What are some good aviation colleges ?

[bobbysamd]

Riddle

But if you want the best, then shoot for the stars and go to Embry-Riddle. That's the best advice I can offer. Good luck and God bless!

Riddle downsides include plenty of politics, extreme frustration in getting straight answers to simple questions (known as the "Riddle Runaround"), immature stage check pilots, fat egos, and agenda-promoters. When I worked at Prescott we never had enough airplanes and it was tough for students to fly regularly - maybe that's changed.

The place indeed provides a good education, especially in such things as systems, met, flight phys, etc. ERAU does have connections to internships - but no more or less than other good aviation colleges. Some of our Riddle students were fine pilots; others needed tons and tons of XT to get through. Even then, some could barely meet standards. The FSI and Mesa students I flew with were equally as adept - meaning that everyone must meet the same standards. And, the airlines know what kind of candidate they're getting from other well-known schools and not just Riddle.

ERAU is an alright place - and I think you get what you pay for - but no more than the other schools mentioned in this thread.

 

[Airline Pilot27]

It doesn't matter in aviation which school you obtained your aviation degree from. It doesn't even matter whether you even have an aviation degree. I know a pilot that majored in poultry science....**CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** good stick too.

 

[jdru25]

I agree with bobbysamd. I went to Riddle in the Fall of 1999 and was on defered flight until my second semester because I was not in the "AGATE" program. This was a program that new students with no flight time did their private and instrument ratings at the same time. To make a long story short most of the AGATE kids failed in that program and had to do the normal private license. I managed to get lucky the following semester and I finished my instrument and commercial ratings. I was very fortunate and this put me ahead of the game. My instructors were very good at ERAU, but they are still instructing there from what I hear. My instructors that I had at home went to the Community College of Beaver County and finished a four year at a nearby college here in the Pittsburgh area. Several of them are now at companies like Chautauqua, Executive Jet, Flight Options, and PSA to name a few. Once again in this industry its all about who you know and not what you know. There are many good aviation programs out there so check them all out and find out which one suits you best.

 

[Since 1926]

WRONG!

ERAU does have connections to internships - but no more or less than other good aviation colleges.

Wrong Bobby! You've been in the legal industry too long and don't know what you're talking about. ERAU has the most internships and direct-hire programs hands down. And that's a fact. Embry-Riddle had some really sweet direct-hire programs a few years ago when the regionals were all hiring strong. If they have less now, it's because of the current state of the industry, not a loss of programs. For example- ERAU offered an internship at ASA where you could get hired with minimum time -- 250 hours. ACA required slightly higher flight time.

Take a look at the Continental Internship program. http://www.insidecoair.com/internshipprogram/Internship/requirements.htm

Not offered by UND. But offered by ERAU. That's just one example.

 

[daniel]

250 airline pilots

AMEN DEFTONE!

 

[bobbysamd]

Re: WRONG! I . . . don't . . . think . . . so

Wrong Bobby! You've been in the legal industry too long and don't know what you're talking about. ERAU has the most internships and direct-hire programs hands down . . . .

Maybe I've been away from aviation but I was in it for eleven years as a pilot and professional. To list most of my resume briefly, I worked at ERAU, FSI, Mesa and finally for Arnautical Training Center, which had a foreign airline training contract. Arnautical was owned and operated by United pilots. Therefore, I've seen a representative cross-section of aviation training operations and opportunities and do believe I know whereof I speak, sir.

U.N.D. has pretty good connections, too. ERAU's are no better or worse. ERAU did have a good United internship program - I had a student who attended such a program. Moreover, I doubt rather seriously that ASA will hire anyone at 250 hours total time to fill a right seat. Not even FSI's ASA bridge program sends pilots there with 250 hours!!. Mesa sets up interviews for its good graduates at 300 hours. Actually, last I heard, the only 250-hour job one could get right out of Riddle was a Flight Specialist job - at Riddle.

Let's scrutinize your link to the Continental Internship Program.

General Requirements

The Continental Airlines Flight Operations Internship Program is open to full time students from Purdue, Kent State and students in the Aeronautical Science program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Early in each semester, management personnel from Continental Airlines' Flight Operations Department interview intern candidates. Interested students should contact their Cooperative Education Office for information concerning interview scheduling.

(emphasis added)

Review of the paragraph would reveal that two other schools besides Riddle, one of which being Purdue, which has a good program, offer similar opportunities as ERAU. I would submit that other flight students at colleges not listed here could find their way to this program or others with a little legwork and negotiation.

Once more, ERAU offers connections and opportunities but has not cornered the market. So do plenty of other places.

 

[ShawnC]

Actually the opportunities that one can get at Purdue are better. The best couple of flight students get to fly the President around in his jet. So you can graduate with a type rating and some turbine time.

I know you can attend the B1900D course at ERAU, but all you come out with is a SIC certificate and 20hrs of sim time.

 

[nimtz]

Since1926,

You need to layoff the koolaid or else you will make a real bad airline pilot one day. I flown with alot of captains that went to Riddle. Almost of them say they spent too much money and they wish they would of done things alot differently if they would have known anything about this business when they were younger.

As for the CAL internship, big deal if Riddle is one of the few that offers it. Its only a matter of time before every aviation school that wants to signs on to it. After all interns are great for the airline. You get four months of labor at minimum cost and you are under no guarentee to offer employment later. Do you really think they would refuse candidates from other schools, because they only want the 'highest quality' caliber? To flight ops the simple answer is the more the merrier.

 

[Illini Pilot]

you may have more internships(not many more) but look how many people are competing for them!!!! im sure the ratio of actually getting an internship at a place like ERAU or UND is very low

 

[safepilot24]

Here are my two cents:

First of all, I studied aeronautical engineering for two years because I wanted a meaningful degree in case I could not make it as a pilot. I spent two years trying to relate things I learned from the engineering side to aviation...it did not work. Point is do what you want to do NOW...who knows if there will be a tomorrow. I took so much pride and had so much fun learning at ERAU because it was what I wanted to do. Odds are you will do much better, and have an easier time learning new information when it is something you enjoy.

I would also like to add that maturity plays a large role in pursuing an aviation degree. Honestly, I think I would have wasted my money and probably time had I gone to Riddle right out of high school. Instead, I allowed myself a couple of years to goof off and enjoy life before I got serious. College is supposed to be a growing time in one's life. Make sure you are ready to get serious should you choose to pursue an aviation degree. I know UAL looked at my grades because they wanted to know what type of person I would be in training.

As far as WHICH UNIVERSITY it really depends. Truthfully, it depends on what seems right for you. I really did my homework before choosing a place to study. I can only speak from experience at Riddle...great school but expensive. If you are going to go Riddle, be prepared to work hard so that it feels like you are getting your moneys worth. I have had the chance to work with other interns (UAL) from other universities, and it was interesting to compare. To me, it seems that ERAU, UND, Purdue, and maybe SIU have the best programs (academically, and flight training). Watch out because there are some programs that turn out pilots who need to go back and start on their private license again...San Jose State, Utah State, and Daniel Webster were a couple I had in mind.

Best of luck and I hope it helped.