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Old 04-08-2008 | 06:06 AM
  #64  
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SkyHigh
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From: Corporate Pilot
Default Specialized Training

Originally Posted by rorwizard
Ok so I agree that a guy out of Jet U with 300 hours is a scary concept... that is if your taking JetU to mean 0 to CRJ FO in 6 month programs. As a matter a fact if you go to www.jetuniversity.com and watch the 30 second spot they have posted before you get to their homepage I think it pretty much sums it up.

However, where my opinion will differ from most of yours, I am sure, is that someone who has gone to an Aviation University program such as (in alphabetical order as not to imply one is better than another): Auburn, Embry Riddle, FIT, Purdue, UND, etc. who have proven training programs is a whole different ball game. Most of these guys EARN their certs all the way through their CFII's and some of the schools have a Jet Sim course at the end of their training. Being that the schools are part 141 many of these students actually go through a number more intermediate check rides than a more traditional part 61 environment would, and even though more check rides does not equal a better pilot it would indicate that there is the ability to catch and correct training issues at an earlier stage. One important thing that many forget is that these schools teach full semester courses on Aerodynamics, Advanced Aerodynamics, Turbine Engines, Crew Resource Management, Navigation, Advanced Aviation Weather, Flight Physiology, human factors, etc., subject matters that are only briefly touched on in 121 ground school, but are a huge tool set in aviation. Also most of these guys will instruct at these schools for at least a year or so, and most of them, lately been leaving with somewhere between 400-800 hours to head for the regionals that will take them. My argument would be that these are much better pilots than the JetU Pilots we were referring to earlier and while they do get sim training for the CRJ (or the like) they do get a lot of the experience that someone that goes through part 61 training does and more. Oh, and I almost forgot they get a Bachelors too.

Would they be better pilots if they stayed for a few more years and didn't depart their respective schools for another year or two? Probably, but my point here is just because someone enrolls in a career oriented school doesn't automatically make them a bad pilot. And I would even go to the point to argue that I would rather have a grad from one of these schools with 400-800 hours under their belt sitting in the front of a CRJ i was catching a ride in than someone that came purely from a part 61 environment with 1500 hours.
A typical University graduate is trained for a career in aviation and not necessarily in the airlines exclusively. Specialized training could release the school from much of the traditional program and focus exclusively on part 121 subjects and procedures. The resulting product would have less flight time but a much more solid understanding of airline flying and would by custom ready for the job.


I think the MCL is on its way and that it will be a separate path taken by those who are exclusively interested in an airline career.

SKyHigh
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