Hello, im currently taking my PPL and i know its a long way to go to a CPL but I knew I wanted to fly as soon as i took control of the plane on my discovery flight.

Ive been doing alot of research online and Ive seen several universities/colleges that offer a CPL/management diploma in a 2 year course. I was wondering if this diploma would help with finding a job or if the same time and money were better spent on doing the CPL alone and getting more hours and ratings.

I have talked to some pilots already that said they didnt take a diploma course and it hasnt affected their ability to get a pilot position, but if anybody has had a different experience or any advice about this I would really appreciate it

thank you

Thank you, that's exactly the info i was looking for. The experience of someone who has actually done the program is much better than just the info on the websites.

I think WJ733 did a really good job explaining both sides. I too did my PPL in a local flight school and then joined an Aviation Diploma program.

What I might add to this thread is the cost difference, of course this would greatly vary depending on where you choose to do your training. I was paying around $210 instructional time in the 172 at the local flight school, while in the aviation program I was paying around $280-300 for a 172 with instructor. That cost difference does add up pretty quickly! However, it was much easier to get scholarships and loans being in an accredited College/University program, but you still have to pay it off eventually!

Another point that could make a difference is scheduling. At the local flight school you choose your booking times and set your own pace, while at the college/university program you would give your availability for the semester and they would book flights for you. It is rather hard to change your schedule during the semester and forget about cancelling flights, they make it impossible. Having a part-time job became quite a challenge.

If I were to do it again, I too, would probably not go the college route. I did learn a lot that I might not have learnt from the local flight school, but it was really time consuming and took a lot more time to complete flights/CPL than I would have liked.