de727ups

"ATP also offeres a CRJ rating"

ATP has RJ transition training but not a type rating. Either this or RAA's type scheme are set up to get you hired with lower times. Maybe saving you around 500 hours. Whether it's worth it or not is in the eye of the beholder but you could probably instruct 500 hours in six months at a busy school.

Spending some time as a CFI makes you a better pilot overall and is highly recommended. That's how most civillian guys got here...

There are those that instruct for a bit, have the money, and want to move on quicker. They would do the RJ transition and hope that it works out. Others would rather instruct a bit longer and get hired based on their times and experience.

MSRVPILOT

Stay away from regional airline academy

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That school will tell you anything you want to hear to get you to go there. Take it from me I been there. That was the worst experience of my life. They milk you on everything . IF you can complete an instrument course quickly they will say oh no not good enough more time needed to milk that money. They say oh well get you hired in 600 or less BULL **** . THe staff & the owner is BULL ****. The type rating program is a joke. They want 18,500 just for the CRJ 200 type not including PREP or anyhting just the type! you can go to PAN am IN WASH DC and get it all for 9000 bucks out the door. If you leave before your training is complete they will bad mouth you to the airlines if you go elsewere. They try to completely run your life and its bull ****. I would highly recommend ATP's there program is a whole lot more organnized. I wish i would have known better. I cant stand the staff the owners nothing about the place at all. The quality of training is very poor and many young aspiring pilots chose regional b/c of the promises to someday be an airline pilot. Regional Airline Academy is a joke. They are now implementing a 142 program where you will be finished in 9 mnths and only 350tt and 25 multi and go to an airline. That is no real life experience by that time you are barely capable of flying a Seneca I or Duchess X crnty much less a CRJ. I was personally scammed out of 18,500 by them ! Take it from someone who has dealt with the selfish ****ers dont go there! any questions please feel free to contact me.

TheFly

Thank you for the input and advice, really helpful.

james_muchowicz

Alright, people. When it really comes down to it, it really does not matter where you learn to fly, only that you can and can fly well. I will say this and say only once, so listen up. AIRLINES DON'T GIVE A DARN WHERE YOU LEARN TO FLY. They only want you to be able to fly enough to 1) Meet the requirements set by their insurance carrier, 2) Be moldable (fly the way they want you to fly).

So if you really want to get it done and save money, find a reputable FBO, Flight School, or Joe CFI near you, and sit down and lay out a plan of action together. And Please do not fall into the same trap I did, it's what I call the "Almost Guarantee Trap." This is where the school either actually guarantees you a job or the wording falls just shy of a guarantee. As I found out there are no guarantees in aviation. Do your best and gave solid goals and you will get there with out wasting money.

deadstick

I'm a new guy embarking on flight training myself. Keep that in mind as it means my opinion is probably worth squat.

If I had the money it sounds like you have (God bless the Cali. housing market, eh) I would buy an airplane since the resale price is always pretty good. Get yourself something like a multi-engine IFR, one that you can put the family in. Hire a flight instructor and get your private. Once you have the private, take the family EVERYWHERE. Log hours like crazy by taking vacations and seeing every state, etc. Put the kids (if you have any) in a year-round school and then every time they are on track break go fly somewhere. Take the wife to dinner in the next state. Fly yourself to the home team's away games.

If you're willing to move, might as well move to a city that has great schools for the kids so they can get a good education. Any city with a small airport will have flight instruction so you can move just about anywhere. Pick a city that will be good for raising a family.

Then, when you finally get hired at your dream job, you can sell your plane if you want and get a selling price that is just about what you bought it for.

If I had the money, that's what I would do. Since I don't I will stick to eeking it out.

LeoSV

I'm going to be starting ATP in ATL in about a week. I am very excited, and I will be a busy person for a while because I have a 6 mo. old son, and also going to school for my BS in Finance. I will have my degree by the time I'm instructing hopefully. I wouldn't try getting into aviation without a college education. Too much competition out there.

erjpilot

ATP without a doubt in my mind. All the ATP guys Ive flown with are great people and good pilots. You will also get the most for your money! Good luck!

pilotara

i think you should look also at FlighjtSafety programme. The have two very good deals.one is through teir CFI programme and the other is direct..!
I have a relative who graduate the ASA programm and he is flying right seat in a crj with 350 hours TT. Get info from them..remember FSI is known worldwide and the most simulators that airlines are using are FSI.
Your choice

CL65driver

Stay away from RAA. They're full of it. I graduated there MONTHS ago with a type and 750 hours.... still no job. Hell, not even an interview. They're worthless.

crewdawg52

Join the USAF, USN, USMC, or Coasties. Have them pay for your training! You'll get to fly interesting stuff, do interesting stuff, and go to interesting places. Once your initial commitment is up, join a guard/ reserve unit and get hired by an airline.

Nough said!