new member that needs a little advice please!

wallertd

New Member
hey everyone! my name is Damian and I have really been struggling lately on deciding what to do and/or which route to take to become the pilot I have always wanted to become since I was a kid. A little about me: 22 year old from Alabama with a great personality.. grandmother was a flight attendant.. graduated high school in 2004.. currently working as a mortgage assistant/teller at a bank.. ok so, i have always dreamed of becoming an airline pilot much like Doug one day.. problem: kicking myself in the butt for not joining the Air Force when i graduated to persue my dream.. I backed out because of some certain situations. To make a long story short: I have recently decided to stop being afraid of not making it all the way and go for it and check out some flight schools. I thought about the Air Force still, but I don't have my college degree yet, so I wouldn't go in ranked, and I wouldn't be able to get out probably til I'm 30. So, I have been checking out a few schools.. ATP, Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology, and National Pilot Academy are a few.. I have actually filled out everything for Spartan and I am already accepted.. could start on July 13th 2009 if I decide to. But I am starting to reconsider after doing more research.. came across some unhappy students on some review sites and it is really expensive.. is flight school worth it?? I am willing to make sacrifices to live my dream.. just really terrified of not getting great training or becoming infested with debt... anyone heard of Spartan? any help please? any other suggestions??? :confused:
 
Hey Damian, welcome to JC. The thing people will tell you to do first is get your four year degree. If you decide to join the Air Force, they will pay for college, but don't count on getting a flying slot, so join to serve your country first.
 
Do not go to Spartan.. Its overpriced and ridiculous.. I went there.. I do not know a single person that would go to Spartan again... You would save a ton by not going there...
 
Do not go to Spartan.. Its overpriced and ridiculous.. I went there.. I do not know a single person that would go to Spartan again... You would save a ton by not going there...


so did you wind up finishing at Spartan? and if so, what course did you take? (if you don't mind me asking) because i read some bad reviews on certain sites, but i'm not sure if those opinions are credible.. know what i mean? so if you have a lot of experience with Spartan, i could take your word for it..
 
The large flight schools are ok, but if you want to save money go to your local airport and find a good instructor. Look for the guy that loves to instruct and isn't trying to build time to advance his career. Most large flight schools are over priced and are using former students to instruct that will leave as soon as they find a better job. The old flight instructor enjoys instructing and will take pride in helping you achieve your aviation goals.

If you are looking for a collage degree, I would recommend going to a university with a flight training program. You will spend about the same amount of money with a university program as you would going to one of the over-priced large flight schools but you will recieve a degree with it.

Be aware of un-needed type ratings that the expensive schools say they will give you. They are a waste of your money. Most type ratings are (or should be) paid for by the employer, and the type rating in a Beech 1900 or 727 is useless to a new pilot with very little hours. They are useless to a high time pilot because they are a dying aircraft.
 
National Pilot Academy (NPA)

This may just be an opinion, but any school that wants money up front for training is probably more interested in your money and less interested in your progression as a pilot. Be sure to do some serious research on them.

Feel free to PM.
 
Before making any long term commitments, I would start on both your four year degree and your private pilot's license. No matter what, you are going to want a bachelor's degree, even if it's in something completely unrelated to flying. If you just start with your PPL, you will not be too far into something that you are not completely sure is for you. Trust me. I've had students ready for the "whole program" quit three days into training because they discovered flying just wasn't for them.

Take it slow. You aren't going to get a medal for being finished quickly.
 
I'm not impressed with Spartan because at RFC we were getting paid a lot double than what Spartan people made. I've seen Spartan airplanes flying when there were thunderstorms in the area. I've seen a Spartan plane takeoff then do a quick 180 100 feet off the ground and land on the opposite takeoff runway because there was a heavy rain on the departure end runway.
 
hey everyone! my name is Damian and I have really been struggling lately on deciding what to do and/or which route to take to become the pilot I have always wanted to become since I was a kid. A little about me: 22 year old from Alabama with a great personality.. grandmother was a flight attendant.. graduated high school in 2004.. currently working as a mortgage assistant/teller at a bank.. ok so, i have always dreamed of becoming an airline pilot much like Doug one day.. problem: kicking myself in the butt for not joining the Air Force when i graduated to persue my dream.. I backed out because of some certain situations. To make a long story short: I have recently decided to stop being afraid of not making it all the way and go for it and check out some flight schools. I thought about the Air Force still, but I don't have my college degree yet, so I wouldn't go in ranked, and I wouldn't be able to get out probably til I'm 30. So, I have been checking out a few schools.. ATP, Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology, and National Pilot Academy are a few.. I have actually filled out everything for Spartan and I am already accepted.. could start on July 13th 2009 if I decide to. But I am starting to reconsider after doing more research.. came across some unhappy students on some review sites and it is really expensive.. is flight school worth it?? I am willing to make sacrifices to live my dream.. just really terrified of not getting great training or becoming infested with debt... anyone heard of Spartan? any help please? any other suggestions??? :confused:

Actually the only way to be infested with debt is to do what you're about to do. College+ flight training= long time debt. I would go the military route. If not then at least get your private pilot license at your local mom and pop flight school. Save money make sure you like it. Then figure out your options. Remember most of these "academies" sell the idea that you're going to become a pilot quicker their way rather than the local mom and pop flight school way. Otherwise why would you pay twice as much?? The problem with that is no-one is hiring, and won't be for a long time. And the fancy brochures and smiling pilots on them with the shiny CRJ pictures aren't going to change that.....
 
Do not go to Spartan.. Its overpriced and ridiculous.. I went there.. I do not know a single person that would go to Spartan again... You would save a ton by not going there...

I agree, my cousin went to Spartan and left after 3 months. I dont have the specifics he just said it sucked there and got all his ratings at TSTC in Waco Texas. He now is a pilot for Southwest...that bastard. Just kidding I'm happy for him. NOT. No really I am.
 
anyone know anything about Delta Connection Academy or Phoenix East Aviation in Florida? Or would any current professional pilots recommend i attend an actual flight college that has degree options too? need a lot of help here... lost soul.. ha
 
anyone know anything about Delta Connection Academy or Phoenix East Aviation in Florida? Or would any current professional pilots recommend i attend an actual flight college that has degree options too? need a lot of help here... lost soul.. ha
You are going to get as many opinions on that question as there are people that answer it.

My opinion: Figure out what will work for YOU, ask yourself some questions.

1. Do you NEED to get things done quickly?

If so then your choices are narrowed mostly to costly "quick and dirty". If not, then start with the PPL at the local airport and worry about advanced training once you have gotten over the first hurdle. I know a lot of guys that found a good instructor near the college they attended and got their training while getting their degrees.

2. Do you want to fly for a major airline someday?

Looks like you do so a degree will be required. The major is irrelevant; and as a guy that holds a Bachelors degree in Aviation Science I can tell you that degree is pretty worthless, just checks the box on an application. I would recommend majoring in "Chicks and Beer" while minoring in something you find interesting that you would not jump out the first window if you had a job in. As you mentioned the military would also require a degree.

3. Is the quality of training I receive important to you?

You already said that it was so here is my advice there. The schools with the biggest, flashiest ads in the magazine/internet are NOT any better than the career CFI at the local airport that has no advertising budget beyond the sign out front. Go, talk to these guys, talk to as many of them as you can. DO NOT just start with the first one you find without talking to all of them. Ask them specific questions about how long they have been instructing, what their personal goals are, why they like instructing. You will find that a few conversations will help you find someone that will mesh well with your personality. Also once you start remember that if it isn't working, you have every right to fire your instructor and find another.

Oh and the only thing I know about Phoenix east is this: I had an Instrument student that did his Private there. Worst pilot I have ever flown with, and he actually got his certificate revoked flying on his own after I had only flown with him three times. He ran a plane out of fuel after not doing a flight plan to determine how much fuel he would need for the trip. Put it in a field and nobody was hurt fortunately.
 
i appreciate everyone's feedback! thanks a lot! ill keep everyone updated in my long journey of decision making.. please contunue the feedback..
 
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