I'm going to reach into the archives for this one...(from a post long ago)...
I'm a CFI here at ERAU, and I couldn't agree with you more on that subject. I was just up with an instrument student the other day, transitioning to a VOR approach, and the first thing he does is starts turning knobs on the GPS, wasting valuable time. Now the plan is to eventually convert the majority of our fleet to G1000 equipped aircraft, and I think this is not a good idea. Like you said, especially if students get into cargo flying at the next level, they will not see much glass at all. The GPS is usually the first thing we fail when testing out nav skills. Learning advanced avionics is useful, but primary training should definitely remain with the old style gauges.
Not to get off topic...here are some costs dug up from my old students. This is the standard rating progression here:
FA132 (initial to Solo XCs) $7000
FA133S (PVT ASEL completion) $5000
FA133M (PVT AMEL) $8500
FA232 (Inst Multi): $12000
FA272 (Comm AMEL):$6800
FA273 (optional C-ASEL): $3500
FA417 (optional CFI/II): $8000
CRJ Ground school/sim course (optional): $3500
Grand total: $54300, spread out over 3-4 years.
I don't know exactly what students are coming out with timewise, but I'm guessing around 200-250 total with 80-100 multi time, and 24 hrs in the CRJ sim if they opt to do that. These are the REAL numbers straight off my records....I even rounded up a bit since these were my sharper students.
Compare this to:
ATP Airline program: $53990
Regional Airline Academy: $60000
Local FBO: 39000 (no turbine training)
Other FBO: 37000 (no turbine training)
So what students get out of these programs is a bit different for each school, but the costs for the "airline prep" schools is about equal. Our flight costs are less than FBOs in the local area with comparable equipment, particularly multi-engine aircraft (most FBO multis around here are down for mtx 1/2 the time). Keep in mind too that we are a university, so Aero Sci students are getting alot of specific classroom training on alot of things they will see in the future outside of our flight department, but the costs for tuition, etc. are not included here.
There is alot of dislike towards us out there, but the current generation of CFI's and students, for the most part, are trying to dispell the "cocky" attitude alot of pilots think we have...and yes, I have 40G in loans to pay back too, which after consolidation comes to about 200 bucks a month...not too bad AFTER the 1st year at a regional. However, the University is paying for my MBA now as an employee, which is a more useful degree should the pilot job market cease up once again. I had fun during my time as a student here, and still do...it is what you make of it.
-Sargeanb