Questions i cant find in thread..kind of

USMC-SSGT

USMC-SSGT

Well-Known Member
I have a few questions. I am planning on going to Ari-ben next April (when i get out of the Marines) and am going to the professional pilot program but i had a few questions.
1. is there a difference between the professional pilot program and the VA program? i know they both offer the same ratings, but is the curriculum and flight hours the same?
2. Is there a set time limit on either program? i do not intend on taking any more than 3 months maximum at rougly 5 or 6, 8 hour days to complete all ratings (excluding single engine instrument which i have) is there anything that says i can not do that besides my own skill and dedication?
3. I see that housing is included in the cost, i would be getting an apartment with my wife and would not need their housing..can those cost be reapplied elsewhere in the course?
4. I would plan on continuing on as an instructor for a year or so to gain the necessary hours to get a job closer to my original home (new england) on average, how many hours per month does the average instructor get factoring in busiest months and slowest months..say over a 12 month period.
5. If the course already includes instrument in the pricing and i already have instrument does the same price apply regardless, or can they apply it to say...more hours?
6. I have seen some saying that if you are doing the professional course you can get solo duchess time...does that not apply to the VA course or does it really not matter they are both the same course?

I think that should pretty much do it..I will be doing alot of flying and studying on my own before i attend..currently i will not be touching any controls for a few months as long as i am in Iraq..but when i return i will be trying to get a head start on the program. These are probably questions for the school, but i figured someone in this forum might have a good idea on some of them.

Thanks. Shawn
 
USMC-SGT said:
I have a few questions. I am planning on going to Ari-ben next April (when i get out of the Marines) and am going to the professional pilot program but i had a few questions.
1. is there a difference between the professional pilot program and the VA program? i know they both offer the same ratings, but is the curriculum and flight hours the same?
2. Is there a set time limit on either program? i do not intend on taking any more than 3 months maximum at rougly 5 or 6, 8 hour days to complete all ratings (excluding single engine instrument which i have) is there anything that says i can not do that besides my own skill and dedication?
3. I see that housing is included in the cost, i would be getting an apartment with my wife and would not need their housing..can those cost be reapplied elsewhere in the course?
4. I would plan on continuing on as an instructor for a year or so to gain the necessary hours to get a job closer to my original home (new england) on average, how many hours per month does the average instructor get factoring in busiest months and slowest months..say over a 12 month period.
5. If the course already includes instrument in the pricing and i already have instrument does the same price apply regardless, or can they apply it to say...more hours?
6. I have seen some saying that if you are doing the professional course you can get solo duchess time...does that not apply to the VA course or does it really not matter they are both the same course?

I think that should pretty much do it..I will be doing alot of flying and studying on my own before i attend..currently i will not be touching any controls for a few months as long as i am in Iraq..but when i return i will be trying to get a head start on the program. These are probably questions for the school, but i figured someone in this forum might have a good idea on some of them.

Thanks. Shawn
Click to expand...

1. I did mine under VA... there are a few differences... one is you get to fly 55hrs solo in the duchess. Another is your program is a little more expensive, but you get reimbursed 60% of the cost (Part 141 training only).
2. No, there is no set time limit. Thats the beauty of this school, its on the student and instructor whether to fly a lot or a little (wx also plays some short roll). 3 months IS possible, if you have a good flight instructor and you study every day. Most people average 6-8 months (again, dedication and preference). I had a marine as a student... He was one of my BEST students, dedicated, motivated, and smart (that last one helps, he was both book smart and common sense smart).
3. I dont know about the Pro course (which includes only 3months of housing), but the VA pro course... NO housing is included.
4. I instructed at the aviator for 12 months averaged about 600hrs of instructing and got a job here with ExpressJet (we have a base in Newark, also, almost EVERYONE commutes).
5. Talk to Mike (the owner), he can tell you specifics like that.
6. VA ONLY.

I know the time differnce sucks right now, but try and call the school for detailed info.

Ivan
 
Not on topic, but I just wanted to say welcome to the boards, SGT. I know Falluja ain't a fun place. Stay safe and come home quickly.
 
Ivan,
Thanks for the info that is good stuff. I have been corresponding a little with mike over email but it is slow going, i am going to attempt to call him in the near future but i am unable to because of phone availability and the time difference and a lot of other things, but he is number two on my list of people to call (my wife being number 1 of course) Those were the main questions that i had though. My main goal is to finish the course in 3 months because i do not feel like being without an income for longer than that (not to mention i will have 2 months of terminal leave so two months of that the military will still be paying me) I dont think motivation will be a problem because as i said i already work 18 hour days 7 days a week so anything less will be a vacation and according to Mike since i will already be IFR SEL i will start right out at the commercial course and only complete approx. 155 hours in the three months, very doable i feel. My goals beyond that are just to start instructing immediately after to at least rate some form of a paycheck (small, but still a paycheck) and instruct for around 12 months as you did to build enough hours for further employment..Jersey might be a good option since i am originally from NH and that is right next door. Mike told me his instructors average between 70-130 hours per month depending on them, does that sound accurate in your oppinion, if so that should get the job done because upon completing the 12 months of instructing plus the 3 of training and the hours i already have i should be around 1300 hours or so with most of that being multi so i should be somewhat competitive for a job, if there is such a thing as being truly competitive, we all know the cute girls get the good jobs anyway, no salty pilot wants to sit left seat to a weathered 25 year old Marine over a 22 year old beautiful blonde female (no i am not sexist, but i think i would make the same choice if it were up to me) Anyway, i will be back in the states around September and will be paying the school a formal visit before starting in late April of 2007. One last thing, to reiterate..only VA students solo the duchess? Oh yea i also saw that they have a piper cub, what is the cost on that and the availability i am always a sucker for some old school tail dragger time. I think that should just about cover it for now...i will be back numerous times to this website with more questions, because i am certain i will have more. I can understand how the Marine was your best student, after all of the training we have to go through flight training is a welcome break.

Chinook driver, Thanks for the good wishes, it isnt all that bad, where else can you get an all expenses paid in full spring break to one of the most luxurious warm (130 degrees) climates in the world?!
 
USMC-SGT said:
Chinook driver, Thanks for the good wishes, it isnt all that bad, where else can you get an all expenses paid in full spring break to one of the most luxurious warm (130 degrees) climates in the world?!
Click to expand...

Yeah, i got a great pic somewhere of a thermometer reading 127 in the shade when I was over there. Good times.... good times...
 
Mike told me his instructors average between 70-130 hours per month depending on them
Click to expand...

Did he now? Sorry but that is BS. At the moment there are WAY to many instructors and not enough students. Guys were gettng those hours last year but now, many guys are averaging 20-30hrs per month. This situation can change if Colgan hire instructors again. They are expecting new aircraft, Colgan that is. You have a good chance of getting done fast as you already have time but, will you get hours afterwards that's the question? Sitting on your a$$ waiting for work is frustrating. I don't blame Mike for the sitauation but that's the way it is.

Overall, the reply Kaliuaboy gave was accurate though and I agree with it.
 
yes, those 70-130 hrs per month depending on how hard you are willing to work... I think last July was my best month, I got 155hrs that month.

I was in Qatar (June2002-Sept2002) and Saudi (Nov.2002-April2003). The hottest Ive seen it was in Qatar, 139 with 90% humitity.

Oh and Yes, ONLY VA students get to fly the duchess Solo. I was fortunate to have that opportunity.

Ivan
 
fl flyer
Thanks for that info. I am with you i am sure that it is part BS on his part for the current hours but it was just stretching the truth more than lying as he is a salesman for his school which i will attend regardless since my other choice is ATP who does not accept VA so i can spend 13k at Ari or i can spend 40k at ATP...i think the choice is logical. Going on what Kailu said that would even be ok 600 hrs if it is mostly multi because as i see it, if i go back home to NH and get a job instructing there which would not be difficult than i would be lucky to fly 40 hrs a month max and even then i dont even think i would see 4 hrs multi a month and that just wont cut it. I think that if i just stuck with ARI than it would give me my best chance at gaining multi hours and ultimately take less time than if i went somewhere else (unless there is another option where i can get hired and fly primarily multi for as many hours as ARI) but we will see, it is almost a year until i will get there so it could be back to the 70+ hrs that mike is talking about or it could be that it is so backed up that i cant even get hired at all or do get hired and get only 10+ a month...who knows with aviation. anyway thanks for keeping me updated, i have nothing else to do out here but plan my aviating future..the good news is only 3 months until i am back in the air, and i am fortunate enough to be able to average 15-20 hours per month (flying is expensive) towards general travel flying and training. any advice anyone has would be good as far as ratings to work on before i get there or things i should be doing besides putting around doing acro in the citabria (i am NOT flying any multi at 150 an hour before i get there, i feel it is a waste of money) anything other than that would be helpful. Most of my time will be in an arrow or a mooney m20 or my fave bird the citabria. did anyone fly the cub there? is it still there? what are the rates.

feel free to reply whenver you get a chance, im not going anywhere for a while
 
as for the cub... its in the hanger. I dont know when he'll get it fixed to be airworthy again.

Oh, as for getting ahead.... this is what I recommend: Get all your writtens out of the way... or at least study for them. From what I understand you need:
Commercial (CAX) 100 questions
Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI) 50 questions
Flight Instructing-Airplane (FIA) 50 questions
Flight Instructor - Instrument (FII) <---- exact same answer bank as the Instrument you took awhile ago. 50 questions

ASA has the best study guides... I also recommend the DVDs (they go for about $100 each rating or certificate.

Ivan
P.S. Im not going anywhere either... still waiting for a call from scheduling; thats why im on here so much!! :(
 
kailuaboy said:
as for the cub... its in the hanger. I dont know when he'll get it fixed to be airworthy again.

Oh, as for getting ahead.... this is what I recommend: Get all your writtens out of the way... or at least study for them. From what I understand you need:
Commercial (CAX) 100 questions
Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI) 50 questions
Flight Instructing-Airplane (FIA) 50 questions
Flight Instructor - Instrument (FII) <---- exact same answer bank as the Instrument you took awhile ago. 50 questions

ASA has the best study guides... I also recommend the DVDs (they go for about $100 each rating or certificate.

Ivan
P.S. Im not going anywhere either... still waiting for a call from scheduling; thats why im on here so much!! :(
Click to expand...

Ok, I plan on getting all my writtens out of the way first, so my question is...how many are their total? thanks
 
from scratch you have....

1. Private pilot written
2. Instrument rating written
3. Commercial Written
4. Fundamentals of instruction
5. Flight instructing airplane
6. Flight instructor instrument

they are all 50 questions with the exception of commercial which is 100, as Kailua said...take the instrument test and if you score well enough on it take the Flight instructor instrument within a few days of the Instrument test (unless you dont feel you did satisfactorily on the instrument test) because it will be fresh in your mind and they use the exact same bank of questions, so why wait?

i concur with ASA, they are the cheapest going by sometimes almost 200 dollars and they are fairly well done and easy to follow, definately better than just sitting down with 4+ books and skimming chapters.
 
Thanks, SGT. I just started the instrument virtual test prep, and it seems like a good investment, as it keeps me fresh by asking questions every few minutes. Stay safe, and thanks for everything.
 
Adam,
where in So Cal do you fly? I am usually out of Palomar KCRQ, i live in Oceanside when i am not at my home away from home in Al Fallujah
 
I fly out of TOA(torrance), with a flying club, but live in Santa Monica. It's a 30min. drive without traffic, but worth the rates. I pay $70hr wet for a 172.
 
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