Grumble

No doubt! The worst part was when they were hit by the tornado a few years back, and there was a "fund raiser" to help the school get back on their feet. I about sh!t a brass kitten. I'm sure I wasn't the only one that sent a scathing letter to the university on that one. Trying to make money off the alumni, when everything was insured. Asshats. My fraternity is one of the beneficiaries in my will, with the stipulation that the school can't have any say in the finances. No way are they getting a damn thing from me, even after I'm cold.

Climbto450

I agree with you on this subject. That was kind of low. I have actually never donated to Embry-Riddle, I have donated to my fraternity chapter at ERAU but that is it. The university is very well funded, if not they wouldn't be trying to go NCAA Division II in sports. They don't need my money.
On this forum I am only talking of the quality of the aero sci program in DAB campus. BTW, you are correct it should be THEIR (I took english at UCLA not ERAU). For those who went to the school and didn't utilize all that the school had to offer please don't be bitter towards those of us who did. For those of you who didn't even attend an aviation university program and are bashing ERAU I have a quote that one of the best pilots I have ever flown with told me "You don't know what you don't know"

billinaz

It was PRC for me. About half way through I came to the realization that ERAU was a mistake. I finished anyway (thinking that the degree would mean something) and after flying for free and not finding a job that would allow me to :


1.) Live indoors
2.) Eat


I gave up and went on to plan b. Now Im doing both of the above and have a retirement account thats increasing every year.

And I STILL have that pesky student loan to pay every month.

BTW, when is the pilot shortage that they were touting when I first heard their enrollment speech? Maybe Ill get back to plan A. I sure miss it!

Climbto450

Yeah I have been waiting for this supposed pilot shortage for my whole career (20 years) and i think I will have to wait quite a few more years.

sukhoikid

damn everyone is talking **** about erau....

current student now working on instrument.... it is not easy, def since I did my private off campus at a local fbo.... local fbo did not prepare me at all for what i was getting into...

USMCFLYR

If you want to change opinions posted on the forums you should give some more details in your posts.

HOW did the local FBO not prepare you for what you say you are now facing at ERAU?

WHAT are you learning in such a different way that makes you think the training you are receiving at ERAU is superior to the training you received at the local FBO?

WHY do you believe you received inferior training at the local FBO compared to training you are now receiving at ERAU.

HOW do you think that the current training at ERAU will better prepare you for the challenges a pilot faces ahead above and beyond what a person would receive if the training were accomplished at a local FBO?

USMCFLYR

Grumble

I'm a Riddle Alum and former instructor, and will forever advise people interested in a flying career that there are better ways to go about it.

You're not "hacking" the instrument rating? Come on dude, it's not different than off campus. You think an ERAU 172 shoots the back course 25R any different than another schools airplane? I sure hope the NDB at New Smyrna is operational... go do the NDB-A partial panel a few times just for whining.

By the way, ERAU has a phenomenal ability to over complicate EVERYTHING, which may be part of your "ill-preparation". I remember them giving students a checklist/flow for the 172 that had to be 20 pages, yet I can get everything pertinent for the F-18 on two 4x8 pages on my kneeboard.

sukhoikid

Look with my private I was taught probably the bare minimum back at home. I ended up doing my solo back at home and going all the way till right before my Solo Cross Countries came along. I believe I had 30 hours at the time. I couldn't finish my rating and I had to try to finish my private at ERAU (which I found out later is the worst thing to do) I did a semester and half of Private Pilot stuff at Riddle and learned a lot more. They went way more in depth than the Flight School back at home. I started to get frustrated with the Oral portion at Riddle and decided to get a sign off to go finish my private back at another local flight school back at home over the summer. The one I went before the flight school had shut down, plus I was flying a Diamond back then at home.
May and June passed and in July I decided to go finish my private. In one week the Instructor signed me off for my check ride. The instructor was very impressed of what I knew and really like how I flew the airplane.
When I took my check ride the Examiner was also very impressed with my flying, call outs, flows, etc.

Yes I did get my private, but it isnt I guess the Glorified Private License that you would get at Riddle....

Just two weeks ago we had spring break and I went home to do a refresher flight at that same flight school with another flight instructor. I was sick just before Spring Break so I was grounded and couldnt fly. When I went up on the flight I personally thought I did **** poor considering I havnt flown in like a month. The instructor basically kept his mouth shut throughout the flight just to see how I would do. We landed and at debriefing he thought I did great and I had no problems. Where as Riddle I think I would of got a Unsat... (Altitude changes, callouts, airspeed)
Do I get frustrated with Riddles program... Yes very. Reason why is because if you ever switch instructors you have to learn their way! But if you keep one person your good to go.


It is all how a person takes it at flying. You can go to a local fbo and do it, but your just going to have to hit the books harder to learn what they make you learn at Riddle.

I look around campus and see many people switching to a Aeronautics Degree and flying off campus. Most of them that I see are people I know that never did study and prepare themselves for their orals, sims or flights and that is why they are getting frustrated. I am guilty for that sometimes.

Now what I personally hate at riddle...... are those pilots that go around this industry or going around campus thinking they are the **** because they flew here. I know I am never going to be the best pilot. I just feel that Riddle over prepares me for what I want to do. And I would rather be over prepared than under.

And if something happens I can fall back on my minors. ATC and UAVs and maybe a maintance minor.

USMCFLYR

This is suprising. I would think that ERAU would be very standardized training - adhering strictly to a program of instruction and standardization between instructors. There might be a difference in a TECHNIQUE to get to the same conclusion that might be briefed - but if so should be briefed and taught in that manner.
Grumble - you have experience at ERAU - what is your take with the standardization at ERAU compared with what you now experience in the military?

Sounds like you are talking about the ability to self-motivate.


And over charges for that preparation from what I can take from a majority of these threads. I never flew at ERAU so my judgments come second hand knowledge from others on these boards

Always good to have the backups no doubt.

USMCFLYR

Climbto450

Now what I personally hate at riddle...... are those pilots that go around this industry or going around campus thinking they are the **** because they flew here. I know I am never going to be the best pilot. I just feel that Riddle over prepares me for what I want to do. And I would rather be over prepared than under. [/quote]

I remember that feeling. Until 6 years after graduation when one of those type of guys from my Riddle years came to me looking for a job. Ah payback can be so rewarding.
Just remember no matter how standardized Riddle is every instructor is different and will emphasize different things based on his/her own experience. They are only human after all.
Good Luck