Expert: D. Norkus - 2/5/2008

Question
Hi,  I am a senior in high school in Gig Harbor, Wash.
I am interest in becoming a commercial pilot.  I have started private pilot lessons at our local airport.  I am wondering which colleges would be the best for me to look into and which ones have the best recruitment records from the airlines in general.  I have been thinking of going to a local community college that has an aviation program or there is a techinal college here in town that also has an aviation program and then would transfer to a 4 year after that.  What do you think of that?  Good?  Bad?  Thanks for any thoughts you have on the subject.  Just trying to decide the best way to go for future employment.  
Thanks much,  Matt

Answer
Matt,

1)which colleges would be the best for me to look into?

As far as which one is the "best" for you, well...only YOU can really know that after some serious research, comparison shopping and campus visits. It will be the school that meets your budget, is commutable or has affordable housing and has the learning atmosphere in which you can thrive so you will get good grades. The "best" for one student may not be for another. No matter which school you attend, the name on your diploma isn't as important as the flight time in your logbook when it comes down to the airline hiring boards decision.

2)which ones have the best recruitment records from the airlines in general?

I am not sure who has placed the highest number of grads. My guess would be Embry Riddle. They are the top mane but they also carry the top price tag. Or maybe U. of N. Dakota. Food for thought: Other than what the schools recruitment/marketing departments claim, is there any way to really know what school places the most grads? Since there are so many pilots getting hired with Associates degrees now, does it even matter? True, in the long haul to get a job with a major or legacy carrier you will have to have your bachelors degree to be a competitive candidate. However, I wouldn't place much emphasis on having a degree from a Big Name Aviation U because you think it will be an edge in getting hired.

Many aviation universities do have affiliations with regional airlines to interview their graduates. It's not a guaranteed job but an interview. To find out more about this and what airlines and schools are aligned, contact the University Aviation Association- http://www.uaa.aero


3)I have been thinking of going to a local community college that has an aviation program or there is a technical college here in town that also has an aviation program and then would transfer to a 4 year after that.  What do you think of that?

I think it is a great idea. Unless you are very well off or get a lot of scholarships, you would be very wise to take this route to keep your student loan debt as low as possible. New hire regional pilots make only about $20,000/yr. Going into this job in debt and having very little income could become a huge burden. From my personal experience, having minimal debt starting out as a new hire pilot was a huge blessing!

Knowing what I know now (that hindsight is 20/20!), I would not have changed my 2 years at community college but I would have gone onto an affordable school for my 4 year, like a State U. or 'U. of XXX' school and knocked out my bachelors right away.

I had very affordable flight training via a local flying club but in this day and age, I would seriously look into an academy style program with a regional airline affiliate. (A 'fast track' program.) The regionals are experiencing a severe pilot shortage right now. There just is not the experienced pool of pilots there once was to recruit from anymore. They are increasingly drawing interview candidates (and hiring most the interview) from such programs at substantially reduced experience levels just to keep their flight schedules. Just last week I had such a 21 yr old new hire pilot riding along observing who had a mere 500 hours and started flight training only a year ago!


I suggest these additional career sites with message forum links to help you get some more input on schools and routes to a career:

http://www.jetcareers.com
http://www.airlinepilotcentral

Here is another to check out- http://www.pilotcareer.info

If you need more, please follow up.
Hope this can help you,
Dottie