Expert: David A. NewMyer - 2/14/2010

Question
QUESTION: hi i am 14 years old and first time i stepped onto an airplane I've wanted to be ever since to get to the main point here's my question

My father wants me to go to college or university do you know any where i can become a commercial airline pilot?

I've heard about embery ridell in florida would you recomend it?

ANSWER: Hi, Rishi:

Nice to hear from you, I will try to assist.

I am glad to hear of your enthusiasm for aviation!  I love the aviation field in general and have been involved in it a long time---and it is still exciting!

As far as the colleges and universities that you can attend to become a commercial pilot, there are a LOT of them!  The best bet is for you to order a copy of THE COLLEGIATE AVIATION GUIDE from the University Aviation Association via their website at www.uaa.aero or by calling them at 334-844-2434.  This guide lists well over 100 university and college aviation programs for you to choose from.

Embry Riddle Aeronautical University is located both in Daytona Beach, Florida and in Prescott, Arizona.  It is a fine institution, but, I do not recommend schools via this website.  Instead, I suggest that you evaluate at least three to five institutions to examine closely prior to finally selecting one to attend.  Since you are 14 years of age, you have several years to do this.  These are the kinds of things that I would suggest you look for in your analysis of different aviation schools:

1.  Location (is it near where you live--if that is an issue)?

2.  Size of institution--large or small?

3.  Size of Aviation program--large or small?  (of the 80 or so aviation flight programs in the nation, only 20 or so have 200 or more students)

4.  Cost of program, cost of tuition, cost of housing, cost of books, etc.

5.  Quality of program, program faculty, program facilities, program equipment, etc.

6.  The types of accreditation that the program holds.

7.  Placement programs offered by the aviation program and by the institution:  Career fairs, on-campus interviews, internship programs, etc.

Of course, there are probably some things that you and your family can add to the list of items above.  Once you have completed your list of things to analyze for each school, then, keep a spreadsheet of information on each school for each question so that you can compare all of the institution data later.....

I wish you the best in doing your research on the various aviation programs.  Let me know if I can be of any further assistance in this process.

Sincerely,

David A. NewMyer, Ph.D., Professor and Chair
Aviation Management and Flight
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
http://www.aviation.siu.edu





---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: But wouldn't you think an airline company would like a pilot who went to a university instead of an institution?

And for clarification why wouldn't you recommend embery riddle?

ANSWER: Hi,

I am not sure what you mean in your first follow-up question.  I believe that, in general, it is a very good idea to go to a university-based flight education degree program for your preparation to be a commercial airline pilot.  I believe that such a program gives you the best possible combination of hands-on training to fly as well as the supplemental education that you need to operate, and, to be prepared to learn even more, when you get to the airline environment.   So, yes, I recommend a university aviation program as a great place to start.

As far as why I would not recommend Embry Riddle:  It is not because of anything negative about Embry Riddle.  It is a fine institution of higher learning with a fine flight education program.  All I am saying is that there are MANY fine public and private university flight education programs out there and it is YOUR CHOICE (and really your responsibility) to figure out which one is best for you.  That is why, in my previous answer, I suggested a format for you to do a search of different aviation degree programs to find the best one to fit your needs.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Best wishes,

David A. NewMyer

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Ok I really want to go to embery ridell but I was thinking this is the only university I wanted to go to so I was wondering do you think if I took an engeniring class at high school would prepare me for being a pilot?

Answer
Hi,

There are a number of classes that you can take to prepare you for being a pilot including any form of communications class (English, speech, technical writing), mathematics, physics, basic weather (which is sometimes taught via a geography class) and so forth.  If engineering or pre-engineering is taught in your high school, that would also be a good class to take as it will require you do do math applications.

Best wishes to you in your future aviation career!

David A. NewMyer