Kasserine06

I am a soon to be graduate from Daniel Webster College. Like UND, the flight program is expensive and it won’t give you much of an advantage once you graduate. What it will give you is a much better education in aviation than you can ever receive at many FBOs. It is that education that you will be able to demonstrate at an interview that will get you a job, not the name of your school, or type of degree. It will also put you in an environment where you will talk about aviation all day. You will analyze every theory and aspect of flight to an unimaginable degree. You can literally get into a 30 minute conversation about the best way to do an engine runup with a professor. Then you will go to lunch with your friends and discuss the new Sklylane. The environment is great and you will meet some amazing people.

However, you can get a similar experience at a good FBO for a much lower cost. I got my Private Pilot Certificate at an FBO before I went to DWC and that FBO was great. I received a solid education from experience instructors. I now work at an FBO that is the exact opposite. The quality of the instructors is horrible and the education students (not my students) receive is poor. The problem is, as a new student, you will not be able to judge the quality of an FBO.

For me, I know that my education at DWC has put me miles ahead from many others who went the FBO route, but I also know many who know just as much and more who have gone the FBO route and saved a lot of money. You have to decide if the environment and predictable quality of education is worth the higher (much higher) cost of going to UND or any other collegiate flight program. Whatever you decide, make sure you do not rely on one source for your flight training. As someone else mentioned UND as well as every flight school and FBO has a bubble that sometimes isolates you from the industry. You have to make sure you get a varied experience in your flight training.

Mustangcbra

I highly encourage you to attend UND. I am a past student and wish I had stayed there instead of transferring to Western Michigan. Some of the best flying I have done in my life was out in that cold flat state. Made some great friends while I was at it to.

Moonwolf

I would suggest CWU. They have more girls... plain and simple choice.

ToiletDuck

Second. Also to do your training at a local FBO where they offer cheaper rates for block time.

XL 0901

Ok this thread is a little dead but I thought I would chime in.
I'm a UND grad (06) and absolutly loved it. The flight and ground school instructors are top notch. I did the Aviation Management program (Comm/Multi/Inst) wrapped in to a business degree. But it is more than just a some flying added on to a business degree. Many aviation related business classes that could definately come in handy should the unthinkable happen. It is very easy to add CFI, CFII and MEI. Not to mention things like the Aero Phys class (Chamber). Plus tuition is dirt cheap...even for out of state or WUE. You have a steady flying schedule (M W F or T Th Sa) plus if your instructor is available anytime you want. Having UND on your resume definately means something. Oh and lets not forget the CRJ course that is good for a type rating. Yes it is cold...so what, the summers are AWESOME!! It is a rather small town (50k) but very tight knit. The best friends I have ever had I met in GF. I'm from Colorado and currently live in Northern CA but if I had a job...I would move back to GF in a heartbeat. If you are from somewhere else and have a home town flight school...forget it. College is all about new experiences. Go somewhere new, meet new folks, and have a good time. Oh and did I mention the second largest college there is nursing...no shortage of ladies (My wife can attest to that!!)

ce650

Having UND on your resume dosen't mean s%#t.

Moonwolf

this is kinda related to your choice...but recently CWU has just gear-up landed their one and only seminole. It was on a checkride flight with their chief flight instructor. Maybe that has an impact on your choice, oh did i mention it was brand new with glass. I went to that school, and i turned out a-o-k!

lavMan

I went to UND 92-97 and I had a great time and made friends to this date that I see regularly. But in line with the other posts, yeah it's a great school, I learned a lot to set the foundation, but after getting into the airline business, it really comes down to having the minimum qualifications to apply for the job. It might have some leverage in an interview, but I fly with people who did all thier training at an FBO, Riddle, UND, etc. I fly with them all, and all the FO's I fly with, I couldn't really make an assumption to where they did thier training at. Once you're in the door, everyone is trained to the same standard. Definately get a business degree or something else that is 'practical'. UND and other schools have some 'bridge programs' once hiring starts again, but it is going to be really competitive, and the days of 500hr pilots getting hired may take a few years to cycle through again. As far as CRJ courses etc, most of the folks I got hired with were all CFI's or cargo drivers, and we never seemed to have any issues learning glass, FMS etc. All in all, whatever works the best for you, and I really had a great time in Grand Forks. I took it for what it was, a college town. Great memories, good friends, and lots of stories. Good luck.

FL410

Go to somewhere cheap and then transfer to CWU or UND. I did CWU and it was expensive and I had to redue many lessons (maybe I am slow tho). My advice is to go to a community college and knock out the basic and breadth classes. Fly at your local FBO and get your private/inst/comm then if you still want to get the flying degree then transfer. I can recommend a few if you like.
After CWU I instructed for 2.5 years and I tried to get on with the Horizon connection and nothing. I went to Eagle and then 8 months later I got on with Horizon. Flew for them for 1.5 years and got furloughed in January. Now I can't find a good job while furlough because I have BS in Flt Tech. It is going to be a while for Horizon hiring. There are 85 on furlough and they are talking about 15 more in the fall. Since you live in WA PM me if you want to sit down and I can answer your questions face to face. I am in the Tacoma area.

Best of luck.


Was the Seminole geared up with Andy or Ron? That actually is sad but kinda funny.

reserveslob

All I know is before you go anywhere get your private pilots ticket. Dabble in the cheap part 61 waters first and make sure you are really happy to drop the kind of money they desire at the big Universities or Academies. 2007 CWU grad here and I would have to say CWU is 50/50. (50 % good and 50% bad) When they bring up the direct hire thing, please dont be as foolish as I was. Just let that crap go in one ear and out the other....NOT HAPPENING!! UND has that locked down not CWU. Like others have said as well, it will be a long while before Horizon needs new pilots. To be truthful I wouldn't recommend CWU being scheduling is kind of a crap shoot, the training is no better than a mom and pop FBO, and the relations with Midstate and the students is not great. I have no idea about UND, but if anyone goes to CWU open houses, just go with a really pessimistic mindset of what they promise. Like anywhere, really it is what you make of it. I made it work with CWU, not that great of a student I might add, and am flying out in the Midwest. I know guys and gals at Horizon, Skywest, Republic, American Eagle, and elsewhere that all went to CWU and are "Still" flying so really I guess it ain't a bad place to horrible place. After six different bases in the midwest and south in a year and a half, I will definitely say I miss CWU and Ellensburg.