Originally Posted by
Cubdriver
Agreed. I teach at a school that offers only Part 41 primary training. The average student flight time is 60 hours to get a PPL ticket. This is the exact same number as for Part 61 schools, plus or minus 5 hours.
The Part 141 curriculum has more structure and less freedom for either student or instructor. If the instructor is not happy with the student's flying he or she is going to repeat a lesson in question which produces higher flight times. Part 141 total time gets pushed up to 60 hours in most cases, even though the lessons could be finished in 35 hours of training theoretically. Occasionally a student comes along that can ace the program, yes, but I tell you most do not and these are smart, trainable people.
Ryan's point about Part 61 offering more chances for students to seek individualized training is true to my experience. Those who are in Part 61 programs tend to go for tailwheel/ seaplane/ aerobatic/ glider / helocopter experience in addition to meeting FAA mins for commercial flight times. Those who opt for RJ sim time usually get only that- RJ flying is a specialized type of flying that is high, fast, structured, and tends to avoid pilot discretion. While RJ pilots tend to be good pilots because they fly so much, they are not very good at seat-of-the-pants aeronautical thinking because they expect to be either told what to do or have a checklist onhand to tell them what to do. They are also somewhat blinded by the perception they are the best pilots since they fly the most expensive airplanes. I respect the high level of responsibility they undertake to cary so many paying passengers, but I question the roundness of someone who does nothing but RJ flying and came out of a Part 141 airline program aimed at getting them a job as an FO on an airliner.
Case in point- I was asked to drop a tow line for a glider at a precise point on a grass strip next to a paved runway, then land on the same runway in the remaining pavement, then get off and clear the way so an airshow could continue without waiting for a go around. I was to then tow a glider to altitude and get away from the aerobatic zone. I made all this happen with no prior practice not even knowing about it before the day of the show. This kind of decision making is only possible when you have flown a variety of aircraft in a variety of environments. It was the kind of thing I do all the time, no big deal to me. An fresh RJ pilot would have no idea how to do this and I fear for his life if he thought he did.
If you want to go to the airlines, then it is ok to select a program targeting that. If you want to be the best pilot possible then you will have to learn more than just flying a one highly systemized airplane in a highly structured environment. Those guys are good at what they do, don't get me wrong; it's the ability to adapt that is probably lacking there.
Not all 141 programs are geared toward airlines. The school I work for has nothing to do with RJ training. 141 curriculum is designed to incorporate more quality control and a structured path toward getting your certificates and ratings. 141 curriculum is approved by the FAA and allows a student the chance to earn your certificates in less time than that required for part 61 training depending on the approved syllabus. We teach all the same stuff required by part 61 but are more tightly regulated than part 61. 141 schools are required to maintain an 80 percent pass rate in order to keep their certificate current and allow them to continue advertising as an FAA approved flight program.
Part 61 schools / instructors can pretty much do whatever syllabus they want without the oversight of an FAA inspector so long as you meet the minimum requirements to get that certificate. As mentioned before this does offer more freedom to branch out and do different things whereas there is very little wiggle room in a 141 program. This isn't to say though that you can't go out and get a tailwheel endorsement outside of a 141 course. That tailwheel time you get can go in your logbook. It just won't count towards any of your 141 training if you're already enrolled in a 141 course. The same goes for any extracurricular flying you do outside of being enrolled in a 141 course.
Another drawback to 141 training, is if you already have a bunch of hours training from a part 61 operation, then the 141 can only accept a maximum of 25 percent of the total hours required by their syllabus for that approved course. Ex: you have 50 hrs of training from your part 61 instructor towards a private cert. and you want to finish it up at a 141 school. The 141 school can only accept a maximum of 12.5 hrs towards the completion of their approved course. You might as well finish the certificate under 61 and then start your instrument with the 141 school.
If you moved from one 141 school to another, then you have to get a copy of your records from the old 141 flight school and present it to the new one. The new one can only accept a maximum of 50 percent of the hours required by their approved training course outline.
I'm sure there are more advantages and disadvantages to 141 schools than what i've listed here. This is all I could think of off the top of my head late on a Sunday night.
I'm not trying to advocate one over the other. In the end the pieces of plastic you get are the same. Go to a 141 school and get a discovery flight and a tour of the school. Ask to sit through and observe a ground school session. Do the same with the 61 school. Do what ever works best for you, financially and academically.