Flight Training - December 2014 - 59
CAREER ADVISOR
Shopping for a flight academy
Book, eBook, Audiobook
Consider reputation, location, fleet
» Q: I have done as much research as
possible as far as flight academies go. I
have read all the brochures and spoken
to counselors at all facilities. I will begin
making my rounds visiting each one.
Which one is the all-around best?
-Pat in Florida
» A: If you thumb through the pages of
this magazine, you will see ads typically featuring a smiling young aviator
at the controls of a glass-cockpit turbine
airplane. The message is, "You can be just
like me!"
First, understand that each of these
institutions offers a fine service. Further,
almost every academy has been in business for more than a few years and has
many success stories to tell.
For most, cost is paramount. Here's
a clue. Quotes from admission reps are
rarely if ever guaranteed. One young pilot
heard a pitch from an academy that total
cost would be $55,000 to $65,000. After
$110,000 invested, he spent almost two
years as an academy CFI at a whopping $10 per instructional hour with no
additional pay for endless paperwork
and sitting through student checkrides.
He did find a job as a first officer for a
regional airline but is now stuck with
crushing debt.
Reputation is right up there in importance. One of the best ways to check this
out is to see how many regional airline
affiliations the school has formed. If the
academy is regarded highly, it may have
a number of agreements with regional
airlines to interview pilots who complete
training. Ask for proof.
Location, location, location: There
are pros and cons. Some trainees would
rather fly up north where they can find
real weather. But, they risk sitting in the
school coffee shop waiting for days before
the icing goes away-unless that school
has flight training devices (FTDs) and
simulators. Although the south has great
weather, academies can be located at very
busy airports. Expect a significant increase
in cost as you taxi to the other end of the
county and are number eight for takeoff
behind seven other school airplanes.
Take a good look at the fleet. Is the
academy using tired old single-engine
aircraft, or is the flight line filled with
newer machines sporting the latest avionics? This means, of course, that airplanes
spend less time in the shop. And inspect
the maintenance facility. Is it clean and
tidy? Check the maintenance records. Are
the entries organized and professional?
Are the classrooms bright and comfy
featuring the latest audio-visual teaching
aids, or dingy and depressing?
Determine what advanced training is
available. Certain schools will have a jet
transition program as part of the curriculum, which includes flight time in CRJ or
ERJ devices or even in jets like a Citation.
Consider the timing. How much time
must you serve as a flight instructor?
Like the CFI mentioned prior, some
academies require that you compete for
flight instructor positions at the end of
training, pay you dirt, and keep you on a
leash for hundreds of hours before the
school will shop your résumé around to
the airlines.
Does the institution have an affiliation with a college where a degree can
be earned, perhaps qualifying you for the
ATP at fewer than 1,500 hours?
Finally, head over to the cafeteria or
break area without any school officials in
tow. Engage the students in some friendly
chit-chat. See what the school's reputation
is. Are students and instructors treated like
customers and professionals, or worse?
You are to be congratulated for making
in-person visits. When on campus, apply
the strategies above and your choice will
become quite clear. Good luck!
This book will help you:
* Learn all pvt & comm maneuvers
* Reduce the cost of flight training
* Avoid the accidental stall or spin
* Learn "seat of the pants" skills
* Roundout and flare accurately
* Fly complex airplanes
* Understand attitude flying
* Never fear a crosswind again
* Teach more efficiently as a CFI
* And much more!
508 full color pages
1,250 pictures and illustrations
Book - $59.95/eBook - $44.95
Audiobook $89.95/Digital $69.95
Rod's Other Products
Wayne Phillips manages the Airline Training
Orientation Program (www.atopjets.com). Send
your career questions to careers@aopa.org and we'll
Laugh & Learn With Rod
Ordering:
publish the best ones here.
www.rodmachado.com
DECEMBER 2014 FLIGHT TRAINING
/ 59
http://www.rodmachado.com
http://www.atopjets.com
Flight Training - December 2014
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Flight Training - December 2014
Contents
Flight Training - December 2014 - Cover1
Flight Training - December 2014 - Cover2
Flight Training - December 2014 - Contents
Flight Training - December 2014 - 2
Flight Training - December 2014 - 3
Flight Training - December 2014 - 4
Flight Training - December 2014 - 5
Flight Training - December 2014 - 6
Flight Training - December 2014 - 7
Flight Training - December 2014 - 8
Flight Training - December 2014 - 9
Flight Training - December 2014 - 10
Flight Training - December 2014 - 11
Flight Training - December 2014 - 12
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Flight Training - December 2014 - Cover3
Flight Training - December 2014 - Cover4
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