FlyingNinja
30th Oct 2006, 20:17
For those of you with zero time (or very little time) who are thinking about CAPT as your flight training solution, think again. Unless you're going into their program with time, don't be fooled when you read any materials or press releases regarding the following (explanation to follow):
American Eagle Airlines agrees to guarantee interviews to pilots completing the Commercial Airline Pilot Training Program who meet the following requirements and American Eagle Airlines is interviewing pilot candidates:
* Successfully complete the Commercial Airline Pilot Training Program with a letter of recommendation from the CAPT Program Vice President
* Attain a minimum of the following FAA Certificates and Ratings:
- FAA First Class Medical Certificate with No Waivers
- Commercial Certificate
- Instrument and Multi-Engine Ratings
- MD-90 Type rating through the Commercial Airline Pilot Training Program
* 400 Hours total flight time (may Include 25 hours of MD-90 Level D simulator time)
* 100 Hours multi-engine time (may Include 25 hours of MD-90 Level D simulator time)
BE WARNED if you are entering their VERY EXPENSIVE ab initio program. By my personal experience and those of others, CAPT is known to play favoritism. So unless you are successful in kissing their ass, and not piss off anyone along the 12-14 month training duration, don't expect to get that letter of recommendation. The 400 hour total time requirement won't even play into those entering CAPT under the AB INITIO program. You simply won't get 400 hours total time from CAPT. Unless they have changed their ab initio program, to my knowledge, all you will be walking away from that program at the end is 225 hours of LOGGABLE total time and less than 100 hours of multi-engine time (a source tells me that this is in the neighborhood of 65 hours or less). This being said, you can forget about American Eagle as an option out of their ab initio program. So let's do the math:
TOTAL TIME:
225 hours of total time
+ 25 hours of MD-90 Credit
______________________________________
250 hours
-> You are short 150 hours to meet American Eagle's Requirement
-> Average cost for 140 hours at $110/hour rental = $15,400
MULTI-ENGINE TIME:
65 hours of multi-engine time
+ 25 hours of MD-90 Credit
_______________________________________
90 hours
-> You are short 10 hours to meet American Eagle's Requirement
-> Average cost for 10 hours at $180/hour rental = $1,800
Time Building Cost: $17,200
CAPT Ab Initio: $85,000 - $100,000
Basically, you're looking at shelling out $102,200 to $117,200 to get into American Eagle from zero time at CAPT. And this does not include the cost of housing and living expenses, bills, etc.
Be VERY CAREFUL about exactly what you will walk away with from their programs. And have it in your contract exactly what you will get, as well as a statement that they can not change their deliverables to you during your entire time there. While the development of CAPT-American Eagle is a good one, it is by no means an agreement that applies to anyone that enters the CAPT program. Make no mistakes about this. Do not be played by their marketing department and their expert pillow talk to get you in the sack with them. Also do not let them tell you how American Eagle is in desperate need for pilots and that this is a great opportunity for you. By the time your 12-14 months are completed with CAPT, the hiring party at American Eagle will most likely be over.
If you are considering CAPT, you must ask yourself a simple question: How much certification and ratings and flight time can I get with $85,000 to $100,000 (the proposed new price for the ab initio program) elsewhere? You do not need to train in a very expensive Cirrus to get your certifications and ratings. Many people have done it in far less expensive airplanes. Remember, CAPT is in the business of making money. And that's their goal. Throwing new Cirrus SR20's will definitely capture those who only see the pretty airplane. Don't be fooled or charmed by these pretty planes and a type rating that you can't use in this country. Do yourself a favor and research your options before committing to CAPT. Do you want to spend your hard earned (or borrowed at sick interest rates) money getting what you need (and more) elsewhere or would like like to play with pretty airplanes? Because at the end of the day, you'll get your certifications and ratings...it's a question of if you want to pay a lot for it or a lot less for it. And don't forget to ask how many people they have left in the ditches...those who have paid for a dream that CAPT failed to deliver as promised.
American Eagle Airlines agrees to guarantee interviews to pilots completing the Commercial Airline Pilot Training Program who meet the following requirements and American Eagle Airlines is interviewing pilot candidates:
* Successfully complete the Commercial Airline Pilot Training Program with a letter of recommendation from the CAPT Program Vice President
* Attain a minimum of the following FAA Certificates and Ratings:
- FAA First Class Medical Certificate with No Waivers
- Commercial Certificate
- Instrument and Multi-Engine Ratings
- MD-90 Type rating through the Commercial Airline Pilot Training Program
* 400 Hours total flight time (may Include 25 hours of MD-90 Level D simulator time)
* 100 Hours multi-engine time (may Include 25 hours of MD-90 Level D simulator time)
BE WARNED if you are entering their VERY EXPENSIVE ab initio program. By my personal experience and those of others, CAPT is known to play favoritism. So unless you are successful in kissing their ass, and not piss off anyone along the 12-14 month training duration, don't expect to get that letter of recommendation. The 400 hour total time requirement won't even play into those entering CAPT under the AB INITIO program. You simply won't get 400 hours total time from CAPT. Unless they have changed their ab initio program, to my knowledge, all you will be walking away from that program at the end is 225 hours of LOGGABLE total time and less than 100 hours of multi-engine time (a source tells me that this is in the neighborhood of 65 hours or less). This being said, you can forget about American Eagle as an option out of their ab initio program. So let's do the math:
TOTAL TIME:
225 hours of total time
+ 25 hours of MD-90 Credit
______________________________________
250 hours
-> You are short 150 hours to meet American Eagle's Requirement
-> Average cost for 140 hours at $110/hour rental = $15,400
MULTI-ENGINE TIME:
65 hours of multi-engine time
+ 25 hours of MD-90 Credit
_______________________________________
90 hours
-> You are short 10 hours to meet American Eagle's Requirement
-> Average cost for 10 hours at $180/hour rental = $1,800
Time Building Cost: $17,200
CAPT Ab Initio: $85,000 - $100,000
Basically, you're looking at shelling out $102,200 to $117,200 to get into American Eagle from zero time at CAPT. And this does not include the cost of housing and living expenses, bills, etc.
Be VERY CAREFUL about exactly what you will walk away with from their programs. And have it in your contract exactly what you will get, as well as a statement that they can not change their deliverables to you during your entire time there. While the development of CAPT-American Eagle is a good one, it is by no means an agreement that applies to anyone that enters the CAPT program. Make no mistakes about this. Do not be played by their marketing department and their expert pillow talk to get you in the sack with them. Also do not let them tell you how American Eagle is in desperate need for pilots and that this is a great opportunity for you. By the time your 12-14 months are completed with CAPT, the hiring party at American Eagle will most likely be over.
If you are considering CAPT, you must ask yourself a simple question: How much certification and ratings and flight time can I get with $85,000 to $100,000 (the proposed new price for the ab initio program) elsewhere? You do not need to train in a very expensive Cirrus to get your certifications and ratings. Many people have done it in far less expensive airplanes. Remember, CAPT is in the business of making money. And that's their goal. Throwing new Cirrus SR20's will definitely capture those who only see the pretty airplane. Don't be fooled or charmed by these pretty planes and a type rating that you can't use in this country. Do yourself a favor and research your options before committing to CAPT. Do you want to spend your hard earned (or borrowed at sick interest rates) money getting what you need (and more) elsewhere or would like like to play with pretty airplanes? Because at the end of the day, you'll get your certifications and ratings...it's a question of if you want to pay a lot for it or a lot less for it. And don't forget to ask how many people they have left in the ditches...those who have paid for a dream that CAPT failed to deliver as promised.