Emery Riddle School opinions
 

Hello,

Looking for best pilot schools on Google I found Embry Riddle as one of the best, a friend of mine (who is already a pilot) highly recommended it to me, telling that is very famous in flight industries.

Does anyone here have any experience with it?

Thanks in advance!

Absolutely, I do some teaching for them. There are cheaper options, but less well known (Community Colleges etc)

What is your goal? Pilot training or degree -

It may be worth speaking to https://worldwide.erau.edu/locations/aviano/

Alex.

Honestly I think most of the people that think it’s the best school are the ones that went there, and are trying to justify to themselves spending nearly double than what was required.

As the poster above said there are far cheaper and quicker alternatives that will get you to the same point.

First of all thanks for your replies ;-)

The best idea would be taking both pilot training and degree.

I'm Italian I would go in USA with a student visa, I know I can work 1 year after school with student visa, meanwhile I can get another visa/applying for a job in USA, but don't exactly how it works, if is it possible and if a regional airline would hire me without american citizenship or green card.

I was checking CAE school or CTT (now L3) or European flight academy (old name inter cockpit). They cost approx. 120 Euros or more, that are 150.000 USD, with no possibility of scholarships or discounts, close to ERAU price, with ERAU will get a degree may have also the chance to get some scholarships. CAE or CTT only a good flight training but no university degree.

I know that with CAE, CTT and European flight academy you can apply directly with some good airlines since they have partnership like Lufthansa, Swissair, Easy-jet, Ryanair ect, and it is nice after school going directly to airline with a F/O salary.

I have no idea if ERAU has same partnerships with some american or worldwide airlines, on their website I din't see it. I have also no idea if I can apply for one US regional airline after ER degree without american permanent visa. Because if I have to came back to Europe I have to convert FAA license into EASA, studying again and paying again.

I've just sent one email to EARU career office, maybe they can help.

What would you suggest? Are you pilots in USA?

Lots of other college programs if you want to go that way. ERAU is a big name but plenty of other US universities can offer you the same thing:

Becaome a AABI member, make a difference in tomorrow?s professionals.

You can’t fly for any airline in the USA without holding an ATP. So you can’t go directly from flight school to an airline like you can in Europe.

Furthermore the only people that are gaining work visas to fly for regionals in the USA are Australians on an E3 visa. This visa is only for Australians. At the moment no airlines are sponsoring any one foreign national to fly for them.

Good luck which ever way you go.

Personally I would go with the tried and tested European model of doing your license in the EU and going to one of the low cost carriers as you have the right to live and work there.

Thanks for the link.

I found also other university with flight programs like: San Josè state university, or Purdue, or North Dakota, and many others.. I was thinking about ERAU Daytona beach since it looked more interesting, also for the location, I wouldn't go in North Dakota.... but if with that degree I can work neither in USA and Europe it would be a waste of time and money...

Anyway, if you are pilots in USA. Can I ask you what is approx. a salary for a regional airline pilot there? Because in Europe if you work for Ryanair, or easy jet the F/O pay is about 3.000-5.000 Euros per month, I don't know it exaclyt but is aprox like that. And this is an very good pay here. I've heard that pay for regional airlines in USA are about 20.000 USD per year, if it is true in USA would be a very bad salary....

Europea schools CAE, L3 (CTC) or European flight Academy are nice since they you can apply directly for an airline, and having a real job. Price is high but you pay for something.

Another option could be the Emirates flight academy in Dubai, I've seen that they have just opened it, seems interesting but I tried to send one email but didn't get any answer.

These days pay is average 50-70k for FO’s depending on the company and potentially more depending on how much you work the open time system.

Did you understand my previous post about not being able to fly for a regional until you have your ATP? Not to mention the whole host of immigration hurdles that are in your way.

Fg02,

Take particular heed of havick's comments about the requirement for an FAA ATP to fly for any US Part 121 airline. Perhaps the even bigger obstacle would be having the legal ability to live/work in the USA. As far as I know, at the moment no US carrier is taking EU pilots on visas. Seems your best chance under current circumstances lies outside the USA. Best of luck.

If you just want to review the details of US regionals, try this:

https://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines/regional

Embry riddle says this about ATP:

FAA Exemption for the Restricted Airline Transport Pilot Certificate
Upon graduation, the Daytona Beach Aeronautical Science degree can qualify a graduate for the Restricted Airline Transport (R-ATP) certificate under FAR Part 61.160. Note that satisfying the AS degree requirements alone may not qualify the graduate for the R-ATP. This is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) exemption to the regulations and subject to change. For detailed information, please contact the Aeronautical Science Program Coordinator.

Taken from their website


How much does it cost ATP license?

So if someone go to Embry Riddle after that should take an ATP for working?

Yeah but I don't think is a big issue, main issue is the possibility of working in USA.

I have no idea what the training would cost. It undoubtedly varies from institution to institution.

You'd still need 1,000 hours total time to qualify for a r-ATP after going to ERAU. The link to the FAR 61.160 will give you the details:

https://www.faa.gov/pilots/training/...ority_List.pdf

You can’t buy and ATP, unless you want to pay for the entire 1000-1500 hours of flight time depending on whether you do an R-ATP iligible course or not.

If you walk away with a restricted ATP and then go back home, I would look into whether the contracting ICAO state even recognizes an FAA restricted ATP vs a FAA ATP with no restrictions.

Honestly i think you’re setting yourself up for a fail by coming to the US for training. You think you might be shortcutting the EU part but in the long run it’s going to cost you a LOT more in time and money, unless you have a green card or are an Australian that has the E3 visa option.

If you still decide to go down this route then buyer beware.

There are foreign pilots at my company who are flying on a student visa. They went to an aviation university and achieved their ratings and flight time as quickly as possible. While still working on their degree, they worked as a flight instructor. They achieved enough flight time to qualify for a restricted ATP prior to graduating. Once graduating, they have come to my airline with the F1 visa OPT program, and they stay up to the time limit on the OPT program. One pilot at my company that I know won the green card lottery.

AOPA publishes a list of university programs every year:

https://www.aopa.org/apps/training-and-safety/learn-to-fly/aviation-colleges/college-directory/index.cfm

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2017/december/flight-training-magazine/2018-college-aviation-directory

That’s a pretty big gamble vs the OP just going through training in the EU and going right into an airline there.

Most of these guys go back to their home country with a few hundred hours of jet time and go job hunting. Obviously, it would be better to train and go straight into an airline back home, but that is usually for the guys on a sponsored scheme. Most of the students in Europe are not on a sponsored scheme and are still job hunting once finishing training. Once finishing training in the US, there’s nothing stopping them from doing the EASA license conversion and then applying for the same jobs as the unsponsored candidates.

Yeah, but I would like to know what are chances to work worldwide after Embry Riddle degree, doesn't exist only Europe...

I've read on this forum that benefits for pilot in Europe are much better than USA, is that correct or not?

For sponsored scheme you mean something like a L3 flight academy with Easy jet training program?

Not relevant to the matter under discussion, but I did my first 60 hours of flight instruction at the Embry-Riddle flight school at Carlstrom Field, Arcadia. (FLA) from September-October 1941.

This was under the "Arnold" (wartime) Scheme; we flew PT-17 Stearmans with no ASIs in our cockpits! My Instructor was Bob Greer from Sarasota.

Embry-Riddle has blossomed out a bit since then!

Danny.

Thanks for your reply.

I did see also Florida institute of Technology it looked interesting. Why you say that is better than ERAU?

Why Embry Riddle is one under performing school? You mean about flight or about university?


Why you said to forget L3? You mean L3 flight academy (old name CTC)?

This is the best advice on here to date.

Usually if you buy the best you have the best . For example I train boxing, I've tried a lot of gloves, there are gloves from 10 USD up to 300 USD, when people start think that a 300 USD pair of gloves is a waste of money. But when you are expert you can feel the difference and you would change your mind, for sure you will feel difference because training with cheap stuff will destroy your hands and wrist... this is just one example.... I'm not comparing this to education in USA.

Anyway I have no idea about how education system works in USA, I know that is a BIG business, there are a bunch of schools everywhere and all of them try to get your money especially with a wild marketing. I think is the same with also flight schools without degree.....

Getting a good education and flight training for me is fine, waste money no. Every wasting of money is for idiots, even tough if you won the lottery...

You said that many people run from Embry Riddle only after first semester?

In fact I found this site with statistics of schools. Graduation rate in Embry riddle is very low 55%: https://www.niche.com/colleges/embry...daytona-beach/

But I've seen the that in Florida institute of technology graduation rate is only 58% not so far from ERAU.
https://www.niche.com/colleges/flori...of-technology/

Why you said that Florida Tech is the best aviation school with degree and probably the best EASA training in the world?


Do you think also a Easy-jet training program from L3 or CAE is a waste of money?

Sounds like you have your heart set on Embry Riddle at any cost no matter the advice put forward here.

Do whatever you want and feel free to go ahead and burn piles of cash unnecessarily.

Seems like you are wasting both your and my time!

Seems you are just here to write something without helping.

1) I made some questions to button pushed ignored not to you -he is helping me giving info like other members do-

2) if you don't have nothing helpful to say here please do not write.


Don't need to go there at any cost, I'm just asking info about many schools, in USA Europe and Dubai too, Embry Riddle is just one of them. If you understood this probably you have understanding issues, since in the answer you quoted I was manly asking info about Florida Institue of Technology that for botton pushed ignored seems a very good school.

Since money are mine, and since responsibility is mine I can do what I want, do you have any troubles with this?

Thanks again for your reply.

Embry Riddle is a place like another, I was thinking to it because a friend of mine who was a AV8 Harrier italian navy pilot (now he is in DHL) did train 2 years in USA with US Navy and Marines. He told me that many guys (not all ROTC) of his course were from Embry Riddle and the school has a great recognition in flight industry. He also made his first PPL when he was 16 years old there. But he is italian, so probably not so expert about american education. And since you told me that a lot of people run from Embry Riddle only after first semester I'm not so confident.

Another nice things of some aviation colleges in USA is that they are opened in summer too, so you can take the degree maybe in 3 years than 4.

I wouldn't go to North Dakota... maybe university is great but don't like location. Another school I found on Google that looked interesting was San Jose Sate University.

Is the price of Florida Tech approx. same of Embry Riddle?

I would like to have a also degree just in case something happens and cannot fly, like loosing medical certificate.... or who knows maybe in future after 30 years in an airline I could become tired and don't want to travel anymore...

What do you mean plenty ways to take a degree requested by US airlines? Online?

I think only in USA is requested a degree by airlines? Do in other part of the world they prefer pilot with degree?

Anyway about Dubai I was talking about this: https://www.emiratesflighttrainingacademy.com/en/

Found on Google, is from Emirates airline, but no idea how much it cost, no idea if after it you will be hired by them. I sent one email but no answer from them. On the website is written is open to international and not only to Dubai citizens. I think it has just opened.

Why you say that life of an Emirates pilot is bad? Too much workload or just because of the place?

You are really expert about flight schools, did you work with some of them?

It seems really you do what you love! congrats! :)

Why you did visit so many aviation colleges? For work or just to see them?

Do you know something about San Jose State University?

What are the other ways you said for taking a degree for US airlines?

Ok, I'll wade into this morass. This is directed just at the OP:
Firstly, if you have realized that you were born to fly and know it with every fibre of your being, then you will have to follow that path. Congrats - it's a roller-coaster ride. Just realize that the airline industry is not what you might think. It has changed dramatically over the past 15 - 20 years.
I have been flying for the airlines for over 20 years, as well as having been an airline training captain. This is not to boast - but to let you know where I am coming from.

1.) I would not recommend an airline career - it does work out well for some, but many others are disappointed, then realize they are trapped where they don't want to be. As I said - it's not what you might think. You really are just a bus driver with a nicer view and will be treated as such by management who try to reduce your T&C's for your entire career. There are other jobs in aviation - explore them all before settling on just one.

2.) You are just at the beginning of a long road - that's fine, we have all been there. You will make mistakes along the way just as we all did. From your posts it is obvious that you need to do a lot more research. You have started this on PPRUNE, keep digging!!!

3.) Yes, Embry Riddle students have a reputation in the industry - the problem is that it is a BAD reputation. Only the ERAU grads think highly of themselves - the rest of the industry knows the truth. Of course there are some fine ERAU pilots, but I am making a generalization and just letting you know from a training captain perspective that we could always tell an ERAU grad from their arrogance and self-entitled attitude. These are not the attributes that make for a good cockpit environment and make hard work for the trainers.

4.) Most flight training schools in the USA are primarily about making money - often to the detriment of the quality of training. The problem is that when you are just starting out - you won't easily be able to spot the good from the bad. All I can say is that the first 40 hours of flight training are critical and often set the type of pilot you will be.

So - priorities:
- Find the very best, most experienced instructor (not school) you can for the first 40 - 60 hours. Learn to really fly, not just check the boxes in a curriculum.
- Beware slick American marketing!!!
- US Airlines prefer or in some cases require a 4 year degree (doesn't have to be an aviation degree, but that helps). Is this the case in Italy? If not - what are you gaining spending the 4 years at a US college? (Hint - there are some good aspects to getting a US degree, but you need to understand if it is really necessary. Unless you are spending someone else's money like most ERAU students, in which case all you might be wasting is your time).
- Take the time to really understand what would help you the most to get where you want to be. It is probably unlikely you will make a career in the USA, so focus on what you need to do to have a career in the EU.

If you don't understand any of the above points, it is because you are just starting out and have a lot to figure out. The only way is to keep reading, asking and researching from as many sources as you can.
(As an example, you asked why someone told you that life as an Emirates pilot was bad. well, if you did the research, you would already have that answer. So when you don't understand something - make it your goal to figure out for yourself why someone has said it).

Good luck - I hope you find your happy place in the sky.

Thanks again for your kind replies.

Yes, I'm not expert about flight industry, I'm trying to get all info I can! And I really appreciated your help.

The best way would be an ROTC program, free college, free pilot training.... but unfortunately I'm not US citizen....

for Gull:

1) what do you mean for other jobs in aviation? Which would you suggest?

3) Really ERAU students have a bad reputation in the industry? :ooh:


For button push ignored:

Is Florida tech more expensive than ERAU? But can be the opportunity to get some scholarships, maybe not 100% but some thousands $ discount...

Can't understand why you think that a CTC program with Easy-jet partner ship is bad, because if you make a mistake during it you can be exclude?


This is San Jose State University program:

http://www.sjsu.edu/avtech/programs/...sional_flight/

If Embry riddle has so a bad reputation... I would pass at this point... and it isn't also so cheaper than FIT.

I'll take SAT test soon I'm studying for it, I'm also very good in sport. I may play american football for sport scholarship, FIT has it. Now I'm playing MMA....

Is it possible to take a degree everywhere, in italy too, here you pay 2.000 Euros per year for university but isn't good..

I think is always better having a degree than not having it...


Which flight schools (without degree) would you suggest for making A) B) C)?

Flightguy02, I see you’re now shopping around to do your license in Australia with the hope to work there after.

No one in Australia will hire/sponsor you to work in Australia. Though they will be happy to take your money for your training. Flight training in Australia is expensive.

If you truly want a career as a pilot you are better off starting to fly right now, in your own country where there are no barriers for work visa’s etc. if you need a degree then do it online later.

You will get to your goal a lot quicker and with a lot more cash still in your pocket.

However if you basically want a 4 year holiday burning copious amounts of cash then go ahead and do your training in the US or worse yet Australia.

I’m originally from Australia, now living in the US, so experienced on both countries training systems and job opportunities etc

I only asked info in Australia, as I'm asking info also in the Italian section of this forum, as this morning I called one school in Europe. I'm trying to get all the info I can to make the best choice. I don't want to stay in Italy.

To the OP,

Your best chance of employment after finishing training is in Europe. Not necessarily Italy, but definitely somewhere in the EU. I have many friends who came to the US for flight training and wanted to stay to work, and the overwhelming majority are back in Europe. There are some that managed to stay in the US beyond their OPT experience, but a couple won the green card lottery and the rest found love in the US and got married. If you want to come to the US to train, you need to be fully prepared to go back to Europe and do an EASA license conversion and work there once the time limits reach their end.

I can’t comment on Australia, but my company has been hiring many Australians with an E3 visa and when I ask them about the pilot situation there, it sounds like many are coming here to help launch their career.

Sorry you feel that way, Gull. I've never felt like a glorified bus driver, despite two furloughs (one of them permanent due to the airline's shutdown), and having been a regional F/O for seven of my eleven years in the industry.

It's like everything else, at least half of it is what you make it.

My only regret is that I spent six years after high school trying my goshdarndest NOT to fly, and failed miserably...

Not a day goes by that I don't pinch myself. I've wanted to do this since I was 3, and I'm doing it. What price in the world can be put on that?

I'm italian, I know what I'm talking about..... Are you Italian?

Yeah some (not all) are old. But that doesn't mean they are good! There are a lot of things to say about Italy but I think is not the place. I only say that we do not have a stable government since 1943, and we have same corruption level of Cuba, Romania, Senegal, look on Google: world perception corruption index.

We have a record public debit of 2,1 trillion, that is more than 130% of our GDP look for it on Google.

Tremendous crisis, there aren't money, and we do not have a government also 15 days after election! All these negative aspects unfortunately influence everything, universities too..... 30-40 years ago we had same troubles but our economy was great that's why was a so nice country for living.... now is a country to escape from!

Italian air-force would be nice, but at 21 years old you are old for them (other strange thing of Italy), they recruit about 50 pilot one time per year, your last chance is when you are 20, you only have 2 or 3 chances, I'm out with age. Age limit in USA for Airforce is 29 years old, in Australia 45....


I have a friend who was a military pilot here, we have planes but we do not have fuel for them, can happen that some military pilots flight only minimum hours per year (like 50-80 hours, he told something like that) to not loose license..... that's Italy!

And I didn't talk about our national airline Alitalia................

I would be happy to pay my education in a good country! Indeed if it worths.

in meanwhile Embry Riddle career office answered me back. Career office in italian universities doesn't exist, for example...

"Currently, only one airline will hire international pilots with an H1B to work in the U.S; however, a good number of our international students will flight instruct at the school for several years while going through the process to get Permeant Residency in the U.S. ERAU will sponsor international students with their H1B to flight instruct once they have graduated for up to 5 years. This allows you to accumulate the required hours to go to the airlines and work on getting your residency in the U.S. We do not have any legal partnerships with international carriers, but they do hire our international students. We have had students go to Korean Air, Saudia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Ryan Air, Lufthansa, just to name a few. "

They also told me that the only airline that currently hires pilots with student visa is Wisconsin airline, and they also said they always need flight instructors so is not a problem (if I take the instructor license) to hire and sponsor me until I get the green card.... I don't know if what they said is 100% true, if it is real, there aren't any problems for me. What do you think? I hope is not marketing in order to steal my money....

The drop out rate in both schools is very high, what does it mean for you? A friend of mine who lives in USA (he is not pilot but he is from lawyer school) told me that is wired.... I'm not expert on US schools, can I ask directly to them about that?

Have a look at how many H1B airline pilots are employed in the US. You will have your answer how successful you will be going down this route. All information is on the USCIS.gov website.

Remember, any college will tell you what you want to hear to get your money.

Can you please stop to write in my threads? Your messages are useless

You betcha, if you say so.

Just some parting advice, when you look at the USCIS.gov website and see how many H1B’s for pilot have been issued, you will be surprised to see that most of them that are in fact E3 visas’s coded as H1B’s.

I’m simply trying to impart that it’s not all rainbows and unicorns that the college is purporting once you finishe your training as far as the work visa/ green card immigration side of things goes having been in aviation professionally since 2002 and an immigrant to the US from Australia.

Also don’t bank on the immigration/work visa rules staying the same in your favor. They can change on a dime, especially with the current presidents agenda.

Good luck.

It’s kind of a known fact in the States that Riddle is pretty over priced. Lots of shiny cool toys to lure you in, I believe some of their professors are Top Gun winners, etc. Very enticing to a young would be aviator. It is a good school I’m sure, but there are many, more affordable, equally good schools like FIT, Perdue, Kent State, just to name a few. Besides, do you really want to go to College at a school that specializes in Male dominated professions, like aviation and engineering? Sounds like a certain kind of fest, and I don’t mean beer fest.

There is no issue with that in the Daytona area...