Expensive-famous American flight academys

[Phantomas21]

If someone has the ability of choosing one of the "expensive-famous" american school, which would you suggest and why. p.e. Embry riddle, Flight safety, Aerosim, Pan Am etc.

[zondaracer]

It depends what you want and what your goals are.

Embry Riddle is a University, so if you want an overpriced 4 year degree in aviation plus your flight certificates, go there. But there are literally dozens of universities in the US where you can get the same qualifications. Embry Riddle is just really well known because of its size and the fact that they are pretty much dedicated to just aviation, whereas other schools such as Arizona State University or University of North Dakota are more diverse in what they offer in addition to aviation programs.

Between Aerosim, Flight Safety, and Pan-Am, I have heard really good things about Aerosim, but I would visit all three and see which one fits you. Talk with the students too.

To be honest, there are so many school in the US that if you shop around, you can find very good training at a very reasonable price at a smaller aeroclub or mom and pop FBO.

[Gomrath]

Phantomas21
What exactly are you asking?
You appear to be outside the US - so are you looking to study in the US for a degree ?
You really need to explain your question...

[Phantomas21]

I am a has ppl pilot with 400 hours pic.. I want to visit us to complete the FAA cpl/me/ir training and then convert it to jaa.
The money doesn't matter a lot as far as my grandpa (ex airline pilot from flight safety academy) pays for my training. The only point is that for all my training I can't stay in us more than 4-5 months, so I don't want a school that flies once a week.
Also I am not interested in attending any university degree in us.

[Bearcat F8F]

Phantomas21, you sound like you have a lot of research and reading to do. I can see what you've done though... because someone else is paying for your training you just decided to go for the most expensive (or what you think are the "best") flight schools.

It also seems that you were unaware that the academies that you are referring to are universities where students spend a few years gaining a degree + certificates.

Oh, and you want to complete CPL IR ME in 4 months? I would question whether that is even possible.

[zondaracer]

4 months is definitely possible in the US.

[TheBigD]

I'd hold on there a bit buddy with that redneck comment. I have worked as a CFI where I have flown with European trained pilots doing some time building. Some were the most useless and incompetent pilots I have met. They would have this stuck up, I'm a JAA (insert fancy academy name here) pilot better than you attitude and would have their as**es handed to them in some of the busiest airspace in the world, which is where I instructed out of. Really humbling experience for them. And other Europeans were a pleasure to instruct and were great and I still keep in touch with them.

What I am trying to say is that a flight school is just half of the equation. The other half is the person. You could have well maintained older looking planes at a red neck flight school, but you get a good instructor and a motivated student and you will produce a great pilot. You could have a fancy academy, with new planes, mediocre instructors, entitled students and get a mediocre pilot. What the big academies do is they help you network which is so crucial. However, if you're a DB (i.e. douche bag) student/pilot, you will still be a DB no matter which academy/school you choose.

I'm a CRJ captain and I've flown with guys that went to the "best" Flight Academies and the ones that went to "redneck schools" and I can tell you they got to their position because of their attitude, hard work ethic and piloting abilities. This is what they had in common.

Phantomas: By the way 4 months for a CPL/IR/ME, CFI ratings is quite common. I went to one of those accelerated programs. Bunch of locations throughout the states, most training was done in multi engine planes, got hired on with them as an MEI/CFII/CFI.......If you want to know the name of the school, you can figure it out by doing a google search or you can PM me. What I can say is again you make the best out of that program. The guys I know that succeeded had college degrees already and knew how to study on their own. The ones that had problems were the 18, 19 years olds that needed everything spoon fed and wanted their hands held throughout the process.....Quite a few of those washed out. Good luck.

[sevenstrokeroll]

hi

check out the University of Illinois at champaign, illinois...or Perdue University in Indiana. Also San Jose State university in california.

now...Flight Safety...I like to tell this story as it is very, very true...I was there.

In 1982 flight training had dried up in the San Francisco Bay Area...I saw an ad, got a job as a CFIIMEI at Flight Safety Vero Beach Florida. So I went out there...then was told about the training contract I had to sign as they had to train me how to fly the piper tomahawk ( I had 500 hours in the plane). I was told by some workers there that many of the rich foreign students would fly somewhere, park the plane with the ENGINE RUNNING (to keep the hobbs meter going) and would have coffee. Why? Well, whoever was paying for them to learn had to make sure they were getting their hours in...yeah, I know!

And then I met the chief pilot. His name was Dick Bozo. I know nothing about him at all. But at this point I left and returned to the bay area of san francisco (it worked out )

Yet I went to simulator training at flight safety for MU2 and metroliner...the sims are good...the instruction...you decide.

If you want the serious, sober route...a state university with a respected aviation department may be the way to go. But you will work for it!

[TheBigD]

Kostas,
Reputation of the school..eh. Hard to say. Especially now that every new FO hire in the States as of August will need to have an ATP license (1500 hrs of flight time) . In the States it's different, if you went to the best flight academy out there you would still need to build time as a CFI. My advice would be to go to a reasonably priced FBO/academy that is busy, get your CFI's with them, and try to stay on and instruct for a bit. Guys/gals getting hired on the right seat of an RJ with a wet CPL (250 hrs) was a rarity. It happened, the possibility was there but the probability was quite quite small.

If I was in the original posters position ; I would find the cheapest place that I could to get my ratings; and save my money. Look at the number of integrated/modular students coming out of Europe every year (I'm assuming the OP is European) and then look at the numbers of pilots airlines plan to hire.....Doesn't look good