Arizona State University ( ASU )
 

Hello, I'm currently in the Army active duty! My ETS date is March 2008! Currently in Iraq! I was taking flying lessons before I deployed, and plan to get my PPL when I get back! I was looking at the flight program at ASU with Mesa airlines! It's a four year degree program, and about a two year flight program where you will get your ratings! Has anyone actually gone through program and give me some insights? Thank you!

Sorry I can't help you with your question but.............
I Just did a PHX layover. We stay near the ASU campus.

Looking at all the two legged scenery walking around ASU..(unbelievable by the way).............I wouldn't be in a hurry to get through.

Maybe they have a 7 year program!!!! I wish I would have went to school there!!

All Kidding aside,
Good Luck ,Keep your head down over there and take care of yourself.

Longbow64 there are some posts on here about the ASU program just do a forum search. If you go through the flight program it's on the east campus. The east campus at ASU I hear sucks. Sure it's quiet compared to main campus, but it's kind of to the point where you are isolated from everyone else. It's in Mesa, AZ and I hear it's pretty boring out there. As for the program itself anything associated with Mesa I tried to stay away from when I was looking at a 4 year school. I live in Tucson and I did some research on the program and it was just not that great. If you live in state it probably wouldn't kill you financially like Riddle or the other guys. I would say if you do go there get your ratings and get out, that seems to be the best way to go if you attend there.

Longbow64,
I used to be a flight instructor at MAPD at ASU east.
It is a good program, very professionally done. They are pretty strict with their students, so you need to be mature and ready to study. If you screw around and don't do your work, they will not let you move into their FO position after graduation.
The main boss there (Pete) is a former air force general, some of the professors were colonels and majors. He is a good guy and appreciates prior military experience. It would be good to get to know him.
They do not offer the PFT program at the ASU campus, which is good. Their students were mostly very knowledgeable and hard working. Compared to many of the students I graduated with at ERAU in FL, I would say that the MAPD students knew as much, maybe even more.
Other than that, they fly nice airplanes. Private is done in the Piper Cherokee. Instrument and commercial are done in the Beech Bonanza, the multi is done in a Beech Baron.
Many of their airplanes have Garmin 430 gps and traffic avoidance.
The ASU east campus is very small and quiet, but some of your courses are probably going to be at the main campus, so you will meet people from there too. Make sure you have a car, because it is about a 20-30 minute drive between campuses.
The main campus is packed with beautiful women, they sometimes go to class in shorts and bikini tops.
I hear their new chief instructor is a pain in the rear, it's too bad, because that used to be a fun place to work.
The flying is very expensive, comparable to ERAU, Pan AM, and Flight Safety prices. If you are intent on going the college aviation route though, this is one of the best deals available. They will put you into the FO seat in a Regional jet with under 300 hours. You'll never even have to flight instruct.
Mesa is not the best regional airline, but if you can stand the low pay for the first couple years, you will be upgraded and be making over $50,000 by year three. And you will be eligible to apply to the majors by year 5.
Good luck.

And you'll never know what you're missing, until you wake up and realize you're stuck at MESA for life!


That is the understatement of the year. Spend some time on mesahub.com to see what it's REALLY like.

Back in the day as a junior FO, I moved up 100+ numbers a month for a while...but when I left I noticed that I was only moving up 5 numbers/month...that attrition is retirements, medical DQ's and 1-2 guys a month getting hired at majors...the majors don't seem to like mesa guys... :eek:

True, but nothing says you have to stay at Mesa if you don't want to. You could always spend a couple years there and then bail to Skywest or Expressjet. That way you'll still have a bunch of twin jet time instead of single engine flight instructor or banner towing time.
I personally had to flight instruct and do traffic watch for about 2 years before any jet company would hire me.
I paid about the same amount as the MAPD kids did for their training. Sure wish I had the option to get some jet time right out of training.

A PLANNED lateral move between regional airlines and no PIC? What kind of career plan is that? If you get furloughed or fail a checkride early in the game you're screwed! Put in your time and do the right thing. Get your 1000/100 instruction, towing, etc. You'll be better off in the long run. Some of the best and most fun flying I did was before I made it to the airlines!

Well, I'm going to get my PPL before I go to flight school! That way I can get some PIC time!

I went to ATP at Williams Gateway. I found their operation to be quite high speed no BS. If you can study on your own like an adult and want to get things done for a good price I'd take a look at them. Also they just bought 20 D-jets with delivery in 08/09 (assuming no production snags which is a big assumption). No one knows how they'll integrate the D-Jet and what the cost change will be thougth.

So I'd say, go to ASU for a non-aviation B.S. and get your PPL through someone maybe ATP over the summer then use your GI bill for the ATP professional program if you can. Good luck either way!

Go Air Force beat Army...

Go Navy, Beat Army!