Rich P-F-T ad

[bobbysamd]

Caveat Emptor

Perhaps some of you have read about my travails from ten years ago. P-F-T started up during the last war and recession. I wanted a regional job desperately and I was getting nowhere. But I wanted it on my terms. Not only did I view these programs as scams, I wanted to be able to look at myself in the mirror and know that I was hired on my quals.

Call it freedom of speech. My first thought was Flying should not accept these ads. But that would be wrong. Let the buyer beware. It's only advertising, abeit rich and obnoxious, and offensive to most professional pilots (and a great topic for discussion on the board ).

A1FlyBoy is dead on regarding FSI's training and what you read into ads. I would just add that one of my former students at FSI was featured on an on-line ad a couple of years ago. I can vouch for this gentleman as being an excellent pilot, student, and person.

 

[Wiggums]

Let me clarify...

Yes, schools like FSI and the one I work at will get you to regional through their bridge programs, so their advertising is basically legit. Here's the problem I see with most of the flight school advertising in Flying magazine. The ads are designed to give the reader the impression that this particular school is the best school to go to in order to become an airline pilot. Now that's all right, maybe it's even true. The sad part is that what happens is you get a bunch of starry eyed suckers that show up for training, however, they end up washing out because they'll never be able to handle anything more advanced then a 180hp single. Bobbysamd: Yes, FSI makes people sucessful, but I'll bet I can find one person from any school that "made it". What percentage of students that started at FSI made it through the whole FSI program and then went to an airline? My school gets people to airlines, but the ratio of people that get placed compared to how many start is low.

Now I'm not advocating that anything be changed. The more students my company signs up the more money it will make, and more money and hours to be shared out to the instructors. However, there are people at these schools that have no business being near airplanes because they didn't know that they were getting into.

 

[bobbysamd]

Wiggums & IFly

Fair comments. Look at it from this point of view. There are plenty of people who start at a school and complete the program, but, for whatever reason, their aviation careers end at the same place they started - at the same school or airport.

Sadly, it happens. Don't forget the old adage. There are pilots who are hired and pilots who aren't hired. You don't hear much about the pilots who aren't hired.

IFly is correct. But look at the ad on the webpage with the swell-looking AA and American Eagle logos, and look at the map with the "route" structure. Then click onto their "newsletter," at http://www.tabexpress.com/newsletter_01_02.htm . It does sound very much that you're buying your way into a job.

 

[Snoop]

Heyyyyy.....

If anyone wants, send me $500 and I will gladly call them an airline pilot, and even tell my friends about them.. Any takers???

 

[Timebuilder]

Ifly posted a definition of PFT above. He left out an important point which draws the difference between taking flight lessons (a very wide definition of "paying for training") and what tab and gulf are doing.

I think this is a better definition: if there is a paying passenger or paid freight on board the aircraft, and you are paying someone to allow you to act as a crew member on that aircraft, that is PFT. In essence, you are "buying" a job with that organization. Contrast this with the way employment works, where you are paid by the operator for providing a valuable service to his company. That is a job.

 

[Wiggums]

Good points bobby, except the stupidest part of TabExpress is after you've spent over 60k, you haven't bought a job, just your tickets and 100 hours of turboprop time. If your gonna buy a job you have to go to a company that sells them. I wonder how their deal is going with AE while they have pilots on the street.

The best laugh is the "Airline Pre-Job Prep Course". It's supposedly specially requested by the AE New Hire Program, and for 18k you'll get airline groundschool and 25 hours of King Air time.

 

[Timebuilder]

Thanks, wiggums. If there is no freight or paying passengers, then Tab is just an overpriced promise mill.

 

[bobbysamd]

TAB Express

Guys:

It is hilarious, in a sick and insulting way. That's why I posted this in the first place. I would hope no one would pick up the "tab" for Tab.

I like Timebuilder's quip about this place being an overpriced promise mill.

 

[stingray]

I agree with bobby about this place, being that i live done here in FL seen them, been to thier home airport with my current job (frac pilot), and have seen the operation its a ma&pa outfit with some wornout C-90's. I would spend your money elsewhere.

 

[A1FlyBoy]

American Flyers CFI-A & I

While flipping through the March issue of Flying Magazine I saw an add pubbing American Flyers "CFI Academy Program". "BOTH INSTRUCTOR LICENSES IN ONLY 30 DAYS!!!" $2495.00

Hmm... must be ONLY for those 40 hour Private Pilot ACES.