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[Windwalker]

Gents,

I am planning on visisting FSA in the near future like in 2 months or so to see if this schoool best fits my needs. From what I hear and read it seems like it is but I will visit before throwing down the coin per say. I have a question for grads or current students...How much multi engine time do you get when you finish your training. I was talking to Pan Am and they said between 85-100 hours there. Multi-engine time is vital..period. Wondering if FSA has about the same amount or not. What are the ratios on hiring instructors after graduation? I hear some just leave to go to FBOs b/c they are on waiting list or they are behind a desk rather flying for a while.
This is a critical time in my life trying to soak all this vital inforamation up so I can make the best career school choice.
Also, what are the average age of cadets/students @ FSA? I am a 27 yr. old w/ a B.A shifting caeers. I wish I started when I was 21 or so, hey I tried the business corprate world and its not for me...Any tips from the wise or information I should know please let me know.

I am curently getting my PPL first @ a local FBO and should be done in 3.5 months or so w' 50 hours or so.

Thanks all,

Russ

aka: Windwalker

[Windwalker]

2nd sentence was missing a word or two but could not access editing b/c the time expired.

From what I hear and read it seems like it is one of the best but I will visit before throwing down the coin per say

[pavelump]

Well, since I got my MEI at the end of October, I have logged 70 hrs of multi with no end in sight for the near future. I've been pretty lucky though. The difference between FlightSafety and (some) other schools is that we do a good deal of the training in the Seminole. The students in the CIME (Commercial Instrument Multi-engine) program leave with a minimum of 55 hours of multi so if you have 4 students that you carry throughout the whole program. Well, you can do the math...

Currently there is no waiting list. When I interviewed, I was put on a pretty long list and I did go to an FBO to instruct. Others took advantage of the first officer internship program at one of the FlightSafety centers. But, at this point there is no list that I am aware of.

I'm not sure what the ratio of how many people who interview get hired. Sometimes, if you are not selected for an instructor you will still be offered a first officer internship.

As far as the average age, well there really isn't one. You have people who just graduated college, some younger, some older. I started here when I was 32.

Do yourself a favor and set aside a couple of days to come down and check out all of the schools. You can rent a car and stay in one of the bungalows for free at FSI.

Good luck with the PVT Certificate!

Dave

[Windwalker]

Thanks Dave. I am very excited and look forward to visiting these schools. FSA & Pan Am.

[upnup]

You can get all the multi time you want, but at $255 an hr how much are you willing to pay for? Thats the real question!!!

Try not to make a decision based on how many hours the "school" says your going to get, Oh, you'll get those hours but it ain't free, some how the marketing department always seems to leave out the fine details. When you look at all the schools take all the marketing crap and chuck it.

Talk to students every chance you get, you'll be in their boat soon enough. Ask them lots of questions. I'd talk to instructors as well but remember they are employees now and their perspectives may have changed now that the money is going the other way. Look around, ask questions and get answers, go to the maintenance department and ask to see how they work, ask to look at the logbooks, if they say no-head for the door. Go get in a plane or two and look at them in person not just from the pretty marketing propaganda.

Look at all your options and remember opinions are like ..... Gather all the info you can sit down and take a few days and make a good informed decision based on whats best for your situation. If you do your homework you won't have any regrets, until the loan payments start!

Good luck
Cya in the sky

[cime_sp]

Remember, you can also save money by doing your instrument in the single-engine a/c there. I know a number of people who did. They do not have the fancy Garmin GPS's like the Seminoles do though but do have HSI's.

[PhilosopherPilot]

[ QUOTE ]
You can get all the multi time you want, but at $255 an hr how much are you willing to pay for? Thats the real question!!!

Try not to make a decision based on how many hours the "school" says your going to get, Oh, you'll get those hours but it ain't free, some how the marketing department always seems to leave out the fine details. When you look at all the schools take all the marketing crap and chuck it.

Talk to students every chance you get, you'll be in their boat soon enough. Ask them lots of questions. I'd talk to instructors as well but remember they are employees now and their perspectives may have changed now that the money is going the other way. Look around, ask questions and get answers, go to the maintenance department and ask to see how they work, ask to look at the logbooks, if they say no-head for the door. Go get in a plane or two and look at them in person not just from the pretty marketing propaganda.

Look at all your options and remember opinions are like ..... Gather all the info you can sit down and take a few days and make a good informed decision based on whats best for your situation. If you do your homework you won't have any regrets, until the loan payments start!

Good luck
Cya in the sky

[/ QUOTE ]

No one that I know at FSI would have a problem with what you said. Talk to all the students and flight instructors you like. Also, it wouldn't be a problem at all to look at the maintenance logs. Every tour gets to look at the planes as well. They all are pretty much the same, but you can request to take a look in any airplane you like. Normally though, they just choose a couple near the dispatch door so you don't have to hike across the ramp.

Regarding the marketing, they make it very clear how much each hour of instruction costs, and how many hours you can expect to fly for each program. No one in marketing will try to hide any details. In fact, they want you to know all of the details so you can make an informed decision. FSI is confident that if you're making an informed decision, you'll chose them. That's why they recommend you look at all of their competition, and closely.

G

[Lima_Charlie]

[ QUOTE ]
You can get all the multi time you want, but at $255 an hr how much are you willing to pay for? Thats the real question!!!

Try not to make a decision based on how many hours the "school" says your going to get, Oh, you'll get those hours but it ain't free, some how the marketing department always seems to leave out the fine details. When you look at all the schools take all the marketing crap and chuck it.

Talk to students every chance you get, you'll be in their boat soon enough. Ask them lots of questions. I'd talk to instructors as well but remember they are employees now and their perspectives may have changed now that the money is going the other way. Look around, ask questions and get answers, go to the maintenance department and ask to see how they work, ask to look at the logbooks, if they say no-head for the door. Go get in a plane or two and look at them in person not just from the pretty marketing propaganda.

Look at all your options and remember opinions are like ..... Gather all the info you can sit down and take a few days and make a good informed decision based on whats best for your situation. If you do your homework you won't have any regrets, until the loan payments start!

Good luck
Cya in the sky

[/ QUOTE ]

Very good advice!!! Good luck in your search!!

[Snow]

You'll need at least 100hrs multi to apply for an airline, so what's better, do 55hrs instrument training in the multi and maybe rent one later for 45hrs, or do your instrument training in a single and then rent a multi for 100hrs? If you need the time either way, it makes much more since to me to do it in the multi, plus that's what most of us strive for, IFR multi flying. Plus if you get it in a single your not IFR multi certified, but your are single certified if you do it in a multi. Same goes for getting multi comerical first, less work.

Hope you enjoy your tour.