Delta Connection Academy

You know, I some how missed this one. As an instructor at the Academy, you are expected to grade student's homework right? But NOT get paid for doing so. I did however while as a student had one instructor that graded my homework for me. It consisted of sitting in the crapateria watching him go through my homework, not saying a thing. He only marked stuff wrong for 2hrs. He then handed me the bill and had to run to another student. :mad:
When I asked about questions I got wrong, he said other instructors don't even grade it. They just turn it in.

I didn't do this with my students. I'd take it home, grade it over a beer and then incorporate it back into what the student was working on at the time. This was an effective way and provided good feedback to my students. Most instructors don't do this. Probably due to the young age of the instructors that opted to pass on college and go and piss away mom and dads money.:bandit:




kaiyo4u said:
My biggest gripe about DCA (and I don't know if it is any different elsewhere) is the lack of training. I expected a lot more teaching than what has been shown to me. If I had known it was mostly self study and you get graded on what you remember in the aircraft, I would have done it differently. How much feedback do you get with this kind of schooling?
With the current instructor shortage (many carrying 4 or more students), it is difficult to get feedback before you are in the plane. Then it costs much more...
You are right that DCA is a business and I believe they have a huge profit margin. Why else would Delta have come out of bankruptcy earlier than expected?
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planediveguy said:
You are posting wrong info here buddy... the 172 is only 99 bucks an hour and the CIRRUS SR-20 is 119 bucks and hour... as I understand the lowest cost for a CIRRUS. And I guess you know they do have a GPS on them...and the instructors got a hefty pay increase... better luck next time...

To advertise your school you should contact Doug and place a colorful banner on the top corner instead...
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Ok Fabio, When I went to DCA last year they were charging $120 for a beat up 172. If you guys are charging $119 for a Cirrus SR-20, then that is hard to beat. I seriously doubt it. I heard it was almost as much as the seminole. How many you got there at sanford, 6?? How many years did DCA string students along? Over charging them??

PS, I don't own a flight school, and I am off to the regionals. I also don't like how DCA treats anyone, especially instructors. If they are getting paid $24 an hour up from the big pay raise to $11 five months. That is darn funny. There are tons of schools that pay more than DCA and treat their guys decently. Hey but sheep are sheep.

Now if DCA is charging $119 for a sirius SR 20 and paying their line instructors $24 hour, I seriously doubt they will be doing that for very long. Sounds like a ponzi scheme on the brink of collapse. Good luck
 
granlistillo said:
Ok Fabio, When I went to DCA last year they were charging $120 for a beat up 172. If you guys are charging $119 for a Cirrus SR-20, then that is hard to beat. I seriously doubt it. I heard it was almost as much as the seminole. How many you got there at sanford, 6?? How many years did DCA string students along? Over charging them??

PS, I don't own a flight school, and I am off to the regionals. I also don't like how DCA treats anyone, especially instructors. If they are getting paid $24 an hour up from the big pay raise to $11 five months. That is darn funny. There are tons of schools that pay more than DCA and treat their guys decently. Hey but sheep are sheep.

Now if DCA is charging $119 for a sirius SR 20 and paying their line instructors $24 hour, I seriously doubt they will be doing that for very long. Sounds like a ponzi scheme on the brink of collapse. Good luck
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Nope, no Ponzi scheme here. Instructors get paid 14.00/hr for the first 70 hours billed in a pay period (that includes briefing time and ground work) and 25.00/hr any hour billed that pay period after that . CFI qualified instructors get the same deal with the difference being that instead of 14.00/hr, the are paid 20.00/hr for the first 70 hours and then 25 for the rest. Instructors are averaging over 100 billed hours per pay period. You do the math...

There are tons of schools that only have three airplanes in the ramp and a couple of employees... you can make 50.00/hr with them as a CFI. Good Luck...

DCA is one of the biggest schools in the country and the amount of work required to keep it moving is staggering. Just to keep up with 141 requirements alone, records, student management, infrastructure., fleet maintenance, etc... if you want better facilities it will cost more. You can't expect Wall Mart pricing when you shop at the upscale Mall...
 
Glad to hear they are paying you guys better.

As far as the upscale goes, I hope you are speaking in future tense. That may be changing with the Cirrus, but it is long, long overdue. I did two ratings there so I consider my opinion informed. My experience with DCA is that it is overpriced and they treat students and flight instructors scandalously, and no cheerleading on any forum will change that.

My advice to anyone going to DCA is this: they will treat you as bad as you let them treat you. Don't let them.

If you are an instructor, and you are any good, you can have your pick of school, and make more money.

At any rate good luck in the airlines.
 
Hey guys at DCA,

Please understand that at the root of it DCA is a "for profit" business and a very large business at that. Things happen, but the core foundation of quality training at a fare price is the "Core" at DCA. I have been in the business world for over 30 years, a pilot for over 20 and a Flight Instructor for over 7 years. Looking at DCA, from the outside, it has its flaws but is working hard to make it right for the Student (Customer) and Employees. Sometimes, hard decisions have to be made for the betterment of the Academy. We may not all agree with the decisions, but for the Academy as a whole they must be made.
For all you guys that sit back and "beat up" DCA, go work harder at bettering your own life. At DCA their heart is in the right place, to provide quality training at a fair price.

Mike
( I have posted this on two threads)
 
"For all you guys that sit back and "beat up" DCA, go work harder at bettering your own life."

I consider my time spent warning newbs about places like DCA, time well spent. Thanks for the advice, though.
 
Well, I really didn't 'beat up' on DCA, however they certainly tried to beat the bejezus out of me and end my career.

Unsuccessfully, thank goodness.
 
Doug Taylor said:
Well, I really didn't 'beat up' on DCA, however they certainly tried to beat the bejezus out of me and end my career.

Unsuccessfully, thank goodness.
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I am sorry that has happened to you. I had nothing to do with it. And if my opinion was asked I would have told them to actually support the site. You cannot belive how many new enrollees come to me and tell me that they decided to come to DCA due to the posts here and on other sites. I know, it doesn't make sense at first with all the bashing and bad rep from the whiners... But it is a basic marketing principle...

I am glad you are alright though and again if you share the cockpit with John, tell him I said hello!
 
Screaming_Emu said:
That's gotta be a dry rate, that or there is some redonkulous fuel surcharge tacked on there
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The question is how they are able to do it?

Buy 50 airplanes in a single shot and you will have a different deal than the FBO that is buying 1...

The fuel surcharge... I need to see how much it is these days, but If I remember well it is below 10 bucks... I need to check on it though...

There is the cost of instruction added to the rental rate. And that is the same for the seminole, 172, 152 and CIRRUS...
 
Fabio, you know they Flex guys and the part 61 students don't have to pay the fuel surcharge and if I remeber right, the rental charge is cheaper than the the regualar program students pay. That's when I saved the most money! Those surcharges add up!:rolleyes:
 
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