Does Previous Flight Experience Help?

[DeltaAVL]

Hey guys, hopefully some of you MTSU folks can help me out here!

I'm seriously considering applying to MTSU next year and enrolling in the professional flight program. I'd major in pro-flight (or something flight ops related) and I'd probably minor in music for something to fall back on, and I'd probably try out for the Band of Blue.

Anyway, my question is this - I'm about to start my private pilot training at an FBO at AVL, and I'd almost certainly have the license by the time I left for college. What benefits would I get out of having a PPL before entering MTSU's program?

Thanks, and any further insight about MTSU is greatly appreciated!

[Air 1]

I really see no benefit in having it, other than you do not have to do the private pilot lab and can enroll in the x-country lab. Some others with first hand knowledge can chime in with actual experience. This doesn't apply to you, but I think it is actually a hindrance to come in to the program with your private and instrument. I came in with a private and instrument with about 170 hours. They (they consisting of MTSU and FAA) was going to require me to enroll in the cross country lab before enrolling in the commercial lab. Since their cross country lab consists of 100 hours cross country time, that was going to put me over the 250 hours for the pt. 61 commercial requirements. Needless to say, I stayed pro pilot long enough to get my tailwheel endorsement and switch to another major in aerospace. Also, if you come in with private and instrument, you have to complete at least 3 ratings from them, which would be commercial, multi, and CFI. I know all of this info probably doesn't help you that much, maybe it will be of use if someone else comes along and reads this.

[DeltaAVL]

Originally Posted by Air 1

I really see no benefit in having it, other than you do not have to do the private pilot lab and can enroll in the x-country lab. Some others with first hand knowledge can chime in with actual experience. This doesn't apply to you, but I think it is actually a hindrance to come in to the program with your private and instrument. I came in with a private and instrument with about 170 hours. They (they consisting of MTSU and FAA) was going to require me to enroll in the cross country lab before enrolling in the commercial lab. Since their cross country lab consists of 100 hours cross country time, that was going to put me over the 250 hours for the pt. 61 commercial requirements. Needless to say, I stayed pro pilot long enough to get my tailwheel endorsement and switch to another major in aerospace. Also, if you come in with private and instrument, you have to complete at least 3 ratings from them, which would be commercial, multi, and CFI. I know all of this info probably doesn't help you that much, maybe it will be of use if someone else comes along and reads this.

No, that really helps! Thanks so much for the information! I'd be going in with my Private, and my goal would be to get the rest of my ratings at MTSU (instrument, multi, commercial, CFI), so I'm sure I wouldn't run out of things to do.

How'd you like MTSU?

[Air 1]

Nope, you won't run out of anything to do. Also, the hourly rates are pretty much inline with the part 61 schools around the area. If I can remember correctly, you'd pay about the same as you would some other mom & pop FBO schools, unlike some of the other university programs I've seen. I really like the school. I think things really turned for the better for the pilot side after they got rid of a certain chief flight instructor. Thats what I've heard anyway.

[IFly85]

I was originally enrolled as a Pro-pilot major for a semmester but I didn't get a lab my first semmester. I came in with my private and instrument and would have come in when they had the old chief pilot. The way the old CP ran the program is the reason I switched majors and did my flight training in Smyrna while being a maintenance management major. Things in the flight department seemed to have gotten alot better when the new CP was hired, but I was already half-way through my major so I didn't switch. Like Air said you need to get 3 licenses through them so you would have to at least get your instrument, commercial, and multi. I really enjoyed my time at MTSU and I made alot of good friends there. Whatever your decision is I'm sure you will enjoy it. Also if you decide not to fly through MTSU there is a flight school on the field and one in Smyrna. I'm probably a little biased to the one in Smyrna because I flew and worked there though lol. Hopefully some of this helped.

Josh

[DeltaAVL]

Originally Posted by Air 1

Nope, you won't run out of anything to do. Also, the hourly rates are pretty much inline with the part 61 schools around the area. If I can remember correctly, you'd pay about the same as you would some other mom & pop FBO schools, unlike some of the other university programs I've seen. I really like the school. I think things really turned for the better for the pilot side after they got rid of a certain chief flight instructor. Thats what I've heard anyway.

Hmm, so do you have to "pay as you fly", you can't pay ahead (like when entering the school) for all your ratings?

Originally Posted by IFly85

Hopefully some of this helped.

Thanks, it definitely helped! In that case, I'll probably just end up doing my flight training at MTSU (as much as I dislike Diamonds ).

Were either of you guys out-of-state?

[Air 1]

Originally Posted by DeltaAVL

Hmm, so do you have to "pay as you fly", you can't pay ahead (like when entering the school) for all your ratings?

You have to have certain amount in a flight account before you start the lab. For example, if you get the cross country lab, and they require $7000 in your flight account, you've got to have that in there before you start flying that lab. ($7000 is just a random number I used for that example). There is a different set minimum amount for each lab. I guess you could pay a large sum when you first get there, or at least pay in what it is estimated to cost to get all of the ratings.

I was in-state, so I had relatively "cheap" tuition.

[IFly85]

Nope, I was instate also.

[DeltaAVL]

Okay, thanks for the replies, guys. Unfortunately, I'm from NC, so I'd be paying out-of-state tuition.

I still can't believe that NC (first in flight, by the way) doesn't have a single respectable college with an aviation program...

[IFly85]

No problem