abinito vs fbo interview

BrowardAirman

New Member
Was wondering if a few people could help me out here. Doing a small research paper on flight training pros and cons between ab intio and fbo. If anyone could answer the following questions it would really help me out and save me loads of time interviewing people.

1. Where did you take your training?
2. How many instructors did you have?
3. Approx cost? (round to nearest $1000)
4. Did you have a syllabus?
5. Was it structured?
6. How often did you fly?
7. How was ground school training?
8. How long did it take you to achieve your PPL
9. If you could do it over what would you do different?
10. Would you recommend the type of training you had (FBO/Ab-Initio)
11. Other comments

no usernames will be used in research paper.

For any who participate I thank you in advance.
 
How do you define ab-initio? A program like Delta Connection Academy? That's more of an "academy", rather than ab-initio. You have to flight instruct for a while in order to still build enough hours to fly for a regional, around 1000-1200. Maybe that's still, ab-initio, as they give you the guarenteed (supposedly) interview.

The only real ab-initio program I'm aware of is the Mesa Pilot Development Program in New Mexico. Where you could potentially be flying a CRJ (or ERJ, or Dash-8, or 1900) in 300 hours of flight time.
 
1. Where did you take your training?
Magee Aviation, Wenatchee, WA
2. How many instructors did you have?
One
3. Approx cost? (round to nearest $1000)
$2000 (1979)
4. Did you have a syllabus?
Yes, we used the Cessa Pilot Center syllabus
5. Was it structured?
Yes
6. How often did you fly?
2 or 3 times a week
7. How was ground school training?
I used the CPC tapes but mostly did home study, this worked well for me. No formal ground school, none needed
8. How long did it take you to achieve your PPL
I'm gonna say six months
9. If you could do it over what would you do different?
I'd buy my own plane (too bad I was 17 at the time)
10. Would you recommend the type of training you had (FBO/Ab-Initio) Yes
11. Other comments
The school I was at had 61 and 141. The only guys that did 141 were the ones with VA benes...141 was a lot more expensive. I did all my ratings 61 and instruct under 61. With a good CFI and airplane, 61 is better than 141 cause 141 is too inflexable.
 
1. I did my private at ATP in Jacksonville. I am now in the career pilot program in Dallas, Texas
2.Two instructors in the ppl program, and one in the career pilot program
3.As far as cost, approx. $40,000
4.The syllabus is basically training flights assigned with a pairing code. For example pairing code 111 might be something like a 250nm day VFR training flight.
5.Very structured
6.In the private pilot course I flew every single day. In the career pilot program I fly 4 to 5 times a week. Now I'm in the cross-country phase and fly anywhere from 4 to 8 hours per day.
7. As far as ground school, that is pretty much done on my own.
8. It took me 23 days to get my private pilot certificate.
9.I would do it the same way if asked the question today.
10. I would recommend anyone who wants to do this as a career to take off some time and MONEY and get all your ratings.
11. Other comments : No charge for the info
Smilecrunch.gif
 
Hey Smokey1,
How are things going in Dallas? When did you start the program in Jacksonville (ppl)? I note that you completed the ppl in 28 days. What are the possibilities for completing the ppl early. Very interested in your progress so send me some info.
 
Just finished the commercial-multi check ride today and now its off to cfi school. When I went through the ppl program we only had about 6 pilots and 3 instructors so it was pretty "easy" for them to get us all done. Now I hear they have 10 ppl students, so they''ll probably be able to get you done in the time they advertise, maybe sooner.Don't worry about being in a big hurry to finish. The ppl program is a ton of fun, you fly everyday, and your making the transition from non-pilot to pilot......

Smokey
 
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