Best option, advice needed

[crash_burn]

Hi, thanks for taking to time to read this thread. Now here's my situation.

My backgroung thus far: I'm a former USAF officer (just got out and looking at making a career change from my previous career "logistics/management" to an airline pilot), I have a bachelor degree, plus I have GI Bill benefits which I'm leaning toward using for a ATP pilot license. I started my PPL a few years back, while i was still in the military, finished my ground school and took the written test, and had a few hours of flight time, until I just became too busy.

So I'm looking to find a good flight school to go and get all licenses from PPL to ATPL. I was looking at a few of the schools mentioned on this site, namely RAA, Ari-ben, Riverside Flight Center, etc and I was wondering what some of you think would be best for me in my situation. (Also does anybody have any experience w/ Riverside?, from what I've read on their website they sound pretty decent)

I'm pretty much only interested in schools that are VA approved, need to use that money for something. Also my main goal is to eventually get a job in europe (i'm a dually, so that makes it a little easier). So I guess getting a JAA license concurrently would be wise, your thoughts??

After reading some of the school websites a few sound a little too good to be true, I was hoping some of you could put those fears to rest. Also are most of these schools full-time where you do nothing but train/fly, or do/did many of you have full-time jobs while attending these flight schools? Also which is better IYO, the full-time approach or doing it piecemeal at smaller FBO's??

I'm basically looking for the best option, while not going overboard on the bill. I'm not strapped for cash, while at the same time, I'd like to not see my life-savings go to nil. Also I really don't have a time limit although, my goal would is to be working for an airline in some capacity within 20 months from the time I start.

So if you were me what route would you take? Are there any other flight schools that you think I should consider? Thanks

Mike

[clintoncutty]

i'd finish the FAA ppl + mutli and FAA instrument, get JAA 1st class medical in london, then do online ATPL training 4-6 months meanwhile pair up with someone and buy 100-150 mutli engine hours if you got the funds for that. then go down to florida and take JAA commercial JAA mcc rating convert your FAA instrument rating into JAA and boom your done. built hours till someone in europe calls you. and be ready to invest another 10k-15k for a type rating. your looking at about 40k all together if you go to the right places and use your VA thing. im not an expert just an opinion. theres alot of people on this site that can point you in the right direction.

[crash_burn]

Thanks for the input clintoncuddy. I had one question though, when you mentioned the JAA mcc rating, were you referring to multi-crew coordination course, or something else? If you were, do you know of any schools that teach it here in the US. From what I've seen the MCC course is only done overseas.

One of the reasons I was looking at Riverside Flight Center is that it offers all the FAA licenses, plus the JAA conversions as well as the JAA atpl online course. Looks like about a month of it is done in the UK for the actual flight time/check ride. Only thing it doesn't seem to provide in the MCC course training. Plus it's not in florida, which is a plus. I'm not really a fan of that area.

[clintoncutty]

Originally Posted by crash_burn

Thanks for the input clintoncuddy. I had one question though, when you mentioned the JAA mcc rating, were you referring to multi-crew coordination course, or something else? If you were, do you know of any schools that teach it here in the US. From what I've seen the MCC course is only done overseas.

One of the reasons I was looking at Riverside Flight Center is that it offers all the FAA licenses, plus the JAA conversions as well as the JAA atpl online course. Looks like about a month of it is done in the UK for the actual flight time/check ride. Only thing it doesn't seem to provide in the MCC course training. Plus it's not in florida, which is a plus. I'm not really a fan of that area.

yes i also thought so. but i've checked naples air center down in florida and they offer the mcc rating, they have an actual examiner in house. if naples advertises it then it must be done in florida. i do know if you convert your instrument into JAA you need to do that in british airspace.

google naples flight center they have all the info on JAA.

if your planning on going with FAA all the way and then later on converting to JAA thats going to cost you alot more and it'll be twice as hard, i heard.


that passport will help you alot in getting the job quicker but then again you got a bachlors degree which is another plus with the airlines over here. i say you pretty much got it made, get your ratings as quick as possible and build hours.