DCA to Provide Pilot Candidates for Trans States

[yankee_one]

"Trans States Airlines is pleased to form this new partnership with Delta Connection Academy because it gives us a dependable source of qualified first officer candidates," said Captain Sanjay Patel, Trans States Flight Operations manager. "We have already begun hiring academy graduates and are very impressed by their flawless performance in our tough first officer training course."

Click here for the whole story.

[DE727UPS]

"...Because the academy is airline owned and operated, 26 different airlines have trusted us as their source for first officers."

You guys should really watch what you say and the way you say it. These 26 airlines don't JUST hire from DCA, as you know. I think the above quote is about the closest thing I've seen to a blantent lie in the DCA ads yet.

[H46Bubba]

Don, I just got done reading the post and as soon as I was saying to myself that you'd love this post, you came through!

[DE727UPS]

I think I have some sort of DCA ad telepathy thing going on....and it's coming through all the way to Guadalajara. Must have been some pretty deep BS.

H46, when I read your other thread about the Comair job. I was going to mention a buddy of mine who got a ramp job at Horizon and that helped him get a pilot job interview at 800 and 50 or so. If you get your foot in the door at Comair, it might help you get a pilot interview, especially since you trained at DCA. On the other hand, 9 bucks an hour is terrible. Heck, min wage in WA is 8.75 I think.

[montanapilot]

so how much did DCA have to pay TSA to get that deal going?

[H46Bubba]

Don, I know what you mean. That's exactly what I was hoping, but it just isn't time yet. I might do what Omar did and get a ramp job in addition to flight instructing. I just thought it was a big turn off to tell me that I was qualified to take the $25/hrs job then offer me a job that I could do in my sleep for $9/hrs plus union dues. "F" that! I make a dollar less here at DCA, full time, 40 hrs a week plus overtime, four days a week, and I get post maintenace chack flights here and there. I was just looking for a better paying job with a foot in the door. I'm still on the look out though.

[yankee_one]

I don't know Montana... why don't you give them a call and ask.
TranStates Airlines

[VampyreGTX]

[ QUOTE ]
"...Because the academy is airline owned and operated, 26 different airlines have trusted us as their source for first officers."

You guys should really watch what you say and the way you say it. These 26 airlines don't JUST hire from DCA, as you know. I think the above quote is about the closest thing I've seen to a blantent lie in the DCA ads yet.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, don't see how that is a lie. I work in the financial markets, where regulation of ads is VERY strict. I used to actually be a complaince auditor in the futures industry and was responsible for catching people with misleading ads amongst other fraud and rule violations. No where in that statement does DCA state those airlines ONLY hired from DCA as your implying. That statement is true, 26 airlines trusted DCA (well, probably CAA at the time still for most of those) enough to hire their graduates (heck they trust ANY school they hire from technically). If it said 'trusted them as the ONLY source for FO's', then you'd have a legitimate complaint. I still think they go overboard on the marketing, and are a little... okay VERY pushy, but I think they know where to draw the line to crossing into untrue statements. They do pick and chose the facts they present and try to hide the bad parts, but that's advertising in almost any industry.

Disclaimer: I did attend DCA 2 years ago and left after my commercial rating for personal reasons. I went there just because I wanted the structured training and out of the 141 schools, it felt like the best fit. (not the hype of interviews, etc.) A little expensive, yes, and I don't regret it (except when I get the monthly student loan bill! LOL)

[DE727UPS]

"Sorry, don't see how that is a lie."

Alright...I'll bow to your vastly greater experience in official advertisment lie detection (I'm serious). I just read it and call it as I see it.

What they are trying to portray to the neophite is intentionally misleading. I call it a lie, you can call it what you wish. If they would simply add the words "one source of" or "a source of" instead of "their source of", which implies, in my mind, as the ONLY source, I would keep my mouth shut.

From dictionary.com

Lie...

"Something meant to deceive or give a wrong impression."

[Wannabe2]

Having 12 years of advertising experience myself, and usually being the sole defender of "DCA marketing island", I may actually have to agree with 727 on this one. I don't like the wording of that at all. Again, not a lie, but certainly in my opinion, quite misleading. Although I qualify for the deal I don't think I am interested. I don't have the $16,000 or so to pay for the MEI and bridge training course, and even if I did, I don't really want to take the chance of busting out of training and then being stuck with 750 hours and no job. It might be a good fit for some folks around here, but not me. I'll finish up here, pay for my MEI, get my hours and then get the bridge course for free per my contract.