Advice???????
11-26-2005, 12:51 PM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Advice???????
Ok, first my situation. I am 21, Commercial multi instrument pilot with about 300 TT and 15 multi and I started flying at a local FBO when I was 16. I plan to get my CFI in March of 06' and hope to instruct the rest of the way through school. Right now studying business and I will have an AA in the summer of 07' and I would like to get a BA before moving on to fly for an airline. Ahh yea... and my goal would be to fly for a major. With that said, do you think it is a good idea to finish my BA while instructing before trying to get on with an airline? Do you think that comming from an FBO not a "Pilot Factory" will hurt me when it is time to start job hunting? I would appriciate any advice.
Thanks
Thanks
11-26-2005, 02:11 PM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2005
Position: A320/321 FO
Posts: 1,114
Pick Me83,
Hey man. I am in the same boat, but I am a little further along than you are. There is nothing (what-so-ever) wrong with you just flying at a flight school w/o going to a "pilot factory." I can tell you, from my personal experience, going to one of 'those schools' may help you in an interview (due to older guy/gal pilots being alumni from these schools. BUT flight time is flight time. I have had this discussion with a couple of Wide Body Continental drivers, and they say, just as long as you have your 4 year degree, no matter what it is in. One of the guys I know has an Environmental Science degree. (Completely on the oposite spectrum...nowhere near Aviation.) Being diverse isn't such a bad thing I guess?! Now as for me, I graduate in the spring of 2006, and plan to finish my 4 year degree at Thomas Edison online. This way, I can continue to instruct and when the time comes, get hired, and not have to worry about cutting classes. You can start/stop whenever you need to - they usually run 10 week courses. Anyways, I hope I am making sense, and I hope that I helped you out. Let me know if you need any more help - or if you just need someone to bounce info off of. Good luck.
D
Hey man. I am in the same boat, but I am a little further along than you are. There is nothing (what-so-ever) wrong with you just flying at a flight school w/o going to a "pilot factory." I can tell you, from my personal experience, going to one of 'those schools' may help you in an interview (due to older guy/gal pilots being alumni from these schools. BUT flight time is flight time. I have had this discussion with a couple of Wide Body Continental drivers, and they say, just as long as you have your 4 year degree, no matter what it is in. One of the guys I know has an Environmental Science degree. (Completely on the oposite spectrum...nowhere near Aviation.) Being diverse isn't such a bad thing I guess?! Now as for me, I graduate in the spring of 2006, and plan to finish my 4 year degree at Thomas Edison online. This way, I can continue to instruct and when the time comes, get hired, and not have to worry about cutting classes. You can start/stop whenever you need to - they usually run 10 week courses. Anyways, I hope I am making sense, and I hope that I helped you out. Let me know if you need any more help - or if you just need someone to bounce info off of. Good luck.
D
11-26-2005, 03:00 PM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2005
Position: CR7 Capt
Posts: 1,621
Pick me 83
I am in the same situation as Larox I am 21 also getting my BA in Business Admistration Summer 06'. However with my school I take a mix of online classes and the classes I do go to are only one night a week. So I am instructing and have almost 900hrs well over 100 multi and actively seeking an airline job. You just have to know how to work it. I have talked to many pilots about it and you also need to pick a company to shoot for that has domilcles close to where you go to school or easily commutable. Ex: I live in the northeast so I shot for Colgan Air, I did not get job, so Commutair or AWAC are my next stop because they have bases in the NE. As far the major flight schools like FIT, Purdue, and ERAU all I can tell is that over the course of maybe 5-7yrs all the people I knew that have gone to these schools NONE are flying anymore after they finished and the few that have come back to instruct ALL hated it down there, more recently I have a friend who went through classes with me and I stayed back here and he went to ERAU in Florida. He spent one Semester there and flew only three times and he left there to finish his degree back year. Good luck!
I am in the same situation as Larox I am 21 also getting my BA in Business Admistration Summer 06'. However with my school I take a mix of online classes and the classes I do go to are only one night a week. So I am instructing and have almost 900hrs well over 100 multi and actively seeking an airline job. You just have to know how to work it. I have talked to many pilots about it and you also need to pick a company to shoot for that has domilcles close to where you go to school or easily commutable. Ex: I live in the northeast so I shot for Colgan Air, I did not get job, so Commutair or AWAC are my next stop because they have bases in the NE. As far the major flight schools like FIT, Purdue, and ERAU all I can tell is that over the course of maybe 5-7yrs all the people I knew that have gone to these schools NONE are flying anymore after they finished and the few that have come back to instruct ALL hated it down there, more recently I have a friend who went through classes with me and I stayed back here and he went to ERAU in Florida. He spent one Semester there and flew only three times and he left there to finish his degree back year. Good luck!
11-26-2005, 03:57 PM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2005
Position: A320/321 FO
Posts: 1,114
To add to ERJ's last comment. I actually went to FIT for 3 semesters. Their flight school is very good, but you become a robot. I do admit, I have some habits that I got from their school that some "real" pilots have noticed and admire...but about 80% of those people down there, have no GOOD flying experience - they have basically flown in a fuzzy, cushy bubble.. When I say this...I mean, none of them have flown up north, freezing temps, with ice on the wings, had an engine failure over mountainous terrain...ect. I am not sure where you are from, but I have had some of these similar experiences flying up here in PA. You might as well start flying in the crappy wx now, and get used to it.
You are good where you are at bud.
D
You are good where you are at bud.
D
Last edited by Laxrox43; 11-26-2005 at 04:21 PM.
11-27-2005, 01:55 PM
#6
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2005
Position: A320/321 FO
Posts: 1,114
Sweet - BUT you live close to mountainous terrain, and airports that you fly out of/will fly out of have insane DP's, IAP's, STAR's...ect, also noise abatement. That is better flying experience than in non-mountainous (flat) Florida. I have done VFR/IFR flights through Tampa, Miami, Orlando and Jacksonville, and their DP's, IAP's, STAR's are plain-jane, nothing too difficult. Maybe a DME arc here or there...hehe! Anyways, you are good where you are at...STAY THERE!
By the way, in a year or so, I am planning on moving out to CA. I am going to try to get on with a charter company out of CMA (Camarillo). I heard the area is really nice, quiet, relaxing, not too far from the beach. LOOKING FWD TO IT! There are hot chicks out there too
Anyways be safe and have fun!
D
By the way, in a year or so, I am planning on moving out to CA. I am going to try to get on with a charter company out of CMA (Camarillo). I heard the area is really nice, quiet, relaxing, not too far from the beach. LOOKING FWD TO IT! There are hot chicks out there too
Anyways be safe and have fun!
D
Last edited by Laxrox43; 11-27-2005 at 01:59 PM.
01-07-2006, 01:15 PM
#9
Guest
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: BE36/BE58 CFI/CFII/MEI
Posts: 6
Same situation
All
I'm in the same situation as you guys. I have my Comm/CFI/CFII and about to have my MEI. I am graduating this spring and have no idea where to start.
I would like to fly cargo to build multi time and experience and then move on to a corporate job.
I am graduating from ASU with a BS in Aeronautical Management Technology (which doesn't mean much). I had the option of interviewing and a 99.9% probability of getting on with Mesa Airlines as a CRJ FO. I decided against it because of the talk I've heard through other graduates and sim instructors of the way the airlines are hard on families. I forgot to mention I have enough kids for the starting line on a basketball team and an over-achieving wife getting a PhD.
We also don't get very many opportunities to fly in inclement weather, but I've got about 700 hrs of mountain flying experience and associated high density altitude performance.
I am presently working as a CFI at my school. I've built about 800 hrs but only have about 45 hrs multi with only 15 of that being PIC. I'm not sure where to go other than the internet to figure out how to meet people that are not going to the regional.
If anyone has any ideas or contacts with a cargo or freight company in the Midwest, I would be greatly appreciative.
I'm in the same situation as you guys. I have my Comm/CFI/CFII and about to have my MEI. I am graduating this spring and have no idea where to start.
I would like to fly cargo to build multi time and experience and then move on to a corporate job.
I am graduating from ASU with a BS in Aeronautical Management Technology (which doesn't mean much). I had the option of interviewing and a 99.9% probability of getting on with Mesa Airlines as a CRJ FO. I decided against it because of the talk I've heard through other graduates and sim instructors of the way the airlines are hard on families. I forgot to mention I have enough kids for the starting line on a basketball team and an over-achieving wife getting a PhD.
We also don't get very many opportunities to fly in inclement weather, but I've got about 700 hrs of mountain flying experience and associated high density altitude performance.
I am presently working as a CFI at my school. I've built about 800 hrs but only have about 45 hrs multi with only 15 of that being PIC. I'm not sure where to go other than the internet to figure out how to meet people that are not going to the regional.
If anyone has any ideas or contacts with a cargo or freight company in the Midwest, I would be greatly appreciative.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
tigermagicjohn
Flight Schools and Training
9
01-23-2006 08:44 AM
