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Which is better DCA or MAPD? or whatever? 4 training

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eagle1983

Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2005
Posts
10
I am still trying to make and informed decision about which flight school(s) to attend. The delta program really interests me especially from the good things I heard from the FO's and CAPT's that had come from there when I was working for ASA. I've been to mesa's website and their program interests me too. I was a maintenance student at Spartan in Tulsa, OK and the big problem there is lack of equipment and too many overseas students getting to fly over my friends who were paying top dollar out there pocket. So I'm not going there.

The price is not my main concern since its hard to find a good program that doesn't have 30-60 grand price tabs next to it. From my obsevation this has alot to do with maintenance and fuel costs since either aren't cheap. Don't get me wrong I ain't rich, but I'm not afraid to shell out a little more if the program has any weight.

I'm not looking for a miracle and don't expect to get through any school and land a right seat straight out of school. I'm looking more for a good program that can take me anywhere.


Feel free to PM me.
 
Your best bet is probably to get all your ratings (CFII/MEI) and instruct for a while. Those programs are really expensive and if you don't get hired at the guaranteed interview you're out of luck. Even if you do get on, what if you get furloughed? At least with your CFI you have something to fall back on if times get tough.
 
Have you considered ATP? I have done their Multi Engine and Multi Engine Instructor Programs recently. It was a great experience and the cost was very reasonable, equal to or less than some of the mom and pop outfits.
Their programs are priced right, under 40K for everything I think, and you're guaranteed an interview with them. Even if you elect to go somewhere else, you will have had close to 130 hours of multi at the end of the program. So, just instruct for a 6 or 7 months, and you'll have met minimums at most regionals.
 
no i haven't ill look into thanks! allthough if you could tell me more about the program that would be great from your point of view
 
If I had it all to do all over again, I'd either go to another small, local community college (make some calls, you'll be surprised how many have flight school affiliations and classes), or ATP or Sheble's. The problem with ATP is that they want all their money up front (or they used to), which removes all your bargaining power if you get an instructor/situation you don't like.

Don't fall into the trap that MAPD, DCA, etc try and tempt you into. Airlines don't care one bit who trained you, so long as you have the proper skills.
 
cjs said:
Although the FBO route is unquestionably cheaper, keep in mind that as a MAPD grad. you will have a 90% chance of "passing" the interview. Are they still popping grads into the FO seat? I don't know .. you might want to check out http://jetcareers.com/forums/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=UBB16 for the real skinny.

What happens if they stop hiring? I heard for a while there the MAPD grads were waiting upwards of a year to get into the right seat
 
do searches on this thread for all the schools mentioned. if you are looking at DCA in the Sanford area, you might as well check out Epic Aviation:
www.epicaviation.com

They're in new smyrna beach, near daytona. good outfit. you should visit.

another good school i visited was Mazzei: www.flymfs.com
 
There is nothing out there that is worth doing that is easy. If your asking about one of these schools because you think the "structured" program will guide you into your ratings or a seat at an airline then you are mistaken. While sometimes this works, for most it doesn't and he/she just wasted $$ on the same thing they could have done at a local FBO.

Listen!!!! You want to fly for the airlines or corp, this is what you do:

1. Get a 4 yr degree OUTSIDE OF AVIATION, something to fall back on, accounting, engineering, teaching whatever floats your boat.

2. Go to your local FBO, the earlier the better or whenever you have the funds and start flying (preferably you should start when your 15 so you have your ratings by the time you go to college so you build time CFIing while getting a college degree.) Sked about 3 times per week (so you will average 2) and in about 2 to 3 years you will have your comm SEL/MEL and CFI with about 300tt.

2a. Go into the ANG or active military

3. CFI and fly 135 or other multi building time until you have the 135 PIC mins then fly 135 PIC if you can find a 135 PIC job.

4. At 1500tt get your ATP

5. at some point during steps 3 and 4 put your apps in with the commuters/regionals/airlines/fracts or whoever you want to make a career with. Continue to build time and take your first chance for upgrade to turb PIC and update you apps.

6. Hope and pray your luck is good.

Note: step 3 can be replaced with any number of time building jobs (or they could be a career job if you so choose) like dusting crops, traffic, powerline, photo ect.....
Note: any combo of steps 2a thru 6 may work also, but I can tell you you better have plenty of step 6.
 
Ouch .. a year .. might as well have just gone the FBO/instructing route in that case.
 

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