Future airline pilot in need of help

[flying_ninja]

If anyone lives in the southern region of the U.S., I would appreciate any help. I live in Tennessee and I graduate high school next year with intent of going to a commercial flight school where I hopefully can get a degree to help me find a job as an airline pilot in the future, but I have no idea where I want to go to school because of how much money it costs. My question is where would you suggest to go to college or university that isn't that much money but has good quality, and what you did for a job after college and before your current job in aviation, if you did have another job in aviation before now. Any answer to either question would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[flying_ninja]

I was in a similar situation a little while ago. I am also from Tennessee (Middle Tennessee) and I finally decided on MTSU. I don't have a job yet (gotta graduate first). It's a University but their aerospace program is top notch. It's right up there with Embry-Riddle and other big names. Why it isn't more popular I don't know.

Here is the link for the aerospace homepage:

http://www.mtsu.edu/aerospace/

Basically we have 5 concentrations. They include Pro Pilot, Maintenance Management, Aerospace Administration, Aerospace Technology, and finally Flight Dispatch. We also have a state of the art ATC lab (literally a multi million dollar lab) as well as countless Simulators. Other labs include the Technology lab (with wind tunnels and water tunnels and such) and then the NASA focus lab.

We also have the option to put an ATC rating on any one of the 5 concentrations within Aerospace. Then you finish up with the FAA (from what I understand).

MTSU (Middle Tennessee State University) also basically owns the city's airport and has an "airport campus" there. That's mainly for the Pro Pilot guys but all Aerospace majors do some flying no matter the concentration. We have a whole fleet of airplanes (mainly Diamond DA-40's). But we also have a Boeing 727! It doesn't actually fly but it's used for a lot of commercial training and maintenance training.

I am still in my first semester (freshman buck here) so I am mainly doing all my Gen Eds now (ya, we still gotta do those unfortunately). I am a Technology concentration which is mainly the designing and testing phase. We spend a lot of time in the tech lab with wind tunnels and models and stuff. It requires high level math and science (Lots of Calculus) but it's also amazingly fun.

The most popular concentration is by far Pro-Pilot.That's originally what I chose. Then the more I thought the more I realized...all you can do with that is fly. Airlines don't require a Pro-Pilot degree...just a 4 year degree (it could be in Psychology for all they care) that shows commitment. MTSU is one of the cheaper options in the country and it's still around 35,000-40,000 $ on top of tuition for Pro-Pilot. So no matter how you play it, you always graduate with a lifetime of debt to pay off. Also, what happens if something happens medically and you can't fly? Then you are stuck with a mountain of debt and no way to pay it off. Technology, while it is harder and you don't get to fly as much, offers at least eight different avenues (that I could come up with) right after graduation and is a whole lot cheaper. (Flying commercially being one of them if you do the required flying on your own which is what I'm doing because I also want to fly commercially)

I hope this helps and hope I didn't overwhelm you too much!

OH! It's located in Murfreesboro Tennessee (the exact center of the state)

If you need anymore info then PM me and I'll try and get back.

Matt (TRUE BLUE!!!!!)

Wow! That gave me lot more insight of what I should do. This really helps. Also, since you're still in college, does the college give you assigned flights sometimes so you can achieve the right amount of hours? Or are you just flying on your own time?

[flying_ninja]

I was in a similar situation a little while ago. I am also from Tennessee (Middle Tennessee) and I finally decided on MTSU. I don't have a job yet (gotta graduate first). It's a University but their aerospace program is top notch. It's right up there with Embry-Riddle and other big names. Why it isn't more popular I don't know.

Here is the link for the aerospace homepage:

http://www.mtsu.edu/aerospace/

Basically we have 5 concentrations. They include Pro Pilot, Maintenance Management, Aerospace Administration, Aerospace Technology, and finally Flight Dispatch. We also have a state of the art ATC lab (literally a multi million dollar lab) as well as countless Simulators. Other labs include the Technology lab (with wind tunnels and water tunnels and such) and then the NASA focus lab.

We also have the option to put an ATC rating on any one of the 5 concentrations within Aerospace. Then you finish up with the FAA (from what I understand).

MTSU (Middle Tennessee State University) also basically owns the city's airport and has an "airport campus" there. That's mainly for the Pro Pilot guys but all Aerospace majors do some flying no matter the concentration. We have a whole fleet of airplanes (mainly Diamond DA-40's). But we also have a Boeing 727! It doesn't actually fly but it's used for a lot of commercial training and maintenance training.

I am still in my first semester (freshman buck here) so I am mainly doing all my Gen Eds now (ya, we still gotta do those unfortunately). I am a Technology concentration which is mainly the designing and testing phase. We spend a lot of time in the tech lab with wind tunnels and models and stuff. It requires high level math and science (Lots of Calculus) but it's also amazingly fun.

The most popular concentration is by far Pro-Pilot.That's originally what I chose. Then the more I thought the more I realized...all you can do with that is fly. Airlines don't require a Pro-Pilot degree...just a 4 year degree (it could be in Psychology for all they care) that shows commitment. MTSU is one of the cheaper options in the country and it's still around 35,000-40,000 $ on top of tuition for Pro-Pilot. So no matter how you play it, you always graduate with a lifetime of debt to pay off. Also, what happens if something happens medically and you can't fly? Then you are stuck with a mountain of debt and no way to pay it off. Technology, while it is harder and you don't get to fly as much, offers at least eight different avenues (that I could come up with) right after graduation and is a whole lot cheaper. (Flying commercially being one of them if you do the required flying on your own which is what I'm doing because I also want to fly commercially)

I hope this helps and hope I didn't overwhelm you too much!

OH! It's located in Murfreesboro Tennessee (the exact center of the state)

If you need anymore info then PM me and I'll try and get back.

Matt (TRUE BLUE!!!!!)

Wow! That gave me lot more insight of what I should do. This really helps. Also, since you're still in college, does the college give you assigned flights sometimes so you can achieve the right amount of hours? Or are you just flying on your own time?

From what I understand only the Pro Pilot guys (and gals but it's mainly a male-dominant program) actually have specified labs (flight times). The one class all Aerospace majors are required to do that has flying is called Theory of Flight and it has, I think, 6 hours but I really don't know (I didn't get in this semester but next semester I will do it). That class alone costs about 600$ for the flying.

I think anyone can fly the school's planes but Pro Pilot guys get the priority. I am blessed in that my grandfather owns two airplanes (a C-172 and a Beechcraft V-tail Bonanza) so I do all my flying in those. I don't think there is a program, unless you are Pro Pilot, that sets you up with all your required hours. That is all up to the individual to achieve (my advice, find a friend who is a CFI and will teach you. They will give you the "friend" rate sometimes and really save you money. Then you have plane rentals on top of that...like I said, my family happens to own two airplanes so I am somewhat lucky).

It can get overwhelming but the thing that showed me it's all worth it is when I solo'd. I don't know if you have solo'd yet but let me tell you...I have never felt more accomplished in my life and I knew right then that I was on the right track. The main thing is to stick with it. It is overwhelming at times but man, it is so worth the effort (and an effort it is). You are given the opportunity to do something that very few get to do. It's so amazing.

Hope this helps,

Matt

P.S. If you decide to go to MTSU then I will gladly meet with you and show you around the campus and show you the aerospace building and stuff

Ok I'll have to remember that tip if I do go there, and I think there's a big possibility that I will. And if I do go, I'll Pm you or whatever will work when I get there.

[flying_ninja]

Look forward to seeing you! (assuming you come)

Now, get flying!!!!

Matt

Never gonna stop!