it a ton then sold it, would have saved money. Although if your partners are weekend fair weather flyers, and you fly 400hrs in 9mo, they might get bent. Be up front if you want to do that.

Lastly SAV isn't far from ATP at Jacksonville CRG right? a long commute I know but if you get your primary ratings at home then get your multi and instructor ratings in short courses at CRG then you would save more on hotel and food then you spend on gas. And you might be able to set up a job at ATP, which could yeild lots of time fast and lots of multi.

I know the temptation is HUGE to drop everything and just go. DON'T DO IT!!! Learn from My and Yellow Snow's mistakes. Do it by home, moving sucks. Don't do it if you don't have to. If you have any more questions feel free to PM me or post them here.-kingaira90

 

[Wanna Fly!!]

I agree with the moving thing and quitting a good job to do this. This is why I am posting here to get some info on "lessons learned" and hopefully do it in a way that works out ok. Since I am 36 though, and have read posts on getting hired near 40 is hard, I want to make the best choice. I do realize that it's all about hours and relationships though and hope to make it work.

Does anyone know about training in a Grumman AA5? Thinking about going in on one with some friends for initial training.

 

[Snakum]

and have read posts on getting hired near 40 is hard

In corporate anyway, I would have to say I disagree. I have personally discovered it is actually an asset. I've even been told that, word for word, by my part-time flying boss.



Minh

 

[kingaira90]

In corporate anyway, I would have to say I disagree. I have personally discovered it is actually an asset. I've even been told that, word for word, by my part-time flying boss.



Minh

and if you get 1200tt and go to a pt 135 place to build time, they don't care!

 

[Wanna Fly!!]

What do most companies think of getting A LOT of time in single engine A/C such as a 172? Do they accept it for the fact of flying or is it better to have various types flown like bonanza and higher performance? Same with Multi- various types or just the fact of flying a barn door with two props on it?

Would you all suggest MEII to build time?

 

[kingaira90]

the singles all blend together. I have over 1000 hrs in a 172, 800+ of which was doing traffic (vfr w/ very few practice approaches). Single time is just to get the hrs. When you are going for the multi job or t-prop or jet job the type of single enginge aircraft won't matter.

An mei can be good for time building, IF (big if) the place you are instructing at has a lot of multi students. That is why ATP can be a good instructing gig, lots of multi students. Although at you average fbo the multi probably sits a lot b/c most students at those places have primarily primary students. Remember average 3-15 hrs multi to get rating. Not a lot of time per student. Need lots of students.

 

[apcooper]

As for building ME time you could get the MEI and put ads in every local aviation publication and offer to ride/give instruction to an already rated ME pilot who is uncomfortable or rusty or give dual for the initial ME rating. If you do the former you might get to travel to some interesting destinations and make some good friends.

 

[pilotyip]

Do a search under "older", there was thread within the last month beating up this same subject. Not to put you off, but it is a quick way to get answers without waiting for responses