What are some good aviation colleges ?

[big dog1]

What are some good colleges to turn Flight cert. in to credits?

 

[Since 1926]

Embry-Riddle is your best choice. It's the cream of the crop. UND, Purdue, and San Jose State are all good schools too. But they are 2nd rate compared to Embry-Riddle. Good luck.

http://www.erau.edu/0Universe/01/01abouterau.html

 

[Draginass]

Check out:

http://www.aapilots.com/public/flash/mentoring.asp?content_id=1280

 

[ShawnC]

Actually ERAU isn't that bad if you don't have an state college that offers aviation programs. It has the best book education in aviation.

But one thing, avoid flying at Riddle at all costs. Get everything done at home.

Edit: If your profile is correct and you are a FO, that means you have everything done, so never mind last statement.

 

[big dog1]

Which will give most credits for our flight certs?

Thanks

 

[generaltso]

TIME called Riddle "the harvard of the sky". I think it is true. You want the best aviation education you can get, go to Embry-Riddle. It will cost you, but it is the best you can get.

 

[bobbysamd]

Riddle v. the others

I worked at ERAU. I had students who went on to regionals, freight and the majors. I gave a stage check to one of our moderators, who has made it big in corporate flying. Riddle certainly provides a great education and excellent flight training. To a very large degree I believe that you get what you pay for by attending Riddle. It certainly is not the only college that provides a great education and excellent flight training.

U.N.D. is in that category. So is Purdue. Western Michigan appears to provide a good program. Lane Community College in Oregon offers a great program but no multi, from what I understand. LeTourneau University in Texas has a good program. Parkes College in St. Louis. Metro State College of Denver has a good program. The point is there are many fine college flight programs.

Riddle offers a Professional Aeronautics program in which you get credit for your ratings. I don't know how much credit you'll receive; a lot may depend on if you earned them in a 141 program v. 61.

Above all, make sure the college you choose is accredited.

 

[FLYnMONKEYS]

Do yourself a favor and get a degree to fall back on. You can go to any school you want but learn something useful. These days you'll need a degree in something other than aviation so you can still make some money when this industry hits the toilet. OOOps I mean when it hits th etoilet again. My ERAU degree isn't worth a poo stain if I'm not flying.

 

[Spartus]

I'd have to agree with FLYnMONKEYS. Get a degree in something other than aviation. The airlines don't care what the degree is in just as long as you have one. The industries awaful right now, its still gonna be a quite some time before things start to look like they were post sept 11. So if you can't get a CFI job after college you at lest have a different field to fall back on untill something comes along. Oh yea its probably a lot cheeper too.

 

[bayoubandit]

I used to think having a degree in something other than aviation would be beneficial for that "having something to fall back on" thing. The truth is I've seen many people who are furloughed right now who were engineers amongst other things who would not even be looked at. Reasons I have been told are that they've been out of it too long and there are more qualified people to do the job (our life story, right). My point is do whatever makes you happy.

I went to Louisiana Tech. They gave me enough flying credit (I had about 200 hrs when I started) that it knocked off 2 semesters worth of credit. It's a small program and very personal, also very reasonably priced. If I had to do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat. Some of the best times of my life were there.

 

[Illini Pilot]

i am a bit partial, but check out University of Illinois

there are two options, both allowing you to take flight courses for credit(each class is 3-4 credit hours, so you normally can get up to like 25 hrs in 4 years towards your degree). There is an BS in Aviation Human Factors, and also, a "professional pilot curriculum" that will take you through all your ratings, and allow you to get anything from an engineering to a business degree. currently, we have 18 1999 or newer Archer IIIs, 5 2000 or newer Arrows, 4 Brand new Seminoles, 2 older C152s, and a bunch of frasca sims(frasca is based in Urbana). great school, a big 10 school with great social/sporting atmosphere and it allows for an aviation degree or other degree. check it out at www.aviation.uiuc.edu

 

[de727ups]

degree

My opinion is the best degree for aviation is not an aviation degree....and I should know....I went to ERAU, class of 1982.

If you have an area of interest that you enjoy besides aviation, by all means, go for that as it will give you training in something to keep you going when you hit the slow moments in the flying career. If you're lucky like me, flying could become a job where you have a lot of time off to do other things and training in another area you enjoy could lead to other opportunities.

If you do decide to major in aviation. Riddle is an okay school but very expensive. Metro State in Denver is a well known school if you're from Colorado...outside of that, nobody seems to ever mention it. Denver is a great town and the university is right in the middle of it. They have a few aviation degrees and a large indoor sim facility. They allow training at a few quality flight schools which keeps the flying costs way down compared to other places which require you to do it in house.

 

[XLR8]

I'd say go to school wherever you're going to enjoy it the most. When I was getting ready for school, I already had my Pvt and Inst rating. UND was going to make me go through 2 courses and a bunch of flying in order to test out.....cost=Approx $3000.

I ended up going to a state school with a nationally accredited aviation program. All I had to do to get credit for my certificates was going flying ONCE with the schools examiner and take a couple written tests, I think I paid about $20 for, I think it was 8 credits. A lot cheaper than one of the bigger schools. Since it was cheaper than the big schools, I was able to afford a lot more flight time.

Before I graduated I had 1500+ hours and 4 airline job offers, of course that was when they would hire just about anyone.

Anyway, good luck!

 

[daniel]

Looks like alot of great advise here but also looks like alot of people who attended and/or are associated with Embry that are blowing the horn. No doubt they have good programs but certainly no better than any other school necessarily and definitely not compatible pricewise. There are hundreds of smaller flight schools nationwide who now are affiliated with an educational institution offering a degree and the price and convenience is unmatched by any of the larger institutions. Unless a prospective employer is a former student of Embry, ATP's, etc. don't expect any preference from a hiring standpoint. Also, the airspace in Florida is the busiest and also the most dangerous in the nation from a standpoint of accident statistics. We see many students here who have attended schools in Florida attesting to this along with horror stories of spending 1 1/2 hours of a two hour lesson sitting on the ground during taxi and after landing because of the bulk of traffic at these airports. I guess they are learning something called PATIENCE! Anyway, check out your options as thoroughly as possible and good luck!

 

[Iflewjetz]

I graduated from Florida Institute of Technology. I went in with my Private, Instrument, and commercial. I was a Sophomore my second quarter. Finished my Bachelors Degree in 3 years. Like everybody else says, do what you want find something you like. I am furloughed from US Airways and am trying to find out what to do with my life. Take care.
Tony

 

[void]

another alternative

I'd agree with getting a degree other than aviation.

If you do want it though you could something similar to what I, and a bunch of other people did.

You can go to a smaller school and then transfer to a bigger one. It saves money and you still get the same bachelors degree.

I went to a two year school got my associates degree and alot of my ratings and then transfered to a four year school that has been mentioned. I know a lot of people that have done the same and have saved thousands of dollars, if not tens of thousands by doing it that way.

 

[Sphincter Boy]

Check out Louisiana Tech at www.latech.edu.

 

[Since 1926]

TIME called Riddle "the harvard of the sky". I think it is true. You want the best aviation education you can get, go to Embry-Riddle. It will cost you, but it is the best you can get.

Well put. Embry-Riddle really is the Harvard of the Sky. Basically to summarize it in a nutshell, Embry-Riddle offers THE MOST direct-entry programs for jet jobs. I'm talking about both internships and "bridge programs." These are special programs that allow you to go directly to a regional with 300 - 500 hours. ACA is one of them to name a few. Embry-Riddle offers more connections and networking capabilities within the airline industry. The aviation classes are top notch. Where some aviation colleges may touch on turbine aircraft operations, Embry-Riddle thoroughly covers advanced aerodynamics, jet aircraft, and airline operations. Embry-Riddle is a known standard, similar to the Air Force Academy. The airlines know what type of candidate they are getting when they hire an Embry-Riddle graduate. If you want a good alternate school to consider, think about UND. You'll be very cold, and you won't fly much in the winter. But if you want the best, then shoot for the stars and go to Embry-Riddle. That's the best advice I can offer. Good luck and God bless!

 

[jdru25]

If you are looking to finish with an online degree, the ERAU program will give you 35 credit hours if you have 1000 PIC, and 32 credit hours if you have 500 hours of dual instruction given. I also have friends that are with Part 135 and 121 air carriers that recieved 35 credit hours for working with an air carrier. Hope that helps.

 

[Sphincter Boy]

Forget ERAU. Don't let these cheezeballs and their $90K loans try to convice you that Embry Riddle is the end all, be all school of aeronautics and that you won't make it in aviation unless going there. I got to where I am today by hard work, tenacity, and a good education, not because of the name brand of the education. A good meaninful 4-year degree and a lot of hard work and persistance will land you the job you are looking for. Also, personality goes a long way in this profession.

 

[bobbysamd]

Riddle

But if you want the best, then shoot for the stars and go to Embry-Riddle. That's the best advice I can offer. Good luck and God bless!

Riddle downsides include plenty of politics, extreme frustration in getting straight answers to simple questions (known as the "Riddle Runaround"), immature stage check pilots, fat egos, and agenda-promoters. When I worked at Prescott we never had enough airplanes and it was tough for students to fly regularly - maybe that's changed.

The place indeed provides a good education, especially in such things as systems, met, flight phys, etc. ERAU does have connections to internships - but no more or less than other good aviation colleges. Some of our Riddle students were fine pilots; others needed tons and tons of XT to get through. Even then, some could barely meet standards. The FSI and Mesa students I flew with were equally as adept - meaning that everyone must meet the same standards. And, the airlines know what kind of candidate they're getting from other well-known schools and not just Riddle.

ERAU is an alright place - and I think you get what you pay for - but no more than the other schools mentioned in this thread.

 

[Airline Pilot27]

It doesn't matter in aviation which school you obtained your aviation degree from. It doesn't even matter whether you even have an aviation degree. I know a pilot that majored in poultry science....**CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** good stick too.

 

[jdru25]

I agree with bobbysamd. I went to Riddle in the Fall of 1999 and was on defered flight until my second semester because I was not in the "AGATE" program. This was a program that new students with no flight time did their private and instrument ratings at the same time. To make a long story short most of the AGATE kids failed in that program and had to do the normal private license. I managed to get lucky the following semester and I finished my instrument and commercial ratings. I was very fortunate and this put me ahead of the game. My instructors were very good at ERAU, but they are still instructing there from what I hear. My instructors that I had at home went to the Community College of Beaver County and finished a four year at a nearby college here in the Pittsburgh area. Several of them are now at companies like Chautauqua, Executive Jet, Flight Options, and PSA to name a few. Once again in this industry its all about who you know and not what you know. There are many good aviation programs out there so check them all out and find out which one suits you best.

 

[Since 1926]

WRONG!

ERAU does have connections to internships - but no more or less than other good aviation colleges.

Wrong Bobby! You've been in the legal industry too long and don't know what you're talking about. ERAU has the most internships and direct-hire programs hands down. And that's a fact. Embry-Riddle had some really sweet direct-hire programs a few years ago when the regionals were all hiring strong. If they have less now, it's because of the current state of the industry, not a loss of programs. For example- ERAU offered an internship at ASA where you could get hired with minimum time -- 250 hours. ACA required slightly higher flight time.

Take a look at the Continental Internship program. http://www.insidecoair.com/internshipprogram/Internship/requirements.htm

Not offered by UND. But offered by ERAU. That's just one example.

 

[daniel]

250 airline pilots

AMEN DEFTONE!

 

[bobbysamd]

Re: WRONG! I . . . don't . . . think . . . so

Wrong Bobby! You've been in the legal industry too long and don't know what you're talking about. ERAU has the most internships and direct-hire programs hands down . . . .

Maybe I've been away from aviation but I was in it for eleven years as a pilot and professional. To list most of my resume briefly, I worked at ERAU, FSI, Mesa and finally for Arnautical Training Center, which had a foreign airline training contract. Arnautical was owned and operated by United pilots. Therefore, I've seen a representative cross-section of aviation training operations and opportunities and do believe I know whereof I speak, sir.

U.N.D. has pretty good connections, too. ERAU's are no better or worse. ERAU did have a good United internship program - I had a student who attended such a program. Moreover, I doubt rather seriously that ASA will hire anyone at 250 hours total time to fill a right seat. Not even FSI's ASA bridge program sends pilots there with 250 hours!!. Mesa sets up interviews for its good graduates at 300 hours. Actually, last I heard, the only 250-hour job one could get right out of Riddle was a Flight Specialist job - at Riddle.

Let's scrutinize your link to the Continental Internship Program.

General Requirements

The Continental Airlines Flight Operations Internship Program is open to full time students from Purdue, Kent State and students in the Aeronautical Science program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Early in each semester, management personnel from Continental Airlines' Flight Operations Department interview intern candidates. Interested students should contact their Cooperative Education Office for information concerning interview scheduling.

(emphasis added)

Review of the paragraph would reveal that two other schools besides Riddle, one of which being Purdue, which has a good program, offer similar opportunities as ERAU. I would submit that other flight students at colleges not listed here could find their way to this program or others with a little legwork and negotiation.

Once more, ERAU offers connections and opportunities but has not cornered the market. So do plenty of other places.

 

[ShawnC]

Actually the opportunities that one can get at Purdue are better. The best couple of flight students get to fly the President around in his jet. So you can graduate with a type rating and some turbine time.

I know you can attend the B1900D course at ERAU, but all you come out with is a SIC certificate and 20hrs of sim time.

 

[nimtz]

Since1926,

You need to layoff the koolaid or else you will make a real bad airline pilot one day. I flown with alot of captains that went to Riddle. Almost of them say they spent too much money and they wish they would of done things alot differently if they would have known anything about this business when they were younger.

As for the CAL internship, big deal if Riddle is one of the few that offers it. Its only a matter of time before every aviation school that wants to signs on to it. After all interns are great for the airline. You get four months of labor at minimum cost and you are under no guarentee to offer employment later. Do you really think they would refuse candidates from other schools, because they only want the 'highest quality' caliber? To flight ops the simple answer is the more the merrier.

 

[Illini Pilot]

you may have more internships(not many more) but look how many people are competing for them!!!! im sure the ratio of actually getting an internship at a place like ERAU or UND is very low

 

[safepilot24]

Here are my two cents:

First of all, I studied aeronautical engineering for two years because I wanted a meaningful degree in case I could not make it as a pilot. I spent two years trying to relate things I learned from the engineering side to aviation...it did not work. Point is do what you want to do NOW...who knows if there will be a tomorrow. I took so much pride and had so much fun learning at ERAU because it was what I wanted to do. Odds are you will do much better, and have an easier time learning new information when it is something you enjoy.

I would also like to add that maturity plays a large role in pursuing an aviation degree. Honestly, I think I would have wasted my money and probably time had I gone to Riddle right out of high school. Instead, I allowed myself a couple of years to goof off and enjoy life before I got serious. College is supposed to be a growing time in one's life. Make sure you are ready to get serious should you choose to pursue an aviation degree. I know UAL looked at my grades because they wanted to know what type of person I would be in training.

As far as WHICH UNIVERSITY it really depends. Truthfully, it depends on what seems right for you. I really did my homework before choosing a place to study. I can only speak from experience at Riddle...great school but expensive. If you are going to go Riddle, be prepared to work hard so that it feels like you are getting your moneys worth. I have had the chance to work with other interns (UAL) from other universities, and it was interesting to compare. To me, it seems that ERAU, UND, Purdue, and maybe SIU have the best programs (academically, and flight training). Watch out because there are some programs that turn out pilots who need to go back and start on their private license again...San Jose State, Utah State, and Daniel Webster were a couple I had in mind.

Best of luck and I hope it helped.