Flying Ninja

Avoid ERAU like the plague. They're very expensive. Unless you got plenty of money to burn, go for it. But consider the money you spend with them, you can get yourself into an MBA program, all the while, work on your flight training with a local flight school and get your ratings and time. Become a CFI and do that on the side. As far as quality of training is concerned, do you research on the CFIs you train with. Ask them to have their past students contact you and talk to them honestly about their exeprieces with the CFI. I did that and landed myself an excellent CFI for my private certification. I went down to CAPT (ex-ERAU program) and the instructors there were no better/worse but the training was A LOT more expensive! Since you mentioned an interest in aviation management, that MBA is going to go a long way for you vs. anything ERAU can vomit on you. But whatever you do, avoid CAPT (or whatever name they will operate under in the near future) like the plague. Once they got your money, it's all about kissing their asses to get them to push your resume in the right direction. And if you don't, they still got your money and you're screwed. Do your research on these message boards. Good luck!

flystraightin

Thanks for the responses!

JMT21: I play rep hockey and I've already talked to UND about their flight dept and athletics. I like what I've heard so far and will probably take a tour of the campus this summer. Thanks for the info on their aviation dept.

rickair7777: don't get me wrong, I'd love to stick with flying for my career. I dont think I'd ever get bored of it and the travelling/exploring different countries out of N.A. would be the biggest attraction for me. A managment pilot sounds interesting, could you elaborate on the position?

BURflyer: Believe me! I've flown out of FFZ around the P50 in the summertime. Coming from Canada, during university, I'd probably come home during those summer months (may-august)...its just too hot!!

BROKE CFI: Wow! thats incredible, thanks for the insight.

Flying Ninja: Thanks Flying Ninja, and no, sadly I dont have that $90,000 to blow on ERAU. I like your plan...a non-aviation degree (MBA maybe) and work on my flight training with a CFI on the side. I'll watch out for CAPT


Another question....what about a EJA/NJ charter type "airline". I always see EJA's Cit.Xs, Hawker 800s or Learjets fly into YYJ carrying celeb's and exec's, mostly in the film industry.

Can someone explain the major differences between a charter like ExecJet/Netjets, a LCC (like Westjet or Southwest) and a national/legacy/intl carrier (like ACA, UAL, AAL and COA)

Sorry if this sounds like a stupid question.

Thanks again

QCappy

I heard that they were going to start doing that again at CWU. We have a June 13 class and supposedly will have new hire classes throughout the year.

BURflyer

Well what you have is 2 kinds of lying. The LCC/Major which are the same thing except for LCC has more domestic flights and probably pay is lower because you only fly 1 or 2 types of aircraft. Major, you just have more types of flying, int. dom. and you have more aircraft to fly.

The other kind is Fractional execjet/netjets/flexjet those aren't charter airlines. Basically it's kind of like corporate flying except you will know your schedule ahead of time, not the destinations, just days your going to be flying. The big difference is that you are expected to be more involved in planning and executing a flight, you have to file flight plans and double check everything, not as lazy ops as the airlines where everybody else does the work for you and you just fly. You are required to fly to pretty much any airport that the customer demands. Also you have to interact witht the customers. Right now fractionals are booming, this is the way many pilots are going because there is a lot of job security at the fractionals and pay is way better than regional or some major carriers.

flystraightin

Thanks for the info BURflyer, for a fractional airline, are you required to live in in hub city?

BURflyer

Yes, you have to live near your assigned base but it doesn't mean that your trips will start or end at your base, that's the crazy thing. If you're based at LAX for example your trips don't neccessarly start at LAX, it could start or end any where in the area or in the country and you have to airline to get to that city or airline to get back home.

flystraightin

Wow! Thats crazy! So lets I'm based at SMO/LA area, but my day starts at SDL and ends at TEB. Would I have to fly on my own nickel to get to Scottsdale and come home from NY?

flystraightin

Also, could someone please explain the managment pilot position, what the job entails and what are the wages like?

Thank you

cspurr32

flystraightin ;

Wow man, we have a lot to talk about! I also live in Victoria, recently turned 17, and am working towards my PPL(well actually my Rec Permit for now) at the Flying Club(and actually, I've decided to switch to Juan Air). However, I don't YET work for Canwest, but I have applied and talked to the owner and manager (I won't go saying their names here), and have been promised a spot for the summer. Until now, I figured I was one of a kind in this city! I would have sent you a private message, but as this is my first post, I suppose I don't yet have the authority. Anyways, my hotmail is [email protected]

cspurr32

While I'm at it, I guess I'll fill you guys in on my tentative plans... lemme know watcha think!
I'm also a serious Basketball player, and my plan is to use this as a tool; After Grade 12, if all goes well, I will attend UCFV, and play ball there (on a side note, they're becoming a CIS school as of next year, so I'd get to play against my brother, starting guard for TRU in Kamloops!!), and hopefully even get some kind of a scholarship for doing so. The reason why I've chosen UCFV is because of Coastal Pacific http://www.coastalpacific.com/

A relative of mine is an FO for Westjet, and he tells me that it is one of Canada's finest flight schools. Upon completion at Coastal Pacific, if I understand rightly, I'll hold a degree in Bus. Admin, and have everything but an ATPL, as well as sufficient hours to land me some kind of a regional gig.
Of course, the ultimate goal is flying heavies for Air Canada. And believe me, I'll do whatever it takes to get there, so all ideas are more than welcome.

and flystraightin, sorry man, not trying to steal the show hear, but i guess this applies to both of us.