TAB Express

[mccann]

Have been researching ways into commercial flying, and at this point narrowed things down to Comair, ATA, & TAB Express.

TriDriver & Bobby Sands, your comments have been very informative, thanks.

Tri, one thing that caught my eye in the TAB promo. material received today (apart from the costs!) was the repeated reference to dismissal between phases and "additional training at candidate's own expense". While clearly I'm responsible for my check-rides, the number of "gates" and thus opportunities to wash out with lots of money spent and too few hours to be competitive is a little daunting.

As someone mentioned earlier in the thread, all of the schools seem to have their own route -- TAB's is faster and more expensive, Comair's cheaper (relatively), longer (if you stay to CFI), and ATA's is something of a compromise between the two.

While the experience in a King Air (something about them... ) is attractive, the risks seem high. Having a CFI at the end of Comair's course seems a good safety-net. Tri, as a Delta pilot I'd imagine you'd have an interesting perspective on Comair compared to TAB.

Thoughts, comments from anyone?

 

[bobbysamd]

Running up the TAB

Originally posted by mccann
TAB's is faster and more expensive . . . .

(emphasis added)

Is it really?? More expensive? Probably, especially in the long run. Faster? I doubt it seriously, given today's hiring environment.

Today's hiring environment is like ten years ago, only worse, I think. In 1992, there were slim pickings indeed for pilots among the commuters. Conversely, the commuters had the pick of the litter, meaning, for your purposes, extremely qualified and experienced pilots. In those days, flight instructors like me, low-timers like you would be and those in between were competing with pilots turned loose during the Eastern and Pan Am closures.

Once more, the place might get you interviews. But there are no guarantees of the job(s) that you are seeking. Which could mean that to find work you'll have to pay another "tab" for CFI ratings. Just consider it carefully from that perspective.

Once more, best of luck with your choice. And keep us posted on where you choose and how it's going.

 

[TriDriver]

mccann

I wish I did have some good "perspective" on CAA vs. TAB Express, but I really don't know much about the Comair Academy. The "comair invasion" thread on this forum has some good info from philiplane, bobbysamd, and 172driver. It sounds like they've got a very good program at Comair Academy that, according to 172 driver, gives you a pretty good shot at getting hired at Comair.

Unfortunately, as bobbysamd has said, there really are not many gaurantees in this business at this time. Nobody graduating from TAB lately is getting any jobs. We have kept a couple of guys on as primary instructors that had a CFI when they came to TAB.

We've had a number of CFI's come to TAB to get some "advanced" training in CRM/multi-crew ops and turbine time to put on the resume, as well as to try and make sure that when they do get hired by a regional that they are ready for the training they will go through - i.e., they want to make sure they don't wash out of training when they do get their big chance to work for an airline.

As far as your concerns about washing out of TAB training, fergitabowtit!!! It appears you have a helicopter comm/inst. Are you a military trained helicopter pilot? If so, you won't have any trouble at TAB. Nobody with any enthusiasm and desire and a basic flight aptitude will have any trouble.

I'd like to think that TAB might be a quicker way to a regional than getting a CFI and spending a couple years instructing, but right now there is just not a lot of hiring acivity, and the jobs that are available have a lot of high time furloughees and CFI's that are going after them.

If you are a military trained helicopter pilot, you are prime meat for getting hired at a regional. Your total time is a little low, but they value military trained pilots highly. We've had at least one Army RW guy last summer that had about twice as much time as you. He went through the program and got scarfed up by ACA in a flash!

TAB has a couple of programs for pilots that already have some ratings. It's still expensive, but you can get your ME in the Seneca, and then build either 50 or 100 hours of Kingair time, and a bunch of simulator and ground school stuff that I think would help anybody get through their training at a regional when they get the chance.

TAB also has some other interesting stuff brewing. I've seen the correspondence from an FAR 142 outfit that is highly interested in developing a relationship with TAB. Part 142 governs "Training Centers" with advanced training devices and simulators. This outfit does a lot of training for airlines. Many of the pilots that come to them for Boeing and Airbus training are not quite up to speed and ready for the advanced training in the big airplane sims. Apparently they want to link up with TAB to supply some lower end training. This would give TAB the ability to do 142 training and supply pilots who have been through 142 training to any number of regional airlines. I still don't think there are going to be any firm gaurantees of jobs, but I'll try and post more info when we get it.

Best to you, whatever route you take.

TriDriver Bob

 

[bobbysamd]

TAB

Unfortunately, as bobbysamd has said, there really are not many gaurantees in this business at this time. Nobody graduating from TAB lately is getting any jobs. We have kept a couple of guys on as primary instructors that had a CFI when they came to TAB . . . .I'd like to think that TAB might be a quicker way to a regional than getting a CFI and spending a couple years instructing, but right now there is just not a lot of hiring acivity, and the jobs that are available have a lot of high time furloughees and CFI's that are going after them.

Once again, thanks for your objectivity, Mr. Tri.

 

[CFI'er]

The real good thing about TAB is, Mitch has told me
that if you do not get hired right away and do go out
and get a CFI and work as a flight instructor (or
non-flying job for that matter), TAB will always bring
you back for some sim and King Air flying in the future
to get you spun up for an interview when you get one
later in the future.

Ask Mitch to put into writing. It ain't gonna happen my friend. If you read TAB's ads, you will automatically bet hired when you complete their training programs. What a line of BS. Read between the lines of the contract. Do you see where they promise to bring you back for sim and King Air flying?

 

[727Mania]

Do you see where they promise to bring you back for sim and King Air flying?


Actually.. It's in the contract...

 

[CFI'er]

At what cost and how much time. I would like to read the part of the contract that states that TAB will give you free sim and King Air time.

 

[T-Gates]

The FAA.Gov web-site only lists ratings of pilots who hold a current medical certificate. If you let your medical lapse, you are deleted from the site.

Not True, my Uncle who retired from Eastern in 1978 is still listed on the site. His last medical was issued in 1977. The captain of Eastern flight 401 who died in 1972, is also still listed.

--03M

 

[JD2003]

Just to add my .02 cents, I view the training offered by Tab as a matter of opportunity cost. Opportunity cost being the value of something foregone for another choice made.

In my cost analysis, the opportunity cost of becoming 14,000/yr CFI for two years as a means of attracting an employer could potentially be greater than the cost of attending a four month program such as that offered by TAB. Factor in also what the CFI ratings will cost and it is a rather hefty sum; perhaps comparable or greater than TAB. Throw into the mix the foregone income that could have been earned in another endeavour.

Weighing the other side, a student engaged in King Air training and logging PIC time in turbine aircraft on non-revenue loft type routes, may well have lower Total Time but has gained a different experience that won't necessarily be obtained logging a greater number of hours as a CFI.

not selling the place...just a viable "choice" of similar "cost" compared to being an instructor.