bdkraem

Hi, everybody. I've been lurking these boards for awhile and I finally was able to register the other day. I'm 23 years old, married with no kids and an enlisted guy in Navy and I'm wanting to become a pilot once I get out. I've been in the Navy for almost five years now and I have about 3 years left. I know many of you are probably thinking that I should do my flight training in the Navy but I'd really rather do it on the civilian side of things. I'll have my GI Bill and I already have a lot of money in savings and I'll have a lot more by the time I get out. So to my question...

Has anybody gone through the flight program at Arizona State? I've read a bit about it and I know they do some work along side with Mesa and from the horror stories I've read I wouldn't want to touch Mesa with a 20 foot pole. So assuming I forego the Mesa Pilot Bridge Program thing, how is the training itself? How is the school? Is the Polytech Campus nice? How is the campus housing they have near the Polytech campus, they look like old military housing units and sometimes they can be good.... and sometimes they should have been condemned months ago.

I also know many people say don't get a degree in aviation in case you ever need a backup job but trust me when I say that skill set that the Navy has given me is highly lucrative and I could easily get a job doing what I am now if needed. My wife is also trained in the same field and she is only a few credits away from a bachelor's degree as well, so we already have backups in line if my personal aviation career doesn't pan out or if the entire industry goes down the toilet.

Thanks for any information you might have.

sqwkvfr

If you're so close to a BA or BS, why don't you just finish that off and go to ATP or the like?

Unless I'm missing something it just doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense to go throught the motions of ASU's four-year when you could accomplish the same thing (ratings and a four-year degree) in less time for less money with less bullcrap.

bdkraem

I'm not the one close to my BA/BS, my wife is. I only have about 45-50 credits right now.

sqwkvfr

I'm sorry. I read this:

and thought otherwise.

I've heard both good and bad things about ASU's program....I wouldn't give them my highest recommendation based on what a former co-worker said about them, but she was the kind that took partying more seriously than flying. She ended up finishing her PPL at our FBO, but continued with the aviation management (or whatever they call it) program without the flying.

She was CONVINCED that:
-her PPL would actually have "141" printed on it.
-that there are puh-lenty of "airport management" jobs out there if she lost her medical or the like

....so I think the Kool-Aid flows pretty well.

The polytech campus is on the former Williams AFB. It is now known as "Phoenix Gateway Airport." A few years ago, there was hardly anything in that area, but development has encroached on it quite nicely, so there's a lot to do out there now. I can't give an idea of the housing.

Good luck.

Outlaw2097

i took a look out there when trying to find a flight school...just didnt get the vibe i was feeling...they have the asu name, but asu is still 20 minutes away...ended up going to riddle in prescott...broke now cause of it, but cant go back in time...

sqwk has got it right. just go get your flying done somewhere like atp. the pilot certificate doesnt say anything except for the fact you can jump through faa hoops on command. go get a whatever degree so that way you can say you have one.

you dont need a diploma to say youre a pilot, just the certificate...

bdkraem

Thanks for the advice, all. And I see now that my original post was misleading as far as how close I was to a BA.

rickurukus

ya dude asu would be legit if you were trying to party hard,, but you can definitely get that training done in less than 4 years somewhere else hope things work for you man

Lowtimer77

I go to ASU's main campus in tempe. I too was originally interested in asu's aviation program at the polytech campus however I decided not to do it. For one thing, its about $60,000 alone for the flight training, not including tuition. Also, not that it necessarily matters as much to you because you are older, but the polytech campus sucks: its out in the middle of the desert and is nothing like the main Tempe campus. Maybe most importantly, Mesa Airlines sucks!!!! Read these boards. I know a couple guys in the program who think they are hot sh#t because they are going to be mesa pilots, but they freeze up when you ask them how they are going to survive on mesa pay. I am doing currently flying out of Chandler Air Service and have been very happy so far with the experience. The rates are decent and the instructors seem to really push fundamental stick and rudder skills probably as a result of the large amount of aerobatic instruction they do there. I cant really knock the actual training program that MPD does because I havent done it, but like I said its expensive, mesa sucks, polytech campus sucks, and flying those flashy $20 million dollar crj simulators they have supposedly dont really set you apart during an interview at a regional( not to mention that with the low hours that these guys have a graduation, probably the only place that will hire them is mesa).

I basically believe what my first instructor did and firmly preached:

*Go to an inexpensive state school and get a degree in something OUTSIDE of aviation.
*Go to the local fbo and find good instructors to get your ratings.
*Flight instruct for a year or so.
*Get enough hours to apply for a "GOOD" regional.

That said, my instructor is a captain and check airmen for Skywest( arguably one of the best regionals) flying the brasilia. He is 27 years old and I dont believe he has any debt. Im sure he isnt living luxuriously, but he's not doin too bad for an airline pilot his age.

de727ups

"just go get your flying done somewhere like atp."

ATP, being a part 61 flight school, cannot accept VA benes.

You'll need to find a school that trains under part 141, and is on the VA's list.