You wanted some input from someone that has experience with RAA. I currently go to RAA in Deland, FL. I did some training in a local FBO back home and completed my private there. I just completed my instrument and am doing my commercial multi at the moment. The value of Regional Airline Academy far exceeds any FBO training. Training is most important to me because it improves safety. I have learned twice as much as I learned from the FBO because there is more indepth instruction, more information from multiple instructors, chief pilots and chief instructors, years of airline experience and they train you to fly how the airlines expect. I am building time much faster than I ever could with an FBO. No they do not guarantee you a job. However, this month alone, at least 5 instructors there were hired with regional airlines with around 500 hours. The reason for this is that the regional carrier visit us often, do interviews, tell us what they expect and hire pilots with less time because of a type rating. Not all school are the same and do not offer the same for the money. Embry Riddle is a good school but is expensive. ATP just gets you the minimums, there is no way to get good experience by getting all your ratings in 90 days. RAA gives you thorough training, and prepares you for the airlines. The airline Transition course prepares you to a certain extent on what to expect when you go for your type rating and training. You wont find that at an FBO. RAA isnt that expensive, its about 58000 for all your ratings through CFII and Airline transition course, then 13500 for a CRJ-700 type. They will get you to an airline with less hours, than trying to build 1000 TT and 100 ME by instructing. Whats good about RAA is that you can build time and be paid to instruct here, but you should get more students and a more consistant flying schedule. One of the biggest things is the networking you are able to do by meeting and getting advise from other students and instructors and whos getting hired and what it takes. The more friends you keep in touch with the greater the chance of getting a reference to be hired. I DO recommend you look into it and dont worry about what other pilots seem to think of you. If they have a problem with you getting hired at a young age and faster than it took them, too bad I cant wait and pay more money than I am. Yes it takes time to gain experience so I wouldn't be in any hurry to get in the left seat in less than 3 years. If you do, good for you. Good luck with your decision, Im just giving you a real experience from someone who has researched flight schools and is attending one.

 

I don't want to blast any guys that have already made it, congrats to them, and I would like as much helpful and positive advise from current airline pilots as I can get. However, don't knock training centers until you have actually attended that particular one. We just have a strong motive to get our careers started as soon as possible, and gain experience which is the most beneficial.

 

I understand all of you hate the way that we are suposedly ruining the industry. Everyone is different and I hate waiting as well. I was lucky enough to have awesome parents who paid for my degree. I know which direction the airlines are headed, I have had all kinds of courses on airline and aircargo mgmt. and commuter airlines. My point is that I want to get the licenses as fast as possible, at the same cost as what I was spending at the FBO's flying once or twice a week. Here I can fly everyday and on a fixed price. When I get done with my ratings and type rating, i will not have enough hours to get hired and I will buy my time by instructing and gaining experience and helping younger guys. I will start my career with a regional and work under crappy circumstances and live with it. Im not worried about the money I've spent because I have nothing but a 40000 dollar loan to pay off. At 500 a month I can live with that. I will build my hours and try to upgrade as fast a possible, gaining experience. Then I will try to get with UPS through my friends who are experienced pilots and instructors there. If that doesn't work then I will look for corporate. Until then I will gain my experience and do what I truly like to do which is fly. Im tired of all the negativity and bitterness. If you dont like the industry, do us all a favor and get out. But for those of us that do have a goal, want to earn a better wage than instructing and love to fly, let us buy our time and give us actually helpful advice, not try and turn us away. I do not worry about how the industry is at this moment. Change occurs all the time and there eventually will be a change to the good. For every low there will be a high. I will find my way to a happy career in aviation by doing what I need to do. Im not happy with pay at the moment, but it will get better with the time and route I choose. Quit being all bitter and DO something about it. Put yourself above the competition, get a better attitude and be a leader, that might lead to a better situation for you instead of just wining about it.

 

I'm not bitter, I like your attitude some what, but get a little time and experience under your belt before you start giving advise to guys, that you really know nothing about whats really going on.

Sounds like you'll be set up nice with the UPS network, so you know what you need to do. Not everyone has that, so just slow down on the talking and get your time and talk later. You can brag to me when your hired at UPS

 

Im not bragging to anyone or trying to give advise. I realize I dont have any experience in airlines and I want to be at the level you are for a period of time to gain that needed experience. UPS is not a definate, it is a goal and by knowing some people might help my chances. All Im saying is dont try to be so pessimistic about everything, I realize the industry sucks at the moment. But dont turn us guys that want good advise away from flying. A good example would be that I am interested in knowing what a typical week is like as a line pilot for a regional like express jet or chatauqua? What is the pay like, not just flying pay per hour? What is upgrade time and what regionals to stay away from? Im not trying to offend anyone, just help motivate to get something done about it, thats what unions are for. So if you dont mind, could you answer some of those questions?

 

Typical weeK: 4 day trip followed by three days off. Sometimes three day trip with four days off. Sometimes you can manage your schedule to get your days off back-to-back = 7 or 8 days off.

As to what airline to avoid it depends on what you want to get out of a regional...

Great company to work for: Since it's great, no one wants to leave, and guys are willing to stay for a career....loooong upgrade times, don't plan on getting your PIC and going to a major this decade.

Crappy company: Everyone hates it and can't wait to bail...faster upgrade time, so you might get to a major in a just a few years...but if you don't, you're stuck in a bad place.

 

SkHyig,
If Regionals are entry levcel jobs then where does a guy like me who is 37 years old with 450 hours fit in?bvously I will be too old to work at a Major for any descent amount of time. I had planned on making the Regionals my career.

 

To Theprofessionalpilot (the person who started this thread):

I guess you already figured out by now that it's not such a good idea to start a thread on this forum as a PFT with low times. Because as you can tell, the world starts falling apart and people that claim they're the real pilots, because they earned their way to a job by flying lot's of hours, begin slicing you in half. It seems to me that people forget lot's of times that airlines are not looking for just pilots, but employees as well. Everybody can fly an airplane if you train them. But not everybody is a reliable employee. And it turns out that training centers like RAA provide good reliable employees, hence why the airlines like to pick up these graduates. Also, we tend to forget that it's the airlines that hire. They set the standard. It would be ridiculous not to take advantage of programs that get you a job fast. In my time, they didn't have these training centers. I also worked my way to a job by flying scrap metal for years. I definitely would have opted for an institution like RAA or any other school for that matter if I would have had a choice in my "young" days.

As far as people stating that you, as a PFT, will be pushed aside by one of your own... well that's bogus to me. We're in a competitive market. You don't have to be a pilot! If you don't like it, shut the heck up and move on to another industry. All this whining at low time pilots is not going to change the world! Be creative, stay positive and if you love flying, stay competitive. Don't start throwing rocks at newbie’s because you're frustrated. If you want to earn big bucks, go get your MBA and start working a desk job. Being a pilot is not about earning big money. Those days are long over. And whining at new pilots is not going to change anything. It's just going to make the pilot industry look really pathetic.

Anyhow, I'm drifting off the subject here and unfortunately that seems to be the case in these forums. The first few replies are to the point (hopefully anyway) and then the slicing the low time pilot commences. How sad.

So to get to your answer (if you're still with me anyway):

My cousin got through the RAA program and she says that they don't have an agreement with Chautauqua. RAA pilots that get hired by Chautauqua are high time pilots that have been a CFI for many years. Express Jet (Air Wisconsin, PSA, Pinnacle, American Eagle) however picks up RAA graduates at 500-100. Being 21 shouldn't be a problem.

As far as picking an airline based on location only is a bit eerie to me. I wouldn't choose an employer based on just that. As far as upgrade to captain in 2 years... good luck! It's possible, not where I work at, but there are some airlines (Mesa, Pinnacle...) where you can upgrade fairly fast.

Get married before you go the airlines!

Stay positive and you'll get where you want. Don't ever turn into a whiner, that's the real loser right there!

Wish you all the best!

 

I couldnt agree more, thanks for stating it more clearly.

 

N6724G,

You should look in too the fractionals. Netjets and Flexjet would be a far better way to go and make a career, rather than the regional. Look at there pay scales. My budyy is at Flexjet. It is about a 2 to 3 yr. upgrade. With override pay and ect. you will make 6 figs in 6 yrs. Alot better than a regional. Regionals are great to get experience, but move on. Again, my advise to you, go to the fractionals. You can thank me later.