Aviation Colleges

[flyboy 28]

One of the Dakotas' Universities, can't remember North or South, is reputed to have an excellent aviation program.

That'd be North Dakota, just looked that school up...looks like a fun aviation school

[tcco94]

One of the Dakotas' Universities, can't remember North or South, is reputed to have an excellent aviation program.

That'd be North Dakota, just looked that school up...looks like a fun aviation school

[flyboy 28]

The actual flying costs are going to be the same no matter where you go, but I see no sense in paying upwards of $80,000 for two years of classes where you can get the same education for less than $10,000.

[tcco94]

The actual flying costs are going to be the same no matter where you go, but I see no sense in paying upwards of $80,000 for two years of classes where you can get the same education for less than $10,000.

You pay more to go to a University than a community college. I think community college is great, I just dont want to go to one.

When they put flight costs for colleges like $50,000, thats for all the flying right? Then you have to add the tuition onto that cost?

[DaveSims]

The actual flying costs are going to be the same no matter where you go, but I see no sense in paying upwards of $80,000 for two years of classes where you can get the same education for less than $10,000.

You pay more to go to a University than a community college. I think community college is great, I just dont want to go to one.

When they put flight costs for colleges like $50,000, thats for all the flying right? Then you have to add the tuition onto that cost?

Yes, flight costs are above and beyond tuition.  Even if you receive scholarships, and get money from the ROTC (which won't get until your sophmore year), they usually don't cover flying expenses.  As for the tital amount each school advertises, those are nothing but averages.  Most schools charge about the same amount per hour.  Every person is different, will require a different amount of hours to complete their license and different ratings. 

That is why I and many others who have been through the programs will tell you, you will spend that money flying whether you do it for the degree or on your own.  It would better prepare you for your future to have a degree outside of aviation, even if you minor in aviation.  Pilot jobs are very competitive, for every airline job that is open, there are dozens of pilots competing.  That is why pay is so low right now, there is always someone else who will work cheaper, just to fly.  These days a lot of pilots have second jobs when they are not flying, to pay the bills.  When I was in college it was just the opposite, there was a pilot shortage, times were booming, airlines couldn't find enough pilots.  The airlines were recruiting straight from the colleges at 500 hours total time/100 multi, and pay was good. 

Now I am not trying to discourage you from aviation and being a pilot, and I wish you the best of luck.  But when deciding on an education and career, sometimes it pays to have a second option available.

[tcco94]

The actual flying costs are going to be the same no matter where you go, but I see no sense in paying upwards of $80,000 for two years of classes where you can get the same education for less than $10,000.

You pay more to go to a University than a community college. I think community college is great, I just dont want to go to one.

When they put flight costs for colleges like $50,000, thats for all the flying right? Then you have to add the tuition onto that cost?

Yes, flight costs are above and beyond tuition.

[Chris E]

Hey, I am a current student at Embry Riddle Prescott, so by no means am I completely unbiased.

[tcco94]

Thanks Chris! You'll be alot of help! My mom knows a pilot that flys United International Routes who only has to fly about 2-3 flights a month. He said about average 2 of his flights he wont have to go on because they take someone who will be flying international to fly with the captain and observe the flight or whatever and he STILL gets paid while doing whatever he wants to! He gets paid about $150,000 a year and he helped me out a little bit for wanting to become a pilot.

Heres some things he told me:
-Best aviation school is embry riddle because of how many pilots he knows that attended there and how much the airliners love embry riddle although he did not attend embry riddle.
-Airliners like pilots with more ratings so they tend to like to take military pilots and somethings they get to even start out on domestic flights and not have to do the lowest flights.
-They like people from ROTC.
-Since its becomeing harder to be a pilot right now and now that the rules are changing the easiest route will be military because they will most likely take you from there because you will have more ratings and how they train you.
-Loans will cost to much and probably cant get enough loans to pay off all the ratings ill need to get.

[DaveSims]

Thanks Chris! You'll be alot of help! My mom knows a pilot that flys United International Routes who only has to fly about 2-3 flights a month. He said about average 2 of his flights he wont have to go on because they take someone who will be flying international to fly with the captain and observe the flight or whatever and he STILL gets paid while doing whatever he wants to! He gets paid about $150,000 a year and he helped me out a little bit for wanting to become a pilot.

Heres some things he told me:
-Best aviation school is embry riddle because of how many pilots he knows that attended there and how much the airliners love embry riddle although he did not attend embry riddle.
-Airliners like pilots with more ratings so they tend to like to take military pilots and somethings they get to even start out on domestic flights and not have to do the lowest flights.
-They like people from ROTC.
-Since its becomeing harder to be a pilot right now and now that the rules are changing the easiest route will be military because they will most likely take you from there because you will have more ratings and how they train you.
-Loans will cost to much and probably cant get enough loans to pay off all the ratings ill need to get.

Before 9/11, United 747 Intenational pilots were making double that.   Just remember though, how old he is before getting that job.  In reality, you will probably spend a couple years as a flight instructor working for peanuts to build enough time to get an interview (no program will get you an interview with an airline right away these days).  Next you may get either a corporate job (right seat in a King Air), or get hired by a regional carrier like Mesaba or Expressjet.  While they may pay you $25 an hour, you will only make about $19k a year for the first few years.  Airline pilots only get paid when the engines are running, all that time preflighting, sitting at the gate, you do for free.  After about 5-6 years of that, you may upgrade to the left seat at the regional, and be making $35k-40k a year.  After about 10-15 years out of college, you may finally make the jump to a mainstream airline, and there you will make the big bucks, $100k a year, and get to fly the big iron.  Just letting you know, flying international for United for big bucks is a long way away from college.

[tcco94]

Thanks Chris! You'll be alot of help! My mom knows a pilot that flys United International Routes who only has to fly about 2-3 flights a month. He said about average 2 of his flights he wont have to go on because they take someone who will be flying international to fly with the captain and observe the flight or whatever and he STILL gets paid while doing whatever he wants to! He gets paid about $150,000 a year and he helped me out a little bit for wanting to become a pilot.

Heres some things he told me:
-Best aviation school is embry riddle because of how many pilots he knows that attended there and how much the airliners love embry riddle although he did not attend embry riddle.
-Airliners like pilots with more ratings so they tend to like to take military pilots and somethings they get to even start out on domestic flights and not have to do the lowest flights.
-They like people from ROTC.
-Since its becomeing harder to be a pilot right now and now that the rules are changing the easiest route will be military because they will most likely take you from there because you will have more ratings and how they train you.
-Loans will cost to much and probably cant get enough loans to pay off all the ratings ill need to get.

Before 9/11, United 747 Intenational pilots were making double that.

[lunitic_8]

I'm A senior this year in high school, I'm currently enrolled in flight school at my local airport, I also have a interest in flying as my career. I'm looking at Embry Riddle as well... after this year I'm planning on attending san jac community college to get my basics in then after that I will most likely transfer to Embry Riddle 

[skoker]

[quote]I'm A senior this year in high school, I'm currently enrolled in flight school at my local airport, I also have a interest in flying as my career. I'm looking at Embry Riddle as well... after this year I'm planning on attending san jac community college to get my basics in then after that I will most likely transfer to Embry Riddle

[lunitic_8]

[quote][quote]I'm A senior this year in high school, I'm currently enrolled in flight school at my local airport, I also have a interest in flying as my career. I'm looking at Embry Riddle as well... after this year I'm planning on attending san jac community college to get my basics in then after that I will most likely transfer to Embry Riddle

[DaveSims]

[quote][quote]I'm A senior this year in high school, I'm currently enrolled in flight school at my local airport, I also have a interest in flying as my career. I'm looking at Embry Riddle as well... after this year I'm planning on attending san jac community college to get my basics in then after that I will most likely transfer to Embry Riddle

[Chris E]

Thanks Chris! You'll be alot of help! My mom knows a pilot that flys United International Routes who only has to fly about 2-3 flights a month. He said about average 2 of his flights he wont have to go on because they take someone who will be flying international to fly with the captain and observe the flight or whatever and he STILL gets paid while doing whatever he wants to! He gets paid about $150,000 a year and he helped me out a little bit for wanting to become a pilot.

Heres some things he told me:
-Best aviation school is embry riddle because of how many pilots he knows that attended there and how much the airliners love embry riddle although he did not attend embry riddle.
-Airliners like pilots with more ratings so they tend to like to take military pilots and somethings they get to even start out on domestic flights and not have to do the lowest flights.
-They like people from ROTC.
-Since its becomeing harder to be a pilot right now and now that the rules are changing the easiest route will be military because they will most likely take you from there because you will have more ratings and how they train you.
-Loans will cost to much and probably cant get enough loans to pay off all the ratings ill need to get.

Embry Riddle is very well known for training very professional pilots, as their training program mirrors procedures for airline training.  That is a huge bonus to airlines, and the connections you can make from Embry Riddle tend to help get you jobs.  As for military and ROTC, I know in the past especially that was true, but there are an increasing number of people flying airlines who never did the military and came from schools like ERAU.  An issue with the military is even if you do ROTC, and join up, you still may not be selected to fly.  I know a lot of people build hours by instructing, or else flying charter, or anything they can get into.  There are places that will take you even if you have fewer hours.  Just go hang around local airports, make some friends, and see what you can find, you may be able to get right seat in some charter operations just by making some friends.  I know a former United 777 Captain who never flew in the military, he just got his ratings, and started applying, and when they told him they wanted more hours, he got some more hours, and went back, and did that a few times, but they saw the determination and took him from there.  As for the loans, it is a pain to pay for flying at Embry Riddle, but it is possible.  Get scholarships, do well in High School and you can get up to 14k a year, then also, there is a form you can get from Embry Riddle that all you need is to get an ERAU alum to sign it, and you get 1k a year for that.  Go to a local airport, and ask around, someone will be able to help with that.  Also, you get 1k a year for making a visit to the campus.  Take out federal loans, and keep looking for other scholarships.  Its entirely possible.