Is truth a liar?

[Theotokos]

Ok I am totally confused. I have been considering PEA too. Ex-PEAs is it good or bad. Did you like it or not? If the student likes it then it must be ok. IF not, then well....all I have seen is contradiction. I have heard PEA is PFT yet I do not think that is very odd for a FLIGHT TRAINING SCHOOL. Maybe I am still missing somthing here.....

[kellwolf]

PEA in generally is not PFT in the way Gulfstream or TAB Express is/was. The problem lies in the fact that PEA has chosen to cross promote a PFT program in order to get more students to their campus. They don't run the PFT program, but the advertise it and reap the benefits from it financially.

[Theotokos]

ok thanks. I am still considering PEA because 1 it is cheap, 2 many pilots who went there liked it, 3 it is a place to train and it is better and cheaper than local places, 4 faa approved school....also it is closer to Orlando and I want to go to a Latin Mass every Sunday which Orlando just began to offer. Then there is FSA which means I'd attend a Novus Ordo Mass-fine with me since I am not a rad trad--which I also like and am checking into. They have on campus housing but I wonder about the price. I like their enviroment too. I guess it all beats DCA which really makes me mad--I mean that is PFI--delta pays me to train so they can hire me!!! they will give me an INTERVIEW--yeah and if I fail that the is 65k down the drain.....

[Theotokos]

Just called FSA and REALLY LOVE how it sounds. About 40k which is a bit more than PEA however with PEA I must buy housing food, etc which is included at FSA!!! I think FSA is my best option though.

[kellwolf]

Where are you getting the $40K figure? I see a little over $60K for PPL-instructor ratings, and it does NOT include housing. Here's the link:

http://www.flightsafetyacademy.com/pdfs/1120_01a.pdf

Don't get me wrong, FSA is a great school, but they charge an awful lot. DCA isn't really considered PFT since you're not paying them for a job that they should be paying someone else. For example, you don't pay them $30K to fly right seat on a revenue generating B1900. DCA is just like FSA, you pay a lot of ratings, then you might get hired as an instructor. After building hours as an instructor, you get an interview with an airline. The only difference is FSA doesn't blare the word GUARANTEED INTERVIEW on all their glossy ads.

My advice is to do a LOT more research into several different schools before dropping this much money on something. Narrow it down to about five schools, and visit them. Talk to students that are currently attending and ask questions. From that, narrow it down to three, crunch numbers and if possible visit AGAIN. It's just like choosing a college, except this probably costs more. If you flipped from PEA to FSA in less than 24 hours, that's a snap decision. Those should REALLY REALLY be avoided in the flight training world.

[Theotokos]

Yeah, I was thinking of looking around Florida elsewhere too. I looked on one local school. It was horrible. The instructors were dressed like they were at the beach, it was sort of disorganized--not structured and pay for each rating by itself which can be up to 10k, etc. I was like no way. The next school which is at the same airport was better and is fastrack but I do not know about fast track--do I really want to learn to fly in a snap? I mean 8-12 months is not bad but learning in a snap can prove fatal. I like PanAm too. I dream of the international majors which is a big dream for a pilot and I plan to to online college eventually through a community college--no use paying big bucks for a degree....a degree is a degree. I was thinking of majoring somthing non-aviation like philosophy, English, Music, or French, just as a back-up in case of layoff, injury, etc. I would like to learn French, Italian, German, Spanish, Arabic, and Latin--a dead langauge but useful anyway so that would be good. I am studying French right now. The internationals is a tough route. Years of expereicne but I'll set my mind to it....PEA has a good deal for the European ratings so I may go there one day just to get those. It is a hard descision but it must be made. Look for the budgetwise place, but not the place you pay so little you will likeley one day kill yourself is my philosophy. I do not want to attend some ran down school with horrible instructors. I remember reading in AOPA magazine once about this crazy instructor who practiced engine failure below 500gt agl! The plane almost crashed and the instructor sat there like nothing was happening....the plane was ran down and would not start back up if I recall right. :::shudders:: If I got a guy like that, I'd jump out...that or throw him out.

[Theotokos]

And in reponse to the 60k:

Actually it is about 45k in general or at leaast I was told that over the phone--I am getting infor and going to visit:

1) 45k for tuition
2) Houing is about 12-25 a day depending on your pick of housing. If I pick 12 a day hat is 360 if I am doint my math right...do not have a calcuator but 12 time 3 is 36 and and add a zero is 360.
3) Food is included the guy said.

[kellwolf]

On the "over the phone" price quotes, if it isn't in writing, don't believe it. Seriously. That goes for anything in aviation. I can tell you all day long that I can get your private done for $3K to get you in the door. Once you're here and I have your money, I can say "I never said that. Prove it." If it's in writing, it's a done deal.....for the most part.

I've said this before, and I'll say it again. Your training has less to do with what school you went to and more to do with your individual instructors. Those are the guys you'll be in the plane with, not the recruiters at the academies or the financial aid people in the office. Visit some schools, meet some instructors, find one you get along with and stick with him/her as long as you can. So what if they dress like they're going to the beach? Why should you have to wear epaulets in a 172? If the instruction is good and the planes are safe, the FAA doesn't care if you fly naked to get your ratings. Besides, it gets hot in FL during the summer, especially flying around the pattern for the 14th time with very little airflow in the cabin. Trust me.

[Theotokos]

Yes you are right which is why I got info and am going there to check it out. You've been a lot of help...thanks.

[ERJ-135]

What FSA location has housing for that low amount per day?