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[Caveman]

General Tso,

Your training plan is the right idea except it won't work at Riddle. I have a two year degree in general studies from an accredited school. I decided that I probably should finish up and get my four year degree so I contacted the local satellite campus of Riddle to see what it would cost. At the time I already was a CFII, MEI and had about 1200 dual given. They gave me 36 hours credit for my flight time and certificates. So far so good. I figured my two year degree plus basically a year credit for ratings and I'll have to do about a years worth of classes to get a BS in Aeronautical Science degree from ERAU. Maybe 40-45 credit hours tops. Wrong! Take my two year degree and add in the flight time credit of 36 hours and they still wanted me to do another 90 hours or so! Essentially they wanted me to do another three years of school. They gave me a grand total of 6 credit hours for all of my associate degree. My degree wasn't from Harvard but it was a legitimate accredited school. I knew that some classes may not have transferred but only 6 credit hours out of almost 70?!? It's all about the money.

 

[generaltso]

Caveman:

I understand what your saying, and I am sure you are not the first to be shafted like that. ERAU is a school, but a business too. They want to make money. But, it is also a place where they are MANY ways around things. In my 4 years there, on several occasions I had to use non standard techniques to "get what I wanted" (since I am the customer).

To get around what happened to you, what you could do is apply and enroll in the school. Take a distance class or something (you may not have to take anything). Then, submit the paperwork for request to take off campus classes. They are probably A LOT more inclined to give you permission and then credit, then just give you the credit.

The bulk of the credit at ERAU is the aviation classes, and it is difficult to get credit for those. About 65 credits (this depends on your area of concentration, minors, etc.) of the 120 are aero sci classes, most of which you must take at ERAU.

The 6 credits deal sounds bogus, but typical. If you've got the BS diploma from ERAU, they are going some $$ from ya.



Wiggums:

The guard is one way, but I don't think it is the fastest way to the majors. I am not discounting it at all, I think it is a great option... but if your ultimate goal is the majors as quick as you can, I think your better of staying out of the military.

 

[NSUDemon]

aero99: you are right. i stated what i was trying to say wrong. first off i am enrolled at a part 141 flight school. if you dont believe me visit www.nsula.edu look under aviation. second what i was trying to say is the paper work and b.s. is alot more at a 141 school, and you must under go stage checks before you procede to a different section of your syllabus. in 61 stage checks dont exsist, at least not where i trained. these stage checks must be taken with the chief flight instructor who, generally, is very busy and can be tough to schedule flights with, which can slow your training down signifigantly. and this might just be at nsu, but we get appointed a time slot at the begining of every semester.

 

[jaybird]

OMG 32 posts in one day and counting thats gotta be a record.

Point blank! If you want an aviation education go to Riddle. If you want a college experience with women go somewheres else.

 

[ScRaMJeT]

Your comment makes no sense!

Your comment makes no sense!

Geez

 

[Floyd94]

National Flight Team Meet??? I don't think I have ever heard of something so freakin gay... If I had seen them shuttin there engines down together, taxing in formation (youve got to be sh#ting me!) and struttin around the ramp like idiots, I would have busted a nut laughing at them! Its unbelievable what these kids are thinkin.. Anyway, to the original poster, get your tickets through a part 61 school and go to a good public university and get a degree that has nothing to do with aviation... trust me, ...my buddies that have kids in college and that are on furlough whish they had.... my .02

 

[NSUDemon]

i give up

that'll do it for me, i'll go kill myself now..

 

[Bluto]

Generaltso,
You laid down some good advice on your previous post. However, as a Riddle grad myself, I'd really appreciate it if you spell-checked your posts before bragging about the fine quality of education you received at ERAU.

To everyone who recommends a non-aviation degree in the event of a furlough, I must say a college degree with no practical experience is next to worthless in today's market. I have furloughed buddies with business degrees driving a school bus. Granted, I wish I had more options now, but having another degree doesn't guarantee a job either.

 

[SheGaveMeClap]

Floyd,

That was no joke. Those Riddle guys taxied in formation all the way to the ramp, parked four abreast, and pulled the mixtures all at the same time so the engines quit simultaneously. It made me half ill. Then they paraded around the ramp in their pajamas that looked like a Navy flight suit. Give me a break. If Riddle turns you into a queer like them, I'm glad I had nothing to do with the school. However, I have three good friends from my airline that attended Riddle and none of them are like that. The three of them always made fun of the flying team guys. Rightfully so. On the other hand, I know many more people who attended Riddle and probably were on the flying team. We make fun of them now. I really don't like flying with 'em. Most of them came from the semen-hole at ERAU and can't fly the RJ to save their lives. As they say, if it doesn't kill you, it only makes you stronger. I have a new respect for the IOE check airmen who fly with these guys.

 

[MetroSheriff]

I remember my ASA interview well. They made us do precision landings, synchronized taxi, and drop flour bombs from the deck of the ATR sim. The Riddle and UND boys kicked my ass, boy howdy. Then we had an E6B spinning competition and they smoked me again. It was real humiliating.

Please tell me that those fight-team hot shots weren't wearing silk scarves....


Note to moderator: I think this entire thread should be moved to the YGSM! forum.

 

[NSUDemon]

listen up, i know im about to get bashed pretty hard, but i go to these flight meetings, im not a hard core flight team member but i think they are fun to go to. i could careless if i ,or nsu for that matter, wins anything. maybe it sounds stupid for people that fly airplanes bigger than a 152, but for a small timers that go to small podunk universities its not that bad. oh yeah, one more thing I'M NOT GAY!!!

 

[bobbysamd]

Stage Checks

I must agree with a poster from way back in the thread that the portions dealing with flight teams are inane. I realize I added a comment above about flight teams. I will say, though, that one of my students at Riddle was a flight team member who won the NIFA instrument flying competition. I take no credit for that; he was already sharp when I got him. This same student eventually got on with Mesa and made Captain at its operation in Ohio - can't remember the specific airline - perhaps Skyway.

Scheduling stage checks at both Riddle and FSI really was no problem. Both schools had plenty of stage check pilots to go around. I checked pilots at both schools. Riddle stage checks were indeed known to be brutal. I think politics really played a role. Also, many Riddle stage check pilots were really not mature enough to handle the role fairly. I can say that because I was pushing 40 when I gave stage checks at Riddle. I gave pre-stage checks at FSI. A couple of the FSI stage check pilots could be hardasses, but one was very fair with one of my students. I recall that he was having trouble with his oral and instead of outright unsatting him, she let him take a break so he could gather his wits. I appreciated that.

The flight team "discussion" aside, this hasn't been a bad thread. Riddle isn't everyone's cup of tea. Neither is FSI. Choose what's best for your needs, but be sure to get that degree.

 

[SF3CAP]

For you ERAU/FSI guys: What are you paying per month for your student loans? Just curious. I'm just wondering if there's anything left for food after your flight school bills.

 

[FlyinBrian]

General tso: good chicken.

General's post is the only well thought out pro-ERAU post that I've seen on this board. When I was up at Riddle, the flight team was a joke to everyone also. They wore their little jackets with "Golden Eagles" emblazoned on them and walked around like they were the coolest. They were also the ones who went to the Prescott High School football games to pick up chicks. If you do want to go to Riddle, the General's way is the best way to do it. It's still going to be more expensive than public school, but you will still save several thousand on your flight training, and not have to put up with the "Riddle run-around" at the top-heavy, over-bureaucratic flight school. I hate to just repeat everything he said, but he also makes great points that whatever they tell you about direct-hire programs, they are full of it, and the Riddle degree does not carry the prestige in the industry that Riddle grads would like to think it does. The actual (non-aviation) classes at the Universtiy were very good, and the small-school feel was really nice.

I would still recommend getting a non-aviation degree. Maybe Aerospace or computer Engineering if you can hack it. But congrats to the General. Excellent post!

 

[av8instyle]

pretty disgusting!

Well, I though I could gain a little insight on other schools by reading this thread. All I've seen is bashing. So I'll throw a couple of points out there:

1-Background: I did two years of college at U of Alaska aviation program while flying for a 121/135 commuter. Switched to ERAU extended campus to finish. They gave me credit for my two years and ratings. I think I did about 40ish credits with ERAU.

2-The instructors I had at both schools were outstanding. What I liked most was that all classes that weren't aviation driven (calculus, physics, etc.) were still taught using aviation examples. The reason I preferred this was because I have a genuine love of all things aviation and it kept my interest so much that I truly believe my GPA was better because of it. This had a direct impact on my resume.

3-I don't have a problem with people that center everything on aviation, including their degree, because they probably don't have an interest on things such as criminal justice or underwater basket weaving. If you lose your medical there are still a lot of options with an AS degree, such as sim instructing, ground school instructing, aviation college instructing, management, safety, ALPA, AOPA, etc, etc.

4-I think bashing the people that do the flying team thing is both disrespectful, and repulsive. I didn't do it and don't know too much about it, but I'm pretty sure that these kids probably love what they're doing. They probably look at it as a way to better their skills at something they love and also as a way to meet more people. You're right about one thing-they won't do stuff like that at the majors. So WHY NOT do it while you have the chance.
Not everyone can hit a collegiate fastball, so this is an activity that they can participate in. I will say that in no way can you rate an education based on a flying competition.

5-Everyone at the airlines has a different path and story, so there is no best way to get there except stay motivated, focused, and no matter how you do it, GET IT DONE!

6-I am in the guard and without question I can say that it is absolutely the SLOWEST way to get to a major! I think I average about 175 hrs a year flying the F-16. You'll get a little more in heavies, but you won't start getting PIC time until about 3-4 years after you put on the flightsuit. Right now while the majors aren't hiring is the time for regional pilots to get that fighter guard slot you want. A guy going to UPT right now can expect to be released for civilian employment in about three years.

Best of luck, and quit calling fellow pilots "gay", unless they really are (not that there's anything "wrong with that").