Delta Connection Academy

[fludy12]

DCA blows monkey chunks! Please, any prospective students...do NOT go to DCA! Way overpriced for crappy equipment and you WILL get treated like shiznit BOTH as a student AND as a hired instructor. Also, you will NOT get the guaranteed interview at 800 hrs dual with 200 multi. It's running more like 1200+ these days because they won't let the instructors go. Because nobody is coming in to take their places!! Sign of the times...at least at the Sanford, FL campus.

[DE727UPS]

How do you know?

[surreal1221]

Exactly, not that I am against anything that you said. . . but unless you show some sort of credibility no one is going to listen to you.

JC isn't the place to come and cry and moan about a place, unless you tell us you have actually been there (trained and worked).

[FatBastard]

Originally Posted by fludy12

DCA blows monkey chunks! Please, any prospective students...do NOT go to DCA! Way overpriced for crappy equipment and you WILL get treated like shiznit BOTH as a student AND as a hired instructor. Also, you will NOT get the guaranteed interview at 800 hrs dual with 200 multi. It's running more like 1200+ these days because they won't let the instructors go. Because nobody is coming in to take their places!! Sign of the times...at least at the Sanford, FL campus.

You should have seen what they did to (attempted) to Doug. What else is new down there? Just cuious.

[DE727UPS]

As much as I love to see DCA get slammed, I wouldn't pay any attention to this Fludy guy. He had no credibility based on his posting history and he just got banned by Doug.

[Doug Taylor]

True that.

The forum is an extension of my living room. If you try to cold cock one of several of my guests and attempt to whizz on my travertine tile, you're getting your ass dismissed.

[FatBastard]

Originally Posted by Doug Taylor

True that.

The forum is an extension of my living room. If you try to cold cock one of several of my guests and attempt to whizz on my travertine tile, you're getting your ass dismissed.

Thanks for the info.

[jawright]

Originally Posted by DE727UPS

he just got banned by Doug.

OH SNAP! I read some of his posts earlier. I was wondering when that was gonna happen!

[amorris311]

i wish doug let him go a little longer to see what he/she was going to say next. im sorry for anyone that was offended by this person.

[surreal1221]

Before his dismissal, he wrote and told me he flew helos for the Navy.

Right. . . well maybe.

[jawright]

Didn't we used to have a guy on here that flew F-14's for the Navy?

[surreal1221]

Originally Posted by jawright

Didn't we used to have a guy on here that flew F-14's for the Navy?

This was before my time here at JC. The archives are entertaining though.

[Jonesberuitchamp]

DCA is doing good these days

[pilotsean86]

Well, I went to DCA, unlike that Fludy guy. I'll be honest with you and must say that I agree with what he says, just not utilizing the same terms. I was at DCA for 2 1/2 months and spent 14,000 and resulted in only 34.5 hours and no rating or certificate. I was charged for taking the Commercial written test, which I didn't take, as well as, from what I remember, $2000 for my commercial ground school.

Don't get me wrong... There are a handful of instructors there that are really nice people, but, there are the few that just don't really care for the job nor care for what the student is doing in regards to progress; namely my instructor who shall remain nameless. I do, however, recommend one instructor by the name of Eric Ballman (sp?). He is an outstanding instructor and a very informative one at that; a great friend, too. Best of luck to him!

In regards to the instructors getting treated like crap, well- that's based on their own opinions. I was never a hired instructor for them, but I did, however, hear that the Delta standby benefits aren't that great, nor are the medical/dental/vision benefits, and the pay $10/hour is not great, either. The students paid $54/hour for the instructors, leaving $44 unaccounted for. (Owner's pocket? Or simply helping big brother get out of Bankruptcy?)

Another rumor I've heard about DCA is that they're not even owned by Delta, anymore. The legacy airline released all liability to a private owner who has remained nameless, and from what the students know, Delta still owns the company. You find out more about the academy after leaving on your own terms and hearing what still goes on there.


It's a rambler, but... I'm trying to give you a more credible source than that "Fludy" guy could ever.


SD

[H46Bubba]

DCA is still owned by Comair Holdings which is owned by Delta. DCA is still is Ch.11 like the rest of us. DL makes the calls with everything that goes on there. I was both a student and an employee. Flight bennies are same as mainline DL employees. Medical/dental/vision sucked! I know a whole bunch of stuff that they don't want students to know. Only reason I stayed is because I got a discount. As on a previous post I see they're cleaning up shop and ejecting the garbage.

[Andrew_VT]

Originally Posted by pilotsean86

[I was at DCA for 2 1/2 months and spent 14,000 and resulted in only 34.5 hours and no rating or certificate. I was charged for taking the Commercial written test, which I didn't take, as well as, from what I remember, $2000 for my commercial ground school.]

[The students paid $54/hour for the instructors]

SD

Yup... that'll about sum it up...

[dc3flyer]

It depends on you and your instructors. I was at DCA for 10 months and got all my ratings through CFII. Was it the best place to train? Probably not. Was it the cheapest place to train? HELL NO! Did I get all my ratings and consider myself a pretty darn good pilot? Yes.

The training there is good. The only thing I saw is that you have to watch out for instructors that just want their hours, and beware of the cookie cutter pilot. I knew many people that were scared to death to do their commercial solo X-Country. By the time you are getting your commercial rating, you should not be scared to go somewhere solo!!!!

I did not stay at DCA as an instructor because I got a pretty good instructor job elsewhere while I was waiting 4 months to go back and had opportunity to get into some other things.

[Nismaxdan]

Hey guys I was just reading this thread and I am kind of concern. I start training there in January. I was told it would not be advisable to work while I am training. My loan includes living expenses but I am not sure how that works. Should I have a change of hart?

[intern_mike]

Originally Posted by Nismaxdan

Hey guys I was just reading this thread and I am kind of concern. I start training there in January. I was told it would not be advisable to work while I am training. My loan includes living expenses but I am not sure how that works. Should I have a change of hart?

I highly recommend checking out some other schools before you go for DCA. For that kind of scratch you'd be better off going to Flight Safety Academy or ATP. Have you toured DCA yet? Not saying you shouldn't go there, just see what there is out there before you take the plunge. Schools I visited before I made my decission were RAA, DCA, SunState Aviation, Air Orlando, Flight Safety Academy, Ari-Ben. Try to get some perspective from former students before making your decission, you'll be glad you did.

[surreal1221]

I heard being owned by Delta is a pretty big deal. . .

[H46Bubba]

Originally Posted by Nismaxdan

Hey guys I was just reading this thread and I am kind of concern. I start training there in January. I was told it would not be advisable to work while I am training. My loan includes living expenses but I am not sure how that works. Should I have a change of hart?

You can opt for the "flex program" which allows you to schedule when you want to fly and not when the academy wants you to. Also you can work while enrolled in that program. I switched over to the flex since I had family obligations to attend to such as picking my son up from day care and so on. You'll fly flying services vice the regular training department.

[Soul Brotha']

As a former student and instructor there I might have some info for you. The training there is hands down some of the best I've seen. I was a student and an instructor at some part 61 schools and I've seen both sides. DCA prepares you to get ready for an airline. Other flight schools will so that for you too. DCA is not the only place to train. FBO's are generally for folks wanting to do training at their own pace. That system works for most because they can do whatever other activities (jobs, school) on the side. DCA is a fast-paced program to get you going. If you put the time and effort in you will do fine at DCA. If you put the time and effort at the FBO you will get the same results. Now as far as the management that is a totally different story. It was a complete joke. Throught my time as just an instructor, they had three different presidents. The guy there now is a Delta Airlines checkairmen. He is suppose to be a no nonsense type of guy and is cleaning up house. Apparently the Chief Pilot and some of the other higher ups have been given the axe. I also believe they started to receive new SR-20's to start replacing the oldest fleet in America. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ X 10 is what you'll spend to attend this place. I have been rambling for now, but PM if you want to talk a little bit more. Good luck and remeber to do your research.

[qball194fa]

I, for one personally began work at Delta Connection Academy. Things there sickened me. They had absolutely no care for their students, nor their students' safety.

For Example: I had an Instrument Stage Check... I went through the oral, and impressed the checkpilot during that. I checked the weather. Hurricane Ophelia was 20 miles off the FL coast, and winds aloft were over 50kts at 3000 feet from 180. I was planning to do an approach into Orlando Executive (VOR 25), followed by a DME Arc to a hold at MAMBO, and an NDB into Leesburg, going missed off a circle to land, then back in for an ILS into Sanford. I wasn't liking it one bit. I would have enjoyed the learning experiance with my instructor, but I wouldn't do it "in the real world", and I wouldn't do the flight to be evaluated. I knew my personal limits, and that was beyond them. I was to be "pilot in command" of the flight, and I deemed it not appropriate. It was also IFR conditions. I talked with the checkpilot, and he agreed with me it would be better to hold off a day or two for the flight until the storm could move further north, and then do the flight. We went to the Flight Supervisor to get a "flight Cancellation Form". Here's the conversation:

Me: I need to get a flight cancellation form
*they hand it to me, which I take back to the checkpilot, and we fill it out and sign it, I bring it back to the flight supervisor for their signature and processing*
Flight Sup: This is an instrument flight
Me: Yes
Flight Sup: It's Instrument conditions out there
Me: True.
Flight Sup: Well, I tell you what, if you don't do the flight, I will "no show" you myself!
Me: Fine. Give me the can

Now, let me explain the "No Show" policy as it was explained to me during the indoctrination day. First, you would be charged the full 3 hours scheduled of the aircraft at $200/hr. Then you would be charged for the full 3 hours of a checkpilot at $65/hr. Then you would be charged for the full 3 hours of fuel at $22/hr. Then you would be assessed a $350 no-show fee. That came to $1211.00 for not doing the flight!

So, I opted to do the flight, I got chewed out by the Checkpilot for not having the airplane preflighted because of not knowing whether we would go or not.

We took off, got established on the VOR approach, and I overcompensated that 50kt wind, went full scale, and busted the ride right there. Then the conversation between the checkpilot and I:

Checkpilot: There's full-scale, that's a bust, the ride is failed, go missed, and set up for a DME Arc
Me: No. If I can't pass the ride, it's over.
*I took my hands off the controls, and released my feet from the pedals*
Me: Your airplane, take me back to Sanford
Check Pilot: you don't want to continue?
Me: no. If I can't pass it, there's no point in wasting my time, your time, and my money. Let's get back to Sanford please


Another situation with them:
I was doing another stage check, and had to shoot an ILS approach to runway 9L in Sanford. I got established, and was crosshairs all the way down. I called my 1000 feet to go, 500 feet to go, 200 feet to go (those are to the Decision Altitude). right then, my middle marker was going off. Now, I've shot that ILS probably 40-50 times in the proceeding month and a half. I knew at the middle marker, if everything was right, I would be right about 255', give or take 75 feet for the altimeter error allowable for IFR flight. I was at 400', and that middle marker was going off. I was still "cross hair" - I was still supposedly right on glideslope. The conversation then went:

Me: Something's not right, I am higher than I should be, I'm going missed
*I pushed the throttle full, and began my climbout*
- Now, those that are Instrument rated will note, when over the MM on a standard ILS, and you have a GS of about 90 kts, and you put full throttle, and pull up to pitch for Vy (in that airplane it was 76kts), your glideslope needle will drop almost instantaniously -
Checkpilot: There's Full Scale on glideslope, my flight controls
*checkpilot cuts the throttle, and does one of those slip, swerve, s-turn, top gun maneuvers down to make a "safe" landing on a 9000 foot runway*

I found out I busted for the full scale. I was infuriated, because I was SURE I did the right thing... I noticed something wasn't right, I wanted altitude, and I could have then had time to recheck stuff - maybe my altimeter setting was incorrect, maybe my Glideslope needle was wrong, and a different approach (if possible) would have been better, maybe I had my Marker sensitivity too sensitive or something, but I knew something didn't add up, and I wanted out of it, so I could get altitude and troubleshoot.

I called my instructor who was just as confused as I was.

I went and checked with the group manager and after hearing what happened, he said "Well, in the real world, you did the right thing, but on a checkride, you're supposed to shoot every approach as if you are at minimum fuel". I was like "WHAT!? SAYS WHO!?" I pulled out the Instrument PTS, and laid it on his desk, and I said "point it out to me please!" he said "It's not in there", I was like "ok..." and I pulled out my 172 Flight Standards Manual (as published by Delta Connection Academy), and said "Well, surely it will be in here, point it out". And to no surprise he said "It's not in there either". I said "So then how the (devil's home) am I supposed to know that?! It was never taught, and it was never announced by the checkpilot! If She would have said that... MAYBE things would have been different, and I would possibly have made different choices!" Not only that... but correct me if I'm wrong, but I always thought the whole POINT of a checkride was to make sure you were OK for the real world!

That, along with a lot of other meaningless garbage, expensive items, and more is what happened to me when I attended Delta Connection Academy in Sanford, Florida from June 2005 through December 2005. I was more than glad to get out.

If anybody is CONSIDERING the school, please PM me so I can at least warn you... If, after I warn you, you still want to go, that's perfectly fine. It's your choice, but at least you will have heard more than the Recruitment Reps' opinions!

[surreal1221]

Finally. . .a comment about DCA with a lot of substance. Thanks for posting this.

[MichaelCPS]

Originally Posted by qball194fa

Now, let me explain the "No Show" policy as it was explained to me during the indoctrination day. First, you would be charged the full 3 hours scheduled of the aircraft at $200/hr. Then you would be charged for the full 3 hours of a checkpilot at $65/hr. Then you would be charged for the full 3 hours of fuel at $22/hr. Then you would be assessed a $350 no-show fee. That came to $1211.00 for not doing the flight!

WOW.

Now I see how they make money. I wonder how many flights are cancelled and how many pilots feel pressure to complete a flight due to this policy.

What were you flying for $200 per hour that didn't include the fuel?!?!?!

Michael