Collegiate Aviation vs. FBO flying

bronxpilot

New Member
Ok, so I've got an important decision to make as to wheather for next year, I should go to UND or stay in the nyc or ny state area and fly at an FBO and continue to go to school and live at home. I'll have my private by april and a year's worth of college credits from City University of New York.
So I compiled a list of positives and negatives for each.

At a good college avation program.....
1.) You'll meet a lot of like minded people who like flying, so it will be easy to make friends
2.) You'll have structured ground school classes to go along with your flying, could help you get done with your writtens quicker
3.) You'll have better oppurtunities for networking and geting a job
4.) By the time you get out, you'll have a degree and job-ready flying credentials
5.) You'll have a more complete aviation understanding and education
6.) You'll get to lead the college life and not have to live at home

NEGATIVES
1.) You'll have to major in Pro Pilot
2.) You'll have to stay in your college town in the summer to fly, and will have to accumulate all of your flying hours through the college, or they won't be accepted
3.) You'll have to fly a given number of times a week at a given time under your issued flight schedule
4.) You'l likeley get young, recent graduate CFI's, and will likely have to change CF's frequently as they graduate and get regional jobs and such

At a good FBO...........
1.) You'll be able to set your own schedule in terms of number of times per week and times for flying
2.) You'll be able to do your flying and your ground seperately from a college and are free to major in anything you want in college
3.) You can switch from school to school more easily, without fear that your flight hours or written knowledge won't transfer into a college degree
4.) You're more likely to get better, more experienced CFI's

NEGATIVES
1.) You'll have less networking and job connections
2.) Less chance to meet and interact with others interested in flying and future pilots ; less chance to make like-mided friends
3.) No structured ground school program
4.) More individual work for flying on the side and seperate college degree program
5.) More commuting- Colleges and their flight programs are usually closer to one another than people's residences, FBO's, and separate colleges

Anyhow, I might have overlooked or assumed some stuff, and if so please let me know. I'd like to hear any and all opinions on this. Thanks
 
I have done both and I like the FBO better. Just my opinion. I went into it with my ppl and instrument rating and spent one semester there and figured out it wasnt for me. I like being able to set my own flight schedule and the overall freedom. The instructors at the FBO were far more experienced than the ones at the college I went to, They were all hired internaly so not alot of room for new ideas or ways of teaching.
And there are still plenty of ways to network. I wouldnt worry about that.
 
It looks like your are doing a good job on researching, but here a few things I can give my opinion on from experience

(20 yrs. old 235 hrs private w/instrument, working on comm/cfi with 1 year of college aviation experience)

I left my collegiate program in washington state and fly at a mom and pop FBO now. I love it there, I was able to finish faster, get actual instrument time, and fly in some more severe weather with regards to winds and imc conditions.

First off ground school- At my college you spent 11 weeks in ground school while paying 4 college credits for the course. I bought ASA dvd's and studied the Gleim and got a 95 on my instrument written after studying for about a week. They are thurough ground schools at big programs, but I wouldn't say that they take less time.

Second-I would never say that at an FBO you have less networking/job connections. In some ways at an FBO you have more. I meet new people with airplanes everyday. I've been told I can instruct at my school when I finish my CFI. You meet lots of aviation enthusiasts. These people took the time and money to go to the FBO, a lot of kids in collegiate programs aren't really obsessed with aviation or have a passion for it. You'll see a high drop out rate at most programs. At the same time UND has some reduced regional mins. I know and some great connections so you are right in some ways.

Lastly, living at home may not be fun and your probably anxious to leave, but you can save a lot of money with good old mom and dad. That way you won't be one of those kids they show on tv at basketball games with the signs MOM SEND MONEY. however if your looking for the complete college experience, it can be a good thing. I made some good friends and had some fun times. I ended up switching to UVU online and am getting an aviation management degree because I didn't enjoy how long it was taking only flying a few times a week. I came in with my private and was pretty ansy. Good luck with whatever you choose, and hope I helped a little.

Evan

By the way my instructors at my aviation college were very old senior instructors and had over 10,000 hours, so don't assume there all young. UND is probably different. I would say bang out your ratings at an FBO with a good instructor in a year or so and instruct while you finish up your degree, by then you could go anywhere you wanted to.
 
NEGATIVES
1.) You'll have to major in Pro Pilot
2.) You'll have to stay in your college town in the summer to fly, and will have to accumulate all of your flying hours through the college, or they won't be accepted
3.) You'll have to fly a given number of times a week at a given time under your issued flight schedule
4.) You'l likeley get young, recent graduate CFI's, and will likely have to change CF's frequently as they graduate and get regional jobs and such

1. You don't have to just major in Commerical Pilot (Pro Pilot). You should take a look at double majoring in Commerical Pilot and Aviation Managment, that way you will also have a degree in Business.
2. You don't have to stay over the summers, there are many people in Aviation who do not stay. Also if you have a lot of hours and no license or if you do have your private pilot license UND has a special courses that cost less than the full private pilot course.
3. You can select the times you fly when you register. Normally you fly Monday Wednesday Friday OR Tuesday Thursday Saturday. You are not only restricted to those times and can fly as much as you want too.
4. Yes the CFIs are young, as they are at many FBO's but I have never found this to be a problem. All my CFI's have been great and know their stuff. I've had to change CFI's twice and I don't find it that big of a deal. I actually like flying with someone new because you can learn some new tricks and different ways to do things that may work better for you.
 
Thanks alot for the info and opinions guys
It seems like I'm leaning toward the FBO thing just for the scheduling freedom and laid back fun atmosphere. My parents are cool to be with so that's not a big deal. They were actually the one's who said I might consider going away to college to meet some new people and stuff like that. Plus, most importantly I can keep my sanity by staying in nyc and out of north dakota lol
 
I'd definitely say FBO is the way to go. I was interested in Lewis Universitiy's program in Romeoville, Illinois until they tried to screw me over even before I had my letter of intent signed. I've resolved to do my training at an FBO and major in something I enjoy. This decision comes after talking with industry captains as well as alumni from various collegiate programs.
 
FBO IS DEF THE WAY TO GO!!!!!

The standards at my university are great and i'm getting top notch instruction but the time it takes and the cost do not make it worth it!
 
1. You don't have to just major in Commerical Pilot (Pro Pilot). You should take a look at double majoring in Commerical Pilot and Aviation Managment, that way you will also have a degree in Business.

:yeahthat:

This may be the best advice I have ever heard on this forum. Bottom line, go to a college and not an FBO, you'll walk away with a degree and be much more than just a pilot. I did exactly what oktex88 is suggesting and double majored in commercial aviation and aviation management. Although I never thought I'd use the management degree because I wanted to fly, it ended up saving me when the airlines weren't hiring and I am making a lot of money right now while considering going back to fly. And believe me, a business degree will allow you to do just about any kind of job that pays a decent salary, whereas a pilots license will allow you to do one thing. Take this advice and run with it.
 
Brazilian pilot, how do you like clow? I'm looking at different fbos to finish up my private...I basically need ground school and a couple refresher flights. Sorry if I hijacked your thread.
 
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