UND Major Choice?

Pilot121

Well-Known Member
Hello,

I am looking into UND's aviation program, specifically the Aviation Management major. My goal is to ultimately fly for the airlines. The reason I would do the management major instead of commercial aviation is so I have a fall back degree with the accounting classes, etc. The estimated flight costs for Aviation Management are about $45,000. This is $20,000 less than the Commercial Aviation major, although you don't get any of your CFI ratings in the management major -- you only get up to a commercial-multi. I have a couple of questions:

1.) Is it worth it to save the $20,000 and not get any instructor ratings? Will this not be ideal when applying to airlines, as most other applicants will have CFI ratings?

2.) Is the Aviation Management major a better option than Commercial Aviation in terms of having marketable skills outside of flying, if I lose my medical or get furloughed?

Thanks,
Pilot121
 
Hello,

I am looking into UND's aviation program, specifically the Aviation Management major. My goal is to ultimately fly for the airlines. The reason I would do the management major instead of commercial aviation is so I have a fall back degree with the accounting classes, etc. The estimated flight costs for Aviation Management are about $45,000. This is $20,000 less than the Commercial Aviation major, although you don't get any of your CFI ratings in the management major -- you only get up to a commercial-multi. I have a couple of questions:

1.) Is it worth it to save the $20,000 and not get any instructor ratings? Will this not be ideal when applying to airlines, as most other applicants will have CFI ratings?

2.) Is the Aviation Management major a better option than Commercial Aviation in terms of having marketable skills outside of flying, if I lose my medical or get furloughed?

Thanks,
Pilot121

The airlines won't care too much if you don't have your CFI ratings. The Aviation Management major is better in terms of working the business side of aviation, obviously. It all depends on what you would like or enjoy more. I was a Commercial Aviation major at UND and felt that flight instructing really helped increase the knowledge and skills of a pilot as compared to someone without those ratings. I could definitely see a difference in pilots who were flight instructors and those that were not when I was at the airlines and everywhere else in between..but really it comes down to what you put into it so it may or may not be worth the extra money.
 
The airlines won't care too much if you don't have your CFI ratings. The Aviation Management major is better in terms of working the business side of aviation, obviously. It all depends on what you would like or enjoy more. I was a Commercial Aviation major at UND and felt that flight instructing really helped increase the knowledge and skills of a pilot as compared to someone without those ratings. I could definitely see a difference in pilots who were flight instructors and those that were not when I was at the airlines and everywhere else in between..but really it comes down to what you put into it so it may or may not be worth the extra money.
Thanks!

Did you double major or minor in something else non-aviation related?
 
Thanks!

Did you double major or minor in something else non-aviation related?

No I didn't. Just Commercial Aviation major..no minor or double major. Was to expensive. However you could easily incorporate something into a minor without too much trouble.
 
If you aren't going to get the CFI & CFII certificates, you better start thinking about a plan to get from the sub 300 total time that you'll have, up to the 1000 hours that you'll need to apply to the regional airlines. You need to be at least close to eligible for the restricted ATP before you will get picked up at a 121 carrier, which if you are going the UND route with an aviation major means 1000 hours among other things. There are other options, but the CFI route has always been a popular way to build time and do a great deal of learning along the way. It can be very rewarding to watch your students grow into professional pilots as well, and you will have no trouble finding work as a CFI in the present market.

As a newly minted Commercial Pilot, you won't know how much you don't know until you try your hand at teaching it to someone else. It will really force you to make sure you're on top of your game.

If you aren't going to get your CFI certificate, you will have to get creative to build time after getting your commercial ticket. Options are rather limited for the very low time pilots, especially below 500ish hours, but it can and has been done without a CFI certificate.
 
Hello,

I am looking into UND's aviation program, specifically the Aviation Management major. My goal is to ultimately fly for the airlines. The reason I would do the management major instead of commercial aviation is so I have a fall back degree with the accounting classes, etc. The estimated flight costs for Aviation Management are about $45,000. This is $20,000 less than the Commercial Aviation major, although you don't get any of your CFI ratings in the management major -- you only get up to a commercial-multi. I have a couple of questions:

1.) Is it worth it to save the $20,000 and not get any instructor ratings? Will this not be ideal when applying to airlines, as most other applicants will have CFI ratings?

2.) Is the Aviation Management major a better option than Commercial Aviation in terms of having marketable skills outside of flying, if I lose my medical or get furloughed?

Thanks,
Pilot121
Speaking as someone with BS Aeronautics and about a decade of experience now. Go with the management side. Many more opportunities, many that also include flight. What I would do is transfere to Engineering, especially mechanical engineering. Get the flight stuff on the side. Then you can go work with the latest and greatest aircraft as they are in the testing stage. Hard to find people for that, and it pays well.
 
I'm a little late to the game on this thread, so hopefully this can be of good advice for someone reading this thread currently. I earned a BBA in Aviation Management from UND from 2004-2007. I got hired at Piedmont Airlines in 2007 (granted, before that 1500 hour rule). I was hired at another airline, then at UPS in 2019. The key to choosing a degree at UND is what degree can you use to fall back on if you for some reason lose your medical, or even get furloughed. With a BBA in Aviation Management you can further advance your BBA and get an MBA in Finance and have a lucrative finance career to fall back on. As long as business and finance is something you're interested in (which I am) a BBA in Aviation Management is a solid option. Getting a BS in Commerical Aviation will leave you without any options if you lost your medical or got furloughed and I would not recommend it. When I was at UND you could get a BBA in Aviation Management, plus add on your CFI/II/MEI ratings. You should also consider getting a Minor in something, like a foreign language. I chose not to earn my CFI/II/MEI at UND as it would've been cheaper to get these ratings at a small local FBO/flight school. It would definitely still be cheaper to this day to go that route.
 
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