FBO vs. Collegiate Aviation

scramjet said:
Do both. Find a Community College with an aviation degree, do it, and then do your four year in business or something like that. A lot of CCs and staet universities have bridge programs very similar to that. I plan on going back to my CC (Community College of Beaver County) after I graduate next year from my four year school (Penn State) because it has heavily subsidized flight training; I'll pay around $15,000-$20,000 (I think it was) for all my ratings there versus $35,000k+ at an FBO or flight school...
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I was actually thinking just that. I know that OTC (Ozarks Technical Community College) here in Springfield doesn't have one. But I was looking into the Commercail Aviation program at Honolulu Community College (http://tech.honolulu.hawaii.edu/avit/) then going to University of Hawaii-Manoa for a different degree.
 
The summer of 2001 I started an aviation degree at ERAU Prescott. I hadn't asked any of the good questions you are asking now. Fast forward a little to Sept 11th 2001 and I am sitting in a briefing room at the flight line first thing in the morning. I was up for my PP checkride that morning and quite nervous/focused. As I wait for the examiner some guy pops his head in the door and tells me the checkride is cancelled, go look at a tv, and then just walked away...
 
I did the college thing and I'd say your knowledge coming out of the program is a good deal better than the average but there's no reason a motivated person could not achieve the same level of knowledge by themselves while getting a good degree to back up the career.

I've only been out of college for a few months and though I would not say I regret the decision to get an aviation degree, I definitely wish I had something else too.
 
FBO training and a non-aviation degree is MUCH cheaper. Not to mention an aviation degree is worthless besides using it in flying. At least with a non-aviation degree you have something to fall back on. That being said, I feel Collegiate flight training is more in depth.
 
SFCC/UND said:
warning part 141 schools have ways to suck money out of you. But I have no idea what that school is like. I just had a bad experience with mine in the past.
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I'd agree part 141 tries to find every way to nickel and dime you away from your money. Part 61 lets you go at your own pace, when you want to fly. If you decide you want a week off, great, just don't schedule anything. At the two part 141 programs I've been in, if you went in and wanted a week break, you were some evil person who's heart wasn't dead set on flying for a career.
 
For what it is worth, I don't think it really matters where you go to school or what you major in. The name of the game is to have fun and learn as much about life as you can. I do, however, have a soft spot for part 61. I instructed under both and just found 141 too cumbersome.
 
FBO training and get a degree you'll enjoy at a four-year school.

Aviation colleges are a ripoff, generally speaking.
 
Get your ratings first... straight out of high school, then go to a 4 year college and instruct as your part-time job. You'll build time those 4 years, get a degree outside of aviation, and have a part-time/summer job for the 4 years you're in college. To do it again that's what I'd have done.
 
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