Go Back  Airline Pilot Central Forums > Career Builder > Flight Schools and Training
Best Flight School In The Us Suggestion >

Best Flight School In The Us Suggestion

Search
Notices
Flight Schools and Training Ratings, building hours, airmanship, CFI topics

Best Flight School In The Us Suggestion

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 06-05-2009, 04:52 AM
  #11  
Flying Farmer
 
Ewfflyer's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Position: Turbo-props' and John Deere's
Posts: 3,160
Default

Originally Posted by flightsinc View Post
Try these guys they offer 100 hours multi turbine at the end of your course.

Flights Inc. - Flight Training and Aircraft Rental
Sounds like it's a PFT at the end of your "training" in some 121 operation. It only mentions it's "Sister Company." So whomever it is, you get to pay $9000 for 100hrs in the right seat! What a deal!!!

Another quote gets me: "The pre-paid course price includes flight instruction, ground instruction, aircraft rental and use of our extensive DVD library and books" Oh well, not my money
Ewfflyer is offline  
Old 06-05-2009, 05:20 AM
  #12  
New Hire
Thread Starter
 
Joined APC: Jun 2009
Posts: 9
Default

All right flyingpirate and detpilot, but I would like to hear from you which flight schools you can recommend then, thanks
lbm1974 is offline  
Old 06-05-2009, 09:43 AM
  #13  
Gets Weekends Off
 
detpilot's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Oct 2005
Position: Trying not to crash
Posts: 1,260
Default

Well, I graduated from (And instruct at ) a part 141 4 year program. Our particular school (I'm sure you can guess it) is not soley an aviation school, aviation is just one of the the many programs in the University. I'd recommend that over going to a pure aviation college, just for the diversity. I have a lot of friends who've graduated in business, engineering, psychology, and other useful fields. All these friends will come in handy later, I'm sure.

I have had a very varied experience. I completed my private pilot license at a small, mom-and-pop FBO. I graduated from high school, and came to the University. I obtained my instrument, commercial, and multi-Injun ratings here, before going back to another small mom-and-pop school to get my CFI. Then, I got hired back at the university to teach. So I would say I get a good feel for most of the types of training environments, and they all have their benefits and downsides.

I enjoyed the part 141 curriculum because of the intense structure, and especially the college classes that came along with it. A mom-and-pop FBO just won't give you the same knowledge of intimate details that a semester long course in things such as CRM, advanced aircraft systems, and long range navigation. I'm sure if I would've stayed at a small FBO, I would not have had such an intimate knowledge of things such as North Atlantic tracks, APU's, air cycle machines, and especially meteorology. In fact, most of the meteorology classes that we have to take are not specific to aviation, but are in the actual meteorology department.

That's not to say that a small mom-and-pop trained pilot cannot be as good as one trained at a major university, but it would involve quite a bit more self-study and hunting for material (especially for those things that do not directly relate to the aircraft your flying).

I feel that the route that I took was the best option for me, but I am glad that I got a good mix of training. I feel sorry for the people at our flight school have never trained or even been to another small airport, because I feel that they are missing out on the very interesting world of general aviation. My main regret as of now, is that I did not choose to double major as a lot of my classmates did. I could have easily get a degree in both aviation and business, or any other field offered at the university.

The bottom line is that the primary determinant of how good of the pilots you will become is your own motivation. I feel that the university offers all the information that you could possibly need, but spreading it out over four years allows for things to sink in. I feel that a small mom-and-pop FBO will do a good job of giving you the essential stick and rudder pilot skills, but you may have to do a lot of studying on your own and working little harder to understand more advanced systems. More than likely, you won't be able to start up and run a turboprop on a stand, but if you absorb information from books well then you can be very competitive with a university pilot. I feel that short crash courses, however, are the worst of the three options. The emphasis there, as someone stated above, is to get you past a check ride in the absolute minimum time. This is quite counterproductive to being allowed to take your time and absorb all of the information that is required of you.

As an instructor in a part 141 school, I do notice that the people who have come from a very flying background seem to do better in general than those who have no other flight experience. Like anything else, there are a lot of lazy people- so comparing any one student to another one could go either way in terms of skills. If you take nothing else from this, remember that the it's not so much the flight school, but the student. If you take the time to make sure that you understand the material, and understand the shortfalls of whatever method of training that you take, then you have the potential could be an excellent pilot not matter where you decide to go.

You can feel free to private message me if you have any questions.
detpilot is offline  
Old 06-05-2009, 02:18 PM
  #14  
New Hire
Thread Starter
 
Joined APC: Jun 2009
Posts: 9
Default

Originally Posted by Slice View Post
Prairie Air Service, Inc

Herb is Austrian born and has worked with thousands of students over the years from the U.S. and abroad...no jet training but you will learn a lot. Worked for me anyway.

Hi, Slice, thanks for your time, I will check the website out carefully !
lbm1974 is offline  
Old 06-05-2009, 02:35 PM
  #15  
New Hire
Thread Starter
 
Joined APC: Jun 2009
Posts: 9
Default

Originally Posted by detpilot View Post
Well, I graduated from (And instruct at ) a part 141 4 year program. Our particular school (I'm sure you can guess it) is not soley an aviation school, aviation is just one of the the many programs in the University. I'd recommend that over going to a pure aviation college, just for the diversity. I have a lot of friends who've graduated in business, engineering, psychology, and other useful fields. All these friends will come in handy later, I'm sure.

I have had a very varied experience. I completed my private pilot license at a small, mom-and-pop FBO. I graduated from high school, and came to the University. I obtained my instrument, commercial, and multi-Injun ratings here, before going back to another small mom-and-pop school to get my CFI. Then, I got hired back at the university to teach. So I would say I get a good feel for most of the types of training environments, and they all have their benefits and downsides.

I enjoyed the part 141 curriculum because of the intense structure, and especially the college classes that came along with it. A mom-and-pop FBO just won't give you the same knowledge of intimate details that a semester long course in things such as CRM, advanced aircraft systems, and long range navigation. I'm sure if I would've stayed at a small FBO, I would not have had such an intimate knowledge of things such as North Atlantic tracks, APU's, air cycle machines, and especially meteorology. In fact, most of the meteorology classes that we have to take are not specific to aviation, but are in the actual meteorology department.

That's not to say that a small mom-and-pop trained pilot cannot be as good as one trained at a major university, but it would involve quite a bit more self-study and hunting for material (especially for those things that do not directly relate to the aircraft your flying).

I feel that the route that I took was the best option for me, but I am glad that I got a good mix of training. I feel sorry for the people at our flight school have never trained or even been to another small airport, because I feel that they are missing out on the very interesting world of general aviation. My main regret as of now, is that I did not choose to double major as a lot of my classmates did. I could have easily get a degree in both aviation and business, or any other field offered at the university.

The bottom line is that the primary determinant of how good of the pilots you will become is your own motivation. I feel that the university offers all the information that you could possibly need, but spreading it out over four years allows for things to sink in. I feel that a small mom-and-pop FBO will do a good job of giving you the essential stick and rudder pilot skills, but you may have to do a lot of studying on your own and working little harder to understand more advanced systems. More than likely, you won't be able to start up and run a turboprop on a stand, but if you absorb information from books well then you can be very competitive with a university pilot. I feel that short crash courses, however, are the worst of the three options. The emphasis there, as someone stated above, is to get you past a check ride in the absolute minimum time. This is quite counterproductive to being allowed to take your time and absorb all of the information that is required of you.

As an instructor in a part 141 school, I do notice that the people who have come from a very flying background seem to do better in general than those who have no other flight experience. Like anything else, there are a lot of lazy people- so comparing any one student to another one could go either way in terms of skills. If you take nothing else from this, remember that the it's not so much the flight school, but the student. If you take the time to make sure that you understand the material, and understand the shortfalls of whatever method of training that you take, then you have the potential could be an excellent pilot not matter where you decide to go.

You can feel free to private message me if you have any questions.
I really appreciate what you wrote and your time. I am pretty new and the same time very interested to be a pilot for VLJ. I want to learn the best and safe way to be a pilot, is it possible to finish all the steps from zero to VLJ pilot between 12-18 months?? Is it possible to complete all this at 141 schools? Where can I check the list of 141 schools??? Thanks
lbm1974 is offline  
Old 06-05-2009, 02:37 PM
  #16  
New Hire
Thread Starter
 
Joined APC: Jun 2009
Posts: 9
Default

Originally Posted by Ewfflyer View Post
Sounds like it's a PFT at the end of your "training" in some 121 operation. It only mentions it's "Sister Company." So whomever it is, you get to pay $9000 for 100hrs in the right seat! What a deal!!!

Another quote gets me: "The pre-paid course price includes flight instruction, ground instruction, aircraft rental and use of our extensive DVD library and books" Oh well, not my money
Hi ewfflyer, thanks for your information, Lee.
lbm1974 is offline  
Old 06-05-2009, 05:16 PM
  #17  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Slice's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Spartan
Posts: 3,652
Default

Originally Posted by lbm1974 View Post
Hi, Slice, thanks for your time, I will check the website out carefully !
I haven't checked but last I heard the prices were a little out of date. I'd advise you call or email for the current costs.
Slice is offline  
Old 06-05-2009, 06:55 PM
  #18  
Gets Weekends Off
 
HectorD's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Mar 2009
Position: PA-44 Left Seat :P
Posts: 219
Default

I would not want my surgeon to have graduated from a fast track program, I would not want my attorney to have graduated from a fast track program, why should pilots be any different?
HectorD is offline  
Old 06-05-2009, 07:02 PM
  #19  
New Hire
Thread Starter
 
Joined APC: Jun 2009
Posts: 9
Default

Originally Posted by HectorD View Post
I would not want my surgeon to have graduated from a fast track program, I would not want my attorney to have graduated from a fast track program, why should pilots be any different?
HectorD, I got your message, thanks
lbm1974 is offline  
Old 06-09-2009, 12:48 PM
  #20  
pants on the ground
 
mmaviator's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jan 2007
Position: back seat
Posts: 1,358
Default

Originally Posted by HectorD View Post
I would not want my surgeon to have graduated from a fast track program, I would not want my attorney to have graduated from a fast track program, why should pilots be any different?

THAT IS THE BEST QUOTE I HAVE EVER READ REGARDING TRAINING ADVICE. COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER.
mmaviator is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
On Autopilot
Regional
22594
11-05-2021 07:03 AM
Time2Fly
Corporate
38
08-11-2010 09:17 PM
capncrunch
Major
37
06-03-2009 07:13 AM
SkyHigh
Regional
96
05-15-2009 07:51 AM
vagabond
Hiring News
4
04-08-2009 08:03 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



Your Privacy Choices