Flight school
03-29-2010, 06:12 PM
#1
On Reserve
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Mar 2010
Posts: 18
Flight school
Hi everyone, my name is Nick. I am graduating college next semester, so i can finally start my career as a pilot. I have read a lot on the web and visited several flight school and talk to a few friends who have their privates and a few friends who fly (Delta and AA). From what i understand what i have to do is my privates, instrumental, commercial single, multi engine, and commercial multi. After searching for a wile in the Jacksonville Florida area, i have narrowed down my flight school options to Atlantic Aviation (Owned by Quasar), a cfi from a local airport or a community collage program. The cost for Atlantic Aviation is around 6900, from i gathered this is one of the lowest prices. What I don't get, is that my friend got his private license for around 2500 a few years ago, i was wondering did prices go up that much? I was also wondering am I on the right path, im planning on paying as I go, due to the fact that i don't believe in owing more money than you have.
03-30-2010, 05:03 AM
#2
Flying Farmer
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Position: Turbo-props' and John Deere's
Posts: 3,160
How long ago was "a few years ago?" Depending on a lot of factors, price of training can be "reasonable" or "out of the park."
People are like fish, we see these beautiful shiny things, and think that we really want it, but it ultimately leads us to our doom(or lack of cash). The good ole 1970's trainers are the best bang for your buck, and honestly you will probably be a better pilot because of using them. Unforatunately due to insurance, then fuel costs..... things are just expensive more than they should be. Hang around the forums a little more and hopefully you can get a better feel for things, but know that the national avg is around 65hrs to get your PPL, which doesn't matter if you are eventually going for your commercial because you need 250hrs min. before you can take that test anyways.
People are like fish, we see these beautiful shiny things, and think that we really want it, but it ultimately leads us to our doom(or lack of cash). The good ole 1970's trainers are the best bang for your buck, and honestly you will probably be a better pilot because of using them. Unforatunately due to insurance, then fuel costs..... things are just expensive more than they should be. Hang around the forums a little more and hopefully you can get a better feel for things, but know that the national avg is around 65hrs to get your PPL, which doesn't matter if you are eventually going for your commercial because you need 250hrs min. before you can take that test anyways.
03-30-2010, 06:00 AM
#3
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 40,057
You have a lot of research to do, look at some of the older threads here on APC regarding school pricing and other issues.
Here's your likely training path and reasonable ballpark costs.
PPL: $5-8K
IR: $4-5K
COMM ASEL: $9K- $15K
COMM AMEL: $3-4K
CFI-Airplane: $4-5K
CFI-Instrument: $2K
MEI: $2-3K
The costs vary by local, but some schools will charge truly exorbitant prices. Anyone who wants to charge much more than the numbers above is ripping you off. Training quality may well vary between schools but ultimately aviation employers care only about how many hours you have...they could care less where you learned to fly (unless it was in the military). For most of us, the benefits of a top-notch program like Flight safety simply do not justify the costs...unless you are independently wealthy.
Find a relatively low-cost school which has no known problems (ask instructors and students in an informal setting, when the boss is not around). Any school which promises airline employment in six months is lying.
NEVER, EVER place large sums of money on deposit at ANY flight schools. Some schools run as ponzi schemes, and will use YOUR money to fund the training of students who are further along in the program. If the student supply dries up, they chain their doors shut, move to another state, and start over under a different name...but you still have to pay off those bank loans.
Be aware that congress and the FAA are raising the requirements for entry-level airline pilots...assume that you will NOT be legally qualified for an airline job after your training. The details are still being hashed but for now I would plan on working as a flight instructor for 2 years until you reach 1200+ hours and then working for a part 135 freight operator for another year or so until you have about 2000 hours. I think the days of 250 hour airline pilots are long gone.
Here's your likely training path and reasonable ballpark costs.
PPL: $5-8K
IR: $4-5K
COMM ASEL: $9K- $15K
COMM AMEL: $3-4K
CFI-Airplane: $4-5K
CFI-Instrument: $2K
MEI: $2-3K
The costs vary by local, but some schools will charge truly exorbitant prices. Anyone who wants to charge much more than the numbers above is ripping you off. Training quality may well vary between schools but ultimately aviation employers care only about how many hours you have...they could care less where you learned to fly (unless it was in the military). For most of us, the benefits of a top-notch program like Flight safety simply do not justify the costs...unless you are independently wealthy.
Find a relatively low-cost school which has no known problems (ask instructors and students in an informal setting, when the boss is not around). Any school which promises airline employment in six months is lying.
NEVER, EVER place large sums of money on deposit at ANY flight schools. Some schools run as ponzi schemes, and will use YOUR money to fund the training of students who are further along in the program. If the student supply dries up, they chain their doors shut, move to another state, and start over under a different name...but you still have to pay off those bank loans.
Be aware that congress and the FAA are raising the requirements for entry-level airline pilots...assume that you will NOT be legally qualified for an airline job after your training. The details are still being hashed but for now I would plan on working as a flight instructor for 2 years until you reach 1200+ hours and then working for a part 135 freight operator for another year or so until you have about 2000 hours. I think the days of 250 hour airline pilots are long gone.
03-30-2010, 07:57 AM
#4
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Thread Starter
Joined APC: Mar 2010
Posts: 18
To be honest ive gone to several school, including atp and the best one i have seen so far is offered by this company called atlantic aviation. The person running the program has been teaching how to fly since the 1970's for the navy and his instructers all have similar quilifications. The school runs aroun 6900 inlcuding simulator time
here is a link to the school
Pilot Training Florida, Cessna 172 Training, Aircraft Rentals Florida, Piper Seminole Jacksonville
To be honest i figured its going to be atleast 10 years before i can even make it to a major airline. My plan was to hopefully gradute build some hours. I was just curious is their another way of building hours other than being an instructor.
Thanks for the info Rick and EW
here is a link to the school
Pilot Training Florida, Cessna 172 Training, Aircraft Rentals Florida, Piper Seminole Jacksonville
To be honest i figured its going to be atleast 10 years before i can even make it to a major airline. My plan was to hopefully gradute build some hours. I was just curious is their another way of building hours other than being an instructor.
Thanks for the info Rick and EW
03-30-2010, 08:07 AM
#6
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Thread Starter
Joined APC: Mar 2010
Posts: 18
my other option is an isntructor who works at a local field, two blocks from my house. He said we could probably get it done in about 40-45 hours. Not that im in a rush. He has been flying for a year and a half and currently does charter flights
sp which one of the two would you recoment
sp which one of the two would you recoment
03-30-2010, 08:08 AM
#7
On Reserve
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Mar 2010
Posts: 18
trust me i was never even dreaming of 250, my friend that works for delta told me if i was lucky it would be around 900
You have a lot of research to do, look at some of the older threads here on APC regarding school pricing and other issues.
Here's your likely training path and reasonable ballpark costs.
PPL: $5-8K
IR: $4-5K
COMM ASEL: $9K- $15K
COMM AMEL: $3-4K
CFI-Airplane: $4-5K
CFI-Instrument: $2K
MEI: $2-3K
The costs vary by local, but some schools will charge truly exorbitant prices. Anyone who wants to charge much more than the numbers above is ripping you off. Training quality may well vary between schools but ultimately aviation employers care only about how many hours you have...they could care less where you learned to fly (unless it was in the military). For most of us, the benefits of a top-notch program like Flight safety simply do not justify the costs...unless you are independently wealthy.
Find a relatively low-cost school which has no known problems (ask instructors and students in an informal setting, when the boss is not around). Any school which promises airline employment in six months is lying.
NEVER, EVER place large sums of money on deposit at ANY flight schools. Some schools run as ponzi schemes, and will use YOUR money to fund the training of students who are further along in the program. If the student supply dries up, they chain their doors shut, move to another state, and start over under a different name...but you still have to pay off those bank loans.
Be aware that congress and the FAA are raising the requirements for entry-level airline pilots...assume that you will NOT be legally qualified for an airline job after your training. The details are still being hashed but for now I would plan on working as a flight instructor for 2 years until you reach 1200+ hours and then working for a part 135 freight operator for another year or so until you have about 2000 hours. I think the days of 250 hour airline pilots are long gone.
Here's your likely training path and reasonable ballpark costs.
PPL: $5-8K
IR: $4-5K
COMM ASEL: $9K- $15K
COMM AMEL: $3-4K
CFI-Airplane: $4-5K
CFI-Instrument: $2K
MEI: $2-3K
The costs vary by local, but some schools will charge truly exorbitant prices. Anyone who wants to charge much more than the numbers above is ripping you off. Training quality may well vary between schools but ultimately aviation employers care only about how many hours you have...they could care less where you learned to fly (unless it was in the military). For most of us, the benefits of a top-notch program like Flight safety simply do not justify the costs...unless you are independently wealthy.
Find a relatively low-cost school which has no known problems (ask instructors and students in an informal setting, when the boss is not around). Any school which promises airline employment in six months is lying.
NEVER, EVER place large sums of money on deposit at ANY flight schools. Some schools run as ponzi schemes, and will use YOUR money to fund the training of students who are further along in the program. If the student supply dries up, they chain their doors shut, move to another state, and start over under a different name...but you still have to pay off those bank loans.
Be aware that congress and the FAA are raising the requirements for entry-level airline pilots...assume that you will NOT be legally qualified for an airline job after your training. The details are still being hashed but for now I would plan on working as a flight instructor for 2 years until you reach 1200+ hours and then working for a part 135 freight operator for another year or so until you have about 2000 hours. I think the days of 250 hour airline pilots are long gone.
03-31-2010, 03:51 PM
#8
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: Assistant Greens Keeper
Posts: 1,011
To be honest ive gone to several school, including atp and the best one i have seen so far is offered by this company called atlantic aviation. The person running the program has been teaching how to fly since the 1970's for the navy and his instructers all have similar quilifications. The school runs aroun 6900 inlcuding simulator time
here is a link to the school
Pilot Training Florida, Cessna 172 Training, Aircraft Rentals Florida, Piper Seminole Jacksonville
To be honest i figured its going to be atleast 10 years before i can even make it to a major airline. My plan was to hopefully gradute build some hours. I was just curious is their another way of building hours other than being an instructor.
Thanks for the info Rick and EW
here is a link to the school
Pilot Training Florida, Cessna 172 Training, Aircraft Rentals Florida, Piper Seminole Jacksonville
To be honest i figured its going to be atleast 10 years before i can even make it to a major airline. My plan was to hopefully gradute build some hours. I was just curious is their another way of building hours other than being an instructor.
Thanks for the info Rick and EW
I think you have a lot more research to do...
Many people have been doing this is 15 years and are still not at a major.
Look at American Eagle and Comair they have 10 year FOs still making less then 40K a year.
Before making any major choices ($$) I would research this career a lot more.
Just an FYI
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