starting in june

speedsta5

Well-Known Member
[FONT=&quot]Hey everyone, I was just curious on how beneficial it is to come in with just under 35 hours of flight time?

I started training over the past summer but didn’t get done before my senior year of college started. It has been very difficult for me to get it done while still in school and I am borrowing a limited sum of money from my parents. I feel that I will go past the time that I have money for since my training has slowed down so much.

Would it be a waist of hours if I came to FSA with 35 hours without my PPL?

Should I find a way to get the PPL done before I get to Vero?[/FONT]
 
Do your training at a local FBO and save yourself $50,000. Do you really want to start out and be 22 yrs old with $100k in debt? The airlines do not care where you get your training. Don't get sucked into the "Top Gun" of civilian training. I did and I regret it every month when I pay that stupid loan. You can get quality training for a lot less. The FlighSafety name sounds good but means absolutely nothing in an interview. ( I had interviews where people laughed at me for getting ripped off for my training.) Chase the dream, but use common sense. Good luck to you!
 
Get your PPL before you come down.

The training is great - expensive - but great if you have the time and money. Repaying the loan is not bad if you plan to become an instructor after training.

It hurts if you skip instructing and try to make a living while paying a loan on a regional salary ($18,000). Probably what crjsomeday is referring to......
 
There is alot more to aviation than airlines.

FSA can help break into the 135/91 Charter/Corp world too. Each route can work, so I guess there is no right way about it.

But I am guessing it would cost around 55000 for Comm Single and Multi, Intstrument, CFI/II/MEI.

Just remember there is alot FSA can do for you if you use the resources available. The name in the airline world means nothing, no arguing that, but the name should not be the reason people attend FSA.

FSA opened a door I would never have been able to get elsewhere. To each their own.

J- hows life man??
 
Thanks for the advice guys. I will really try and get my PPL done before I come down.

But if I was not able to get it done for some reason how much credit does it give me to come in with some experience or do they just have to evaluate were I am at when I get down there?

I do understand the cost of Flight Safety and I do know that I can get the certifications done cheaper at my FBO I am currently training at but I find that the more structure I have the quicker and better I learn. That is one of the main reasons why I am struggling with finishing my PPL at the FBO that I am at now.

I really want to instruct for a year or two (hopefully at FSA) then I would love to fly frieght for a few years and see where that takes me.
 
At FSA I will say that there is structure if that is what you need to learn your best. It also is probably one of the best instructing jobs you can get, hours, pay, students, etc. A slow progression as in instructing and flying freight will give you the experience advantage for sure. Those who jumped to the regional world early and got furloughed with very low time probably wish they had done it the way you plan to. As far as the money goes, track every dollar, PREPARE FOR EACH FLIGHT the better you do this on the ground the less money you will spend in the air.
 
Thanks for the advice guys. I will really try and get my PPL done before I come down.

But if I was not able to get it done for some reason how much credit does it give me to come in with some experience or do they just have to evaluate were I am at when I get down there?

I do understand the cost of Flight Safety and I do know that I can get the certifications done cheaper at my FBO I am currently training at but I find that the more structure I have the quicker and better I learn. That is one of the main reasons why I am struggling with finishing my PPL at the FBO that I am at now.

I really want to instruct for a year or two (hopefully at FSA) then I would love to fly frieght for a few years and see where that takes me.
I believe not positive that transfering 141 to 141 allows you to transfer 50% of your hours after the time you did your first solo.... something like that. Not sure about 61 but it is probably something similar.
 
I believe not positive that transfering 141 to 141 allows you to transfer 50% of your hours after the time you did your first solo.... something like that. Not sure about 61 but it is probably something similar.

Sure.... some of it would transfer, however, I wouldn't want him to spend extra money trying to become "familiar" with the FSA way of flying right before his PPL. I think it would be easier and less expensive starting in step 2 (time building).
 
There is alot more to aviation than airlines.

FSA can help break into the 135/91 Charter/Corp world too. Each route can work, so I guess there is no right way about it.

But I am guessing it would cost around 55000 for Comm Single and Multi, Intstrument, CFI/II/MEI.

Just remember there is alot FSA can do for you if you use the resources available. The name in the airline world means nothing, no arguing that, but the name should not be the reason people attend FSA.

FSA opened a door I would never have been able to get elsewhere. To each their own.

J- hows life man??

Cannot complain. Work 4 days a week with 48 paid hours. I love it! And I don't have to mess with AMS:nana2:
 
i would highly recommend coming in with PPL, i came in with hours, but no PPL from a part 141 school, and they refused to credit me with any hours..
 
Thanks again guys. Sounds like the thing to do is try and find a way to get my PPL done before I come down.

By the way, how many students are at FSA right now and how is the school doing?

Are people still happy with the school?

I visited vero last march but have not really heard much about whats going on down there since.
 
i would highly recommend coming in with PPL, i came in with hours, but no PPL from a part 141 school, and they refused to credit me with any hours..

WHY? FAR 141.77 paragraph 2 says that they can give you credit towards their 141 program, with the stipulation that it can't exceed 25% of the curriculum requirements and it requires a proficiency check. Heck, even WITH a PPL I got a PC check from them, but that's just stupid that the wouldn't give you ANY credit at all...how many part 61 hours did you have?
 
Thanks again guys. Sounds like the thing to do is try and find a way to get my PPL done before I come down.

By the way, how many students are at FSA right now and how is the school doing?

Are people still happy with the school?

I visited vero last march but have not really heard much about whats going on down there since.

last i heard it was around 300ish?

im sure there are a lot of international students seeing as the u.s. economy, and the airline outlook is.. to put it nicely.. bleak.
 
WHY? FAR 141.77 paragraph 2 says that they can give you credit towards their 141 program, with the stipulation that it can't exceed 25% of the curriculum requirements and it requires a proficiency check. Heck, even WITH a PPL I got a PC check from them, but that's just stupid that the wouldn't give you ANY credit at all...how many part 61 hours did you have?

none part 61, around 50 141 hours, i was doing check-ride prep when i left my first school for Vero, and had to start over.. but i did blow through ppl very easily.. hah


DF is the one who did my initial logbook audit.. apparently it wasn't to her liking.
 
Sounds like you expected to land a job just because you went to FlightSafety, if that was your expectation then expect to be disappointed. FlightSafety has good training, good equipment and good contacts. What you do with that is up to the individual.

If I hadn't gone to FSA I wouldn't have had all the opportunities that I did through the first officer internship program at the FSI Atlanta simulator training center. In addition to receiving free initial training on several corporate aircraft, I got paid to do so and learned invaluable experience working as a crew with a vast variety of pilots. I also got to fly several types of actual corporate aircraft as a paid contract pilot as a result of my contacts through FlightSafety. I was hired on the spot for two different CFI jobs, the flight schools said they had rarely seen such a well prepared flight lesson presentation. In fact based on my training and experience with FlightSafety I was offered a job at my current airline without even taking a simulator ride. So saying where you train doesn't matter is a load of bull in my opinion.

Do your training at a local FBO and save yourself $50,000. Do you really want to start out and be 22 yrs old with $100k in debt? The airlines do not care where you get your training. Don't get sucked into the "Top Gun" of civilian training. I did and I regret it every month when I pay that stupid loan. You can get quality training for a lot less. The FlighSafety name sounds good but means absolutely nothing in an interview. ( I had interviews where people laughed at me for getting ripped off for my training.) Chase the dream, but use common sense. Good luck to you!
 
If your self motivated going the FBO route is cheaper and just as effective. I went the FBO route and paid around 20k for all my ratings through CFII. The only thing that trips people up is finding a job after training at a FBO if their FBO isnt busy. Luckily the FBO I trained at has a ton of students do to a foreign flight school that flies there. Also having the cheapest aircraft rental rates in the county draws in alot of students. But if your self motivated I would say go the FBO route. I had no problem finding a corporate gig and I learned to fly at a FBO. I acutally got my corporate gig because of contacts I made while flying at a FBO.
 
Well, its not where you train, it is HOW you train.


That being said, the Learning Centers that FlightSafety has can be some of the best contact and oppertunities that you would not get elsewhere. I too am doing the SIC program thanks to FSA and I currently work at FSI Toledo and I am an SIC for the Citation 650 and Citaiton 560XL. It is a great oppertunity to meet people and learn how they fly.
 
There was never an expectation of job just because of the FlightSafety name, you would be an idiot if you thought that the name would do it. However, the fact still remains that it does not matter where you train if you work hard and network to get your name out there. Flightsafety charges a premium for their training, in my opinion(and I am just one person) it was not worth it. Due to the unfortunate state of the economy and rapidly declining wages for pilots and more furloughs coming this spring, training for a lower price and exposing yourself to less debt is a probably a good plan. Try this first, find out how much it will cost, then figure out how much the monthly payment is, and then realize how pathetic your pay will be for many years. It does not leave a very large number to live off of. This is not meant to bash Flighsafety but offer an alternative opinion.
 
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