Questions for current students

SierraPilot

New Member
1. Do they offer living disbursements?

2. What is the maximum living disbursment you can receive?

3. Did you loan get paid directly to the school or did the school hand the money over to you to pay as you go?

4. How often do your flights get cancelled for weather?

5. How often do your flights get cancelled for maintence?

6. How often to do get cancelled for lack of a plane being available? (scheduling issues, etc)

7. What is the current wait-list for CFI's at your school?

8. If known what do CFI's get paid at your school?

9. What is the instructor to student ratio?

10. How far in advance are you scheduled to fly?

11. Do you have any say in scheduling?

12. Are you happy with the school your attended?

13. Did you tour the school prior to attending, and if so, did they allow you to talk to other students or ecourage you to do so?

14. Is there anything you would change? (Be honest.. I know we all feel some pride for the schools we attend but there is always something what we would like to see changed or improved).

Enough questions for now.. your cooperation is appreciated..

Ryan
 
Hmm.. no answers huh.. oh well.. could someone at least answer these 3 questions then as they are the most important to me..

1. Do they offer living disbursements?

2. What is the maximum living disbursment you can receive?

3. Did you loan get paid directly to the school or did the school hand the money over to you to pay as you go?


Thanks

Ryan
 
1. Do they offer living disbursements? -- If you have the Key Loan, you could get a total of 30K back. Key is disbursed 3 times, you can get 5K the first two times and 20K the 3rd time, however, I don't recomend taking all that out at once.

2. What is the maximum living disbursement you can receive?-- See #1

3. Did you loan get paid directly to the school or did the school hand the money over to you to pay as you go? -- Check made to you and the school, all the money on account with the school. See #1 for how much you can take out.

4. How often do your flights get cancelled for weather? -- Whenever you needed perfect weather! LOL, j/k, I'd say 10-15% of the flights got cancelled due to weather.

5. How often do your flights get cancelled for maintenance? -- During Private and Instrument (when flying the 152 and 172) I'd say less than 5-10% of flights would have maintenance issues, and even then, you usually could get another plane. Once you got into the RG, that was another story and I'd say 30% maintenance cancellation with no other planes available.

6. How often to do get cancelled for lack of a plane being available? (scheduling issues, etc) -- Rarely, usually if you were scheduled, you got the plane unless it went down to maintenance. (see 5 for maintenance)

7. What is the current wait-list for CFI's at your school? -- See previous response.

8. If known what do CFI's get paid at your school? -- CFI's are paid $10/hr, plus the DL travel benefit.

9. What is the instructor to student ratio? -- Estimated 1:3 at Sanford.

10. How far in advance are you scheduled to fly? -- Scheduling is done on a daily basis; the next day's sked is available at 1730 local via email/posting/phone.

11. Do you have any say in scheduling? -- If you and your instructor can make friends with the schedulers, your set and get some nice flights.

12. Are you happy with the school your attended? -- I liked my time at DCA (left for financial reasons) and I don't regret my time there.

13. Did you tour the school prior to attending, and if so, did they allow you to talk to other students or encourage you to do so? -- I talked to anyone i wanted to during the tour, (Sept 6, 2001.... how the industry changed 5 days after my tour!).

14. Is there anything you would change? (Be honest.. I know we all feel some pride for the schools we attend but there is always something what we would like to see changed or improved). -- I loved my time there, just wish the finances were cheaper. Nothing like the friends and contacts you will make while there.
 
[ QUOTE ]

1. Do they offer living disbursements? -- If you have the Key Loan, you could get a total of 30K back. Key is disbursed 3 times, you can get 5K the first two times and 20K the 3rd time, however, I don't recomend taking all that out at once.

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you saying that if I got a loan for lets say 60k, then would allow me to take out 30k for living expenses? and that I would get this money over 3 payments? and how far apart are these disbursements?

Currently I get 1200 a month for living disbursements given to me monthly from the school, so getting 5k right off the bat wouldnt be to bad as long as you didnt have to wait more then 4 months for your next disbursement.

Currently I'm planning on finishing my Comm AMEL/ASEL at Sierra (finacial reasons) then do my CFI, CFII, MEI in Florida somewhere.. Is it possible to get a job at DCA if you only got your CFI ratings there?

Ryan
 
Hello Sierra,

I guess you missed the DCA presentation at the Oakland Airport Marriott Courtyard last month. According to Tracy Thomason, only people who receive (or re-do) their CFI training at DCA can teach as at DCA. So the answer is "Yes".

JR
 
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