Aviation Colleges

[Steven]

I'm in my senior year and starting to apply for colleges. I'm looking to go into fixed wing aviation, and am currently looking into Embry Riddle Prescott and UND. I'm flying out to look at it and probably doing early decision for it if I like it as much as I think I do. My main questions are:

Has anyone had any experiences with aviation colleges and would you have any recommendations?
Has anyone had any experiences with Embry Riddle or UND?

Btw I'm currently working on my private pilots license (since I was 12) and get to solo after two more lessons!

Embry Riddle: http://prescott.erau.edu/

UND: http://aviation.und.edu/Home/Default.aspx

[gkurey]

I didn't go to one, but I work with many people who went to Embry Riddle and they all seemed to like it pretty well. I guess a good question to ask would be are you trying to become a pilot out of it all or are you trying to work in aviation, e.g. engineering/management, etc?

I know a lot of pilots who went to ER and now fly with me in the Navy...that path worked for them but its definitely not required to do that to become a pilot.

[Steven]

I didn't go to one, but I work with many people who went to Embry Riddle and they all seemed to like it pretty well. I guess a good question to ask would be are you trying to become a pilot out of it all or are you trying to work in aviation, e.g. engineering/management, etc?

I know a lot of pilots who went to ER and now fly with me in the Navy...that path worked for them but its definitely not required to do that to become a pilot.

Where did you get your licenses? Private? I'm thinking of getting my certificates and getting a bachelors in aviation business administration... But ultimately that will just be a fall back kind of thing because I do want to fly.

[gkurey]

Where did you get your licenses? Private? I'm thinking of getting my certificates and getting a bachelors in aviation business administration... But ultimately that will just be a fall back kind of thing because I do want to fly.

I have a commercial certificate now but I was able to get that as a result of military training conversion. I had no licenses before military training, they gave me everything I needed.

Paying to become a civilian pilot will become very costly and then to amass the type of experience level that airlines/carriers want; its going to cost you. Not saying its not possible, but it just costs you and it's very competitive. The typical route I've seen is to become a CFI and teach to rack up hours while getting paid and just gain experience period. After a couple hundred hours of that you can become more competitive.

I think for you wanting to become a pilot, you really ought to consider the military as an option. You will get all that pilot training for free, fly cooler things, and then be set with a ton of experience after a few years if you want to fly civilian. I know a lot of civilian pilots my age that say they wish they had gone that route because of the reasons I listed above. You could do Embry Riddle w/ ROTC or any college for that matter. Something to consider.

Let me know if you have questions about anything.

[Steven]

I have a commercial certificate now but I was able to get that as a result of military training conversion. I had no licenses before military training, they gave me everything I needed.

Paying to become a civilian pilot will become very costly and then to amass the type of experience level that airlines/carriers want; its going to cost you. Not saying its not possible, but it just costs you and it's very competitive. The typical route I've seen is to become a CFI and teach to rack up hours while getting paid and just gain experience period. After a couple hundred hours of that you can become more competitive.

I think for you wanting to become a pilot, you really ought to consider the military as an option. You will get all that pilot training for free, fly cooler things, and then be set with a ton of experience after a few years if you want to fly civilian. I know a lot of civilian pilots my age that say they wish they had gone that route because of the reasons I listed above. You could do Embry Riddle w/ ROTC or any college for that matter. Something to consider.

Let me know if you have questions about anything.

So how did you go about it? Did you have your four year degree before entering the military? Or did you go ROTC? I've always considered military, but I was never sure how to go about actually flying for them and not getting stuck doing something you don't want to do...

[gkurey]

So how did you go about it? Did you have your four year degree before entering the military? Or did you go ROTC? I've always considered military, but I was never sure how to go about actually flying for them and not getting stuck doing something you don't want to do...

I completed my degree and worked for a little while before deciding to join and went to Officer Candidate School (12 week course) and knew I was going to go to pilot training after...granted there was a chance that might change if I messed up in training or became physically disqualified but it was worth the risk! The OCS/OTS option is really pretty good IMO.

In ROTC you don't know what you are going into until the last year I think, but don't quote me on that. Everyone in your ROTC unit fills out what they want to do, and then you get slotted for it. For me, I applied to OCS and only applied to be a pilot, so if they didn't take me for that, it would be nothing at all. The other strong point with ROTC is you can get the military to pay your way through college! At least some amount of it anyhow...that coupled with the best flight training you can get, flying the best aircraft, and just experiencing military life makes it unbeatable IMO. Plus you get to wear the cloth of our country!

[mrsleeve]

being from CA and southern CA the winters in ND are going to KILL YOU. Hell even early fall and late spring are going to be a huge shock to you

Check out the Commercial Program at WMU Western Michigan University as well, its supposedly a good program as well. Very good friend of mine got his certs from there. While there is still winter there, its nothing like a North Dakota winter

[Steven]

being from CA the winters in ND are going to KILL YOU.

Check out the Commercial Program at WMU Western Michigan University as well, its supposedly a good program as well. Very good friend of mine got his certs from there

Lol that what my parents keep telling me... Is it really that bad?

[gkurey]

AFAIK there is a Embry Riddle campus in Daytona Beach, FL...that might be mo' betta!

[threlevenguy]

I've been looking into this in the DFW area. Getting full certifications would cost me 65k. How do people do it??

[Steven]

I've been looking into this in the DFW area. Getting full certifications would cost me 65k. How do people do it??

Yeah I was looking at ths. It costs 45k for tuition, board and books plus another 15k a year for your certificates....

[mrsleeve]

Lol that what my parents keep telling me... Is it really that bad?

YES a 20 below zero day with 30-40mph winds is called tuesday, not emergency shut it all down and not do anything because its too cold . I love cold weather and snow winter is my favorite season and work in the oil/gas industry, I have turned more work down in ND than I can remember, because its just brutal there. It gets cold where I live but we dont get the wind like they do out on the plains, and why I have spent the last 6 winters or so working in PA and NY state

[Steven]

YES a 20 below zero day with 30-40mph winds is what is called tuesday, not emergency shut it all down and not do anything because its too cold . I love cold weather and snow winter is my favorite season and work in the oil/gas industry, I have turned more work down in ND than I can remember, because its just brutal there. It gets cold where I live but we dont get the wind like they do out on the plains

Well that sucks. I googled ND winters and CA winters.... Lets say there's a bit of a difference

[CabbE30]

local: http://www.engr.sjsu.edu/avtech/

[z31maniac]

There is also a commercial aviation program at OSU (Oklahoma State University).

http://education.okstate.edu/index.php/academic-units/school-of-educational-studies/space-and-aviation