I'm about to start flight training....need a little guidence please

Varig

New Member
I\'m about to start flight training....need a little guidence please

After reading many of the posts here on this forum, I can see that everybody here is really helpful, mature, and educated about aviation. I especially like how Doug, a real airline pilot, participates like just one of the "guys"! I look forward to participating greatly here.

Before I ask my question, I should give a little background. I am 21 years old. For the past 4 years my dream has been to go to ERAU in Daytona. My plan was perfect: Get all my licences and a major in Aeronautical Science to go with it. After High School, I decided to go to a community college here in my city(Plano, a suburb of Dallas) for a couple of years before transfering to ERAU. This would save me some much needed money, plus it would give me time to move across the country to a new state.

2 years later, this is where I am at: I am working full time at a collections company which pays me more or less $2,000 a month, from 8:30 to 17:30 M-F. I squeeze in as much Community College as possible in the evenings(I do not want to give up my education for nothing in this world) and try to have a "life" on the weekends. Recently, I have begun having doubts about ever going to ERAU.

My logic is this: First of all, if I go there, I will major in Aeronautical Science, and learn to be a pilot...all aviation related. If ever, God forbid, I cannot fly for one reason or the other, what will I have to fall back on? An Aeronautical Science degree! See what I'm saying? So I thought maybe its better to go to the University of Texas in Dallas, which is just down the street from me, and major in Public Administration. As far as my flying goes, I will get all my certificates, PPL-Comercial with Multi and instructor ratings, at a flight school here in Addison airport, which has a reputation for being very good. So, I will be working full time, going to University full time in the evenings, and flying on the weekends! I don't mind...as long as all this gets me into the cockpit of a comercial jet one day.

So my question is this. Just how good are pilots who are trained in flight schools as opposed to flight acadamies and aviation colleges? If there even is a difference. Will I have the same opportunities as someone who went to an academy when it comes time for employment....or will I be a step behind for having been trained in a local flight school? I passed my first class medical last week, which by the way was a rush of happiness that had me smiling to myself all day.....imagine when I get my pilot's license! So I plan on starting my training next weekend, after I recieve my next paycheck. Before that, I would like to know if I am doing the right thing, and recieve any and all the advice I can get. Thank you ahead of time for all of your help. Believe me, you are doing a great thing for me!
 
Re: I\'m about to start flight training....need a little guidence please

Well after reading tons of posts on JC I've learned that the school you go to does not matter one bit. You should care about two things: price and safety (sometimes you sacrifice one for the other.... so be willing to go the more expensive place if the planes seem a bit better). Beyond that, the school does not matter.

The single most important thing in your flight training will be your flight instructor. Make sure you take the time to find a good one; fly with a few before you even start and pick your favorite. Remember that they work for you.

Lastly, no matter where you go to college, it might be time to move out
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Re: I\'m about to start flight training....need a little guidence please

Here's my advice. Get a four year degree in something you like, get a good job, and fly for fun. Flying everyday as a job isn't as great as it sounds. The actual flying is fine, it's everything else that goes with it.
 
Re: I\'m about to start flight training....need a little guidence please

[ QUOTE ]
Here's my advice. Get a four year degree in something you like, get a good job, and fly for fun. Flying everyday as a job isn't as great as it sounds. The actual flying is fine, it's everything else that goes with it.

[/ QUOTE ]

You can say that about any job. Do what you want to do and what interests you. If flying is it, then do that.
 
Re: I\'m about to start flight training....need a little guidence please

I went to ERAU and I don't think it makes a difference where you go to school or get your degree. How good a pilot you become depends on your motivation and your instructor. How far you go in your career depends on your motivation, luck, timing, and being able to check the "I have a degree box" on the application.
 
Re: I\'m about to start flight training....need a little guidence please

Hey Varig,
No, it does not matter whether you get your training at an academy or an FBO. The FBO route just takes more discipline and motivation to get through. I think your plan of approach sounds perfect for your situation. I would highly suggest for anyone getting into this business to have a degree they can fall back on. Try to stay with one instructor throughout your training. If you jump from one instructor to another it can really slow down your training and incur more expenses having to "prove" yourself to multiple instructors.
The most important thing that will help your career is networking. You can do this at an academy and you can do this at your local FBO. Hang out at the airport and try to meet as many people as you can. This will become easier once you obtain your CFI because then you will be able to at least market yourself better.
Anyway, hope this helps. Ask anymore questions you may have.
 
Re: I\'m about to start flight training....need a little guidence please

[ QUOTE ]
Here's my advice. Get a four year degree in something you like, get a good job, and fly for fun. Flying everyday as a job isn't as great as it sounds. The actual flying is fine, it's everything else that goes with it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have to agree. I would probably enjoy flying if it was still a hobby. Resist the urge to make your vacation your vocation!

There's more $$$ and lifestyle in things like engineering, etc. By lifestyle I mean control of your time.
 
Re: I\'m about to start flight training....need a little guidence please

Hey Varig. I am currently a student at ERAU in prescott AZ, graduating in December. Listen man, if youre ABSOLUTELY SURE that you want to be a pilot for a living, and there is nothing else you can think of that you want to do with your life, GO FOR IT. But be forewarned, ERAU is incredibly expensive! I got lucky and had some help from family, but i still have student loans. This industry requires a tremendous ammount of money to get into, any way you look at it. The only way around that is to get a commission in the military. So if you can stand the student loans, then sure, go to Riddle. Its a great school, and you will learn more than an earfull about flying, and everything related to it. On the other hand, if you wanna save a little $$$ and still become a pilot, get a degree in something you can fall back on, in case the flying thing doesnt work out. And just study on your own for flying. This route requires a little more motivation in the beginning, because the aeronautical education will be entirely up to you and your instructor. But it is still a good option. In the end, its up to you. Good luck, and be careful! Once the flying bug bites you, youll never want to stop!
 
Re: I\'m about to start flight training....need a little guidence please

Amen John!! I whole heartedly agree. I've personally come to the conclusion that the rewards I get from my flying job (monetarily and otherwise) are not worth being on call 24/7, having no control of my life, missing birthdays, holidays, etc etc - all just to fly a Challenger a few trips a month. Not worth it. I think I'm going to go back to school and go back to flying for fun and maybe doing a little teaching - I enjoyed being a CFI.

Jason
 
Re: I\'m about to start flight training....need a little guidence please

Thanks for the replys! It's good to know that FBO pilots are just as good as academy pilots, I definetly feel better about my training now. Motivation and discipline I have plenty of.

As far as only flying for fun, I could never do that. Actually, for me flying is always fun anyway. But my dream has always been a career with the airlines. I love flying, and I also admire and like the airline pilot's lifestyle. That is what I see myself doing, as opposed to the typical 9-5 job sitting in a cubicle in an office building. I wasnt made for that kind of job.

So after PPL, what license would be the best to strive for? Instructor, multi, or Comercial? I was thinking instructor, becasuse I would like to work as an instructor as soon as I can to begin building hours. What do you think? And how many hours should I expect to have after finishing flight school, with all certificates up to the Comercial? Thanks again for all your help. Please feel free to add all the advice you feel is important for me to know. The closer it gets to Friday(the day I expect to begin flight training) the more excited I get!
 
Re: I\'m about to start flight training....need a little guidence please

After PPSEL I would think the Instrument Rating is the next in line.

The order I plan to complete my ratings are :

Instrument (almos finished)..
Commercial
Multi-Engine
then CFI

Of course, I guess it all comes down to individual circumstances. I need the Multi-ngine before the CFI because there is a good chance I can get some right seat time flying on charter flights for my employer in the company King Air. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Good luck with the flight training and have fun with it.

Paul.
 
Re: I\'m about to start flight training....need a little guidence please

Training usually progresses like this: private, instrument, commercial, then multi (you can get your multi rating anywhere through training) CFI, CFII, MEI. Everyone does their training different, this is how I plan to do mine though.
 
Re: I\'m about to start flight training....need a little guidence please

<sigh> There's just no telling anyone who has "flying disease" Jason
frown.gif


It would be so much cheaper of you go to a doctor and spend $50k on a cure now!
 
Re: I\'m about to start flight training....need a little guidence please

[ QUOTE ]
I went to ERAU and I don't think it makes a difference where you go to school or get your degree. How good a pilot you become depends on your motivation and your instructor. How far you go in your career depends on your motivation, luck, timing, and being able to check the "I have a degree box" on the application.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, that's certainly true. How good of a pilot you can be all depends on your own motivation. If you have the enthusiasm to open up books about flying and study in your free time, you'll learn just as much as anyone anywhere else could.
 
Re: I\'m about to start flight training....need a little guidence please

[ QUOTE ]

So after PPL, what license would be the best to strive for? Instructor, multi, or Comercial? I was thinking instructor, becasuse I would like to work as an instructor as soon as I can to begin building hours. What do you think? And how many hours should I expect to have after finishing flight school, with all certificates up to the Comercial? Thanks again for all your help. Please feel free to add all the advice you feel is important for me to know. The closer it gets to Friday(the day I expect to begin flight training) the more excited I get!

[/ QUOTE ]


You are going to need an instrument rating and a commercial certificate before you get your CFI. That's at least 250 hours.
 
Re: I\'m about to start flight training....need a little guidence please

Ok, so instructor rating last. No problem! I have my first flight scheduled for this Saturday at 16:30. Any advice on what I should excpect from my first lesson? What I should do or take with me? Thanks for the help!
 
Re: I\'m about to start flight training....need a little guidence please

For your first lesson, expect to be a little confused, and to have fun.

I had a 4.0 in HS and 3.77 my first semester in college. I still found it hard to study and fly my second semester in college (3.75gpa.) I almost finished my IR in spring semester, and I hope to finish that in the first few weeks of fall. Just keep in mind that its a lot more work that you think it would be.
 
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