4 year degree

[flaphandlemover]

I am an Airline pilot with 12000h.
Could anyone kindly direct me to an University, that offers a 4 year degree in aviation online? I went to school in Europe, so i do have an associate degree.
Thx
Flap

[zondaracer]

Utah Valley University
Embry Riddle Worldwide
Charter College is currently a 2 year online degree but will get accredited for a 4 year program very soon.

http://flighttraining.aopa.org/magazine/2013/December/1312f_college%20directory2.pdf

Look at the category "Distance Learning"

[flaphandlemover]

:ok:lo thanks

[jrmyl]

I agree with flyboyike. I wish I had gotten a degree in anything but aviation. It really is a useless degree to have. If I had gotten a business degree, for example, I could have went into management somewhere when times were tough in the aviation sector.

Just because you want to be a pilot doesn't mean you need a degree in it. :ok:

[ghost7]

hi guys
I am an Airline pilot with almost 9000h , 3000 PIC on A320, I have the FAA license multiengine land/A320, I just got the green card and I'm thinking to move to USA , but I heard that I need a 4 year degree to apply to one of the major , I'm not familiar with the education system of the USA but I had my baccalaureate back home , can someone advise me what to do to get the 4 year degree, thanks :ok:

[767__FO]

I had my baccalaureate back home




What exactly is that? How many credit hours?

[peekay4]

Baccalaureate could mean anything, from high school level (IB), college (two or three years), or bachelor's (three or four years).

[boofhead]

The four year degree referred to in the USA is usually considered a bricks and mortar degree. An online degree is not accepted.

However things they are a'changing. Due to the shortage of pilots some airlines are rethinking the whole degree thing and might accept less than the 4 year one.

[noflow]

So where did you get the idea an "online degree is not accepted?"

I have one and had a few favorable comments from HR types about it. I think as long as it's from a properly accredited university, it's fine.

[The Dominican]

The four year degree referred to in the USA is usually considered a bricks and mortar degree. An online degree is not accepted.

That is one more of the fallacies that keep being repeated in these web boards up to the point that some people actually believe them.....!

I know many pilots with on line degrees that are now in Delta, Fedex, UAL etc...!

The reality is that where you get the degree or what kind of degree, is really not important...., now a days they want to see community service! That is the latest pet peeve from the HR departments:ugh:

[ExDubai]

......now a days they want to see community service! That is the latest pet peeve from the HR departments
You're joking ?

[joe grind]

rather than actual jail time?

[bafanguy]

Joe G,

"rather than actual jail time? "

THAT...is funny !!!!

[paokara]

FYI

FedEx and delta do not accept on line 4 year degree, they want actual class schools

Only flowthroughs got on at delta without this requirement so far

[The Dominican]

I know several..., not a couple but several pilots at both Delta and FedEx with on line degrees:=

[bafanguy]

ExDubai,

"...now a days they want to see community service! That is the latest pet peeve from the HR departments..."

The Dominican wasn't kidding. I can't speak about all US legacies but DL allegedly thinks seeing some volunteering (as opposed to "community service"...still laughing about that one) makes a better candidate. I doubt everyone they interview and/or hire has been ladling soup at the Lighthouse Mission for years but word is...it'll help set you apart from the vast, roiling masses. And that's what counts; it's their party so they decide who gets invited.

There are sooooo many qualified candidates in the USA that the HR people are grasping at ways to differentiate among them.

I suggest that people who part their hair on the left and have one green eye and one brown eye would make an even better airline pilot. But, that's just a theory.

[Lucky8888]

I agree with flyboyike. I wish I had gotten a degree in anything but aviation. It really is a useless degree to have. If I had gotten a business degree, for example, I could have went into management somewhere when times were tough in the aviation sector.

Just because you want to be a pilot doesn't mean you need a degree in it. :ok:

You are exactly correct. One never knows. Perhaps some day, a person will lose their medical or something else precludes flying for a living. An aviation degree isn't totally useless but isn't particularly useful in the non-aviation community.

[The Dominican]

Well...., I certainly didn't mean it as a joke..., my point is that now the HR scientists want to see some sort of volunteer work..., exactly what that has to do with selecting a good individual as a pilot I don't have a clue.

Specially since many good people lingering at the regional level are just too tired all the time by having to sacrifice days off picking up trips to make ends meet, it adds insult to injury when you get ready to meet one of these recruiters at a job fair and they are told that "10,000 hours, check airman qualification and a degree is not enough these days" like many friends of mine have been told at the so called "preferential interviews"

The separation of the classes between the regionals and the majors have created an environment where you are punished if you have too much experience, for what I've been hearing from former colleagues is that the high time guys at the regional level are having a very hard time getting the jobs at the big three.

[bafanguy]

The Dominican,

"Well...., I certainly didn't mean it as a joke..."

And it certainly isn't. It's the Brave New World of airline employment.

[peekay4]

The separation of the classes between the regionals and the majors have created an environment where you are punished if you have too much experience, for what I've been hearing from former colleagues is that the high time guys at the regional level are having a very hard time getting the jobs at the big three.
A Sr. Captain at a regional may need to take a pay cut plus the loss of seniority when going to a major, with no guarantee of success there.

So depending on age, lifestyle, goals, etc., many if not most high timers aren't really serious about moving on anywhere else, and feel they may be better off being a "lifer" at the regional level. Recruiters know this too and may target younger (not as senior) pilots accordingly.

[bafanguy]

peekay4,

Using recent data from Expressjet, your contention about movement being more attractive to the more junior people is supported:

Year 2014:
seniority < 5 years...42% of those leaving
5 to 10 years...40%

2015 so far:
data almost identical

Of course, the future of the regional airline model in the USA can only be the subject of speculation with some predicting the demise of many of them. We'll see...

And there's a wide variation in how well people progress when comparing one regional to another. But, my source says that, at least at Expressjet, there's a senior cadre that isn't going anywhere. It took my source over two years to just get off reserve as an FO. Other regionals will be different perhaps.

I would venture the opinion that at this moment in history, there's very little risk in going to one of the big US legacies due to monstrous age-65 attrition. This, at a minimum, might function as furlough protection when the inevitable economic downturn happens. As for the risk of a legacy just disappearing like TWA, EAL, BNF, etc., well, what can one say about THAT ?

[misd-agin]

Average age of new hires at AA is 42-45 years old.


Average civilian flight time of DL new hires was 7656 hrs/4126 PIC since Jan 2014.


Older and experienced guys are getting hired. But at some point age becomes a negative. Anyone think a 90 yr old will be better than a 35 yr old? An 80 yrs old? 70? 60?


Volunteering? It doesn't have to be Mother Theresa stuff. Coaching, union work, flight department assignments, community, school, peer mentoring, it's a broad category.

[peekay4]

We know the mandatory retirement age will likely go up again "soon", probably to 68 like in Japan and then further on to 70.

So if your life goals include the majors, the incentive is to do whatever it takes to move now (finish that 4 year degree, etc) -- or risk getting stuck in the regionals for a many extra years, which is what happened the last time the retirement age was raised.

On the flip side, if you take a pay cut to go to the majors, there is a risk of a long wait before upgrade there if the retirement age keeps getting bumped up all the way to 70. Those who are now nearing retirement will have huge financial incentives to stay on a few more years, with the QOL of having the most seniority and earning money at the top of the pay scale, while everyone else waits below.

Lastly, there are many very Sr. Captains who are comfortable at the regionals but who may not have the talent or determination or education to successfully make the transition to the majors, even if they want to. Some may not have spotless PRIA records, etc. So they're not going to risk losing everything just to go to the majors, and will just stick it out at the regionals.

[West Coast]

I'm one of those senior Captains you speak of. You've missed the mark with your reasonings why I and others stay. Quality of life exists at the regional level as well when you're somewhat senior. To go to a major, im taking a heck of a pay cut, I'm likely commuting and working a crappy schedule over the weekends and on holidays. The pay at my airline for a 20 year guy is well north of 100K/yr, even more if a LCA. If you can't live on 120+ a year, you likely can't live on 200K either.

I'll take a comfortable salary and the ability to watch my kids grow up as well. The drive to achieve a major airline captain salary has a cost that many don't realize till the kids are out of the house.

[peekay4]

West Coast you probably missed our previous discussion on the bottom of page 1 of this thread, stating exactly that (pay cut, etc.) However, we know there are other factors affecting other Captains as well.

[andy1977]

Why you want to have online education after having this much experience?

[kimsmith]

I think you have sufficient flying experience. Then why do you need training? And why online training is needed?