Bad Experiences so far with dca :-(

[Lostkpot]

first of all this is not a flame or anything the so forth, Just my personal experience, First of all my instructor was invovled in a accident and I am in the Instrument rating at DCA. I had to fight and find someone to teach me. The group seemed like to me that they had forgotten all about me finally after a week of looking I get a instructor for one day... Till he gets moved to the private group. Now I am without a instructor once again and starting to get frustrated because I am not accomploshing anything by sitting at the apartment. (BTW started looking at other schools.)

[SJFLYER]

Learn from this; get out before it is too late, go somewhere else where you can get value for money.

80 to 100k in student loans + interest on 100 % of the loan for 2 to 3 years and 22K a year salary if you make it to a regional = Bankruptcy

[montanapilot]

I'm honestly not trying to be an arshole here but,

Why did you choose to go there if you knew ahead of time (from JC) about all the s#!t they peddle and how poorly the students are treated?

[Lostkpot]

Well i wanted a school that was semi close to home, and it was the best that i looked at at the time *cant afford ERAU, Pan am closing campus, Didnt like the flight saftey deal. but right now i am getting fed up with the bs

[H46Bubba]

Have you talked to Customer Service? He usually gets the job done when everyone else drops the ball. That's my biggest pet peeve with DCA. They haven't realized that the students are customers.
Sooo, if the company can't give proper customer service, the customer needs to take their business elsewhere. I would!

[gtpilot]

Ron will get it fixed in a hurry. Of course, at that point you're rocking the boat...and everyone in management swears rocking the boat won't hurt.

[Kristie]

if rocking the boat is what it takes to get something accomplished AFTER you've given $$ to get something done - then rock the boat!! who cares.. you paid for instructing, they need to instruct you. if they don't take the case to heart, look elsewhere.

[tomahawk1]

If I were you, I would go talk to Customer Service. Ron WILL help you if you have a problem. Also, I know the group leaders, and I KNOW that they will help you find an instructor since there are quite a few in the IFR group right now and they are looking for students.

[Pirep]

[ QUOTE ]
first of all this is not a flame or anything the so forth, Just my personal experience, First of all my instructor was invovled in a accident and I am in the Instrument rating at DCA. I had to fight and find someone to teach me. The group seemed like to me that they had forgotten all about me finally after a week of looking I get a instructor for one day... Till he gets moved to the private group. Now I am without a instructor once again and starting to get frustrated because I am not accomploshing anything by sitting at the apartment. (BTW started looking at other schools.)

[/ QUOTE ]

I am not saying this did not happen, but my B.S. flag is flying high when you say that you had to fight to find someone to teach you in the instrument group. The instructors in that group are stumbling over each other to get students. Also, when an instructor is assigned to a new group, you will finish out with that instructor, get reassigned a new instructor after your next stage check, or immediately reassigned to a new instructor. And you are dead on, sitting in your apartment will accomplish nothing. Sitting back and letting the situation dictate you is not the way to go (if this indeed happened). Talk to Ron, I guarantee this situation would be rectified immediately, if it actually happened as you say. You have to be proactive in this field, sitting at home will do nothing for you getting ahead. Don't forget to "be the ball, Danny" and stay out of the lumber yard (unless you own a couple).

[jrm1493]

I can think of 3 very good schools in ORL that will cost you half of DCA:

Avion @ KSFB (right next door, older equipment but 141 approved)
Air Orlando @ KORL (awesome equipment and facility)
Sunstate @ KISM (small but very friendly and good equipment)

I've rented at all 3 over the last 3 years... I have no idea why anyone would choose DCA over any of these.

JRM

[tomahawk1]

I know that there is some good training programs out there. I used to work at ORL and have worked in flight training for about 11 years. I know those schools that you are talking about, they are good FBO's, however they are not quite the training program that DCA is. Why not come up to DCA and fly with one of our CFI's in Flying Services and see first hand. By the way, a C-172 in our Part 141 goes for the same cost as a C-172 in Air Orlando's Part 61 program.

[montanapilot]

[ QUOTE ]
they are not quite the training program that DCA is

[/ QUOTE ]

hmm last time i checked the same FAA that gave tickets to "connection" students gave tickets to those shoddy second class FBO goons.

[jaxpilot]

"By the way, a C-172 in our Part 141 goes for the same cost as a C-172 in Air Orlando's Part 61 program. "

OMG, what do they feed you guys there? Your statement may be correct, but remember Air Orlando's C-172 has an 'SP' tacked on to the end, that means modern equipment and 20 extra horsepower. DCA's C-172's are 20-30 years old and if you ask about GPS you will get a baffled "whats that?" look. I'm not sure if you didnt know that or if you are another victim of DCA kool-aid. DCA has no justification in charging more than $100/hour for their dinosaurs, and I know they charge a lot more than that.

[Flip]

[ QUOTE ]
By the way, a C-172 in our Part 141 goes for the same cost as a C-172 in Air Orlando's Part 61 program.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good post Tomahawk. Now you are sounding like a true DCA 'marketing salesman'. I've only read 2 of your posts and the pitch is already reminding me of why I and many many others left/leave on a regular basis. You guys will say and do anything to try and justify charging an arm and a leg to provide training that may or may not lead to a job.

[tomahawk1]

Hey, what can I say..... That is the truth as it is! The costs are the same.... I know I have rented there as well. It's no lie.

[gtpilot]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey, what can I say..... That is the truth as it is! The costs are the same.... I know I have rented there as well. It's no lie.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmm...172N = $100/hr @ DCA
172SP=$100/hr @ Air Orlando
182RG=$100/hr @ Falcon

It all costs the same, so DCA isn't more expensive!

This is why I left, DCA can't tell the truth from a lie!

[Wannabe2]

I researched your situation a little bit and here are a couple of suggestions:

1. Get an answering machine or voicemail so you will know when your instructor or Ron Lewis calls you. I know for a fact that your instructor called you at least twice today (he's standing right here and just told me so) and many times over the last few days. Ron has also called you at least once.

2. Be a little proactive and call Ron, the Instrument group, or better yet, your instructor. He's healty now and has been for the last few days.

3. Go to your assigned groundschool which you have apparently missed for the last week or so. You will need to talk to somebody you can back into the proper class in groundschool since you have not gone for a while.

4. Take the help that is offered to you, such as when I told you when I was going to be at school in my PM to you. I also gave you my phone number as I recall and I have yet to get a call. I am flight supervisor all evening tonight if you want to call me or come by.

5. I understand you are around town, as your roomate told me as much, so really, perhaps the ball was dropped by DCA in the beginning, but help yourself and contact us so you can get back flying.

[planediveguy]

Rationalization is the greatest problem amongst students at DCA. It is always someone else's fault...

I cannot belive that this individual, missed a week of groundschool...

And if is a fact that instructors in the instrument group are available.

But you made Montana and the "Gang"'s day with this sorry post...

[Flip]

[ QUOTE ]
Rationalization is the greatest problem amongst students at DCA. It is always someone else's fault...

I cannot belive that this individual, missed a week of groundschool...

But you made Montana and the "Gang"'s day with this sorry post...


[/ QUOTE ]

And ARROGANCE is one of the greatest problems in the culture at DCA. From some of the instructors all the way up to management. Been there and seen it. I suspect so did the other 17 (basically the whole class) that left. When you fix that, you MIGHT have a chance if you can convince them paying three times as much as many other places is still worth it.

As for berating the poster/CUSTOMER who started this post in a public forum, well, it is so typical of what I would expect from DCA.

But you keep Falcon, Avion and Air Orlando in business so why change.........

[MikeD]

[ QUOTE ]

And ARROGANCE is one of the greatest problems in the culture at DCA. From some of the instructors all the way up to management.

[/ QUOTE ]

Arrogant CFIs? LOL. That's pretty funny. Much like an arrogant regional pilot......neither has much room to talk. For that matter, arrogance in the entire aviation profession is a pretty useless trait.

[Lostkpot]

[ QUOTE ]
Rationalization is the greatest problem amongst students at DCA. It is always someone else's fault...

I cannot belive that this individual, missed a week of groundschool...

And if is a fact that instructors in the instrument group are available.

But you made Montana and the "Gang"'s day with this sorry post...


[/ QUOTE ]

The reason i missed ground school was because of a stomach virus/food posioning which i let the ground school instructors know about.

[gtpilot]

[ QUOTE ]

And ARROGANCE is one of the greatest problems in the culture at DCA. From some of the instructors all the way up to management. Been there and seen it. I suspect so did the other 17 (basically the whole class) that left. When you fix that, you MIGHT have a chance if you can convince them paying three times as much as many other places is still worth it.

[/ QUOTE ]

It was always interesting to me that we were told not to worry about rocking the boat and let the group managers know how we can resolve problems for you. Then you'd go to a group manager like Paul in the private group and the response would typically be 'TFB', too ######ing bad. There's lies and deception and then there's reality. DCA really has no perception of reality.

[blee256]

[ QUOTE ]
, Pan am closing campus,

[/ QUOTE ]

what?? PAIFA is closing their florida campus?? when did this happen?

[planediveguy]

Here is how it works:

If you have an issue, discuss it with your instructor first. The next in line are the group leaders, if they can't solve your problem, then the group manager. If the group manager drops the ball, which is pretty rare, then you should go to Customer Service. If you have a legitimate claim, it will get solved.

However you still have to study, and that means for real. You need to do your homework and fly the plane at least to PTS... If you are having an issue because you ran out of excuses for not having done your part or have no one else to blame. Go ask daddy to read a story at night so you can go night night...

Of course this might not apply to you, but it does to a bunch of whiners here and they are the ones getting pissed off while they read this and the hat fits them...

And if your probelm did not get solved and the "hat "above does not fit you then you can come and whine here whith my full support...

[gtpilot]

[ QUOTE ]

However you still have to study, and that means for real. You need to do your homework and fly the plane at least to PTS... If you are having an issue because you ran out of excuses for not having done your part or have no one else to blame. Go ask daddy to read a story at night so you can go night night...

[/ QUOTE ]

Now, now, be nice! Keep in mind, I passed every test in the high 90s, never failed an oral and always accepted flight busts as my fault. However, when problems arose, I would frequently have to go up the chain of command because no one could 'do anything about it' and was usually given the TFB line at the end. There was no concept of customer service in most of the groups! The only groups that got anything done to fix legitimate problems were the commercial and multi groups.

I eventually wrote a letter to Susan and, while she replied, she failed to answer any of my concerns directly. For example, I complained that the planes were in poor condition and Susan responded that the maintenance department won the 'Diamond Award' for maintenance excellence. I agree, the maintenace department is great but the planes are old, and break frequently because of it.

Last note, based on your comments, one of my biggest problems with DCA was the whole hand holding thing. Being required to watch redundant videos and backseat flights and turn in massive amounts of homework questions. Don't get me wrong, Martha's hot and the homework stimulating, but if I needed mommy and daddy to hold my hand so that I could study effectively, I'd still be at home to get my bed time stories!