need info
 

I am 17 years old and I am training for my single engine rating and will finish this summer. My question is if I wanted to be a regional pilot could I go to the Delta Academy and achieve that goal or do I need college? If you would I would like to here the kind of the lifestyle of a regional pilot. Any information would be much appreciated.

no, you don't need to go to college to be a regional pilot.

and don't go to delta connection. it's expensive and when it boils down to it, you still need to put in the same time everyone else does.

Please don't goto DAC, RAA, or any of those "academy's"

Find a nice Part 61 or small part 141 flight school, get your CFI/I/MEI and work for them and get your hours to apply to a regional. While you are working as a CFI, spend your spare time in college. Get a non-aviation degree, business management or something. Something you can use should you feel that flying professionally isn't what you expect.

Good luck!

Be very careful reading some comments by a select few negative nancy's on this forum. I'll let you figure out which ones to be suspect of.

Why is the "academy's" a bad idea?

Because you can get everything so much cheaper from a small FBO.

It's your money, do as you wish. I would just suggest pricing it out. Spend a little bit of your time before you make such a large decision.

check out www.allatps.com fixed price, all the ratings you'll ever need, and you are done in 90 days. they have a good rep and they like to hire their grads as CFIs - provided you're not a jerk...

-LAFF

Go to www.jetuniversity.com if you want to fly the big boys! It worked for me and I fly for a major! Plus it's cheaper than any commuter pilot only academy or university.

And so it begins. . . lol.

What begins?

The Jet U advertisements :) They are just as bad as DCA or RAA advertisements. Ugh, anyways. Go bid for your 744 or A380.

If you are going to spend money on flight training, I'd much rather get to fly a real jet like a 727 vs. a barbie jet rj.

I've been back on these forums for 2 days and I already hate you. Pull your head out of your ass or go kill yourself or something.

Take a number!

:p

Out of curiousity; who do you work for?

He doesn't work. He poses as a UPS flyer, debating on which plane to upgrade to. . . 744 or A380.

Well UPS won't get any A380s til 2009 so he has some time to 'think' about the matter :p

How do you know that I don't work there?

Hey Zac, in case you haven't figured it out yet, browntail here is one of those negative nancies that you were warned about. We're not really sure who he is or where he comes from or who he flies for, but lets just say there are some high quality add-ons for Flight Simulator that make you feel like a real airline pilot.

As for the negativity, keep in mind that these types of online forums sever as a place for angry people to vent. There are alot of high quality guys giving great insight and advice here, but there are also alot who are here to vent for whatever reason their comapny is ****ing them off at that moment. Not to say that the venting is unjustified or falsely based, but it's still venting.

If you fly as an airline passenger alot (I usually do at least once a year), take every opportunity to talk with line pilots. On every flight I travel on I always stop and talk to the crew for a few minutes, gaining whatever insight I can.

And finally, yes go the local flight school route. I've realized it doesn't matter how you got your ratings. Just work on becoming a safe private pilot, instrument pilot, and commercial pilot. It's instructing where you actually learn to fly and become a real professional pilot. I'm actually looking forward to being a CFI some day, and plan to do it my whole life (if possible) with Civil Air Patrol.

I learned in J-3 Cub. I taught in a J-3 Cub. And now I wish I could afford a J-3 Cub.

If you plan on going beyond "Regional Pilot" you may want to think about a college degree ( and 7 years of military service and night carrier landings and 3 lunar missions (to a full stop) plus some Space Shuttle time (as PIC) and ...)

Without the college degree, it's hard to be competitive and yes, there are someplaces that don't require it, and I know someone will chime in and say they were hired without it, but you have the rest of your life ahead of you, have something to fall back on, and go live the "College Experience", It helps a lot of people "grow up."

Good Luck,
PSACPSP

At an Airinc Pilot conference, they said that it's important to have a 4-year degree or at the very least, show to the regional airlines that you are working towards completing your 4-year degree. Get your 4-year degree. If aviation doesn't work out, the rest of the world tend to look kinder to you if you have a 4-year degree.

Consider what your life will be like if this aviation dream of yours don't pan out. It didn't for me. But I'm happy to know that I'm still marketable after being away from the corporate world for almost 2 years to get back into it at my previous salary level.

As far as flight training is concerned, go find yourself a reputable CFI locally at the FBO nearest you and ask as many questions as you can. After a 30 minute conversation, you'll figure out who's good and who's not. Don't just let your CFI dictate what you should study and what not. A good pilot is always learning so dig up all the free FAA PDF files you can get your hands on and read up on it. Read up on NTSB reports and talk to your CFI about them. Work towards your CFI and then built time. Regionals care only about a few things and one major thing when they offer you an interview and that is your flight time.

Good luck and stay away from CAPT and the likes of them.

What happended to you airline dream?