Are flight schools worth the $$$

[stuckingfk]

One of my posts got deleted too. I wonder what happened?

[EatSleepFly]

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In the MAPD program you'll pay a lot for training, but you'll pay it back over time. At least you'll be working from an RJ or 1900 front seat. Instructing will prove just as expensive (long time of low wages and no multi time) but without turbine experience.


[/ QUOTE ]

Hahahahahahahahahahahhaha...thats the funniest thing I've heard so far today. You must be kidding. Hasn't anyone explained to you yet the evil that is PFT?

Instructing just as expensive? I think not. I haven't spent one penny to fly an airplane since I started instructing. In fact....I'm MAKING money. Oh yeah, thats why its called a job (where you get experience). Whereas PFT is called an "experience" where poor suckers pay to see what a job is really like. Don't like being called a sucker? Well, if you BUY time in anything that burns Jet-A, you are one, and I have a bridge you might be interested in buying.

Don't get me wrong, I've got no problems with alternatives to instructing- as long as you get PAID to perform them, not vice versa. Unfortunately, other than these scams, there are very few of them that can provide you with the hours and valuable experience that instructing can.

Thanks for the laugh.

[DE727UPS]

"if you didn't work for XXX years doing XXX job..."

Working for xxx hours doing yyy job is called gaining flight experience and it's the way the system has worked for years. There is nothing crazy about it. What's crazy is putting 300 hour pilots in the right seat of an RJ.

Cointryo...you are very entitled to your opinion as I am mine. My opinions and experiences are based on being a 42 year old 727 F/O for a major airline and having been chasing the career since I was 17.

In case anyone says, "Well, the military does it..."

The military takes the creme of the crop and trains to a much higher standard than MAPD. You don't pay cash to become an air force pilot...they pick you based on a pretty tough screening program. Anyone with the cash can get into the MAPD.

For the record. I don't think MAPD is really PFT. Once you get on the line you are a paid crewmember. What I think MAPD is, is J.O.'s idea of how to make a buck and have as much control over his pilot group as possible. If push came to shove, how many MAPD guys would tell J.O. to stick it?

[cointyro]

Hey eatsleefly, MAPD is not PFT. I agree with you that PFT is the wrong choice, but MAPD is not a PFT program, so don't be laughing at me with the wrong impression. Also I clearly stated that instructing for 5 years is more expensive than Mesa wages for 5 years since instructing is lower earnings... I'm not taking issue with your statement that "instructing hasn't cost me a dime"... but the opportunity costs of lower wages (of instructing versus FO pay) are just as much an "expense" as shelling out dollar bills.

DE727UPS, you're at the top of my Most Respected list (with Doug) so I'm going to reconsider my words in light of your comments. Thanks for having patience with all of use youngin's stumbling through.