There must be some kind of deal with chinese pilots being trained in the US. Pan Am flight school in AZ has tons of asian pilots. It's hilarious and scary at the same time. If you've ever heard them on the radio you know what I'm talking about. " Gateway tower re rant a tucha and a go". I've practically mastered the chinese language just by trying to figure out where they are. Good times. On an even less serious note whats the longest anyone has ever had to hold it while they were flying? I had to hold it for 45min today and thought I was going to die it hurt so bad.

ROFLMAO!! Yeah, I remember the days of laughing my ass off listening to some of those radio calls. I was at Spartan April - Nov '04. As I understand it, Spartan lost the Chinese contract. Perhaps Pan Am picked up the business. When I was there, they had so many Chinese students (over 100 at a time, at least) there was a full-size school bus that did nothing but drive back and forth from student housing to the airport, 16 hours a day.

Go before you leave. If I'm gone on a cross country, or longer flight I take a bottle. Also, I'm not going to let my bladder rupture because somebody has the aircraft right after we're due back. I'll divert if it comes to that point!

de727ups:

What year did you finish Riddle and which campus?

I was out of Prescott in 81 and 82. International campus after that and officially graduated in 83.

The problem was that the bottle I brought had water in it, and I couldn't divert because I was in BBF AZ and there was nowhere to divert to. It was horrible. Nothing but mountains. I wanted to just go out the storm window, but I couldn't hold the controls and do my thing at the same time. That's why I don't normally drink coffe. But when you get up at 5 its hard not to.

Hey SAA, we've all just chosen different routes to the same goal. Despite what sometimes may seem like bickering, I suspect we're all on the same page. I just wanna fly. If you pursue it via the CFI route, fine. If I pursue it via the quickie program, fine too.

I was hesitant to go this route until I spoke to actual people who actually did it. As far as commitment, I've spent two years, away from my wife and kids most of the time, working menial part time jobs, studying my ass off and flying my ass off, so I'm not sure what anyone is talking about when they speak about their uncertainty of one's committment.

Actually, this whole "buying a job" things doesn't seem any different from college itself. A Rutgers education, with all your room/board, etc., comes out to about $60K over 4 years (for in-state students). Your parents paying all that for you to get a meteorology degree, and go out and start working as an overnight forecaster making not much more that a regional FO. So it might be the same ouside of aviation. Granted, Rutgers is one of the most expensive state schools in the nation (my buddy's parents don't pay nearly that much for ASU), but you get the idea. Might be screwed on both sides of the fence.

The only difference is that you don't need hours to work at a meterology desk or any other job for that matter. Sure, they might want some internship experience, but try selling that one to the airlines. You can't compare a college degree with an aviation flight training. At least you can go anywhere with a college degree...try getting a job with only your high school diploma and a commercial certification outside of aviation. Let me know how far one gets.

So is everyone bent out of shape over programs like Pan Am and ATP/ RAA or just any flight school period? And how is flying through an FBO any different than a flight school? I've done both and its a little bit cheaper at the FBO, but I was also flying a 172 that was build in the 1950's. I have to say that paying more for better planes is ok with me. I think that most of the hostility directed toward flight schools is aimed at the type of programs where you can get all of your ratings in 2 weeks. If thats the case then I know what you're talking about. I fly at an airport with ATP, RAA, occasionaly Pan Am, and a helicopter school.(43 busiest airport in the country) Then there are the two college programs from ASU and UND. Guess which schools have people needing to give the tower a call more often? They aren't the same programs.
Also how is it the fault of young pilots for driving wages down (Im not trying to be cocky)? I just wonder how that works with union contracts and the like. I think you guys should be more worried about having your jobs outsourced to china or india.

Oh and one more thing. Why don't pilots try to get more pilots involved with their airline in managment. Wouldn't that make things better? If anyone knows how to run an airline its a captain whos been with the company for 30 years not some douche fresh out of business school who doesnt know the difference between a 777 and a CRJ. Plus they would keep the pay rates up for everyone. WHY ISNT THIS A COMMON OCCURENCE?

Thanks to everyone who contributes to these forums. I've only been around for a couple of weeks and have already learned a lot.