SeanAucoin

could you maybe help me out...

what would your thoughts be...

Option #1: I live in MA, they have a community college up here (north shore community college) Where I can get my associates in aviation and all my ratings... total cost would be about $35,000 for everything then I would probally instruct and do the riddle extended campus deal online...

Option #2 Move to florida (already sounds nicer then MA) go to broward community college, get the training from delta connection academy, get all the ratings/degree, then instruct there (guranteed) and work on the riddle extended campus deal down there..then get that guranteed job interview... total would be about $50,000 with the apartment...

any suggestions on that?

LAfrequentflyer

Stay in MA - save your money , you could buy ME time with it, pay for your BA/BS with it, etc...You'll still get that job interview after you meet the min requirements for the company you are interested in. If you find there aren't enough students in MA move to Florida / Airizona, etc where there are...You may even want to consider TX (rumor has it the AF will start having all intro flight training for its UPT candidates in one location = lots of CFI jobs and a good recommendation when you are ready to move on...)

If there are military bases in your area see if they have an aero club- you can work there and build quality time - lots of military guys/gals take advantage of those facilities...

v/r,
LA

daytonaflyer

I would stay away from Delta Connection Academy for a few years. Your interview will be with Commair and right now they are hurting because of Delta Airlines bankruptcy. Not only are they probably going to lay off hundreds of pilots next year, but they probably won't be hiring for a few years.
If you want to go the college/flight training route, go to Mesa Pilot Development in Farmington - 2 year degree program or in Phoenix, AZ - 4 year degree program.
Mesa isn't the best airline, but you get a chance to fly for a regional with only about 300 hours and you get a college degree. With Delta Academy you would have to flight instruct for a year also, but they wouldn't hire you now anyway.

Chris

I'm a student at a DCA sponsored college and Comair is actually not the only regional carrier to interview. Chautuaqua, TSA and AE are the others but of course DCA would push Comair for obvious reasons.

jaron

look at www.fly-aviation.com there good

cocomojoe4

Sean, how are you doing. What part of mass are you from? What airport are you based out of? I grew up and learned to fly at LWM. I worked on the line crew for 4 years and used the money to take flying lessons. Am am in my senior year at ERAU in daytona beach and I can tell you, pilot and instructors down here are a dime a dozen. It seems like everybody is an instructor and they only have 1 or 2 students at most. If I had to do it over I would stay in a place where the competition is less and take on a steady flow of students. Be creative, the good paying jobs are still out there if you are willing to do your homework. Some of the best flying jobs are ones that are not advertised. There are lots of 91 and 135 flight departments around that would be willing to help an honest young guy out getting started by giving him a little duel in a king air or navajo or something. Just look up chief pilots names and start emailing them, you have nothing to lose. Thats what I did and it worked well. As for your rating and such, I took the 61 route and I loved it. Sometimes taking a little but more time to get your ratings will make you a much better pilot than being in a constant rush to get your ticket. Alot of incidental learning takes places when you work at an airport around airplanes. Consider working for an FBO while you are getting your rating. Its a free education in real world flights ops, unlike the sheltered 141 environment. Just my thoughts.....Joe

Jesrober

I would be careful about the guaranteed flight instructing job at DCA I know a lot of instructors that have left there because they never got any students and from what I hear there is a wait until you get any students.

ERJ135

Hey, Sean

I graduated from Northshore Community college and went through the same program. Now I instruct at BVY. Who are you? PM me if you want. I can tell you that after I finished my degree their I went to Endicott and go one night a week for business. Its great, plenty of time to fly. The only thing I can tell you about the flight academys as I said in an other Threads that everybody i know that went to NSCC then on to the other schools in Florida none I know are flying anymore. There was one kid that graduated in May and went to ERAU. He spent this past semister with them and flew three times. He hated it and is coming back this December to finish his degree up here so he can continue to fly. However, keep in mind these are only MY personal experiences with people I know that have gone down there. That doen't mean that they are bad schools and certainly they turn out airline pilots. Just remember that flight instructing time in the NE WX is looked upon by commuters with just as high of regard as gradutuating from ERAU or FIT. Good luck..

Chris