Embry-Riddle

[ERJdca]

And since Embry Riddle is know as an expensive school, the preception is that it's just a bunch of rich kids who go to school in Florida to get some sun and beach time.

Absolutely False. Another "rumor" that floats around and never ends. Sure, a few kids their had money but the average student came from middle class households. Just like every other school.

My dad made 65K a year and was able to help some. Many other friends I know were in the same boat.

I will say, it was a nice perk to have the beach nearby!

 

[UndauntedFlyer]

Absolutely False. Another "rumor" that floats around and never ends.

You see there it is. It doesn't need to be true as long it is true that there is that rumor, and as you say, it "never ends." So no matter how untrue it is in reality, that is the perception. So since it is never ending it will always be the reputation, true or not.

I was down at Riddle in Dayton Beach one time, took a tour and I was impressed. I have no doubt that Riddle is a fine school and so is the Prescott campus which I also toured that same year. There is no doubt that ERAU is a very fine school. I also toured UND as well as Purdue, all of which were very well equipped with the latest and greatest in training equipment. So really they are all equal as best I could see in terms of equipment.

Of course all of that means so little because it’s just equipment. The real quality of the program is measured in the faculty attitude about education and the desire to provide a top quality flight program in terms of stick and rudder basics as well as some level of training in advanced aircraft.

At Purdue I was most impressed with the fact that rather than follow the Part 141 program, they felt they could do better with a Purdue University Approved program that addressed the real needs of today’s graduate. The FAA has lots of good people to design an FAA approved program but the industry changes too fast for what was thought to be good in the past; and besides, many of the FAA requirements are so inflexible that change is nearly impossible. So don’t you think a university with experts in training and the aviation industry can do a better job for their own program rather than a “one size fits all” FAA program designed in Washington for the whole USA, for a Ma & Pa FBO to a major university? While the Commercial Instrument graduates must have 250 hours under the University program instead of the 190 hours in a Part 141 program, it is obvious that the extra training hours and more importantly the stick and rudder skills learned, as well as the advanced glass training is what today’s graduate needs. I applaud this initiative to break from the Part 141 norm, think outside the box and design their own program, tailor made for the industry needs. Purdue, rather than trying to provide less and less training, they provide more training in their program. As anyone knows, training is always the best investment in safety. Yet the industry always wants to provide less and less training. Just look and the new Sport pilot where a pilot can carry a passenger with just 20 hours of flight time . That is a joke on the public that is certain to kill innocent people. What is the industry thinking? For a passenger flying with a new "Sport Pilot," it will be like a heart patient going to a "Sport Surgeon" for an operation.

There may be other programs like the Purdue initiative, but any school that offers a 190-hour program is just offering the FAA minimum. A real top notch program should offer more than the minimum. It should offer more not less because that’s what it takes to train a pilot. I am afraid that next we will have “Sport Airline Pilots.”

 

[ERJdca]

You see there it is. It doesn't need to be true as long it is true that there is that rumor, and as you say, it "never ends." So no matter how untrue it is in reality, that is the perception. So since it is never ending it will always be the reputation, true or not.

Absolutely correct, however that's the problem. It is not true, yet it will never end from the ignorant individuals ranting. If I had a dollar for ever rumor a pilot started I would be playing golf with Donald Trump.

I agree that there are many programs that are good and its nice to hear that their are schools that train above the minimums but I would also imagine the price tag is increased somewhere to compensate. I don't know what the current curriculum is so I cannot
comment. I can say the training was not limited to just the airplane.

Again, it is all about the best fit for each individual.

 

[ERJdca]

You see there it is. It doesn't need to be true as long it is true that there is that rumor, and as you say, it "never ends." So no matter how untrue it is in reality, that is the perception. So since it is never ending it will always be the reputation, true or not.

Absolutely correct, however that's the problem. It is not true, yet it will never end from the ignorant individuals ranting. If I had a dollar for ever rumor a pilot started I would be playing golf with Donald Trump.

I agree that there are many programs that are good and its nice to hear that their are schools that train above the minimums but I would also imagine the price tag is increased somewhere to compensate. I don't know what the current curriculum is so I cannot
comment. I can say the training was not limited to just the airplane.

Again, it is all about the best fit for each individual.

 

[UndauntedFlyer]

I agree that there are many programs that are good and it's nice to hear that there are schools that train above the minimums but I would also imagine the price tag is increased somewhere to compensate.

The "Tailor made" 250-hour programs are really no more expensive than the 190-hour commercial programs with the multiengine add-on. The tailor made programs use 50 hours in a FTD and at least 25 hours in a twin, plus lots of dual IFR X-C. Whereas the 190 hour Part 141 programs us too much VFR solo X-C and too little IFR X-C. So you see when a school wants to think outside the norm the program can be the best at preparing a student for airline work, which is all IFR X-C.

 

[Boris Badenov]

I don't think anyone is questioning that ERAU, Purdue, UND, etc are the best way to prepare yourself for a career in a 121 cockpit, if that's your sole, driving goal.

I might suggest, however, that no one should decide exactly what they want to do and how they want to do it for the next 40+ years of their life when they're 19 years old and think airplanes are super cool.

I like flying. There's a boatload of BS that comes along with it, of course, but I still enjoy it and think it's a decent career. That said, I'm glad I've had a lot of other experiences, and that I have a degree which will get me a job with a living wage should flying not pan out for any one of the many reasons it can not pan out.

That's not to say that all ERAU guys are tools. They run the spectrum, just like everyone else. I could observe that there might be a slightly higher tool-quotient from hyper-serious self-important Aviation Degree Programs, but what would be the point? It would just start more bickering.

The real point is that pilot factories (and I mean that in a neutral way) are expensive and prepare you for only one road in life. They also on average prepare you better than any other program for that one road. Take from that what you will.

 

[avbug]

I don't think anyone is questioning that ERAU, Purdue, UND, etc are the best way to prepare yourself for a career in a 121 cockpit, if that's your sole, driving goal.

If you're talking about a 121 cockpit with a regional, the best way to prepare is to get the bare minimum certification anywhere, and have a pulse. A degree is irrelevant, and no other preparation is needed.

If you're talking about the best way to prepare to get in a major airline 121 cockpit, then the best way to prepare is to gain the necessary experience.

Experience is not found in college.

There's plenty of room to question if a degree from ERAU is the BEST way to achieve any goal...it's not. It's another degree. So far as a degree in professional aeronautics...it's a piece of paper. That's all.

 

[highsky]

Highsky: Besides the problems in your personal life with your failed marriage and women as previously referenced, and that you seem to dismiss all of that out of hand in favor of all your momentary accomplishments, you seem to think that flying cargo is a great honor of some kind. Well I don't think I should have to tell you that flying all-night freighters is right at the bottom in terms of quality to life. And how do (or did) you like fixing the meals and coffee for your captain? Yes, it's probably the right place for you, where you don't have to interact with many people. If you had to actually work with others, especially women, I'm sure you wouldn't survive long before you'd be in the office or fired outright. It's your attitude that speaks volumes. Just one look at your prior post and your bio says it all.


One question: Did you learn to act as you do before, during or after ERAU?

Wow. You really put me in my place.

Nice debating skills. You rod. Go back to 8th grade, if they'll take you.

 

[avbug]

You rod.

Still the stark, raving intellectual, aren't you?

What would you say if you didn't have a college education?

 

[RedGuy]

Just curious, I don't have any college degree, just my ratings that I got all from local FBO's. Am I less of a pilot than someone with an aviation degree? I don't think so.

If you want to talk about NOT taking the path of least resistance, that's been the story of my life!:nuts: I don't know why I do it, but I've always taken the route that will give me the best experience rather than the easiest way to go. That being said, I do wish I'd gone to college right out of high school, but knowing what I know now I would never get a degree in Aviation. IMO it's almost a worthless degree. I would much rather get a degree in something like engineering (just because that interest me), but really any degree that you can do something with out side of aviation would work, always good to have a backup. I think that getting a degree in something I already know about wouldn't be furthering my education very well.


BTW highsky unfortunately you sound just like the co-pilot I described earlier in this thread. You are the Embry Riddle stereo type.