Category Archives: Part 141 Flight School

Accelerated Pilot Training, Part 141 Flight School, Podcast, Restricted ATP

ACP372 Will going to a small college and getting a Restricted ATP reduce my chances of getting hired?

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If you want to ask a question visit:
http://www.aviationcareerspodcast.com/contact/
Or feedback@aviationcareerspodcast.com

Sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by The Law Offices of Robert M. Strumor, LLC you can find www.strumorlaw.com. They are giving away 50 scholarship guides. You can get yours for free using the coupon code “StrumorLaw” at

https://www.aviationcareerspodcast.com/scholarships/
The Law Offices of Robert M. Strumor, LLC handles various aviation matters, safety investigations, and pilot medical certification. You can find them on the web at www.strumorlaw.com

Listener Mail:

I’m a 34-year-old veteran transitioning into a reduced (1250 hours) ATP flight school. I’m using my GI benefits to fund this 2 year associate program which will provide all of the qualifications I need.
I’m attending a small community college. Does this matter? What issues do you see me having post-school with hiring in the fact that it’s a reduced program? I’m starting flight school as someone who’s jumped out of but never flown planes. Any advice? Thank you and I really enjoy the podcast.

The size of the school doesn’t matter for hiring.
Flight Time is most important.
The benefit to a large school is the larger network of alumni.
Even though you are used to jumping out of planes I would recommend you not leave the plane during your training.
The GI Bill is an amazing opportunity.
There are many people who have done the same and you should look towards others to network with.
If you have words of encouragement please visit our contact page https://www.aviationcareerspodcast.com/contact/

Question 2 from Contact Page:

Hi Carl, I would like to visit you at the hangar one of these days. I usually drive to Lakeland most Saturdays. Should I let you know through this means before I head that way? Thank You.

Answer:
I am trying to figure out ways to have a meetup at the airport. Let me know your suggestions.
Would you be interested in a career seminar and tour of the facilities?

Question 3 from Contact Page:

Hello Mr. Valeri. I’d like to start by saying I really like listening to your podcast and even though I’m a fairly new listener, I enjoy the content and look forward to every new episode as soon as it comes out.

I wanted to reach out because I want to get an opinion from you. I really need some guidance on this, and I would love to hear what you have to say about it.

To give some context, I’m from Venezuela, and living in the USA. I have always wanted to fly, and after some years, I’m in a position in which I’m finally able to grasp that dream. However, it comes with challenges…

My options are minimal as far as financing goes, the first one being taking out a student loan of $100k to pay for my training at ATP. This was my first option, as it was very clear on the path, and the repayment plan from the financial institution is comfortable during school and training. After this, however, the official repayment begins at $1800/month for a 15-year term and $1600 for a 10-year term.

My interest rates are this high because I’m not yet a permanent resident, making it a little bit more “riskier” to the banks. I was not approved through Sallie Mae for this reason, but I was “approved” through Meritize. I quote the approval because they offered me some repayment plans as I mentioned.

Now everything looks okay, but my concern is if I can make ends meet with an entry-level pilot salary. I really want to go this way since it’s a very clear path, but I also do not want to drown myself in debt and continuously stress over this…

I have also checked with a smaller school, and their commercial pilot’s license comes out to be at around $34000 total from 0 to 250 hours (with all the minimum FAA requirements). I thought of adding a few more hours of flight training simply because I have read many pilots don’t get their certificate with only the minimums, so I set a projected amount of $50000, which I would have to get as a personal loan for. This option, compared to the $100k from ATP, looks way better of course, but being a personal loan means I would have to start paying the monthly quote immediately. And over an 84-month loan, this goes at around $950/month.

I know this is a long and somewhat specific situation, but I would like to know your opinion on the matter, and if there are any other alternatives for me out there.

I’m 26, about to turn 27 years old this year.

I thank you beforehand, for taking the time to read this.

Safe flying.

Answer:
Make sure you write down exactly what you are paying for to compare the two options.
What ratings are you obtaining and does your budget include cross country time?
Benefits of a small school vs large school is the number of planes and ability to recover from a maintenance issue because of spares.
Will you be working while you are going to school, family considerations, etc.

To discuss the specifics of your situation I would have someone review your numbers and your goals. We can help at https://www.aviationcareerspodcast.com/coaching/

Sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by The Law Offices of Robert M. Strumor, LLC you can find www.strumorlaw.com. They are giving away 50 scholarship guides. You can get yours for free using the coupon code “StrumorLaw” at

https://www.aviationcareerspodcast.com/scholarships/

The Law Offices of Robert M. Strumor, LLC handles various aviation matters, safety investigations, and pilot medical certification. You can find them on the web at www.strumorlaw.com

Links:
https://www.meritize.com/

https://www.aviationcareerspodcast.com/coaching/

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Military, Part 135, Part 141 Flight School, Podcast

ACP038 – Don’t Listen To The Naysayers

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2013-08-17 09.11.07In episode 38 we continue to answer listener e-mail with Tom Wachowski. Tom is a corporate pilot who also flew for the airlines and brings a unique perspective to this podcast.

The following are the questions we answer during the episode:

  • I have been pulled away from aviation. What is the best way to get back into flying?
  • Is there a list of the many scholarships and grants available?
  • Where should I land in this vast field of aviation?
  • If I am 28 years old is it too late to get into airline flying?
  • How do I get to the airlines if I am just shy of the ATP minimums?
  • Should I learn how to fly either part 61 or 141?
  • Should I purchase a used airplane for training? Would this reduce the overall cost of learning?
  • What advice can you offer concerning schools for the Flight Instructor Certificate? Should I be concerned about the high failure rate for the CFI?

Links Referenced In This Podcast:

Jonathan was mentioned in episode 36 and wrote an e-book to help people who are aspiring to become AF pilots achieve their dream. The book is called Your Road to Wings: How to Become an Air Force Pilot.
YourRoadToWings

Private Jet Podcast
PrivateJetPodcastLogo

Financial Aid, Flight Instructing, Part 141 Flight School, Podcast

ACP037 – Is It Too Late, Flying Club vs 141, What University Should I Choose, Scholarships, Starting Over.

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2013-07-05 04.31.38In episode 37 we answer listener questions with Tom Wachowski. If you have a question or need advice about your career please click on the Contact page and submit your question. We will answer your question directly and share the answer in an upcoming episode to help others who are listening.

Today I have with me Tom Wachowski a frequent guest on this podcast. Tom is a corporate pilot who also flew for the airlines and brings a unique perspective to this podcast.

In This Episode We Discuss The Following:

  • Is it too late for me to pursue an aviation career at 25 years old?
  • I eventually want to fly commercially. Should I join a flying club or learn at a Part 141 flight school?
  • What jobs are available for a 400 hour pilot?
  • I’m 17 years old and my dream is to become a commercial pilot flying for Emirates. What is the best route to became an Emirates pilot and how do I get there?
  • Swayne recently completed his first solo cross country and shares his story at: martinsaviation.blogspot.com
  • The challenges and costs of learning to fly in Brazil.
  • Are there any aviation careers that do not require a strong background in math?
  • I am from overseas and was just wondering if you could quickly run me through the most beneficial process of becoming a captain.

Links Referenced In This Podcast:

USS Midway

NYC Aviation – Plane Spotting and News

Mission Beach – San Diego, California

Tom Wachowski Aviation Careers Podcast Episode 14

Experimental Aircraft Association.

What Color Is Your Parachute.
WhatColorIsYourParachute

AOPA Flight Training Magazine and Website
FlightTrainingMagazine

FAA Safety Team


Aerospace Engineer, Air Traffic Controller, Airline Pilot, Career Change, Engineer, Financial Aid, Part 121, Part 135, Part 141 Flight School, Podcast, Questions Answered

ACP032 – Listener Mail with Tom Wachowski

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FlightDeck737Welcome to Episode 32. I hope you enjoyed the last two episodes full of interviews from  the 2013 Sun N Fun Fly-In and Expo in Lakeland, Florida. I enjoyed interviewing these passionate people as they talked about aviation careers.  If you really want to hear some motivating interviews of some truly inspirational aviators make sure you listen to episodes 30 and 31.

In today’s episode we are going to catch up on some of the past questions.  Included in this episode is a short interview with Alan Lawless a flight test engineer who I interviewed in episode 22. He will help us answer one of our engineering questions.

 Today I have with me a frequent co-host on the show Tom Wachowski. Tom is a corporate pilot and former airline pilot who brings a unique perspective to this podcast. Before we begin lets catch up with Tom and some of the interesting flying he has done in the past few months.

Listener Mail:

From Todd:

 I am 37 and can retire from law enforcement in 5 years. I am looking at starting a career in aviation. I will be 42 when I can retire. Would it be possible for me to start now and make a career in aviation at least flying regional or cargo?

From Jesus:

 Jesus is a air traffic controller with questions about jobs in the United States compared to Europe.  Jesus also wants to know if we can recommend large flight schools and online training.

From Brian:

 Brian started flying while he passed the bar and wants to discuss options on how he can meld the two careers of flying and law.

From John:

 Would a flight school look askance at someone who took such a long time to learn how to fly? How about “real flying” jobs? Are they looking for pilots who completed their primary training as close to FAA minimums as possible? 

From Tim:

What would you recommend in terms of getting my pilot training and a college degree. Should I do one or the other first or both at the same time?

Tim also would like us to compare and contrast the training experience from a big flight academy to the training received from an individual instructor at a smaller school.

Question From Junior:

 In Episode 27 we had a question from Junior concerning changing careers from a Designer to Engineering .

 From Jonathan:

Am I too old to become a professional pilot?

What pilot ratings would I need to become a UAV pilot?

How would you suggest I go about my career?

From Carlos:

I am currently a student pilot, but I am within days of taking my check ride.

Would it be possible to do some charters part time?

If so what are some things that I should start looking into?

Thanks for listening to Aviation Careers Podcast. Your questions are important to us and if you have any questions comments or suggestions there are many ways to contact us. You can simply click on the Contact page on our website – AviationCareersPodcast.com or submit a questions via facebook or twitter.  You can also leave us a voicemail at 347-MY-WINGS, 347-699-4647.

 If you found this information useful please rate us on iTunes so others can find us.  Remember to always keep focused on your career goal but be ready for many challenges because those challenges will define who you are in the future. The challenges are the process through which our resolve is hardened like steel.  Keep focused on your goal because I have faith you will achieve it.

Talk to you next episode and Safe Flying!

Links Mentioned in This Episode:

Airplane Geeks Podcast

Taking Advantage Of The Pending Pilot Shortages

Sun N Fun 2012 Interviews Look for the interview Restored Champ to hear the interview with an aviation attorney.

Your Money House


Aerospace Engineer, Airline Pilot, Business Aviation, Engineer, Part 141 Flight School, Pilot Shortage, Podcast, SunN Fun

ACP031 – Inspiring The Future Of Aviation – Interviews From Sun N Fun 2013 – Part 2

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Welcome to Episode 31. Today’s episode is the second part of the inspirational aviation career interviews from Sun N Fun 2013.  Sun ’n Fun’s mission is to preserve and enhance  the future of flight through world-class events while inspiring and educating people of all ages. To learn more about Sun N Fun please listen to episode 30 and read the show notes. I think you will find that there is something for everyone who is interested in aviation at Sun N Fun year round.

Before we begin the interviews I want to encourage you to sign up for our e-mail updates. Many of you have asked if I could be available for career counseling. Of course if you have questions please feel free to go to Aviation Careers Podcast and click on the contact page to submit your questions, but I do understand you would like a more comprehensive conversation. I have spent many years consulting and would love to do one on one with each and every listener but I have limited time and my consulting rates may be a bit high especially for those who are just starting out in their career. Therefore,I came up with an idea that will help all of you and be of a high value.

I am still working on a few solutions along with some books and videos that will help you move towards your career goal. To keep up to date on the progress of these ideas and to receive other career updates please go to AviationCareersPodcast.com and sign up for e-mail updates in the right column.  I also will send announcements on occasion to include who is hiring, new programs available at flight schools, and new financing options to name a few. I encourage you to sign up for these e-mail updates because I am excited to be bringing you this valuable information in the future.

This episode contains inspiring interviews which all who are interested in a career in aviation will enjoy. In these interviews we discuss many aviation career fields including : commercial airline pilot, flight instructor, mechanic, engineer, and management.

Most of the volunteers at Sun N Fun Radio represent many podcasts. In my case I was representing The Stuck Mic AvCast:  an aviation podcast about learning to fly, living to fly, and loving to fly. I encourage you to  listen to at StuckMicAvCast.com.

Now with that said, lets get started listening to some of these informative and inspirational discussions.

 

  • Al Thompson – Central Florida Aviation Academy – Al discusses the purpose of the academy and how students can apply to the school. CFA is a wonderful opportunity for those young people interested in aviation.
  • Elaine Larsen The Embry Riddle University Jet Dragster. Elaine speaks about opportunities for engineering students to work on the jet engine and the dragster through the Eagle Hire Program
  • Jamil Larkin and The Embry Riddle Dream Launch Tour. Jamil discusses all of the career fields you can pursue at Embry Riddle.
  • Jessica MacClinchy, Admissions Representative, National Aviation Academy – Jessica speaks about the aircraft mechanic school, flight school, financial aid, and job opportunities for graduates.
  • Marisha Faulk – Driver of Embry-Riddle Jet Dragster – Marisha talks about driving the Jet Dragster, her degree experience at Embry-Riddle, flight instructing, and her future plans for flying. Marisha is truly an inspiration and is an example of someone who has overcome many challenges and succeeded in defining her career in aviation.
  • Julius with Aeronautical Systems Engineering at the National Aviation Academy Booth discusses the advantage of using simulators for your training.
  • Wayne with Elite Flight Simulation Solutions discusses the various flight simulators and the advantages of simulator training.
  • Paul Cassell – Fedex – Donates a 727 to Sun N Fun as a training device from the Central Florida Aviation Academy. Paul speaks about the outreach programs at Fedex and the importance of the many different careers in aviation. In addition Paul talks about the great need in all aviation career fields.
  • Tailwheels Etc. opened a new campus at Lakeland Linder Airport – John discusses their new flight school and what they have to offer for the student looking into a career in aviation. You can also learn how to fly a Stearman!  Kevin Chambers talks about the new program at Lakeland and the pending pilot shortage, and their new financing program. John discusses how Sallie Mae is back in the aviation educational financing business. John also talks about basic and advanced Aero Camp.
  • Jim Sherman talks about Plane Sense and the career opportunities.

As you can tell there are numerous passionate aviators at Sun N Fun who love to share their knowledge about aviation careers. If you are interested in a career in aviation, Sun N Fun is a great place to start. They have yearlong events and activities including summer camps, museum tours, an aviation high school, and so much more. For more information about Sun N Fun go to Sun-N-Fun.org.

Also if  you want to hear some amazing interviews and prerecorded shows you can listen to Sun N Fun radio at LiveAtc.net/snf or click on the link from my website.  Sun ’n Fun’s mission is to preserve and enhance  the future of flight through world-class events while inspiring and educating people of all ages and they truly achieve this goal. Click here to read How To Listen To Sun N Fun Radio 2013.

Thanks for listening to Aviation Careers Podcast. If you found this information useful please help support this website by visiting our sponsors listed on the website.  Also if you have any questions please click on the contact page where you can send an e-mail or leave a voicemail.

I hope you have enjoyed this podcast and gleaned valuable information from these interviews. To be successful in your career goal it takes persistence and perseverance. I have faith that you will achieve your career goal!

Talk to you next episode and Safe Flying!


Aviation Maintenance Technician, College, Financial Aid, Grants, Part 141 Flight School, Podcast, Scholarships

Episode 006 – Career Prospects Are Good for Both Pilots And Mechanics, A Panel Discussion with Guests From National Aviation Academy.

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Do you have an interest in becoming both a pilot and a mechanic? You would be surprised how many pilots hold a mechanic’s license. There are some advantages to being both. I discuss:

  • How you can be an operational asset because you can repair items which break and a mechanic is miles from your location.
  • Certain seemingly simple repairs must be signed off by a mechanic especially if it includes a safety wire.
  • Some pilot jobs including corporate jobs require a mechanic’s license.
  • Story of a simple bird strike which grounded our plane and how having a mechanic on board saved the day.

Interview

Teresa Ferent of National Aviation Academy in Clearwater, Florida invited me to speak with a variety of employees at their Clearwater Florida facility. National Aviation Academy has a long history of training mechanics and recently has added pilot training to their curriculum. I have worked with many of the mechanics and pilots who have graduated from the National Aviation Academy and can say first hand that they provide outstanding training.

We discuss:

A special thanks to those I spoke with at National Aviation Academy Including:

Teresa Ferent, Community Resource Representative
Angie Capriotti, Director Of Career Services
Richard Rios, Director Of Student Finance
John Okenfus, Assistant Director of Admissions
Marty Carpenter, Director Of Admissions for Professional PIlot Technology.

Recommended Products and Services:

The National Aviation Academy website has one of the most extensive repositories of information concerning careers as Aviation Maintenance Technicians and Pilots. They have outstanding online presentations concerning job prospects, salary expectations, and how to get your certificates. This is the first website I tell folks to turn to for information concerning becoming an aircraft mechanic. Even if you are not planning on attending the school I highly recommend the information they provide on this website.

For those who are interested in getting a jump start on becoming an Aviation Maintenance Technician or for those who already are AMT’s there is a handy reference for the iPhone and the iPad. I use their app for pilots and think it is one of the best organized and easiest to read Aviation Regulation reference for a mobile device. For more information on what is included in this reference click below:

FAR/AMT for the IOS device.