NDPilot,
As I stated before, my intentions were not to flame anyone, current or past student.
I looked very heavily at UND when I was searching for a flight school, but in the end, I decided the cost-to-benefit ratio wasn't worth it.
I went to a university just a couple of hours south of you. Our flight program has gone from 15 to 225 students in the last 4 years. I had the honor of working with several former UND students and instructors who decided to "jump ship." Why did they decide to leave? More personal, one-on-one training from instructors who are also your friends, and more real-world flying experience. Our instructors, EVERY SINGLE ONE, had a genuine interest in the well being of our students. The lack of this at UND was the major concern of all the students who came over to our school. They felt like a number as opposed to a person.
I agree that the student must be diligent and self-motivated to become a good pilot. However, a lot of guidance is required to make a great pilot. If I had to learn everything on my own, I wouldn't know crap about flying. You can pick up tips and techniques just in general conversation with other pilots. I'm not saying that an instructor should hold a students hand, but he/she should definitely be walking right beside the students on their journey. Many instructors forget that they are also still students of aviation, and that the CFI ticket is really a license to learn.
Pilots at my school paid less than one third the cost of UND for the same ratings and a 4-year aviation degree, and yet our graduates seem to be finding jobs. We don't have any ties to any airline, no "300 hour to an RJ" programs. We don't have a "10,000 hour to an RJ" program. Employers like our graduates because of the great real world flying experience we get. Our students and instructors routinely fly to Denver, Minneapolis, Chicago, Kansas City, Texas, California, New York, Florida, etc. Many of our instructors have 100+ actual instrument. We aren't all about "getting our ratings as fast as we can". That's not something to brag about. A lot of experience and decision-making skills are lost in that process, and that is not beneficial to anyone.
I am glad that UND is working for well for you. I applaud your efforts. I fully support and respect all fellow pilots. Unfortunately, this is an industry that will not breed jobs for all of our graduates. Would I recommend a student to pay $120,000 as opposed to $40,000 for the same rating and a bachelor degree, especially when they may never get a job? Definitely not. I like the fact that UND has a lot of ties to different programs. But the fact remains that hiring is and will remain tight for quite sometime. Of the 9 airlines mentioned between us, only 1 is hiring, and they require previous 121 experience.
I feel bad enough for the people in our program that paid $30,000-$40,000 for training and will not get a job. I feel especially bad for the people in your program who paid $90,000-$120,000.
Good luck with your career, fly safe, and I hope to see you in the skies sometime...
AWACoff,
I worked Customer Service for Great Lakes for over 3 years and was hired as a pilot after college (turned it down). Our town is a Great Lakes EAS stop and has already announced that we will soon be served by another EAS carrier (to be announced...rumored to be Mesa), and I hear that Lakes may lose EAS all together. When $30 million of your annual income is based on EAS, it would be very difficult to overcome. Also, if the pilots strike, as they unanimously voted to do earlier this month, that could create a whole new world of problems. An inside source informed me that all hiring has been halted until the EAS deal and the strike are worked out.
Other than that, I most definitely agree that Great Lakes has historically been an excellent opportunity for new pilots. I would love to see them pull through these troubled times. A lot of great people work there!
I agree that
