� 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!
Related Articles
