What to do after the private?

[gkrangers]

Nobody is flaming or trying to justify anything. Its just annoying when someone comes into a thread, spouts there anti ERAU thing, and then says "flame away" or something stupid like that.

Everyone in this thread agrees with you, so I don't know why you feel the need to be a dick about it.

If you attend ERAU, or UND, or WMU, or wherever...don't get the "professional pilot" degree. I'm in the Safety program here at ERAU. Gonna serve me a heck of a lot better than that Aeronatuical Science degree would.

 

[G2T]

You people can sit around trying to justify spending $120,000+ for a silly aviation degree from a big named school all that you want, but the bottom line is that you don't need it and you aren't going to end up any better off for it. I have the same job as many ERAU or UND grads, and I've already paid off all of my debt. Flame away.

$120,000??? Absolutely not. Some student loans? Sure, we're not all independently wealthy (since I didn't win the powerball jackpot the other night). If I was in debt up to $120,000 I would have my ratings, a four year degree AND BE A HOME OWNER in Grand Forks. Or possibly I would be able to put M.D. after my name.

$40,000 PVT-CommMeInst, CFII
http://flightops.aero.und.edu/facts/costs.asp
Approx. $6000/YR for tuition, that's a total of about $65,000.

 

[Fugawe]

Get yer ratings at the local FBO

Go to college and get a degree in something useful- make alot of money
buy a airplane and fly it for fun-as a job, flying, and anything associated with it SUCKS

become a lawyer

Ha, gotta agree that this is the best advice here. Except the part about being a lawyer, YGBSM, don't we have an overload of them now? Friggin' ambulance chasers are all over TV commercials, billboards, etc because there isn't enough work for them, so they make it up.

Learn to invest, work toward financial independence, don't spend your life working for someone else.

Flying can be fun, satisfying, challenging, etc -- but it does suck as a 'career'.

Fugawe

 

[pilotyip]

A college degree has nothing to do with flying an airplane. If you want to be a pilot buy your ratings and start flying, do your degree on the side. Going to college getting a degree in accounting and then spending 10 years trying to build your flying career, makes the college degree nearly useless to land a good job. You have to decide what you want to be. Just a thought but look into joining the Army's flight program no degree required.

 

[Alex429595]

Get your ratings outside of ERAU or UND and go to a real college. You'll save money and have more fun overall!

The University of North Dakota =is= a real college. Its just your average state university, plus a flight dept. Less than 10 % of the student body (13,000 total) are in aviation. I would also say that the vast majority of our aviation students (myself included) are double majoring in something non aviation.

 

[SkyBoy1981]

$40,000 PVT-CommMeInst, CFII
http://flightops.aero.und.edu/facts/costs.asp
Approx. $6000/YR for tuition, that's a total of about $65,000.

So are you telling me that you can got a Bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Science from ERAU for $65,000? I understand you went to UND, and perhaps their program is significantly less. If so then I was wrong for including UND in my original statement. Most of my negative opinions are toward ERAU.

Perhaps gkrangers can enlighten us on the current costs for the entire Aeronautical Science program. My understanding is that it runs in the 120k to 150k range.

And for gkrangers, in all honesty I'm not trying to be a d!ck. My best friend goes to Riddle and he reacts the same way whenever I go into my fits about his school. Like I've told him, I'm not attacking you personally, but I think the school that you attend is a rip off. I understand the whole school pride thing, but that is my opinion which I am entitled to. I simply don't want to see some of these kids put themselves into decades of debt over some school thinking that it is the only way or even the best way to become an airline pilot, because it isn't.

 

[J.C.Airborne]

After Private?

PFC
Lance Corporal
Corporal
Sergeant
Staff-Sergeant
Gunnery- Sergeant
First Sergeant
Sergeant-Major

Below Private comes:

Navy Ensign and black shoe J.G.'s
All Air Force officers

that was kind of lame have to say.

 

[Guitar rocker]

UND may be cheap as far as getting a degree.........but when it comes to aviation costs, it aint cheap. Yah, I was there for 4 years..........the flying part was good, as long as you had the right instructor. Not much in the way of standardization though. If you were doing a phase check, one guy would bust you for not having the beacon on while another would basically let you crash the plane and you would still pass.

Overall, you would be better off doing your ratings with a good instructor at an FBO somewhere and you will save some money. Get a degree in something that you can fall back on though.

 

[VNugget]

Go get a tailwheel checkout and some acro lessons.

 

[J.C.Airborne]

So are you telling me that you can got a Bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Science from ERAU for $65,000? I understand you went to UND, and perhaps their program is significantly less. If so then I was wrong for including UND in my original statement. Most of my negative opinions are toward ERAU.

Perhaps gkrangers can enlighten us on the current costs for the entire Aeronautical Science program. My understanding is that it runs in the 120k to 150k range.

And for gkrangers, in all honesty I'm not trying to be a d!ck. My best friend goes to Riddle and he reacts the same way whenever I go into my fits about his school. Like I've told him, I'm not attacking you personally, but I think the school that you attend is a rip off. I understand the whole school pride thing, but that is my opinion which I am entitled to. I simply don't want to see some of these kids put themselves into decades of debt over some school thinking that it is the only way or even the best way to become an airline pilot, because it isn't.

UND is significantly cheaper due to the fact that it is a public school...especially if you live in a state that reciprocity or Western Undergraduate Exchange programs applies to. I agree with you that ERAU is a considerable waste of money due to the fact that UND is just as good as ERAU and sooooo much less than ERAU.

 

[J.C.Airborne]

UND may be cheap as far as getting a degree.........but when it comes to aviation costs, it aint cheap. Yah, I was there for 4 years..........the flying part was good, as long as you had the right instructor. Not much in the way of standardization though. If you were doing a phase check, one guy would bust you for not having the beacon on while another would basically let you crash the plane and you would still pass.

Overall, you would be better off doing your ratings with a good instructor at an FBO somewhere and you will save some money. Get a degree in something that you can fall back on though.

If you do everything you are supposed to do then they have no reason to bust you....thats my philosophy.

 

[Guitar rocker]

If you do everything you are supposed to do then they have no reason to bust you....thats my philosophy.

Yah, that would be the realistic approach...............but, it wasnt that way.

 

[Alex429595]

UND is significantly cheaper due to the fact that it is a public school...especially if you live in a state that reciprocity or Western Undergraduate Exchange programs applies to. I agree with you that ERAU is a considerable waste of money due to the fact that UND is just as good as ERAU and sooooo much less than ERAU.

I wouldnt go trashing on ERAU....they ARE just as good as UND, and they really dont cost that much more......and they give much better financial aid. Plus, its a lot warmer down there!

 

[J.C.Airborne]

I wouldnt go trashing on ERAU....they ARE just as good as UND, and they really dont cost that much more......and they give much better financial aid. Plus, its a lot warmer down there!

No one is trashing ERAU...i am just saying that its a waste of money since UND is so much cheaper and just as good if not better, and i dont know what you got...but i wasnt offered nearly as much financial aide as i was at UND. Even if your statement is true, they would need to offer more financial aide anyway because they cost so much more. And its not warm...its HOT...HOT AS HELL!

 

[Alex429595]

No one is trashing ERAU...i am just saying that its a waste of money

"Not that theres anything wrong with it, its just a complete waste of money."

Many of the people who go to, and have graduated from one of the finest aviation academies in the world might disagree with your immature labeling of it as a "waste of money."

 

[Slice121]

The University of North Dakota =is= a real college. Its just your average state university, plus a flight dept. Less than 10 % of the student body (13,000 total) are in aviation. I would also say that the vast majority of our aviation students (myself included) are double majoring in something non aviation.

You're right I was speaking more to the ERAU side of things. That beign said, I would have tried for ASU or FSU if I had to do it over...

 

[J.C.Airborne]

"Not that theres anything wrong with it, its just a complete waste of money."

Many of the people who go to, and have graduated from one of the finest aviation academies in the world might disagree with your immature labeling of it as a "waste of money."

Thanks for misquoting me...if your going to qoute me...do it right. We have a name for what you have done...its called libel. As for my immature labeling...well its not immature if its true...which it is. Immature is misquoting someone. As i said...there is nothing wrong with ERAU...its a great school...but they are overpriced plain and simple...even the students their can attest to that. Dont give me this attitude that im an ERAU hater...im not...im just facing facts...and if you go to ERAU...more power to you...its a great school...im sure ill fly with one of their graduates some day...i have many friends who attend ERAU...however...the fact of the matter is...they are wasting money. For some people its worth it to waste the money just because of the prestige of the university...or they just like the campus...who knows why people go to erau...the reasons are endless... but they are still wasting money if you can get the exact same education somewhere else for cheaper.

 

[Alex429595]

We have a name for what you have done...its called libel.

No, it isn't.

Libel: 2 a : a written or oral defamatory statement or representation that conveys an unjustly unfavorable impression

And you.....sure like to....use this.....a lot.....huh?

You need to take a grammer class, and maybe a spelling class too. Where is Tony C when you need him?

 

[Alex429595]

You're right I was speaking more to the ERAU side of things. That beign said, I would have tried for ASU or FSU if I had to do it over...

In reality I was just nitpicking, I know what you are talking about. You go to an aviation college, and everyone is just bursting with excitement about aviation. Aviation this, Aviation that. You eat, sleep, and play with other male pilots. I can't personally say that its not the college experience, but I am glad I go to UND. I am happy for friends that are in other fields besides aviation. I am happy that we actually have some women to hang out with too! That being said, I do have a lot of friends who came out of ERAU, loved it, claim it was worth every penny spent, and attribute their success partly to it. Its not for everyone. Then again, neither is the local FBO and a degree in Economics. What is a "waste of money" to someone may well be worth every penny to someone else.

<rant>One thing that really does piss me off (and I GO to UND) are the few folks here that think that they are better than all the other pilots. There are people here that think they are higher quality pilot material than someone who trained at their local part 61 FBO. I really resent that. Being from UND doesnt make you a better pilot than anyone else out there. These ass clowns need to wake up and realize they arent God's gift to aviation just because they go to a big name school. <rant/>

 

[SkyBoy1981]

Many of the people who go to, and have graduated from one of the finest aviation academies in the world might disagree with your immature labeling of it as a "waste of money."

I haven't met any. The only Riddle grads I know (and I know quite a few) who are content with their education there are the ones that had mommy and daddy paying for it. Those who had to put themselves into such a ridiculous amount of debt at such an early stage of life just to get a job flying RJ's for $20k a year actually seem to have very bitter feelings towards the place. I don't blame them, I would too. Keep in mind, these are people in their late 20's to early 30's who are trying to start families while still working for peanuts and trying to pay off a neverending trail of school loans. Obviously your newly graduated Riddle buds who just got a job flying their shiney new RJ's are going to have a different opinion, but give them about 4 or 5 years and it will change. My roommate is a Riddle grad, he has nothing good to say about it.