Good start in Louisiana? (Flight School...)
 

Hey folks!

This is my first post here, and I'll try to keep it brief.

I just turned 22 on the 12th of December and I'm hoping to start my career in aviation this new year. I currently work full time for the Louisiana Air National Guard as an F-15 Avionics Tech (Hence the name...). I've been flip-flopping with my plans for going forward with this career.
Originally I wanted to get my folks to co-sign a huge loan to attend Regional Airline Academy in FL. However, after reading a lot on this forums about the state of aviation and about these 'fast-track' schools, I've decided to take it slow.
Currently, my plan is to continue working for the guard while also attending flight school to get my PPL. Hence why I'm posting, I'd like to hear if anyone knows of any decent schools around the Baton Rouge/New Orleans area. I assume that Part 61 or 141 will be fine for PPL?

Anyways, everyones thoughts are welcome.

I live in the Baton Rouge area, and recently inslisted into the LA ANG, 159th Fighter Wing. I will be a crew chief. I haven't left for basic, and tech. school yet, but maybe we will see each other around soon.

As far as flight schools, there are a couple of 141 flight schools in New Orleans, such as Flight Academy of New Orleans. I am not sure how good they are, as I do not attend, but they appear to offer everything.

Currently I am taking instruction from a 'free-lance' instructor in Baton Rouge. I like him, and plan to stick with him through my commercial, and CFI, etc. It will be much cheaper than a 141 school, and I like the more one-on-one, rather than being in a larger school.

If you would like, I can provide you my instructors contact info., as well, there are many other 'free-lance' instructors in the Baton Rouge area, as I am sure the New Orleans area as well.

What about going upstate?
 

Also consider ULM in Monroe, its a small program but they'v had at least a couple sucessful grads :D :D ;)

Working for a "fast-track" school in Florida I can tell you two things.

The Instruction you get down here is some of the best. We get studnets in all the time who have done prior ratings elsewhere and they are behind on their knowledge level.

However its really expensive. If you do decide to go to one try not to spend all the money at once. See if you cant pay corse by corse. Most will say that you cant do that but in the end all they want is your money. Business is business ya know.

best of luck to you

Which school? ALLATPS?

_LA

regional airline academy

-punkpilot48

Thanks for the replies guys -

Chris, glad to hear your joining the unit. Too bad you're a crewchief - they're nothing more than over-paid gas station attendants. ;P

I'm going to seriously look at ULM and LATech, however I'm still overwhelmed by all the options there are. It's so hard to decide what is the correct path to take.

As for RAA - While I would *love* to take the direct path in Florida, I just cannot bring myself to drop close to $100,000 only to get paid $25,000 a year when I graduate - there's no way I can take on that kind of debt. It seems the path to bankruptcy.

Hopefully over Christmas when I visit some well-trusted friends, I can use them as a sounding board to figure out where I want to go.

Ah the stuggles.

yeah thats true...in all honesty youd be better going to a different school than raa things are not the best here at the minute. There is a smaller school called epic look into them. they have new airplanes and florida style(raa, dca, erau) of training

I went to RAA, as a student and and instructor. I trained part time for two years,and then instructed for four months. I am currently in training at ExpressJet. I got the call to come interview with 540/110 on my resume. I was offered the position with 620/140 a month later when I was actually interviewed. Regional is expensive, but it worked for me. From start to finish I invested three years there, and if I wouldn't have ****ed off so much, I could have been done in 14 months, just like they advertise. But you have to be on it all the time. Like punkpilot said (wazzup bro!) there are a lot of very similar schools in that FSDO that will drop kick your ass into the right seat of jet. You just gotta have good plan and not spend all your money on stupid **** (guilty). You can get great training at RAA, but be smart with your money. Get some training there, but if you need to fulfill a solo requirement, get a plane somewhere else, that alone will save you 15K. Get with a couple guys and buy a house in Deland, and sell it when you move, you might even make money. In hindsight there are a bunch of things I would have done differently, namely, I would have concentrated harder and not blown my loan money on my car and hobbies. You can do it cheaper than they quote you, you can spend double.
Another thing to think about is their new 142 program. You go from 0 hours to Commercial multi engine in like 3 months, then you tack on 6 more for your Instructor ratings, and three months for the Airine Transition Course, and BOOM, in one year you have an interview at American Eagle.

and fish right?

If you do your training in New Orleans, make sure to avoid anything that Ron Wriborg is running.

> I just cannot bring myself to drop close to $100,000 only to get paid $25,000 > a year when I graduate - there's no way I can take on that kind of debt. It > > seems the path to bankruptcy.

OOOPS Sorry you don't qualify. You are too bright to work in our industry. You have the financial clue and it has not been warped by your LOVE OF FLYING. You still have comman sense. You must not want it bad enough. Sorry but we have 5000 others who will pay and then fly for 10,000 bucks a year. Enjoy Medical School or Law School. See ya.

Signed Airline HR Department

nsu
 

how about northwestern?