Which College should I attend in Fall 08?
08-17-2008, 10:40 AM
#51
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2007
Posts: 116
Originally Posted by Knightmare
Yeah, as of now i'm in the Aero Sci major, because I applied to that major. My first semester is basically all general ed crap anyways, but for my second semester im changing my major to business with flight. I talked to dozens of pilots and i've learned that I could have a degree in Liberal Arts and still be a pilot, 
. As of this year i'm staying at ERAU just because i got a lot of scholarships. I like Florida Tech and have flown with a few FT pilots, seems like a good school if ERAU doesn't work out for me i would transfer there. I'm going into this optimistic and I'm not going to become a cocky pilot because i attend ERAU, I heard ERAU pilots can be cocky. I got my PPL at a local flight school, whatever i dont get done at ERAU during the school semester i'm gonna get done on summer breaks at my local flight school. Goal is to get CFI as quick a possible
. As of this year i'm staying at ERAU just because i got a lot of scholarships. I like Florida Tech and have flown with a few FT pilots, seems like a good school if ERAU doesn't work out for me i would transfer there. I'm going into this optimistic and I'm not going to become a cocky pilot because i attend ERAU, I heard ERAU pilots can be cocky. I got my PPL at a local flight school, whatever i dont get done at ERAU during the school semester i'm gonna get done on summer breaks at my local flight school. Goal is to get CFI as quick a possible
08-17-2008, 05:51 PM
#52
New Hire
Joined APC: Aug 2008
Position: HS125-800XP Captain
Posts: 5
Plan "B"is great but...
Plan "Bs" are great, but if you are training to be a professional pilot, then spend your time training to be a professional pilot...not a music major who just happens to have a few pilot certificates and ratings. Would you go to a doctor who's major was PoliSci and just trained to be a surgeon on the side? Remember, a doctor can only kill one person at a time...you can potentially kill hundreds. My company hires nothing less than the college professional pilot program prototype. Back in the day, I was hired to fly jets specifically because of my collegiate training. I was trained on autopilots, flight directors, GPS, FMS, EFIS, turbine power plants, pressurization systems, advanced computational aerodynamics, international operations, law, business, etc. I got my first job out of college simply because I was a MEI and I knew how to write aircraft feasibility studies. Go figure. All of those "professional" attributes may not be necessary when you are trying to get your first job riding shotgun in an RJ for $24,000/year. But when you are walking the street on your third furlough looking for work, Joe Blow who got his ratings at Bumper Bob's Aviation Depot on the weekends is almost always passed over in favor of the guy who was trained to be quintessential professional pilot. Just my thoughts for what they are worth.
08-17-2008, 06:29 PM
#53
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2008
Position: USAF
Posts: 1,398
Originally Posted by HawkerJock
Plan "Bs" are great, but if you are training to be a professional pilot, then spend your time training to be a professional pilot...not a music major who just happens to have a few pilot certificates and ratings. Would you go to a doctor who's major was PoliSci and just trained to be a surgeon on the side? Remember, a doctor can only kill one person at a time...you can potentially kill hundreds. My company hires nothing less than the college professional pilot program prototype. Back in the day, I was hired to fly jets specifically because of my collegiate training. I was trained on autopilots, flight directors, GPS, FMS, EFIS, turbine power plants, pressurization systems, advanced computational aerodynamics, international operations, law, business, etc. I got my first job out of college simply because I was a MEI and I knew how to write aircraft feasibility studies. Go figure. All of those "professional" attributes may not be necessary when you are trying to get your first job riding shotgun in an RJ for $24,000/year. But when you are walking the street on your third furlough looking for work, Joe Blow who got his ratings at Bumper Bob's Aviation Depot on the weekends is almost always passed over in favor of the guy who was trained to be quintessential professional pilot. Just my thoughts for what they are worth.
I respectfully disagree. Would you say that an ATP with a "professional pilot education degree" is superior to an ATP with a "business degree"? Or how about a military pilot with a degree in journalism?
Bumber Bob's Aviation Depot may have experienced pilots who enjoy teaching how to fly versus the "professional pilot program" where the instructors have less than 300hrs.
08-17-2008, 08:19 PM
#54
New Hire
Joined APC: Aug 2008
Position: HS125-800XP Captain
Posts: 5
Yes and no...
Its not just about the "flying." Shoot, the military taught monkeys how to fly. Flying is the easy part...its all the background knowledge that is just as important. Degrees aside, the aviation specific training that sets one pilot apart from another is pretty easy to pick out in the first five minutes in the cockpit. Part 61/141 local flight school can only provide the minimum to satisfy the FAA; thats all. BTY, as a 300hr flight instructor, I was teaching retired Air Force pilots the trig. that explains the correlation between airspeed and flight director bank limits. Not tough stuff, but I'm sure every commercial pilot knows that right? I'm no superpilot...I just don't want to get dead because some FO didn't learn about whatever in flight school every Saturday. Buy hey, good thing the airlines like bottom feeders, because I don't. I'm glad I don't have to babysit you in the cockpit.
08-17-2008, 08:42 PM
#55
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2008
Position: USAF
Posts: 1,398
Not liking bottom feeders is understandable, however even superpilot with the professional pilot degree is still very green fresh from school.
There is a bunch of successful pilots on this forum do not hold a professional pilot degree, and furthermore have come from a part 61 school.
I've flown with pilots who have done complex flight computations that turned out quite wrong, simply by not understanding the bigger picture.
I can share your concern about some FO not learning whatever, as I do not want to get dead either. What is more dangerous than the FO not learning whatever is when the FO believes that he has already learned everything from his school.
There is a bunch of successful pilots on this forum do not hold a professional pilot degree, and furthermore have come from a part 61 school.
I've flown with pilots who have done complex flight computations that turned out quite wrong, simply by not understanding the bigger picture.
I can share your concern about some FO not learning whatever, as I do not want to get dead either. What is more dangerous than the FO not learning whatever is when the FO believes that he has already learned everything from his school.
09-04-2008, 03:31 PM
#56
On Reserve
Joined APC: Sep 2008
Position: Captain
Posts: 13
Originally Posted by Knightmare
Hello everyone I'm Matthew a 17 y.o. high school senior who wants to fly 
I have applied to many schools and have gotten accepted to all of them. Florida Tech(FIT), Embry-Riddle(ERAU), Dowling College, 2 more other ones. I cannot decide which one to attend. I just visited both ERAU and FT last week and I liked both of them (except the sticker shock). A few months back I also visited Dowling College on the tip of Long Island, NY.
I know that FIT and ERAU are the big names for Aviation and Debt, but I was wondering if anyone has met/knows/is a pilot who graduated from Dowling's College of Aviation. I'm just trying to figure out at which schools can I get the following (without considering cost), 1. The most flight time, 2. A good internship, 3. The best education.
I know my Uncle graduated from ERAU and is now a 777 pilot for United. My ultimate goal would be to fly the 777 or dare I say the 787! I am working to get a PPL at my local airport in a part 61 program. That would save me an estimated $15,000 at ERAU
Just give me your thoughts on which college is the best, and why. All responses appreciated.
I have applied to many schools and have gotten accepted to all of them. Florida Tech(FIT), Embry-Riddle(ERAU), Dowling College, 2 more other ones. I cannot decide which one to attend. I just visited both ERAU and FT last week and I liked both of them (except the sticker shock). A few months back I also visited Dowling College on the tip of Long Island, NY. I know that FIT and ERAU are the big names for Aviation and Debt, but I was wondering if anyone has met/knows/is a pilot who graduated from Dowling's College of Aviation. I'm just trying to figure out at which schools can I get the following (without considering cost), 1. The most flight time, 2. A good internship, 3. The best education.
I know my Uncle graduated from ERAU and is now a 777 pilot for United. My ultimate goal would be to fly the 777 or dare I say the 787! I am working to get a PPL at my local airport in a part 61 program. That would save me an estimated $15,000 at ERAU
Just give me your thoughts on which college is the best, and why. All responses appreciated.
Points of Pride -- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
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