Few Questions Regarding Aviations Colleges

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For all things being considered, I went to one of the "Aviation Colleges", and must say, that to this day, no one has ever asked me what school I attended. In fact, all employers ever cared about was how many hours I came with.

200hrs, with or without a diploma will put in the exact same "first job" ship as everyone else.

The diploma is good for networking (your buddies will end up vouching for you), and possibly Air Canada - although I can't confirm this to be true.

Needless to say, if time is of the essence, forget about the diploma, and get your CPL ticket in less than a year - add an Instructors Rating to that... and by the time the College Grads come out with the ink barely dry on their licenses in 2+years - you'll hopefully have doubled their time and experience if not more.

You're certainly right about the diploma being no help at the start. No one cares where you went to school, when all they want you to do is drive a forklift. It's a long term thinking thing though. Just because the shitty $9/hr ramp job doesn't want the diploma doesn't mean that it's not worth while. You aren't doing the diploma because it's going to help you at the entry or mid level, you're doing it because it's going to help you at the career level.

Air Canada most certainly does look at your education. It isn't the only way to get in there, but it certainly helps your chances at an interview.

[mcconnell14]

For all things being considered, I went to one of the "Aviation Colleges", and must say, that to this day, no one has ever asked me what school I attended. In fact, all employers ever cared about was how many hours I came with.

200hrs, with or without a diploma will put in the exact same "first job" ship as everyone else.

The diploma is good for networking (your buddies will end up vouching for you), and possibly Air Canada - although I can't confirm this to be true.

Needless to say, if time is of the essence, forget about the diploma, and get your CPL ticket in less than a year - add an Instructors Rating to that... and by the time the College Grads come out with the ink barely dry on their licenses in 2+years - you'll hopefully have doubled their time and experience if not more.

You're certainly right about the diploma being no help at the start. No one cares where you went to school, when all they want you to do is drive a forklift. It's a long term thinking thing though. Just because the shitty $9/hr ramp job doesn't want the diploma doesn't mean that it's not worth while. You aren't doing the diploma because it's going to help you at the entry or mid level, you're doing it because it's going to help you at the career level.

Air Canada most certainly does look at your education. It isn't the only way to get in there, but it certainly helps your chances at an interview.

ya i don't listen to people who say eduction dosent count. To me its obvious.. if you have more of an eductian your gonna be ahead of someone who just went out and decided to be a pilot and got there liscneses. hours etc/.,..im sure they can find your eduction somewhere even if they dont ask you personally.

[skybaron]

There is an option that once you've obtained your licence and relevant experience - say to the ATPL level (1500hrs), a person could apply to Embry Riddle University and obtain a DEGREE online with due credit given because of their flight experience.

This will enable someone to choose flying first, get into the real world of employment quickly, accept dog s**t pay for the first few gigs, then when experience becomes a factor and the balance sheet is no longer in the red - apply for that online degree.

Either way, there are options for education.

Read ALL of the posts Lads. I'm not bashing education, I'm just simply suggesting other ways to get it. We're not looking for a hero here, nor Minister of Education.

[mcconnell14]

OK i've been accepted into the Aviation Management Course at Algonquin College. Just gotten send them my updated transcript showing them my math credit i just recieved in Semester 1. which also gave my my OSSD!
my next step is to visit a credit union or my bank, see what I can get for Financing.

I didnt even apply to Confed, or Sault, Algonqion college was the only school that was able to:
1) answer all my questions with honesty, not with stupid marketing crap.
2) send me any sort of Information package
3) Confed Dosent offer Multi-IFr just float training--i would rather graduate with it rather than pay for it later. how much is this worth to get anyway ?

4) One of The best City's in all of Canada, With Many of my Family and some old friends living here. $100 doller rent a month sounds good.

6) could graduate with ATPL!
5) The costs arent Subsidized by the Ontario Government but by the time i pay for living expenses, plus getting my M-IFR after graduating. tranportation home (10 + hours driving to thunder bay) i' have barely spent any extra money.
I talked to my family and we figured i would barely ever get the chance to come home, see my family and other friends.

plus...the only up side of going to confed or Sault was that the costs are subsidized. which is often overlooked

[mattedfred]

i guess i just don't get it

why would someone that currently lives in ontario not apply to one of the 3 government subsidized aviation college programs in ontario?

they are still cheaper than going to a non-subsidized program and living at home for free

if you don't want to move away to go to college your going to find it more difficult to get your first flying job IMHO

[mcconnell14]

if you don't want to move away to go to college your going to find it more difficult to get your first flying job IMHO

please explain?

[deflux]

He means that going to a remote community for your first job may be a shock to you if you have lived at home all your life...

The big upside to going to Sault is that you get to fly a type that you can't fly anywhere else. I think the Algonquin program contracts the flying out to an FTU and uses C150's, no?

[mattedfred]

if the reason you don't want to move away to go to college isn't based on finances then you may find it difficult to move away for that first flying job

pilots very seldom go to college and find their first job in the town they are from

french is your first language right mconnell14?

[mattedfred]

deflux,

thanks for helping to translate my comments. i'm sure the zlin is a nice aircraft but fleet reliability and safety record are way more important than type IMHO. i would choose confed over the sault if confeds fleet was just as safe and reliable and i went to the sault.

i have no idea what the safety and reliability of either colleges' fleet is

[deflux]

Yeah....I would choose confed over sault as well. I ended up choosing an FTU though for different reasons.

I guess I just don't see the point of going to this Algonquin program when all they do is contract the flying out to the Ottawa Flying Club and teach ground school/whatever else themselves...

Maybe the quality of training at Sault or Confed isn't any better but at least it costs WAY less.

[zlin_pilot]

thanks for helping to translate my comments. i'm sure the zlin is a nice aircraft but fleet reliability and safety record are way more important than type IMHO. i would choose confed over the sault if confeds fleet was just as safe and reliable and i went to the sault.

i have no idea what the safety and reliability of either colleges' fleet is

I can speak for the Sault. The Sault's fleet is kept in impeccable condition. The maintenance program is like no other. Not to mention the Zlin itself is a rediculously nice airplane to train in, and the avionics in the seminoles are superb. Government subsidization is definetely the way to go. Altogether, over the 3.5 years spent in the Sault, I will have spent approximately 30k. This total includes living expenses and all college expenses. Rent in the Soo is very "affordable" This number is not comparable to any of the non-subsidized programs. Personally, I was all set on going to Western for aviation, and the Sault was the only subsidized program I applied to. What with the whole Maylan take-over of Empire, I couldn't be happier with my choice. Also, like an earlier post reads, the networking that one can accomplish through programs like the Sault program is no match to anything a local flying school can offer. I am not entirely familiar with Confed's fleet. All I know is that is they have 172's. Perhaps another reader is better off to answer for the Confed fleet.

[AUGER9]

3) Confed Dosent offer Multi-IFr just float training--i would rather graduate with it rather than pay for it later. how much is this worth to get anyway ?

Technically you're paying for the mifr either way. But, doing the Algonquin route, there's a good chance you'll have to fork out more cash 2 years later to renew it.

Im with deflux, personally. Choose Sault, Confed or an FTU. There's no point to the non-subsidized college programs- pure cash grab.


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To answer zlin-pilot

Confed has I believe 15 aircraft. Also in beautiful condition (subsidized programs can afford this). They have a 180, rest are 172s (N, S, and XP models).

The 2 years I spent there, all things considered, I spent no more than 25k (closer to 20 probably). 6K for an instructor rating when I graduated. 5K for a mifr using the discount I get from the school I teach at.

When it comes down to it, have as much fun as you can. I had the time of my life in Tbay. Met amazing people, flew to beautiful places across NWO. If I could go back and do it differently, I wouldn't change a thing.

[SAA340-600]

i always wished i could pack my bags, marry a European chick and get my JAA ATPL from oxford aviation training but alas we don't always make dreams come true: I didn't get married .

but keep an open mind, there are endless possiblities and take your time with the research DO NOT RUSH. IT'S NOT A RACE.