JMBWEEBOY From United States, joined Feb 2006, 120 posts, RR: 0 Posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 964 times:
Hello everyone. I have been seriously considering going to a (fixed wing) pilot school in South Florida just to go along side my aerospace masters degree. I have no flying experience what so ever. Can anyone kindly point me to online resources or can advise on " How to choose a reputable flying school" and what are some of the pitfalls etc to avoid . WHat liscenses (PPL's, CPL's) are got at the end of the training and also how does one go about building up the necessary hours in the safest manner pass the danger zone when young pilots are prone to making the most errors. Any replies be much appreciated especially from you guys who already are up in the clouds.
Star12 From Spain, joined Aug 2007, 32 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 938 times:
You first need to decide what licence you want to get and what you then want to do with it. Do you want to fly for a living? Is so then you must have at least a Commercial Licence to get paid. If you want to rent a plane once a month and fly somewhere for a 'hundred-dollar-hamburger'. Then just stop at a Private Licence. There are lots of good schools down in South Florida, I don't know where you are located in the US but you might consider a fact-finding trip down there. I did just that; flew into FLL and hired a car, drove all around the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale/Palm Beach area and visited all the schools I could find. You don't need an apointment, just drop in. Ask to have a look at the facilities, the training fleet, speak to the staff, instructors and most importantly; the current students. Get a brochure and a price list and go back to your hotel and compare. You may want to drive across to the Gulf Coast as well as there are some good schools over there too. Personally I would reccommend the East Coast though. Try the schools at Pompano Beach Airport, Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport and Miami Kendall for starters. Just get a feel for the place. For example; if the staff don't want to let you chat with the current students then you know they are hiding something!! Walk away!! The most important piece of advise I can give you from past experience is: Do not pay a large sum of money up front for flight training!! Even if it seems cheaper on the face of it, it is not worth the risk. I know of many people who have lost money this way. Hope this helps a bit. Good luck with your adventure!!
JMBWEEBOY From United States, joined Feb 2006, 120 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 840 times:
Thanks very much for the advice... Keep them coming.
Just one or two more questions?
What's the difference in say a flying school and say the ATP ( Airline Transport Professionals) which has a wide locatioin of schools? Does the latter prepare and groom you for an actual career after completing the Airline Pilot Liscense?
Has anyone been to Embry Riddle University or Gulf Stream Training Academy and learnt flying there?
Paladin87 From United States, joined Jun 2007, 122 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 821 times:
Quoting JMBWEEBOY (Reply 5): Does the latter prepare and groom you for an actual career after completing the Airline Pilot Liscense?
Check to see if the school has an arrangement with an airline, I know some do such as Western Michigan University's school of Aviation has an arrangement with Continental, actually on of its commuter airlines. This may become a trend with the forecast pilot shortage with new pilots getting a job right out of school avoiding the application process.
Riddle274 From United States, joined Feb 2007, 75 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 816 times:
WEEBOY - I am currently a Sophomore at Embry Riddle in Daytona Beach. Of course, I'll get flamed for this but I love Riddle. It seems like you either have a very good experience here or a very bad experience. I blew through my instrument training with very little "Riddle Run-around" and am now working on my commercial certificate. As a side note - it sounds like you are currently not going to ERAU so this path would not work for you.
As far as building time (looks like one of the questions that hasn't been answered yet) look at old threads on here about that. The most popular is probably becoming an instructor and building hours that way. Of course, if you have money, you buy a block of time and just fly the sh** out of a rental plane.
There is so much to talk about. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me at Medic4019@yahoo.com
Mir From United States, joined Jan 2004, 11098 posts, RR: 58 Reply 8, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 793 times:
Quoting JMBWEEBOY (Reply 5): Has anyone been to Embry Riddle University or Gulf Stream Training Academy and learnt flying there?
Embry-Riddle is a four-year university at which you learn to fly as part of a degree. Since you already have your masters, this wouldn't do you any good.
Besides which, while the training is high quality at Riddle, it's very career-oriented (i.e. no flying just for fun, except for the solos). If you don't want to be a pilot for a living, Riddle (or any pilot academy for that matter) isn't for you. If you want to do it as a hobby, your local airport is your best bet. Do some shopping around the various flight schools (there are tons in Florida), and you're sure to find one that fits your needs.
Bomber996 From United States, joined Aug 2005, 230 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 787 times:
If you're looking for a college degree out of your flying there are many good part 141 schools in the country. Obviously the big one is Embry-Riddle, but there are many many others. Some include University of North Dakota (thats where I'm going), Purdue, Indiana State, Western Michigan, Florida Institute of Technology, Daniel Webster College, and then quite a few run by Delta Connections Academy. There are many more than I just named, but those offer a good start. Good luck!
JMBWEEBOY From United States, joined Feb 2006, 120 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 774 times:
Thanks for the replies guys... Will surely get back to you Riddle274... Much appreciated!
The main intention of pursuing flying school is simply because Im looking for enhanced career opportunites since things havent really taken off since getting my M. Eng in Aerospace in 2004. In addition, it be a great way for me expand some more that I know in the aviation sector. Its a bit like a car mechanic who cant drive a car. lol
TSRA From United States, joined Feb 2007, 114 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 758 times:
WEEBOY if you are just wanting to get basic knowledge of flying then save yourself a TON of money and go to your local FBO for training. You can get everything from Private to Commercial with an instrument rating. If you have $60,000+ disposable cash and want to get your ratings quick, then I would recommend ATP or Ari-Ben. However, you still SHOULD instruct afterwards to expand your knowledge and get real world experience. Just my $0.02.
FutureSDPDcop From United States, joined Feb 2006, 1233 posts, RR: 5 Reply 12, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 679 times:
Quoting JMBWEEBOY (Reply 5): What's the difference in say a flying school and say the ATP ( Airline Transport Professionals
That would be a good question to ask ASUFlyer05. I'm pretty sure he is going to school with ATP and just got his PPL. And he should be working on his Instument ticket. I'll send him an IM and have him check out this thread.
Star12 From Spain, joined Aug 2007, 32 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 9 hours ago) and read 455 times:
PMP is Pombano Beach Airpark. American Flyers in the south-west corner of the field. NE 10th street runs along the south side of the field, the airport entrance is off of there...
N215AZ From United States, joined Oct 2006, 77 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 8 hours ago) and read 428 times:
Quoting Bomber996 (Reply 9): There are many more than I just named
The Ohio State University, Bowling Green State University, Kent State University, Northern Michigan University.
Just to name a few more.
BGSU is the bes of all of those though, short distance to the airport from campus, nice planes, good instructors, and a lot of emergency landing places, a.k.a. farm fields, in the practice areas.
"Atra esternĂ ono thelduin, Mor'ranr lĂfa unin hjarta onr, Un du evarĂnya ono varda."
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