My son is finishing his associates degree soon and wants to be a pilot. We went up for an introductory flight and he really liked it. I have been doing a lot of research online and I know that will probably never end as it seems there is a ton of infomation and opinions out there. I would love to get as many opinions as I can to this question. Where do we start lol? He won't be joining the military it's the civilian route. 2 years of college done and no debt so far. Will probably take a loan to finish last two years if he goes that route next. Aviation colleges in our area seem very expensive. Lewis university is over 60k for two years and that's not including the aviation part which looks like another 70k. Looked at ATP and they claim they work with Wells Fargo for financing. Looks like 70k for flight school. Looked at a couple mom and pops and they were cheaper but less connections to possible placement. I realize there are no guarantees but what are the indicators that would tell you which direction you should go?
My Son Wants To Fly
- Thread starter Jimmyfly
- Start date
Cherokee_Cruiser
Bronteroc
First things first, get an appointment with a local AME examiner and get a 1st class medical exam for him. You can see the standards online, and even if there are some issues you can usually get a waiver/special issuance/SODA. But if there was something truly un-passable by FAA standards, no point investing thousands of dollars without the ability to get a 1st class medical.
After that, if you want the big-name flight schools, I'd stick only with the most well known good-history ones. ALLATPs should be fine. The flight school I went to took thousands of dollars from students and then suddenly just closed shop and some kids were left with 70k in debt and nothing to show for it. I'd hate to give money up front again, but ATPs is one I'd feel okay with giving. Try and get at least a Private pilot certificate first at a local mom/pop place. Let that be a good base/start. ATPs program is cheaper for those coming in with a Private pilot license. After that, he can decide if he wants to continue sticking with the mom/pop local school or go for the large places. This day and age, I think I'd do the large flight school like ATPs, and then use their CFI program to work for them and get the airline interview through them.
After that, if you want the big-name flight schools, I'd stick only with the most well known good-history ones. ALLATPs should be fine. The flight school I went to took thousands of dollars from students and then suddenly just closed shop and some kids were left with 70k in debt and nothing to show for it. I'd hate to give money up front again, but ATPs is one I'd feel okay with giving. Try and get at least a Private pilot certificate first at a local mom/pop place. Let that be a good base/start. ATPs program is cheaper for those coming in with a Private pilot license. After that, he can decide if he wants to continue sticking with the mom/pop local school or go for the large places. This day and age, I think I'd do the large flight school like ATPs, and then use their CFI program to work for them and get the airline interview through them.
Beefy McGee
Well-Known Member
That's solid advice. I was at a small school that went belly up. Twice. (Two different schools)
I finished at ATP, and wish I had gone there from the start in hindsight. I already had a college degree, and attending a school like ATP which can actually deliver what is promised in a timely manner might have gotten me to the job I have now several years sooner.
That being said, ATP is a fairly demanding school in terms of the daily pace of their professional pilot programs. Is your kid good at studying on his own, staying focused, and motivated, capable of maintaining it during an intense (as in not many breaks, working every day) program that takes 6 months or so to go from zero to hero?
I'm sure many of the other large flight schools are similar to ATP.
Jordan93
Well-Known Member
Make sure your son can hold a first class medical before pouring any money into flying. ATP is good if your son wants to get all his ratings quickly. The whole bride program with big 141 schools and regional airlines isn't really a plus anymore because the regionals are hiring like mad now. It's a really good time for aviation. Good luck to your son!
kryan11
Well-Known Member
I'd recommend your son doing this research and finding out for himself. If he can't put in the time and effort to find out how to get into flying, then he surely isn't going to make it as a pilot. It takes a lot of self motivation, hard work, effort and sacrifices to make it through. I've seen it time and time again where parents set up for everything for their kids, and their kids don't even make it through their PPL once they realize how much work it is. He has to have a passion for aviation and be motivated to do this for himself.
Well I don't know what exactly caused you to make that judgement but he is doing research. He has been doing his own research on aviation, as well as a couple other things, for the last year or two actually. His mother and I also do research ourselves because we like being invested in our child. Just because I'm posting a question here doesn't mean we are doing it for him while he hangs out in the basement playing video games. He is a hard worker who goes to school full time and works part time. My post here was to get opinions on the timing, financing, and logistics of becoming a pilot, not a psychological profile from someone that doesn't know us.
Beefy McGee
Well-Known Member
I'm sure the other guy did not mean any offense about your son researching things.
The majority of the civilian professional pilots here (and probably industry wide) were flight instructors at some point. We've probably all seen fellow students fall out of training beside us back in the day because their heart was not in it, after spending a lot of money, or because they only did it because their parents wanted it. Or we have later seen our own students who were not dedicated, or just really into it fall out of training at some point. Or perhaps some students not personally financially staked, people who spend their parents money or get it for free rather than their own financial obligations sometimes don't appreciate it or don't always work as hard. Helicopter parents (not saying you are one) are not helpful either in flight training. Even if the parents are (helicopter) pilots.
One thing you will find here on Jet Careers is that people are pretty up front and honest about things when giving input/advice.
Well honesty is certainly appreciated but I think he could have asked what my sons position was instead of sounding like he knew. It's easy to type something to someone you don't know but it's not quite as easy being on the other side taking what sounds like criticism.
rockman2343@aol.com
Well-Known Member
I would advise against majoring in Aviation. It is completely unnecessary to become a pilot, and next to useless unless you are a pilot. It's best if he majors in something he can use in case he is unable to fly somewhere during his career.
I would certainly get the private at a mom and pop shop, it can be done relatively cheap if he does the book work, and prepares well for every flight. I believe ATP is a little cheaper if you come in with a private pilots license. Of course, you can keep going with the mom and pop shop, but it will probably be less structured, so he'll have to have the discipline to chart his own course. Placement assistance is nice to have, but completely unnecessary in this climate, as the regionals will be fighting for him once he becomes a CFI (some of the regionals have programs that give you benefits while you CFI and earn your 1500). Of course, as others have said, get the 1st class medical before spending any money on this.
I would certainly get the private at a mom and pop shop, it can be done relatively cheap if he does the book work, and prepares well for every flight. I believe ATP is a little cheaper if you come in with a private pilots license. Of course, you can keep going with the mom and pop shop, but it will probably be less structured, so he'll have to have the discipline to chart his own course. Placement assistance is nice to have, but completely unnecessary in this climate, as the regionals will be fighting for him once he becomes a CFI (some of the regionals have programs that give you benefits while you CFI and earn your 1500). Of course, as others have said, get the 1st class medical before spending any money on this.
Thanks. Yes we feel the same way about the degree and everyone says the same thing. Most pilots probably have degrees in some type of science but right now he might end up being a psychologist with all the psychology classes he has racked up. Human resources so he can hire himself maybe haha. It's funny that just a few years ago it seemed hiring was stagnant and now everyone says there will be a shortage of pilots soon. With the regionals set to hire like crazy how long do you think that will last? Will this same effect be happening 5 years from now?
It's funny you say that because I was wondering to myself if that was plausible. If it's 8k to 10k for a private license how much would it end up being if you supplied your own plane? Will most mom and pop flight schools do that kind of deal? If it's 70k to go all the way through professional pilot how much would that be with your own plane? The only reason I might consider it is that I personally want to get a private license myself to fly recreationally and could keep the plane if maintenance and ownership costs were not that bad. My son wanting to be a professional pilot and I wanting a private license is quite a bit of flight training.
Mountain Man
Well-Known Member
Your son can teach you if he goes the CFI route. Then it's free instructing for you if you make a deal with him 
z987k
Well-Known Member
Depending on the airplane, but my small plane costs me about $70/hr to fly with gas(wet) your mileage will probably vary, and I wrenched all I was legally allowed to on it, owner assisted annual and such. He'd need 250 hours for Commercial and probably a bit more for CFI and you'd need to rent a retract for a few hours for the commercial as well. Then you'll still need to pay a CFI for their time. I find independent CFIs to be far better than the one's at a pilot factory, but might be a bit more per hour as well. I'd imagine a CFI will be at least $60/hr. I'd imagine you'd still be looking at $30k in costs plus 20-30k in purchase price. So you're in the same ballpark, but you own an airplane at the end that you can keep flying or sell. Aside from the hours you put on the engine, airplanes don't depreciate at that end of the price range.
You do take the risk of having a major maintenance event, so getting a very thorough pre-buy done would be very important.
Yea the deal is he teaches me for free since I'm have already been his ATM for 20 years haha.Your son can teach you if he goes the CFI route. Then it's free instructing for you if you make a deal with him
It's definitely something to consider. It seems as if it might work out to around the same cost hut as you said you end up with an airplane. However if you go through a place like ATP there is the contacts they have with cadet programs and such which you wouldn't have hiring your own flight instructor. I always hear two different stories. Some people say it helps to get trained at certain places because of connections to regionals and some people say it doesn't matter much and that airlines only care about your hours. I have a friend who is a captain at American and he has told me that in general the quickest way to a regional basically falls in this order. Active military, national guard, aviation college with regional cadet program, flight school with regional connection, and finally mom and pop.
Jordan93
Well-Known Member
The regionals don't care where you get your ratings from. In the end, the guy from Riddle, ATP, and Bob's flight school all have Commercial multi engine land on the license.