Go Back  Airline Pilot Central Forums > Career Builder > Flight Schools and Training
Flight school, or Buy an airplane? >

Flight school, or Buy an airplane?

Notices
Flight Schools and Training Ratings, building hours, airmanship, CFI topics

Flight school, or Buy an airplane?

Old 04-06-2019, 07:10 AM
  #21  
Line Holder
 
Joined APC: Dec 2017
Posts: 93
Default

Originally Posted by dckozak View Post
Flights schools: ... quality (Meaning more $$$) big schools.
To the OP, I recommend not confusing this to mean that high cost directly correlates to high quality of education.

As others have pointed out, ATP is high cost, big, and has a spotty reputation. The folks defending ATP as a top quality school are almost always prior students defending their alma mater. Other schools like Embry-Riddle get non-alumni defending it as quality education... but overpriced. Don't be afraid to move to your training location, you'll need to do it often in the career anyway.

While my experience is anecdotal, I know of a couple flight schools that now have a policy of refusing to hire ATP graduates as instructors because their depth of knowledge was severely lacking. They've gotten burned multiple times in the past hiring them. ATP guarantees you a flight instructor position, but I believe they will send you anywhere in the country and you might not be getting as many flight hours as you'd like (maybe this policy is different now), so some ATP graduates still apply elsewhere to instruct with an uphill battle to convince some FBOs to hire them.
Stoked27 is offline  
Old 04-06-2019, 11:28 AM
  #22  
Line Holder
 
Joined APC: Apr 2018
Posts: 75
Default

Originally Posted by Captainfit View Post
Okay! What kind of plane suggestions do you have? If I went that route!
Personal preference, but a 172 or PA28 are size-wise what I'm comfortable flying in IFR... perhaps a 1/3 or 1/4 share ownership would allow you to reduce your financial risk as costs for maintenance/annuals etc are typically split amongst all owners. I have not fractionally owned a plane myself, so perhaps someone here could add some firsthand insight...
Pilsung is online now  
Old 04-06-2019, 02:22 PM
  #23  
Line Holder
 
Joined APC: Nov 2018
Posts: 27
Default

My personal experience of being owner of a 1965 Cherokee. Seems like there is always parts/avionics that need to be replaced. However, I am sure there are aircraft owners around who may say they never had to replace parts. Anyways, the reason I bought the Cherokee was because I got to know an older, retired professional pilot/CFI on the field who didn't mind sharing his skills of the trade. And so it seemed to make sense to have a plane available to receive instruction. I am sure there are old timers here on the forum who could chime in and share their insights.
Moonlight is offline  
Old 04-06-2019, 10:47 PM
  #24  
Fly or Die
 
ESQ702's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jan 2019
Posts: 483
Default

Originally Posted by TiredSoul View Post
I would recommend against Sally Mae.
Their interest is ridiculous, on par with credit cards.
Do your private and take it from there.
Try your best to do this pay as you go.
With a wife and kid you don’t want to be right seat Regional with $100k in debt that takes 20+ years to pay off.
By the way ATP is not a respected school in the industry.
Embryo Riddle is, so is Flight Safety and UND.
ATP....meh kinda checkered.
^^^^ This...so much this. Don’t borrow. Find another way to get through your training.
ESQ702 is offline  
Old 04-08-2019, 07:12 AM
  #25  
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
 
Joined APC: Mar 2019
Posts: 112
Default

Originally Posted by dckozak View Post
I'm looking at some of the options you are but for my son rather than myself. I'm on the tail end of this journey, looking to retire from an airline while my 21yo son is just getting started. I did the CIV route and instructed on the front end of my career, I'll share a couple points that others have and my thoughts as regarding my own (sons) situation.

The purchase airplane thing could be a great deal but unless your wiling to deal with all the risk and take on the responsibilities related to aircraft ownership, I would say the risk of making a bad blunder out weighs the reward of saving money. Bottom line: possible to win big or fail big, inside knowledge (regarding aircraft values and a particular airframes quality). Plus the major crap shoot. You can get it all right and still can't sell it for what's its worth (based on your pre purchase assumings of value) at the end of your training. Don't forget to include costs associated with the airport (tie down or hanger) and taxes on purchase and sell.

Flights schools: University, Zero to hero quickies, quality (Meaning more $$$) big schools. Mom and Pop (local FAR part 61 operators).
Which way to go?? Budget, time and proximity to your home all come into play. If you don't mind spending more and have it, I'd suggest one of the bigger FAR part 141 if you intend to fly professionally and your trying to move quickly from one profession to another. Avoid the low cost options with the quickie flights schools. The quality of training has to suffer as the operator is no doubt cutting corners (instructor pay and quality of the aircraft). If you can live with a slower pace to get your training or you need to pay for your schooling out of pocket, than the local FBO is realistically your only option. Look around at more than just the closest airport. Interview both management and an instructor or two. Ask how many hours a day they normally fly (anything over about 4 flight hours means they are running from one student to the next with little time for pre and post flight briefings). Ask a lot of questions and read a bunch of advice from others on this board. Remember, its your money, and it's a lot of money. Make sure everyone is working on your behalf to get you the best education you can. Your life and those you fly in the future deserve nothing less.
Thank you for your suggestions! Purdue, and Indiana University Have flight Programs, but they are both about 2 hours away. I am going to call Embry Riddle and ask about their Worldwide online programs to see if they are partners with any Flight Schools in my area
Captainfit is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Your Privacy Choices