Delta Connection Academy or Flight Safety Academy

[avs2002ie]

I want to pursue a career as an Airline pilot.

I would have looked at european schools but unfortunately because of my eyesight i am unable to get a initial JAA class medical. The limit is -6.00 diopters. I am -5.5 but have astigmatism of -0.75 in both eyes so that makes it -6.25. I went for a medical at the CAA medical facility at gatwick airport and they have suggested me to take the FAA route and gain a CPL as with my eyesight the can renew the medical easily if i already hold a CPL.

So my plan is to do the two year J1 program with instructor ratings and towards the end i plan to do a conversion course at one of the schools here in europe doing distant learning for ATPL while still in usa and then coming to the european school for the flying part.

I have basically narrowed it down to those two schools and need advice in picking one.

Either Delta connection Academy or Flight saftey academy.

Would love to hear from anyone whos been to either of the schools and which one would you recommend out of the two

Thanks

[rayward]

If I were you I will go to a small flight school!!!

Don't waste your time and money in those flight schools! At the end you are going to gain the same pilot license.

Go to the middle of no ware, Kansas, Arizona, Missouri, talk to the people there and see if they can sponsor a J1 Visa. You won't bolive how much money you can safe going to a small place!

DCA is known as Delta Vacation Academy! You keep spending and spending and spending money!

My friend is in Scandinavian Academy in San Diego and they spnsor him a J1 for instruction.

Also in Palms Springs there is a place that will give you a J1.

Good luck!

[malc4d]

I would say.....

Before you send an enormous amount of money on getting a FAA cpl, Are you sure that you will get a JAA medical later........
Not so easy getting a job with a FAA cpl .........

Will the JAA and the FAA ever make it simpler to convert.......?
Where else can i work with a FAA cpl, if not the States........?

DCA only does FAA, l believe FS do both. You could also try Cabair ( OFT ) at Kissimmee ......they do both

Not sure that a lot of smaller schools sponsor J1...........

[B2N2]

sponsor a J1 Visa.
The J1 visa program will cease to exist fairly soon:
AOPA Online: Work-study visas for flight students set to end (http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2008/080717visa.html)

so you're saying that it's easier to get a JAA medical class 1 if you allready hold a CPL

Yes, it is. I don't have the song and verse in front of me know but a holder of an ICAO CPL has different requirements for the JAA Class 1 medical.

If you are looking at a school with a J-1 program have a look at NAIA:
NAIA- Flight Training for Pilots - Aviation/Flight School (http://www.naiasc.com/index.html)
Have heard nothing but good things about them.

[fly_airbus212]

i'm contemplating between these two as well have u found out which one is better yet?

[ReverseFlight]

avs2002ie, I am surprised you can't correct your eyesight using fully corrective spectacles. Class 1 FAA medical is very stringent (you'll need that for your ATPL) but corrective lenses are allowed, to the extent that if your current pair is not up to standard, you have about 7 days from the initial examination to prescribe a better pair for a re-test (in the USA anyway).

As you know, the J1 program is expiring soon. I note you did not mention the possibility of hour-building under that, as in reality there is none. The US economy is so bad that instructors aren't moving up to the regionals and therefore graduated students are hardly moving up to get instructor vacancies. That applies across the entire country.

Delta is no longer issuing J visas and their website is out of date (presumably you haven't contacted them yet and you don't know). However, you may still be able to get an M visa there. Flight Safety is similarly a sausage factory, so there's very little difference between the two. Take your pick.

[Adios]

The CAA has been a bit bonkers lately with deviation letters. I know several people whose deviation letters require only a PPL then they will apply Class 1 Renewal standards and upgrade the Class 2 used to get the JAA PPL to a Class 1. The CAA seem to be inconsistent on which route they offer to each candidate. Did they issue you a Class 2? If so, why not take a JAA PPL first and then appeal to the CAA's top AME. If you win the appeal and they grant a PPL deviation route instead of an ICAO CPL, you will already have the first step on the Modular route complete. If you lose the appeal, you will probably find it easy to apply for an FAA PPL on back of the JAA one with no extra training required and you will then have the first step toward the FAA CPL completed and you can simply carry on as the CAA have already told you to.

I would also suggest joining, then calling AOPA about this matter. I understand they have a lot of interest in it at the moment, as well they should given the CAA's inconsistency on the matter.

[MarcoB.]

I've visited DCA and it seems a pretty good school! I'm actually planning on going there in September! There 's a brand new visa ( F-1) which is pretty much the same as the J1... I'm gonna do that course and hopefully get a work visa and stay in the US for a while before come back to Europe and convert. I have to go the States too 'cause of my eye issue ( +4 from my right eye and 0 from left)... The course costs 109000 dollars and you get all your licenses plus the instructor certificates.. when you're done you have a chance of 80% to work at their academy as a paid instructor. It mostly depends on how good you do in the tests during the whole program...
You can contact me on msn or email me at " [email protected]" .

[tigermagicjohn]

:ugh: :ugh: :ugh:
Only $109.000 - vow thats a real bargain!!!
F-1 is not same as J-1, so that is a "white lie"

And there is not 80% chance of instructor job, it is -10% chance, recently met italian instructor who did go to Delta, its a graduate course, thats what gives you the F-1 visa.
You will only get work visa in USA if you get married there or win the lottery. So you better look for a wife also during your training!

I understand you have eye issue, and understand your situation, better if you use your money on another "cheaper and better flight school" in the US, because I have seen Deltas sales tech in action, and they know they can't promise you anything, sorry but true.

Regarding converting back to JAA later, will not be easy, if you are outside JAA renewal limits, but that does not mean you have to give up your dream. You can fly in many other NON-USA or NON EU countries with FAA license, but you need experience and hours. So why not take a cheaper CPL/IR /ME and FI course in the US, and use the rest of your money to get more experience and hours. Unless you get married in the US, no chance, but there are other countries in the world you can fly - and I think you could get something a lot cheaper then the overpriced Delta!

For foreigners they can not gurantee you anything, I was unfortunate enough to have to listen trough a seminar with them. You can get a lot of hours for $109.000, instead of being sent back to Europe with minimum hours after training with Delta, they said when they had their seminar that now was very down period for instructors etc., and they could only provide visa where you could work as instructor, but without pay. I assume the F1 visa, is a graduate 2 or 4 year program, might be different, but...... mucho dineros!