Originally Posted by rickair7777
Mesa Airlines Pilot Development (MAPD) is a set curriculum that starts you from zero and goes to Commercial/Multi-engine/Instrument ratings plus some jet (CRJ) groundschool and sim training. The program is run out of San Juan College in Farmington, NM, at ASU, and some other school in the midwest. San Juan is a 2 year program with an AA degree, I think ASU is a 4 year BS.
There are many other similar programs out there, some of which will actually get you an interview with a regional/commuter airline, but MAPD does have a very high success rate for getting people hired at Mesa, like 80%.
My usual recomendation is to get your instructor ratings and teach, then you will be competetive for more than one airline. If you chose MAPD, I will say that it is a good program that does what it claims (rare in the flight training industry!). HOWEVER, be aware that is costs a lot of $$$ and if you are in the wrong 20% or Mesa stops hiring, then you've blown that money. That training WILL NOT get you a job at any other airline. You would then need to go get your instructor ratings anyway. Basically it's a calculated risk...do you feel lucky?
Also, there is some sentiment in the industry that 300 hour airline pilots "didn't pay their dues" or "bought a job" and aren't real pilots. This could haunt you in the long run when you apply to a larger airline. I don't care about dues paying myself, but a FEW MAPD grads are just kids with no judgement or backbone who would have benefited from a few life experiences. Shouldn't apply in your case if you play college ball...
www.mesa-air.com has more info.
Rick,
I just wanted to clear up a couple of things mentioned in your post.
First, the MAPD program does have a very high success rate. But it’s more in the range of 90% than 80%. The job is not guaranteed, but it is yours to lose. If something is going to trip a candidate up, it’s usually a bad attitude going into the interview, poor preparation, or something in their background that wasn't caught previously. Remember, Larry Risely and Mesa Airlines created the program. Mesa wants to hire the graduates.
Secondly, yes, the program does cost a lot of money. There are a lot of programs out there that cost just as much if not more, but they don't have the placement power that MAPD has. (Besides, if you don't get the job, you don't walk away empty handed. You still have your certificates and ratings. You just have to work on an alternate plan.) On the other hand there are a lot of outstanding flight training schools that cost less. That path usually leads to a flight instructor position. (I’m not down on flight instruction. I took that route, and I think it’s a great way to go.) The decision you have to make is how quickly do you want to get into the cockpit of an airline? Remember, seniority is everything when it comes to airlines.
As far as what happens when Mesa stops hiring, we've already seen what Mesa will do. After 9/11, Mesa continued to interview and hire the graduates. When training classes resumed, the pool of MAPD grads were brought on the property. Some folks sat around for over a year, but they knew they had a job in their back pocket. How well prepared they were to make it through ground school was up to them.
Finally, I wanted to address your comment about how being a 300 hour pilot may haunt you when you apply to other airlines. I wouldn't let that be a part of the decision. MAPD grads are flying at just about any airline you care to mention, both as first officers and as captains. Just like military pilots gripe about civilian pilots, and civilian pilots gripe about military pilots, there will be those who think that unless you paid your dues (however they define it), you're not a worthy pilot. A lot of students that do go through the program have parents who are pilots. Their folks have flown with an MAPD grad and gotten the gouge on the program. (Southwest, JetBlue, United, Northwest, etc.)
This post is not a flame, so hopefully you don't take it that way. I did want to set the record straight.
Hog.