Erau
 

How smart is it to go to college at ERAU and get 250 hrs. and my commercial? How does this compare to taking flight lessons at an airport near a college that doesn't offer a flight program? How great, actually, is ERAU? Any answers/responses are welcomed.

Skip ERAU. Go to a college near an airport with a flight school. You will spend FAR less money going that route and the airlines don't really care how you got your certs and ratings. I would also highly recommend getting a degree that has absolutely nothing to do with aviation so you have something to fall back on.

this question is asked at least once a month....do a search and u can find all kind of opinions....there are ones on this board who had bad experiences at ERAU and bash it constantly..mostly because they thought they would be 747captains at graduation...u get what u pay for....do you want an education or just certificates?

Here's a basic search to get you started, there had been considerable "discussion" about ERAU here over the years. As has been suggested, do a little reading on your own and I think you'll find a good representation of PRO and CON positions:

http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/se...earchid=267547

Well, I spent several hours looking through that search (thanks, HSLD), and the issue seems to be very opinionated. Hmmm. Maybe I'd be better off at a state college & do flight training on the side.

I think a lot of it depends on your money situation, I have a buddy who is currently at erau and doesnt mind it but, he is about $100,000 in debt and I also have another friend who is at a state school with the same ratings and about half the debt. Just someth'n to think about

Imagine yourself in the future for a second. You've just arrived at your first regional, and are looking around at everyone else in your class. Just like you, most of them have spent a year or so (or more) instructing, and just like you, they most likely have a college degree. They've taken the same path as you to get where they are, but the difference is, they've paid about one fourth what you did. You, on the other hand, will have student loan payments in excess of your gross monthly income for that first year, and a huge percentage of it thereafter. Just ask yourself if there's any purpose in taking the most expensive possible route to get to the same spot as everyone else. You won't regret your choice to go to a state school. I doubt the words "I wish I had gone to ERAU" have ever been spoken.

If you want the experience of college and flying, go to a school like Kent State University, or UND, Purdue and many other state schools with a flight program, I know at Kent we offer flight tech as minor so you can also major in somthing else other then aviation or major in aviaiton which ever you prefer. Once you get your ratings the school hires you as an instructor and you build your time, All three schools I listed plus I'm sure many others too offer great internships with regionals and major airlines. All these schools cost alot less then Embrey Riddle and offer the same if not better training plus you get the exprience of college.

this is the way to go....

I go to Embry Riddle, and so far I've had both good and bad experiences just like everywhere. It is a good university overall, that is only if you apply and use all the resources the university gives. But can you do it somewhere else? Sure. The major downfall of this wonderful place is the price, it sure does cost a pretty penny. And that is why many students leave the first year or find out the aviation field is not for them. Im here cause my parents want me here; but is not a bad place, im in florida! =) As far as having a college life obviously this institute cant compare itself to a state university but every year has gotten better and better since ive been here. As for the flying in riddle, I say is alot harder than flying out on an FBO. When i did my private back in high school it was very laid back, take your time, etc. in Riddle you follow a lesson plan one after the other, and sometimes it can be quite stressful cause on top that you have school work. Now for whatever reason you finish the activity unsatisfactory you have to repeat the activity,meaning more $$$. If you have any specific question throw me a PM.

I agree with the state school idea. I did a state school + ROTC. I'm building my time in the AF with decent pay. However, given the current state of affairs that we are involved in you may want to think carefully about the military route.

My 2 cents,

T-1

Go to a real university. ERAU is way overpriced for what it really is.

I have actually done a lot of research in the past few hours, and have decided to major in something in a state college and then go on to that national-pilot-academy-thingy (name, please :o), where I will earn my CFI in four months and get enough hours to apply for regionals (this place has a 100% success rate of their applicants who apply to regional carriers). I am still planning to earn my PPL next year in high school and have some fun flying Cessnas the summer before college. Thanks for the help of everyone who posted here -- you really helped me make a decision.

whatever u do do not limit your research to this website...talk to people that attended there and visit both campuses if u can...good luck with whatever u decide but don't be silly by just making your decision on remarks of this website...i enjoyed my time there and the connections i made there which ultimately helped in my job at FDX

I am currently a student at ERAU in Florida, and I have enjoyed it so far. I just passed my Private Checkride last week :) and everything has been running smoothly. Last year, before I decided to come here I did alot of research too and decided that this was where I wanted to be. I am one of the lucky ones. I am on the highest scholarship, a member of the Honor's Program, and I am fortunate enough to have my parents pay for the rest of my tuition. Many kids here pay for the full tuition, and if it weren't for my parents I wouldn't be here. Right now, I am debating whether or not to pursue a double major in business or a pilot with a triple minor as a backup to my degree. Unfortunately, the school isn't your typical college experience with parties every night and so on. Therefore, just join a fraternity and you can party and drink whenever you want to bring some of the fun back.

"talk to people that attended there"

PRC Class of 83. Wouldn't do it over again. Don't recommend an aviation degree or ERAU.

Why wouldn't you do it over again?

Class of 91...Daytona!...would do it all over again...especially since MTV hosted all the Spring breaks!!!

"Why wouldn't you do it over again?"

A) It's not worth the money.

B) The flight training, while possibly marginally better than an FBO, isn't worth the money.

C) A degree in aviation is no better than a degree in anything else. I have other interests now I wish I had taken seriously, degree wise, over an aviation degree.

D) The airlines don't care what your degree is in or where you did your training.

E) Riddle is highly overrated. If a guy really couldn't see beyond an aviation degree, which is understandable sometimes, you could do it better and cheaper, elsewhere.

F) Oh yeah....did I say it's not worth the money.

Now, the first comment will be "Well, you went to Riddle and now you're a UPS pilot"....

There was 7 years between Riddle and my job at UPS. Riddle allowed me to check a square on the app...that's it. Many other places could have done the same thing...only better. Riddle had no bearing, whatsoever, on me ending up at UPS.

By the way, I don't hate Riddle. It's a fine school and turns out a fine product for what it is. I just don't think it's necessary or...worth the money.

times have changed---spring break in Daytona aint what it used to be. that whole scene has moved to PCB.

Do your research on the "national pilot academy thingy" too. The zero to hero approach isn't necessarily the best. One reason why people say the training at riddle may be better is because it is structured, you know how the course will progress, etc. Quality of training is very important. I'm not saying FBO or some express pilot places aren't good...but just be very sure you know what you are getting into.

Go to a regular college with a flight school at a nearby fbo. Training is just as good, get a degree to fall back on if aviation doesn't work out for you, you'll also get a lot more hours while you're still in school. I got an economics degree from a big 12 university and did all my flying at local fbo near my college. Graduated with over 2000TT and 500ME. Straight to a good regional without having to instruct after college at all. Sure you can go to an airline without gaining a lot of experience first but you'll be missing out on a lot.

may i ask how you obtain 2000TT 500ME without instructing.:eek: im guessing you did some part 135?

good advice ^^ .... a lot of the express places i'm sure are very good. I am currently at DCA , but I transfered in with my multi-instrument , and the experience I gained back at my part 61 FBO was the best thing yet. I must have flown 100+ hours just building xc time and practice approaches and it's the time when your flying by yourself or with a buddy when you really get to know what flying is like and to actually apply what you are learning, not having a flight instructor with you at every waking moment babying you and telling you what to do. At part 141 , every flight except about 10hours, is with an instructor. But, on the other hand the training was a lot better than what it was at my part 61 FBO. I would def. CFI for a bit also, I am working on my CFI right now and even if I had enough hours to apply for a regional job, I would not apply ... just because I know how much experience and knowledge flight instructing for atleast a couple years will give me. But, you got to find out what works best for you. Just dont believe everything you read on those websites .. all they care about its how much money you put in your flight account and how they can get more.

I guess I should be more clear. I didn't have to instruct after college at all. I have about 1400 dual given while I was still in college. The cfi job got me a deal flying a malibu, columbia 400 and a 310 on the side for a group of doctors. We flew all over the western us and down to mexico and the caribbean. Fbos are a good place to pick up stuff like that. Thats another bad deal about the big flight school or aviation universitys, generally you can only fly their planes. If I had done that route I wouldnt have gained a lot of the experience that I have now. I am now going to one of the top regionals at the end of this month, I graduate from college in about a week. In my opinion there is nothing that sharpens your skills like teaching. You don't really learn until you teach is how the saying goes.

ERAU is a waste. I just left the Prescott campus after one year. It wasn't because it was too hard, or the flying was bad. It was because ERAU was bad. $226 an hour for a C172S is absurd. $141 an hour hobbs + anywhere between $27-$36 an hour for fuel + $49 an hour for instruction. Are you kidding me? For What? On top of that, ~$32,500 a year for tuition.
I can go on and on, but ERAU residential campuses are a waste. Riddle puts it in people's heads that when you leave, you WILL get an airline job. I know several people who have left ERAU after 3 or 4 years, no airline job.
Also, $155,000~$200,000 in debt when you leave....awesome.
Extended campus is the way to go. 1/4 of the cost, flight on your own (which you get credit for), and a degree which will work as good as a degree from the residential campus.
My .02

Same here, I left after my first year at Prescott. $226/hr, are you serious?
I was there in 2003/04 and the Cessna was $138/hr for everything, plane and instructor and that was it. Do I even want to know what they're Seminoles go for?

I know, a lot of people most likely won't believe that price, but I have several of those nice little white papers they give you after you fly each time with all of those costs... such bull.
The price for the seminole...I have no clue, I do know that some guys would do a xc to LA and back and it would be upwards of $2,500.
Brutal.

You people focus too much on quality of training. Don't. The FAA standard is all you need to train to and fly to on a daily basis. Get your ratings as quickly as possible so you can get a seniority number. Don't worry about quality of training unless you're getting ready to start military flight training.Thats when you'll need to excel daily. Otherwise, take it easy , buy a nice watch, and get use to enjoying beer and slacking for a living. From what I understand the level of automation in a airplane these days requires little more than programming / coordination w/ dispatch and mx skills.

-LAFF

"You people focus too much on quality of training. Don't..."

"Don't worry about quality of training...."

"From what I understand the level of automation in a airplane these days requires little more than programming / coordination w/ dispatch and mx skills"

Yeah, right. Let's just say your understanding is wrong....

What's your background again LAFF? PPL?

What button do you press when you key the mike and say "Mayday"?

My priorities would be to aviate and navigate. Communications would be a distant third priority compared to safely doing the 1st two.

I'd have the FO talk w/ ATC.

-LAFF

You don't understand and have a lot to learn beyond getting your $100 hamburger!:rolleyes:

I wish I could afford a $100 hamburger like all you pilots out there...


-LAFF

I'm not talking about the literal button you press to key the mike rather the button you press to solve the emergency...because it is all automated these days.

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Maybe I should find some KY instead of reading this. Does anybody have any good links to evening readings?

Don't over pay training at ATP and you could buy your own cow!

I graduated from a State University about a year ago. I owe about 100 grand and feel that I ****ed it away on a name. If I had to do it over again I would have majored in aviation maintenace and than flown at a local FBO to pick up my ratings. To think in the same time I could have picked up my A&P plus my commercial makes me crap, but will make you more knowledgable and hopefully worth more. :) Hope my opinion helps! and if you have any questions feel free to pm!

Wow, reading this thread sure opened up a few more questions on my end. Sorry if my asking questions here comes off as thread hijacking. But reading all these posts spurs further thought into my career path.

I've got a BS in technical management from DeVry University. 4.0! And, the military paid for it all. :) So now, I'm thinking of leaving the military to pursue aviation. I'm currently taking private pilot lessons. Would I be better served to go so such a school such as DCA for further ratings? Or stay at an FBO? My goal is to join an airline.

Ooops! I guess it's too bad you can't aviate because...you guessed it, you didn't want to get any quality training.