Take heart! Some major airlines are beginning to make money once again, along with low-cost carriers like Southwest, Jet Blue, and others. A few regional carriers have called back furloughed pilots and started new-hire classes, pleasing those treading water for many months in the hiring pool. Business aviation continues to hold its own. It truly does appear that hiring is coming around again.
In the giddy hiring frenzy of 1999-2001, it seemed that anyone with a few hundred hours of flight time and a commercial certificate with a multiengine rating could lock down a position as a professional pilot. A college degree was merely a nice amenity to a r�sum�. During those days, flight experience was paramount. A degree was merely frosting on the cake.
Nonetheless, according to airline career consulting firm AIR, Inc., nearly 85 percent of all pilots hired by the airlines on all levels-from regionals to major carriers-have college degrees of some kind. Most corporate pilots flying for Fortune 500 companies also hold college degrees. So, college-educated pilots tend to land better flying jobs than those without higher education. Further, as any furloughed pilot will attest, a college degree not only can make an applicant more competitive in the job hunt, but also may be essential to economic survival if the company institutes furloughs or layoffs.
The facts are convincing. A prudent aspiring professional pilot will consider earning a college degree. Many airline recruiters maintain that the subject of the degree is not nearly as important as the degree itself. For example, a degree in accounting or political science will be meaningful to a prospective employer because it demonstrates that the individual is trainable and can commit to a long-term goal.
For most young people aspiring to the flight deck of a Boeing or a business jet, earning a flight-related degree at one of approximately 125 colleges and universities featuring flight programs will be the plan of action. But, which one is for you? From petite Hesston College with its enrollment of 32 pilots to the University of North Dakota and its 1,700 trainees, the options are staggering.
A college checklist
Before you commit to one school, shop around. Without a doubt, there are outstanding schools that have captured what marketers call "top of mind awareness" in the industry because of their reputation and advertising. Prospective students should assess a wide variety of institutions. Start with AOPA Flight Training's college directory (see p. 26); it's also available online. Then, use this suggested checklist to evaluate schools of interest, and try to visit your top picks-just as you would if you were shopping for any other kind of college.
- History: Some schools, like Ohio University (OU), have been training pilots for decades. In OU's case, the pilot program developed in 1939 was instrumental in preparing pilots for World War II action. A school with some history has survived the normal ups and downs of launching and sustaining a flight program.
- Academic excellence: Examine the credentials of faculty and staff. First and foremost, a student is to be educated, not merely taught to fly. Is there an ample faculty to meet the needs of the students? Do the professors hold master's or doctoral degrees? If not, do they bring to the campus a wealth of real-life experience? Have members of the staff been published, or achieved industry recognition? Meet with the educators if possible. Are flight instructors graduates of the flight program? Contractors? Experienced?
- Degree programs: Obviously, an individual enrolling in a college flight program will focus on flying. But, when will flying begin? Some schools have students flying the first week as freshmen, while others defer flight until the sophomore year or later. What FAA certificates and ratings will be earned by graduation? It would be advantageous if the school offered other aviation-related majors, such as aviation technology, administration, and management-or, as Central Missouri State University provides, a sport aviation track that even allows a student to earn a hot air balloon rating.
- Student life: College should be a maturing and socializing experience. The campus and surrounding area should support the students' growth outside of academics through sports activities, clubs and organizations, theater, churches, libraries, and other venues. Is the housing acceptable? Is the cafeteria food tolerable? When visiting a college, query any freshman walking the grounds.
- Facilities: Visit classrooms and labs. Walk the flight line and inspect the aircraft. Are there enough to keep students flying? Talk with the dispatchers to determine how often flights are cancelled because of mechanical problems. Although training aircraft are rarely in like-new condition, are they kept reasonably clean? Visit the maintenance facility and review aircraft logbooks.
- Weather: It is a fact that the southern-tier states have better flying weather which, presumably, means more flying time and fewer cancelled flights. On the other hand, gaining experience with winds, low ceilings, and an occasional bout of rime ice will provide some seasoning that the warm climes cannot.
- Psychological fit: A very important consideration is strictly personal. Some people thrive on the hustle and bustle of a large campus. A trip to the dispatch desk or the flight line at an Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, with more than 1,000 pilots in training, reveals an energy level much like that of rush hour in downtown Chicago. To a low-key personality, that kind of atmosphere can be overwhelming. Such an individual might be more comfortable at a smaller campus.
- Career development: Bear in mind that anyone receiving pilot training on a college campus is not there to earn pilot certificates and ratings. The real reason? Each student's goal is to develop a career in the air transportation industry. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the University of North Dakota each feature a dedicated staff whose mission is to link students with potential employers through internships and cooperatives. In addition, a number of colleges and universities have developed "fast track" programs in which graduates receive priority consideration for employment with certain airlines and corporate operators. Certainly, there are good schools that offer flight training, period. But, if an institution can help to propel a career, that is a plus which is difficult to dismiss.
- Cost: Last but not least is the matter of cost. At the College of the Ozarks in Branson, Missouri, also known as "Hard Work U.," students literally fund part of their education by taking campus jobs in everything from cafeteria maintenance to FBO operations (See "The College Conundrum," December 2002 AOPA Flight Training). This means that a two-year degree and all flight certificates can be earned for less than $30,000 on average. A four-year degree with flight training can tally about $150,000 at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Thus, there is a price tag designed for nearly every budget and preference.
The small
To illustrate the benefits of small, medium, and large colleges, an unscientific sampling was conducted of just a few institutions to convey a simple fact: There is a college or university out there for just about everyone.
Aims Community College. Greeley, Colorado, is a 45-minute drive north of Denver, with its Broncos, night life, and cultural outlets. This typical college town is home to Northern Colorado University as well as Aims Community College.
The flight program was launched in 1967, but Aims took a giant leap forward when it entered into an agreement to train pilots for Eastern Air Lines in an ab initio program. Although the Eastern connection eventually dissipated as the carrier drifted into bankruptcy, the flight program continued to grow. Today, 75 to 100 pilots train in a fleet of 12 airplanes: eight Cessna 172s, a Cessna 172RG, a Cessna 182RG, a Piper Seminole, and a Citabria. Three fulltime and three adjunct faculty, along with 12 to 15 CFIs, provide the ground and flight training; many are graduates of Aims.
The aviation department offers two-year degrees in aviation technology and professional pilot. Students fly the very first week of class and eventually earn all certificates and ratings through commercial ASEL/AMEL. The CFI is an option.
Greg Gaiser, the operations manager of Aims Flight Training Center, discussed several benefits for students. "We feature quality, personalized instruction since our class sizes are small. The Weld County Airport where we are based generally has great weather but also offers the occasional IMC for real-weather flying experience. We have all the approaches-ILS, NDB, VOR, and GPS-right here," he said. "We are proud of our Beech 1900D full-motion Level C simulator. We also have eight personal computer-based training devices [PCATDs], three modular flight deck training devices that can be configured for different types of aircraft, and a Level 3 Cessna 172 FTD that can be utilized in certification training. Our instructors have internships available where they can fly corporate flight missions with some of our industry partners."
Tuition for a two-year associate's degree and flight training ranges from $33,260 to $45,580 depending on whether the student resides in district, out of district but in Colorado, or out of state. (Aims has no dormitory facilities, so room and board are additional.)
Hesston College. Tucked away in rural Kansas just a short Cessna flight from Wichita is the town of Hesston. For students and their parents searching for a small college with personalized, one-on-one education in a climate of traditional values and mores, an institution like Hesston College with its total enrollment of 446 students can be the answer. In fact, Hesston is far from a "party school" -alcohol is not sold at any public establishment in town.
Founded in the late 1960s, Hesston College Aviation offers a two-year associate's degree in applied science with a professional pilot track. Some 32 students are pursuing both a liberal arts education and pilot certification at the nearby Newton Airport, where three Cessna 150s, two 172s, a 172RG, and a Piper Twin Comanche are used. Other hardware includes an AST Hawk FTD plus two PCATDs.
All students are given an opportunity for two days' worth of Boeing 737 introductory training at the Continental Airlines Pilot Training Center in Houston, Texas, as part of the school's Airline Training Orientation Program. With four fulltime faculty instructors and three CFI intern specialists who are graduates of the Hesston flight program, the small number of students is well served.
Hesston College's special campus life sets it apart from other schools, says Aviation Director Dan Miller. "As a small college, we have a truly personal relationship with all of our students. All courses are taught by our faculty: no teaching assistants as such. We are there not only to provide an education, but to nurture these young adults on a spiritual and personal level. We aim not only to produce good pilots, but good citizens."
The cost: approximately $52,000 for the entire package including a two-year degree, room, board, and flight training.
Of course, any number of smaller colleges offer a quality education, including flight training, within many students' financial reach. Cochise College in Douglas, Arizona; Colorado Northwestern Community College in Rangely; San Jacinto College near Houston; and Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City are but a few.
The medium
A fairly large contingent of colleges and universities feature pilot enrollments in the 150-to-500 range. Superb schools with names like Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg; University of Nebraska-Omaha; Kansas State University in Salina; Indiana State in Terre Haute; Daniel Webster College in Nashua, New Hampshire; University of Illinois in Champaign; and Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro all have quality degree and flight programs. Here are two examples.
Ohio University. Athens, Ohio, is home to Ohio University. The community of 30,000 is the quintessential college town and is often described as the "Harvard of the Midwest" with its traditional architecture, tree-lined streets, and laid-back hospitality. The flight training program was begun in1939, making Ohio University one of the oldest aviation colleges in the nation. Approximately 160 students train at University Airport, which is owned by the college.
The Department of Aviation, part of the Fritz J. and Dolores H. Russ College of Engineering and Technology, features two major options: aviation flight education, in which students earn the commercial AMEL and CFI/CFII, and aviation management. The department also offers a two-year degree in aviation technology. The staff includes four fulltime faculty, six fulltime CFIs, and approximately 20 apprentice instructors who have completed training but have yet to graduate.
The Ohio fleet features two Cessna 152s, nine 172s, a Beechcraft Bonanza, and a Beech Baron. The college also owns two King Airs and a Piper Navajo for transportation of university personnel. OU flight students have an opportunity to crew on a regular basis. Dr. Juan Merkt, chairman of the department of aviation and an associate professor, says, "We are proud of the fact that Ohio University is consistently rated in the top 50 academic institutions in the United States by a variety of publications. With student enrollment at 19,000, Ohio has the resources of a large university. But, with an enrollment of only 160 pilots in the flight program, we give our students more one-on-one, personalized attention.
"We have great connections, too. Our preferred interview agreement with AirNet Express plus internships with NetJets and several major airlines enable our students to start working in the aviation industry early on, and we're always seeking more affiliations. We like to hire our own, too-all of our CFIs completed their degrees, certificates, and ratings right here."
The cost: about $56,000 for Ohio residents and $88,000 for out-of-staters, including a four-year degree and flight training through CFII.
Jacksonville University. JU, in Jacksonville, Florida, has been training future flying professionals for 20 years. The four-year school currently offers majors in aviation management and aviation management and flight operations. Its 200 flight students are served by four fulltime and six adjunct faculty plus 43 flight instructors from Delta Connection Academy.
Jill Darkatsh, associate director of aeronautics, says, "A JU student not only acquires what we consider the best technical training, but our liberal arts tradition as a small, private institution makes for a well-rounded individual as well. Student life is especially dynamic. Jacksonville has been consistently rated as a great college city by national publications.
"Of special importance is our affiliation with Delta Connection Academy. Each of our students has the status and career potential of pilots enrolled at DCA's Sanford campus. As a result, when our graduates are hired as DCA instructors, they return to Jacksonville University as DCA employees. Then, with about 1,000 hours of total time and 800 hours of instruction given, they are guaranteed an interview with Comair or any number of Delta Connection airlines. For the most part, our students have the highest probability of [obtaining] a professional airline flying career with a key regional airline in the shortest amount of time." All but one of the pilots who graduated from JU's program since 1996 are flying for regional airlines, she notes.
The cost: about $130,000 to $150,000, depending on flight training required; this includes a four-year degree, room, and board.
Extra large
It is hard to imagine more than 1,000 flight students on a single campus making their way through traditional liberal-arts academics and flight training, but two notable schools have been accomplishing this feat for years: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) and the University of North Dakota (UND).
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Founded in 1925 by barnstormer John Paul Riddle and entrepreneur T. Higbee Embry, ERAU has established recognition and reputation throughout the industry. ERAU has residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Prescott, Arizona, and operates more than 130 resident centers, teaching sites, and classroom locations throughout the United States and Europe. In addition, ERAU offers degree programs anywhere in the world through Web-based distance learning.
Embry-Riddle offers more than 30 degree programs. These include undergraduate programs in aeronautical science, aerospace engineering, aerospace studies, air traffic management, aircraft engineering technology, aircraft maintenance, airway science, applied meteorology, aviation business administration, and more.
ERAU's fleet of 139 instructional aircraft features the Beechcraft Duchess and Bonanza; the Cessna 150, 340, and various versions of the 172; Mooney M20J; and Piper Cadet, Arrow, and Seminole. The university's 38 simulators include an AST300 multiengine FTD; Beechcraft 1900D Level D (owned and operated by FlightSafety International), Beech Duchess CPT and King Air B200 FTD; Boeing B-727 Level A; Cessna 172 CPT; Elite PI135 multiengine PCATD; Frasca 141 single-engine FTD and 142 multiengine FTD; and Jeppesen FS200AC PCATD.
ERAU is committed to career development prior to graduation. More than 1,000 students were awarded coop or intern positions during the 2000-2001 academic year. The major airlines, ERAU claims, hire more alumni from Embry-Riddle than from any other collegiate aviation program. The pilot trainee population totals about 1,770 at the Daytona Beach campus and 820 at Prescott.
The cost: approximately $150,000 for the four-year aeronautical science (flight) degree, housing, and flight training.
University of North Dakota. More than 11,000 students are enrolled at the 570-acre UND campus in Grand Forks. Of these, nearly 1,700 are engaged in some aspect of flight training.
The Department of Aviation offers six different majors in two degree programs. A bachelor of business administration degree may be earned in either aviation management or airport management and is granted by the College of Business and Public Administration. A bachelor of science degree in aeronautics may be earned in commercial aviation, air traffic control, flight education, or aviation systems management, and is granted by the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences. The commercial aviation track is designed for a variety of flight-related careers including airline pilot. This degree combines broad-based aviation courses with the pilot training curriculum. Students earn a commercial pilot certificate with instrument and multiengine ratings, a flight instructor certificate with instrument rating, plus elective credits in any field of interest.
The flight program is a major employer of graduates. The school recently hired 50 flight instructors to train the program's pilots.
UND's learning environment is noteworthy. For aviation majors, the university can claim an $83 million aerospace complex spanning more than 400,000 square feet. A unique enclosed skyway system connects all aerospace buildings and provides students with convenient access to classes, regardless of the weather. That North Dakota weather can become legendary, especially during the winter.
The school also has a impressive array of hardware, including one of the largest, most modern training fleets in the world; advanced flight training devices; cockpit procedure trainers; high-altitude physiology chamber training; an air traffic control simulation lab; digital Doppler radar; and interactive computer labs.
The Office of Student Services has a fulltime staff dedicated to forging industry relationships for the benefit of students, including a variety of internships and "co-ops." The cost: about $85,000.
The foregoing is just a glimpse of the myriad opportunities for collegiate-level flight training. With college degrees, including flight training, available today from a broad range of schools for $30,000 to $150,000, there is truly very little reason not to be one of the 85 percent of flying pros who are well-educated and who, as a direct result, occupy the best jobs in the business of aviation.
Wayne Phillips is an airline transport pilot with a Boeing 737 type rating and is a designated pilot examiner in Colorado. He is a speaker for the AOPA Air Safety Foundation.
Want to know more?
The following resources offer additional information about the topics discussed in this article:
- AOPA Flight Training's online aviation college database.
- The Web sites of the colleges mentioned here.
- "College Conundrum," an article on aviation colleges from the December 2002 AOPA Flight Training.
- The updated AOPA's Guide to Flying Careers.
Links to these resources are available on AOPA Online.
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