That's very respectable! I spent almost a decade as a USAF Officer myself.

Thank you for serving!

There are many institutions, even in other industries, that are referred to as "The Academy". So no, not even the AF academy has an exclusive claim to that term, no more than DCA, FlightSafety or anyone else.

Academy
 

Didn't Plato start "the Academy" in 387 BC? So that is the original... all the others must clarify! ;)

This is my "Academy":D
http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/1474/71bs.jpg

TurboDog,

You are correct that DCA can be defined as meeting the definition of an "Academy", ie:
1.a secondary or high school, esp. a private one.
2.a school or college for special instruction or training in a subject: a military academy.
3.an association or institution for the advancement of art, literature, or science:the National Academy of Sciences
4.a group of authorities and leaders in a field of scholarship, art, etc., who are often permitted to dictate standards, prescribe methods, and criticize new ideas.

However, many professional pilots, both military and civilian, will assume that you went to a U.S. Military Academy if you say that you went to "The Academy." Many military personnel commonly refer to the US Military Academy as "West Point", the US Naval Academy as "Annapolis" and The US Air Force Academy simply as "The Academy".

Also, to compare DCA to one of the military academies is truly comparing apples to oranges. The purpose of the US Military Academies, as USMCFLYR has pointed out, is to develop and train military officers -- some of whom are fortunate enough to end up in military aviation. The military academies are 4 years long and lead to an accredited college bachelors degree with most graduates earning 160+ college credit hours in 4 grueling years; as compared to most civilian colleges where a bachelors degree only requires approx. 120 credit hours. It is only after that 4 year life altering experience that the lucky ones get the opportunity to go through a formal military flight training program leading to the award of US military pilot wings.

In a nutshell, to compare DCA flight training to any US military academy graduate who has then gone on to military flight school is a joke. You will have to learn to deal with the reality that the term "Academy" to a lot of people implies a graduate of one of the U.S. Military Academies.

Cheers!

Thunder1

Zapata-Nice! So an "Academy" is simply the place we learn our most important skills... you must have skills!

Actually, they do.

USAFA_Aircraft

Air Education and Training Command - 306FTG

DCA is not ATP... no 90 day program. It is about a 1.5yr program and then 1-2yrs as a CFI.

I still disagree to an extent. I don't think when graduates of DCA say that they went to "The Academy" that they are in any way comparing themselves to the product of another learning center. Also, it's not necessarily about defining what an Academy is made of.......It is the name of the school in Sanford, FL that trains airline pilots. I also don't think that calling DCA "The Academy" came from it's graduates. It comes from graduates flying with Captains or other pilots and the PIC asking where the SIC went to school. Most graduates of DCA say they went to school in Sanford, or down in Orlando. Very few actually say, I went to the Delta Connection Academy. Then the PIC or other pilot replies, "Oh, you went to The Academy" Most often times because they aren't well versed on the school and don't know any better.

It's all in a name as well. How many people do you know that went to "Ridddle?" Not Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, but "Riddle."

Basically I don't think it is wrong for the word "Academy" to be thrown around. It sounds like the problem lies with the guys who have graduated from one of the Military Academy's that dislike anyone else using the term, because they have dubbed it theirs. I respect all military personel and appreciate what they do for us, but I don't think they should get wrapped around the name.

What about people that have gone through the UTI program. Universal Technical Institute, or Marine Mechanics Institute? I don't hear VMI graduates complaining that UTI is not a real Institute, or that they are not worthy of using the name Institute because they aren't military.

Don't most police forces have "academies". At least they made a few movies about it. I went to the FAA Academy for ATC training. It was a royal pain in the *ss, but only 3 months long, and no marching or shooting. No breadth of education either.... strictly vocational training and screening for potential future ATC training.