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Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology

Old 02-25-2009, 07:27 AM
  #21  
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Hi suppakuppa, i'm in a similar situation so I thought that I would reply also. I'm 22, and have about 45 hours of college. I would really like to be a pilot someday, possibly even commercially, but before I think of pursing flying I am going to finish my degree.

In my life experience, everything takes more time and money than you think it will at the start. College and flight training are both expensive, and if money is an issue for you at all, it will probably be harder than you think to make progress at both at the same time.

Finish school in something lucrative, and in demand like accounting, finance or engineering. It will help you throughout your whole life, and you will be able to get your life on track after college while you are getting your pilot training, instead of sinking into more debt (not the best prospect in this economy).

I'm about to transfer to an engineering school, and I just got a job as a baggage handler at the airport. Hopefully I will make enough money after college to afford to pay for lessons out of pocket, and pay all of my bills at the same time.

Have you looked into a degree in some sort of engineering? I'm really biased because i'm an engineering major, but it is a great field. Plus the education you get in an engineering program can help you out in anything you do, as it is basically a scientific problem solving degree! If you can refine your real life problem solving skills you will succeed at everything you do, and given your interest in flying, you probably have an interest in technical things also.

Just thought you might like the opinion of someone in the same position as you. Good luck!
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Old 02-25-2009, 12:43 PM
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[quote=Ian178;566778]Hi suppakuppa, i'm in a similar situation so I thought that I would reply also. I'm 22, and have about 45 hours of college. I would really like to be a pilot someday, possibly even commercially, but before I think of pursing flying I am going to finish my degree.


Hey man thanks for your reply. Yeah I think I'm leaning towards getting my degree. The only thing Im afraid of is that when airlines start hiring again I wont be ready in time. I dont even know if thats something to worry about but its just something that bothers me. Im also looking into getting a quick associates degree in sign language that would pay me more than a regular job. I've always been interested in learning sign language but the only thing that sucks about it is that it wont help me get hired at any airline as far as needing to have a degree i dont think. But its really easy to get a job translating and even working part time is ok as far as needing to get bills paid. But again I dont know if I want to take to long in getting started with flight training. I'll know this week if I get accepted to Spartan College and I'll be very tempted to just go ahead and go but man I dont know!! Im 24 in October. I know im still young but i havent done anything as far as getting something major accomplished in my life and i just want to get started! But i dont want my lack of patience make me do something im gonna regret. Is an aviation degree really that bad? I dont think it is its just the "putting all your eggs in one basket" thing that i think everyone is warning me about. Im glad you got ur stuff together though! Congrats!!
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Old 02-27-2009, 03:16 PM
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Originally Posted by suppakuppa View Post
Hey man thanks for your reply. Yeah I think I'm leaning towards getting my degree. The only thing Im afraid of is that when airlines start hiring again I wont be ready in time. I dont even know if thats something to worry about but its just something that bothers me. Im also looking into getting a quick associates degree in sign language that would pay me more than a regular job. I've always been interested in learning sign language but the only thing that sucks about it is that it wont help me get hired at any airline as far as needing to have a degree i dont think. But its really easy to get a job translating and even working part time is ok as far as needing to get bills paid. But again I dont know if I want to take to long in getting started with flight training. I'll know this week if I get accepted to Spartan College and I'll be very tempted to just go ahead and go but man I dont know!! Im 24 in October. I know im still young but i havent done anything as far as getting something major accomplished in my life and i just want to get started! But i dont want my lack of patience make me do something im gonna regret. Is an aviation degree really that bad? I dont think it is its just the "putting all your eggs in one basket" thing that i think everyone is warning me about. Im glad you got ur stuff together though! Congrats!!
I'm in the same situation as you are. I've got some background in electronics and right now I'm working on my asocciates degree in computer networking (multi platform). There will always be a need for computer repair men/women unless we start getting rid of them. After that I want to transfer to probably Western Michigan University(WMU). I wouldn't be too worried about the aviation degree because you will also learn other things. For instance in at WMU you are recquired to take Meteorology & Climatology (not sure if that's all you need to become a weatherman but it sure is a start)which would give you another fallback if flying doesn't work out for you.
If that's still not enough for you then try and get your masters in another field while flying. Hey if all that fails get into doing stupid stuff and get paid for it like on "jackass" or "viva la bam" and all the other shows like that they have now.

But I really wouldn't go to Spartan haven't heard anything good about them on any aviation forum
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Old 02-27-2009, 03:19 PM
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Another option would be ATP if you are worried about not being ready when they start hiring again. You could be ready in about 10 months through them. And I haven't heard anything bad about them on here.
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Old 03-25-2009, 08:47 AM
  #25  
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I attended Spartan and loved it! The school has ok facilities but what is top notch is the education. I have many friends who attended other top schools in the country and the education I recieved was second to none.

If I can answer any questions feel free to pm me.
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Old 03-30-2009, 07:25 AM
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I went to spartan, in '93-96. I have no complaints about the school itself, It was expenceive, and Tulsa... Well I just didn't like Tulsa. I loved the Blue Rose Cafe, and Claude's Hamburgers the only two highights in town.

There was no Fin-Aid for part 61 Schools back then, and I needed the loans.

The education itself was great, the planes were well taken care of, and they had some really great instructors.
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Old 07-06-2009, 09:44 AM
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I attended Spartan from '02 to '06. Spartan is very expensive and I will be very much in debt for another 15 years or so. The training I received at Spartan, however, was priceless. I currently work as a flight instructor at a small school in north Texas. I miss Tulsa and would consider returning to work at Spartan as a CFI. Compared to the DFW area, Tulsa is a wonderful place to live. Just thought I would try to balance all of the negative opinions already posted here.
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Old 07-06-2009, 04:12 PM
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Did my A&P through Spartan back in 02-04 Spartan is considered the Harvard of A&P schools other than that its a money pit i watched many "flight students" drop out with no ratings and 20K in debt

But the name Spartan got me a wrench job paying 55K a year out of school cause the DM was a 76' Spartan grad, My advice dont get stuck in that money pit. I did all my flight ratings 61 and glad i did.


But Tulsa is cheap, 3.2% beer sucks and the women are hot.


But like most flight schools the weak get weeded out.
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Old 05-01-2012, 09:29 PM
  #29  
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Default The financing is how they stick it to people

I'm an Oklahoma State Grad (Stillwater) and instructed for Oklahoma State for a couple years during school and a little bit after I finished. You probably have the message already, but i wanted to put a little finer point on it in case you haven't looked at it this way......... The main reason Spartan gets by with charging so much for flight time and instruction is that they facilitate getting the loans for you so you can way overspend for training.

I did a lot of my training at Christiansen lease a plane which is just down the road from Spartan at Jones Riverside airport and the wet hourly rate (with fuel) was about 1/3 as much as it was at Spartan. So for basically 3 times as much money, they'll provide you with the financing to do it. Not a good deal in my book, but i guess it works for some people. If you can find a way to scrape together some money bartending, cashing in savings bonds, beg your relatives etc, you'll be way ahead of the game financially. Going into your career as an instructor and later as a regional pilot will be MUCH easier (still bad, but doable) if you avoid the huge debt.

I have no horse in this race but if you're in the Tulsa area, call Christiansen lease a plane and ask them for Wayne Cothran's number. He is an ex corporate pilot that is a free lance instructor and he is fantastic and has no interest in padding his logbooks on someone else's dime. I am a mainline pilot, several time regional pilot, instructor for a couple of years, and there are things I learned from him that still serve me well today. I seem to recall that he prefers to train people for the more advanced ratings, but even if he doesn't fly with you, he's a good guy to know for your more advanced ratings and he'll steer you in the right direction for your private.

Do whatever you think is best, but I think a small flight school (Lease a plane has great rates!) will serve you much better than a pricy flight school.
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Old 06-22-2012, 06:33 PM
  #30  
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Im an instructor in texas and I heard that Spartan was shutting down their pilot training program. It really surprised me, but it might be worth looking into.
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