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Delta Connection Academy having big problems

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Delta Connection Academy having big problems

Old 09-12-2007, 03:32 PM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by CPOonfinal View Post
Pardon me for asking a question as it relates to earlier posts in this thread, but if training at DCA cost $30k would you attend? I'm a Chief in the Navy and would like nothing more than to fly. When I retire I won't necessarily be a spring chicken and will need to change careers in a somewhat rapid fashion. I'm not interested knocking out low-quality hours (if there is such a thing) for the sake of logging hours, but time is a concern. GI bill will pay roughly 50%-60% of the cost at DCA. I'm still looking but I'm not aware of too many other schools that accept the GI Bill. I'm currently at a staff command and do a lot of traveling. I have a great time on the road and know I would enjoy being an RJ Pilot.

Thanks in advance for your responses and advice.

Dear Squid,

A lot of other 141 schools are accepted by the VA for full GI Bill benefits. Also something to consider is attending a small and cheap community college full time, collecting the GI Bill from it, and doing your flight training at an FBO. Or you could attend a more reputable four year university and take their flight program (Probably unlikely for you since you said you would be in a bit of a hurry).

If you have any questions at all about the transition feel free to send them my way, I just made the transition from active duty to flight school myself and would be more than happy to offer whatever help I can!

P.S - No offense on the squid comment
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Old 09-12-2007, 04:15 PM
  #42  
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I hesitate to respond to an individual via the thread instead of PM, but I feel it important to point out that there is no offense taken. I'm proud to be a Squid, and you a Devil Dog right? I didn't know that a graduate of DCA only logs 250hrs. I figured it was maybe twice as many. I guess other than what other facility/school similar to DCA that excepts MGI, my only other question at this point would be how much does an instructor make? I've done a lot of reading on this forum but have never seen an expected earning statement for CFI's. I have a huge leg up on most in that not only will I be collecting retirement pay from the Navy but my wife will be as well. From here on out I intend on PMing so not to bore others. Thanks.
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Old 09-12-2007, 05:01 PM
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Originally Posted by CPOonfinal View Post
I hesitate to respond to an individual via the thread instead of PM, but I feel it important to point out that there is no offense taken. I'm proud to be a Squid, and you a Devil Dog right? I didn't know that a graduate of DCA only logs 250hrs. I figured it was maybe twice as many. I guess other than what other facility/school similar to DCA that excepts MGI, my only other question at this point would be how much does an instructor make? I've done a lot of reading on this forum but have never seen an expected earning statement for CFI's. I have a huge leg up on most in that not only will I be collecting retirement pay from the Navy but my wife will be as well. From here on out I intend on PMing so not to bore others. Thanks.
CFIs at DCA are paid $11 an hour for a line pilot..and $12.50 for a check pilot, CFI qualified instructor, group leader, or MEI...there are some people with guaranteed contracts to teach at DCA (25-30K something like that) which is way more than the majority of the pilots who work just as hard and do the same or even more work (causes a lot of dissent in the ranks towards management)...for the most part DCA will go on the record (when I was trying to defer my student loans they did this) to say that a CFI of theirs makes 10,000 a year max

nothing i could ever live on

best of luck my friend!
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Old 09-12-2007, 06:54 PM
  #44  
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All of our CFI's here at Spartan get right around $13 an hour (I'm pretty sure the senior CFI's like Stage Check Airmen etc. get paid a nice chunk more but pay isn't something openly discussed out here). The only stipulation on the $13 an hour is that it is only time that you are with a student. If you have a 0700 flight that finishes at 0900 and the only other flight you have that day is at 1500-1700 then you get four hours of pay and depending on where you live you -might- be at the school that entire day. It -can- happen but we almost always coordinate everyone's schedules so nobody is left sitting around doing nothing.

All told you have the option of putting in up to fourteen or fifteen hours per day, seven days a week if you want to, the schedules are pretty flexible and nobody will expect you to do that but you can if you want.
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Old 09-12-2007, 07:18 PM
  #45  
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Originally Posted by andy171773 View Post
they'll most likely charge current instructors for all the manuals/checklists...which is about 100 bucks..but last i heard they weren't going to charge for the training itself (aside most likely not being paid for said training)

Actually, DCA has been hiring on CFI with just their initial, unlike before where you had to have a CFII as well. So now they have a group of CFI's that will get their CFII in the SR20. The problem is the extra cost associated with the SR20 vs a C-172. DCA is telling all instructors who need their CFII that a CFII ticket will run $10-$12K, up from $3K in the c-172. If they can not come up with the extra scratch...there is the door.

So now you have a CFI who can not afford the extra cash because he is already tapped out on loans. He has been drinking a pretty steady flow of DCA KoolAid so he thinks without DCA he can not get a regional job so DCA makes him an offer. "Instruct 1600 hours dual given and we will pay for your CFII and MEI." The kid signs the contract and does not realize he is a DCA slave for the next 2 years.

Like I said when I started this Thread...stay away from DCA!!
 
Old 09-13-2007, 06:15 AM
  #46  
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DCA instructors did get a slight raise recently.

Also, the hiring after initial CFI has gone away as they're starting to get enough SR-20 instructors in the system to scrape by. Instructors, however, are very much overloaded at present. On the bright side, they're building hours quickly.

At the moment, they're "encouraging" students in the older equipment to transition to the SR-20 as soon as possible but that, of course, comes with a transition course and associated bill.

Overall, the cost of DCA has gone up significantly with the fleet change. The training is good, though it may be a few months before things get ironed out with the new curriculum and aircraft. Unless you have an endless font of money of draw upon, I'd think very hard before choosing DCA for your flight training.
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Old 09-13-2007, 07:37 AM
  #47  
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DCA instructors did get a slight raise recently.



Is this the $10 to $11 bump for "primary" instruction they received last year?
 
Old 09-13-2007, 11:31 AM
  #48  
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Originally Posted by andy171773 View Post
DCA IS in big trouble..as a former CFII, MEI and check pilot in the Mass base they have had a huge decrease in morale and profitability recently, the last few quarters especially. Last i had heard, DCA up in Mass is 1/4 million in debt, largely because of poor management, awful (and i mean awful) airplanes (mx costs add up quick), and improper facilities to perform those maintenance actions in a timely manner. By this i mean no owned hanger. The hanger used was across the main runway, and was usually 99% full due to storage. The airplanes at the Mass DCA are old, very old. Not only that, but every single airplane has over 10,000 hours..and some as high as 18,000 in a 172. All are from the late 70's early 80's and were in utter disrepair, barely airworthy. The inadequate facilities really made it difficult to get the airplanes started in the very low temps during the New England weather. Since we had no hanger, we had to preheat the airplanes with these prehistoric propane heaters, which did more damage to the instructors operating them (melting clothes, burning hands) than it actually heated the airplanes. Write ups would bring the planes down if they wouldn't start, not because of an actual mechanical problem (our Cessna's just don't like to start in very cold weather) but because the Hobbs meter would click over during the failed start attempts. Thereby leaving the student with an unacceptable charge on their account that DCA would have to swallow (most likely adding to the debt).

The unencumbered recruiting of students by both the affiliate collage and DCA did not help matters. As a dwindling instructor group (due to an industry wide shortage of pilots..from low minimums) got even smaller and smaller. Average student loads per instructor were easily over 10 and upwards of 15, and management demanded more still from the instructors.

DCAs strong armed bully approach to their employees has been well documented in the past, and has gotten worse in the present. As a student, you may think this does not concern you, but it does. If an instructor isn't motived, or happy to do his/her job, then he or she will never live up to their ability. The instructors by in large are miserable, the compensation is inadequate and the instructors can leave and go to an airline with out their "connections" at any time. DCA thinks otherwise, and will low ball their employees to do anything they can to make them stay, if this doesn't work, and if the employees attitude doesn't agree with DCAs (i.e. not a brown noser), they will straight up make your life miserable, including termination of employment. There have been many instances of management bullying employees to get what they want, at the expense of the employees career at DCA, their airline careers, or even their certificates. Pressures to fly unairworthy airplanes, and pressures to fly in unsafe conditions occur as well. Not necessarily from top to bottom, but they're high enough to cause problems.

DCAs training program is phenomenal, but they no longer have the support to sustain it (MASS closing for example) , or the resources to do it economically (questionable decision/reasoning on the SR-20s).

As a student for 4 years at DCA, and a senior instructor very recently, i cannot recommend a student goes with DCA. Your local FBO is the best bet. It's ashame what's happening, but the usual ups and downs of the industry, coupled with the flaws of DCA are really doing them in. I feel bad for the current students, but study other options long and hard before committing to anyone. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

Well said Andy.

DCA management (for the most part) is nothing but a bunch of used car salesmen. They are still living in the days where a place like DCA was necessary to get into the regionals. Times have changed.

I'd say DCA is the Mesa of the flight schools, but I wouldn't want to insult Mesa like that.

DCA stole 2 years from my life that I will never get back.

Stay away from DCA.
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Old 09-13-2007, 12:42 PM
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Originally Posted by ILS37R View Post
DCA instructors did get a slight raise recently.
the raise was from 10 to 11 dollars...the letter that was sent to DCA management from the employees was well worded, well backed up, and respectful.. not pointing any blame at the company for being garbage, but just asking for industry standards and a higher quality of life..pointing out that bills (especially in Mass since the cost of living is so high) easily add up over income....

the letter DCA sent back was a slap in the face with this one dollar raise!..got the letter right as i started last year..off on the right foot if you will
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Old 09-13-2007, 07:51 PM
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What was funny about the one dollar raise is the new president G.B. acted like it was his first priority, to get the CFI's a raise. Such a joke! The call the instructors Delta employees yet they do not get medical or dental. The guy who cleans the toilets does, but not the instructors.

When I left early for the regionals L.W. looked at me crazy like how could I possibly want to leave..what a joke
 
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