ConnectionPilot

hey guys, I'm currently a student at Delta Connection Academy and I moving very quickly in my training. I need to know the options that I have that can take me from my multi-engine rating to the regionals, besides becoming a flight instructor. Any help?

BURflyer

You've got to be kidding me, you're going to DCA and you are asking people for help here. You mean to tell me that you are paying DCA 80k for your ratings and they have no customer support to tell you about your future options in the regional industry?? No wonder DCA is the worst school out there, their own students are asking the world for help instead of the school itself.

LAfrequentflyer

140K @ ERAU
80K @ DCA

50K @ ATPS

ATPS seems like the better deal. Unless you really wanted a ERAU aviation degree.

-LAFF

fosters

I paid $80k for the ERAU flight training and degree combined, graduated 2 years ago. Has it really doubled in that time frame?!? Holy crap!

Oh, and about CFI'ing...don't do it at DCA. I hear they only make $10/hr. HAHAH! Sweet. At my last CFI job I was paid $16/hr and billed 150 average hours per month....

junior

flight instructing is something that everyone should do. you will learn a ton as an instructor. I could have taken one of those RJ courses and gotten an interview with eagle or express when I had 500 hours but opted to do it the traditional way, I'm very happy with my decision. is seniority everything? yes. are you going to be an asset to a regional airline as a 500 hour first officer? no.

skirtinstorms

I agree with you 100%. When I first started teaching, not only did I learn a ton, I also learned how clueless I was as a commercial pilot up until then...

WEACLRS

At this point finish your CFI certificates and ratings. Stay the course. Yes there are other methods but they're more risky and none will get you to a regional quicker. You'll learn a ton completing the CFI, especially in FSDO 15 (assuming you are at DCA's Orlando campus). It's a very large leap from Comm/ME/Inst to CFI/CFII/MEI. The knowledge and experience you'll gain are invaluable...and you are truly employable, admittedly not at a great salary, but at least the money flow reverses somewhat. Regional airlines have a general profile of a pilot that they understand. And being a CFI is part of it. You'll get hired at lower time if you are a CFI than if you are not. Hiring times are getting very low out here now with Express Jet and others getting down to the 500 hour TT mark. You won't be a CFI for long.

However, for your other options, take a look at the list of flight activities in 14 CFR part 119.1(e). That list is pretty much it. Anything else is going to require FAA paperwork and probably more flight time than you need for a right seat job at a regional.

WEACLRS

Strongly agree. The more I learn about aviation the less I know...

fosters

I have a buddy that did the CFI/CFII/MEI there and it cost him 20 grand. And that was without repeated lessons. Personally, I'd jump ship for that kind of money...you can wrap up the three of them for something like $7k at ATP.

jdsavage

If you think about it, he's doing the smart thing by coming here and asking. All they will tell him a DCA is stay there. Do you really think that they would throw away money and tell him there are better ways? They're making money hand over fist with him and everyone else there, including myself at one time. When I quit after doing the CFI ground school I found a job flying a Jetstream. They flew the crap out of me, but I got to see the real industry, not what DCA wants them to see.