ding ding ding! that is exactly the case. the ones who go across the airport are the ones who are tapping into their instrument rating funds just to finish their private cuz they cant get past lesson 20 in the syllabus. they realize that if they continue on that pace at DCA they will run out of money so they bail.

a good decision on their part if they want to get all their ratings with the money they had, but do not confuse them with the quality people that come out of DCA with quality training.

As a current student at DCA who is finishing up CAMEL I have to say that I am sitting on the fence with this one. I have had both good and bad experiences at DCA.

I am one of the fortunate students that has finished all their ratings right at or just above the minimums. This has saved me quit a bit of money. I have never un-sated a training flight either. With that being said it still has taken me almost a year to go from Private through Commercial. I don't really consider that accelerated. However I have seen first hand many of us who have passed students who have been here well over a year.

For those who are considering attending a big flying school I have one piece of advice. Conduct a self evaluation. Do you have good work/study ethics? Are you a type "A" personality? Does flying come naturally to you. Believe it or not some people just aren't meant to fly. And above all else are you a real go-getter? If you are any of the above then you should have no problem excelling through DCA!

I completely agree, I just finished with CAMEL and single engine add on. I started at DCA with no time and in 9 months I am a commercial pilot and monday I start CFI. DCA is only for those who have a real desire to become a pilot. I see plenty of guys everyday that jerk around and then they b***** about how much it costs... DUH your jerkin around and not workin what do you expect. Like Heckler said if you work hard you can be finished in no time with the minimums.

How much did those nine months cost you? Furthermore, in those nine months you haven't seen much. Training to proficiency is much different than training to the minimum required to obtain a rating.

Sounds like some tasty Kool-Aid though...

When I say minimums I mean cost... You are only given your certificate if you are found proficient and complete the lessons!! If it takes you 9 months then it just means you have great study habits & skilled pilot if you can finish with the minimum hours. What do you think DCA is just handing out certificates to anyone???

PTS requirements aren't hard to achieve.

And yes, some of the people I've met that have gone to ATP/DCA make me think that it's not as hard as you seem to think or try and build it up to be. Hell if I did nothing but fly and study without having the other issues associated with life there I could do my ratings that fast too.

I'd be concerned if my first experience in winter, or thunderstorms, or actual was as an instructor. You should be too becuase there's no way you've seen that much in only 9 months of flying.

As with any school some people do slip through the cracks and progress on to get their ratings. However in my year I have seen many people leave or asked to leave because they couldn't get past a lesson or a Stage Check. The group I started with at DCA in December '07 had thirteen students in the class. Today only five of us are left. The other eight either quit or were asked to leave.

As for me I do not think DCA was all that hard. I believe that with enough training anyone can fly an airplane. I was at Part 61 but left to come here because flying is not the only requirement to get a rating. Learning all the associated knowledge pertaining to aviation is a must. I feel that DCA prepares you very well in that departement.

As for your comment about not having experience dealing with everything and anything that can happen to you as a CFI because "you got your ratings so fast". Well that's a load. With good solid training and a good head on your shoulders you will know what to do when the time comes. I'll give you an example. I did not know how I would react to being shot at until the first bullet whizzed by my head but the training I had received prepared me quite adequately on how to respond. Here I am alive today!