Gulfstream Academy--What am I missing

[LoadMasterC141]

I see people laughing about, or making sarcastic reccomendations to, Gulfstream Academy in lots of threads. What is the inside joke/scoop?
I can't see anything from their website, except a very bold "hiring guarantee" on the home page.

[meritflyer]

Dude, look a little closer. You pay them to be a First Officer in their BE1900. Does that sound a little backwards to you?

[Flying Ninja]

Originally Posted by LoadMasterC141

I see people laughing about, or making sarcastic reccomendations to, Gulfstream Academy in lots of threads. What is the inside joke/scoop?
I can't see anything from their website, except a very bold "hiring guarantee" on the home page.

First of all, no one can guarantee you to get hired. A lot of the pilots in the industry don't like people that graduate out of fast tracks and get jet jobs. So they make fun of those that do. I'm not saying fast tracks are necessarily bad, but don't be fooled. They're a business and they are interested in making money. I graduated from CAPT and they got my money, but I've been on the streets for over 6 months now without a single interview. I've since been discouraged and given up on the industry and have no faith in the CAPT program. That's not to say that they haven't gotten anybody hired. But you certainly don't want to be in my situation. The fact that I ended up being ignored and not get placement help (despite CAPT's advertisement of guaranteed interviews) means it's possible for someone else to fall into the CAPT death trap.

The only way any of these fast track programs can make money is to lure those people with the dream to become an airline pilot with phrases like "guaranteed hire" or "guaranteed interview" or something to the effect of direct relationships with these airlines. Before you buy into any of these programs, ask them for documentation of these claims and ask them to give you a list of people who have been successful through their programs and those who have not. NOBODY has 100% hire success so if they don't give you names of those who didn't make it, I'd run the other way.

[meritflyer]

Sidenote: Ninja, in the CAPT didnt you go PPL-Commercial and a DC-9 type?

[Flying Ninja]

Originally Posted by meritflyer

Sidenote: Ninja, in the CAPT didnt you go PPL-Commercial and a DC-9 type?

A true ab initio cadet goes from 0 hours to 225 hours of total time (including less than 100 hours of multi time) and you get your PVT, INST, COM, DC-9. I walked into CAPT with 170.7TT and my PVT. Graduated with the most hours out of my class (459.8TT/101ME because I flew outside of the program as well to try to get ahead). Compared to those classes before and behind me I still had the most time and didn't get a single interview because of CAPT incompentence. Go figure.

[DE727UPS]

Gulfstream has a scheme whereby you are paying to work for them. It's unethical and makes a laughing stock of the profession.

That's the short answer.

Do a search for more.

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

I think everyone is waaaay too critical of Gulfstream.


Come on, consider yourself to be a freshly rated 250 hour Commercial-Instrument-Multi engine pilot.

Now you can spend somewhere between 10-15 thousand to get all your CFIs, and then flight instruct for two years, and then apply to a regional...


... OR you can just spend $28k, get high quality training in a Beech 1900, and fly as a B1900 first officer for 250 (paid) hours. Then, you have an opportunity to get hired by other regionals like PNCL or Colgan, or some stay with Gulfstream.

The bottom line why Gulfstream works is that they "hire" you with such low hours, while no other Part 121 regional airline hires at 250 hours. So come on!

This second option saves you time, and time is money! The earlier you get on the airline seniority list, the better!

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

See what happens when I can't find the sarcasm tag?

[moxiepilot]

here ya go

[S40_flyer]

So they let you fly their BE1900 as a FO with only 250 hours if you pay them $28,000. How many hours do you end up getting in the 1900? Is it limited or what?

[jtrain609]

Originally Posted by S40_flyer

So they let you fly their BE1900 as a FO with only 250 hours if you pay them $28,000. How many hours do you end up getting in the 1900? Is it limited or what?

Tool

[Texasspilot]

Originally Posted by Cherokee_Cruiser

See what happens when I can't find the sarcasm tag?

I had an incredibly mean reply written until I read that!

[BobDDuck]

Originally Posted by S40_flyer

So they let you fly their BE1900 as a FO with only 250 hours if you pay them $28,000. How many hours do you end up getting in the 1900? Is it limited or what?

I think it is around 250 hours, but I am not sure. After that you are generally sent packing. The problem people have with the program is along the lines that if you weren't buying your way into the right seat then GIA would have to go out and hire somebody to sit there and hence create pilot jobs in the industry.

[AP2B]

These industry skanks fly passenger carrying flights. And you pay for it! Real 121 experience?

If you've got "Gulfstream" kinds of money and have to be a hero; get all your ratings somewhere and go to Cessna 400 series school at SimuFlite...That wouldn't be a grotest jump in airplane, and you wouldn't be playing fake airline pilot while taking a job from a real one.

[Doug Taylor]

http://www.jetcareers.com/content/view/42/65/

[BCTAv8r]

I talked to the owner of a flight school at PMP and he was telling me how he gets 1-3 GIA people applying to be CFIs there every month. (After they finish the program).

[LoadMasterC141]

Ahhh....I get it now!! I can totally see why pilots would be mad at an operation like that.

[Bigey]

Originally Posted by BCTAv8r

I talked to the owner of a flight school at PMP and he was telling me how he gets 1-3 GIA people applying to be CFIs there every month. (After they finish the program).

You mean these tools go back and get their CFI ratings?

[BCTAv8r]

Originally Posted by Bigey

You mean these tools go back and get their CFI ratings?

At least some realize their mistakes afterwards, while the rest won't admit it.

[Airdale]

I didn't believe in fast track programs either until I went through ATP's program. I chose ATP because they didn't market false promises, just a fast affordable way to get your training and ratings including CFI's. I got lucky and got hired at ATP and they do a great job with placing their instructors to the airlines. Most guys are getting picked up between 600-800 hrs TT, with most of that Multi. I've got 260TT right now and 160 of that is multi and after a week instructing I've got 20hrs dual given so far.

I think the fast track programs can be great, but you have to do your research and take a look at what some of these other places, like gulfstream, are actually marketing. The reality is too many of these places are just out to get your money.

[SpiraMirabilis]

Don't do it. If you don't think Chief Pilots/other hiring pilots looking over your logbook and can detect that you essentially bought 300 hours on a BE1900 then you're fooling yourself.

[Nick]

Originally Posted by Bigey

You mean these tools go back and get their CFI ratings?

If they don't get hired out of the FO program, they probably don't have much of a choice unless they want to spend an incredible amount of money to build time to get hired at another regional.

[Tim]

What are you missing about Gulfstream? A bunch of MONEY if you go there.

[Texguy]

I don't know. This guy looks trustworthy to me. He's the real deal.

"Gulfstream Academy, great for all ages."

[Bandit_Driver]

Originally Posted by S40_flyer

So they let you fly their BE1900 as a FO with only 250 hours if you pay them $28,000.

If only the general public knew the experience level of the GS crews. I bet a lot would fly on different carriers.

at 250 hours nobody has any right to be piloting an airliner of any size.