Best route?
 

I am a 21 y/o male. No degree (only about 1.5 years college). What is the cheapest route to become an airline pilot? And what is the quickest? I was looking into RAA (Regional Airline Academy), since they have quite a few affiliates and get a guarenteed interview with each, but the schooling is quite spendy from what i've heard. Any help? :p

Enlist in the USAF...get into either 3c0 or 3c2 career fields (computer / communications operators and technicians) you'll be inside , have plenty of time due to shift work to attend on-base / local community school. complete your degree and apply for OTS and pilot training...IF it doesn't work out at least you'll have good job prospects and be able to finance training at an FBO...

Not possible..I was in the USAF but was diagnosed with Asthma and got discharged :mad: . But thanks for the reply :p

College
 

Gotta have that degree. Try a collage with an aviation program, get your time while earning college credits. Fast track the tickets (PVT, COMM, MULT and CFI) than build time, preferably while still in school. Good luck

Raa
 

I have been attending RAA for about 5 months now and tomorrow I will be starting my Commercial multi. RAA is a great school since I have been there at least 20 people have gotten hired by airlines. One I heard got a job with less than 300tt not sure how that worked but thats the story. They really push you to get through so if you are serious about becoming a pilot RAA is a great school. They also have partnered with Utah Valley State college so you can do online classes to finish your degree at a reduced price. Pretty good deal if you are interested.

May not need a degree any more. SkyHigh will tell you there are millions of guys waiting to take my job but I doubt it. If this race to the bottom continues there will not be very high qualifications to get a lousy job with no promise of a future. Just get any crappy job flying the biggest thing you can get your hands on and keep up the networking. It will happen. God help you if it does.

(SkyHigh please don't answer. We all know where you stand on this issue.)

For the incredibly low price of $73,495.00 "guaranteed fixed priced."

No thanks...thats way too much to pay for flight training...your money would be better spend on a degree and get your ratings at a local FBO or one of the lower priced flight training schools...ALLATP is the one i'm looking at going thru for my other ratings..their 90 program / self paced programs sound promising...

V/r,
LA

God help the airline that hired that liability!!!!!!!!

"Total cost including ATP’s Private Pilot Program: $91,985" (Zero hours to ATP)

That would be the number to compare to RAA's $73,495.00

From what I've seen for a zero hours to ATP, ALLATP is the most expensive. (maybe excluding ERAU) Yeah you can get your PPL and initial ratings elsewhere and save a bunch, sounds like you're doing that. ALLATP is still an expensive flight school.

MAPD advertises $50,000 from zero to ATP. There are plenty of reasons not to go there, of course.

Interesting...I missed the part on their web site that offered a fixed price for an ATP...Thanks for pointing out it could be done...I didn't realize RAA had 0 to ATP...

Thanks,
LA

Thanks Mike
 

Mike !!

You are my hero and secretary ! Thanks for watching my back !

I totally agree with Mike and advise NOT attending college right away. Go to flight school and then once gainfully employed and building quality time you can get a degree through correspondance with Embry Riddle. I have a Horizon Captain who is doing just that.

SkyHigh

The best think is to get a college degree then look for a local flight school. Don't waste $80,000 on a job were you'll make $19,000 to start. At the end if you have what it takes you'll make it into an airline just like the other guy who spent a fortune. :p

Huh ??
 

Spend a fortune?? GO to college instead?? What school did you go to? All the colleges I know of are very expensive. What could be cheaper than getting the flying first and waiting for college? It is a waste to get a college degree anymore. Why even get one unless you need it?

SkyHigh

You're command of logic is impressive :)

I think one should ask, "What does it take to be successful as a pilot applicant at a Major airline?" AND part two of the question is: "What skill and qualification do I have to fall back if I loose my medical, get furloughed, or simply realize that aviation as a full time job isn't worth it?"

I've got an ME degree that I don't use in the cockpit, but if I can't stand aviation any longer I do have the option that someone without a degree lacks.

I would agree that an AVIATION degree is not worth the paper it's printed on, although that shouldn't sway someone from getting an education.

Watchthis
 

College

The only reason that I mentioned not going to college is that I have always thought that we have an over educated population and from my experience is seems that tradesman are getting the best pay and benefits these days. Lately there has been some discussion about that very topic on talk shows. Not only do you loose an average of 5 years of your life and graduate in debt by tens of thousands of dollars but I don't think college helps that much anymore.

You mentioned an ME degree I can only assume it means Mechanical Engineering. I can assure you that engineers are far from secure. My father is an aerospace and electrical engineer and he spent plenty of time under employed while he waited for the cyclical job market to return.

By comparison I spent some time with a carpet layer this afternoon who fully expects to be retired in 10 years at 40.

Therefore my advise is to get an early start on the job market and if you like it and seems to be working out then consider college.

Skyline

It's advice not advise. Had you gone to college you would know that. :D

Spelling
 

Spell checker,

Its true. I can't spell. Just for you guys I found that Google has a form spell checker, but it misses some stuff. I did spend the required 5 years in college though. I even have half of an MBA. Unfortunately however, the education that has helped me the most is my High School shop and architecture classes.

SkyHigh

SkyHigh you are absolutely right
 

I got a BS from Embry-Riddle. While it is a good school, I am now working as an FO at a small airline. If I had started flying right away and then done college later, I would have been captain now for at least a few years. Get a flying job now and then finish college later. This is one of the few industries where a college education does very little to help you. Even the major airlines would hire a guy with a few years of captain time and no degree over a guy with a college degree and no captain time any day. Almost no airlines require a college degree. Get your job first and then be sure to complete your degree later.
I wish I knew then what I know now.

We'll see if you're still singing the same tune when you are trying to get on with a major without a degree.

Hmmm... spend two years at RAA/MPD/ATP, $80-90K and get your ratings. Spend 4 years at Western Michigan, UND, or one of many smaller collegiate aviation programs, $80-90K, and get your ratings plus a degree in whatever field you want.

Two years is NOTHING. (For those of you who think it isn't I have 5 years of airline experience and don't meet minimums for a major airline PIC job). Get the degree, expand your horizions, enjoy life.

For all of you that are hell bent on the airlines, let me ask you one question: Why? Perhaps a bit of inner reflection on why you want the job is in order, so that when you finally land that coveted airline job with the cool hat and shiny wings, it isn't a big let down when the pay sucks, you're flying holidays, commuting in bad weather, and that 6 month upgrade you expected is four to five years away...

AAAAAmen!!!

And if the dog didn't stop to take a dump, he would've caught the rabbit.

Seniority can mean everything or it can mean nothing. Ask the 55-60 year old Captains with 30 years in the majors losing their pensions. As we've seen, this industry can crap the bed in a heartbeat and what are you going to do outside of flying with a highschool diploma? McDonalds? Walmart? Although you can probably make more money at Walmart than you could at a regional these days, it's not what I consider a fabulous job. Get a degree in something you can use outside of flying. Something you're interested in. Ask yourself what you'd do if someone told you you couldn't fly anymore. Things happen. You can lose your medical, the industry goes sour, etc... I went to ERAU also and got a degree in Aero Sci (class of 2000). Great program, but now that I look back, what can I use an Aero Sci degree for outside of flying? Not much unless I get a masters in some sort of Aviation Management, which I may just do while I'm in the Air Force. Flying is great, but have a backup plan. It doesn't mean you can't stay in the aviation industry, but have a plan if you cannot stay in the cockpit for one reason or another. Everyone's in a big rush to get to that left seat, but the fact of the matter is, in this industry you can be out on your rearend before you know it.

look at www.fly-aviation.com there only $32,000 to your commercial

you could always just buy a little 150. Put an ad in the paper to find an instructor that just wants to build time. And when you are finished with all ur ratings, sell the airplane, and get back most of your money.Airplanes are one of the few thing around that actually hold thier value. They sometimes even go up in value. If you have a buddy that wants to do the same thing, go partners man.
It'll be a hell of alot cheaper than going to big flight school. And it would probably be alot easier to get a loan for something the bank can take away than for you to go down to Florida.
ShurB