Pan Am eh?
I'm going to ask you something here.
How much are you prepared to pay?
Expect the total sum to be around 75.000 dollars and even higher. no matter what is written in the school broschure...those "schools" have a knack of mysteriously increasing the cost of their programs...

If I were you, I'd apply to a college, preferably an aviation college (embry riddle comes to mind). Those flight schools like Pan Am, Gulfstream Academy, Delta Connection are awfully expensive, and chances are pretty big you'll end up with hundred thousands of dollars in debt, and a shattered dream.

Get your medical first, then start planning your life in aviation school, that's my advice.

The couple of colleges I looked at for aviation were

Purdue University in Indiana
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach FL or in Prescott AZ)
Western Michigan
University of North Dakota

I ended up going to Embry-Riddle in AZ

I would recommend:

1. Going to an actual college.  You will want a back up plan, a minor or if your daring a double major.  An example, one of the instructors here at ERAU was out taxing to the runup area and he had an epileptic (sp?) seizure, I believe that ends his flying days. 

2. Take several lessons or at least earn your private pilots license before going to a full time flight school.  This will help you decide if you really want to do this as a job and usually if you go to a college with your PPL you'll end up saving money.  PPL courses at colleges are very expensive.

3. Start planning on how to pay for the expenses.  The only students here at ERAU that do not worry about costs are the ones driving new Mercedes and Corvettes.
(I'm not writing this as discouragement but, it has become an issue with my situation)

Well, depending upon where you are geographically, I recomment Central Washington University's flight officer program (which I'm currently in.)  There are pilots all over the airlines and even military who have graduated through our program.  Two of which come to mind, one I met was an Air Force pilot flying the F-117A Nighthawk at a local airshow (McChord AFB) and the other I had the pleasure to meet was Lcdr. Craig Olsen, Opposing Solo for the US Navy Blue Angels.  One of the original people who started Alaska Airlines was a CWU graduate also. 

All of my flight professors are absolutly WONDERFUL! One is a Lawyer/Engineer who was on the original team to design the Boeing 747, worked for British Airways, owned an FBO and a couple of Law firms... all of the professors have had at one point ATP ratings.  They are extremely friendly people, and always bending over backwards for students to succeed, and the FBO is also in a class of its own.  We've got a nice fleet of planes, about 5 C-152's, 3 2003 Piper Warriors III's for IFR, 2 2004 Arrows (plus 2 older ones) a 2004 Piper Seminole...  and all of which have complete IFR GPS suits. (Well, except the 152's) 

Anyway, I've already written too much. 

Aside from how much I like the flight program, I do recomend you go to a flying school that isn't only a flying school.  The nice thing here is that if I decide I don't want an aviation degree, I can do just about anything else I want, engineering, computer science, music, law enforcement, education... and not be stuck having to find a new place to go. 

Flight Tech dept. website.
http://www.cwu.edu/~flight/

FBO website
www.midstateaviation.net


Any questions, just E-mail me or PM me.

Hell, I'm 15, a sophomore, and enrolled in flight school at Wings airfield.  I'd encourage you to start now, it's alotta fun, one helluva stress reliever (most of the time) and sets you up for a future career in aviation.  Personally, I'm bound for the air force and then most likely a commercial career afterwards.  As for the flight colleges-If you plan on going straight into a commercial career (no military) then yea, it's probably a good idea.  HOWEVER, if something were to happen to you physically that would bar you from flying, you'd be f***ed basically.  So basically, what the other guys said, a standard college with a flight program is good.  Or so I've been told.  My parents would kill me if I didn't go to a standard college anyway (not to mention you kinda have to if you expect to fly in the af)

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Not saying your not going to make it or anything but the AF pilots are some of the worlds best and if you do join you must be almost perfect inlcuding grades and such...I was thinking about joining because it is almost free but then I heard about what it takes to be a AF pilot..so I am deciding on going to flight school right after graduating highschool in a 1year 7mo.

I say you should go to a college like ERAU and major in something that is pretty sure to get you a high paying job because in today's airline market you won't be able to get a job as an ATP unless you are the best. And that usually means rich parents that can pay for lots of flying time . But seriously, major in something that will get you a good job so if you can't be an ATP you are not stuck without a job.

Oh and BTW, I'm a pliot, not an airline pilot but an experienced pilot with many ratings.

Very much so! I just can't afford it . Why do you ask?

where are you from? i know in various countries there are sponsorship schemes avaliable and if you have the grades a scholarship to an aviation college might be avaliable

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Just wondering. I wan to be an airline pilot or some pilot for a living. I wish it was cheaper. My graded arent where I want them and I dont have any money, but I'm only 14. I hope to get my PPL before I'm 18.

as long as you can see well, whether its with our without glasses then you should be ok. It might be 20/20 correctable but i am not 100% certain on that

Thank Q guys,

I have -0.5 in both the eyes and i wear glasses all the time. Is it possible for me to join a flight school?

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Nexus,
Thanks man, but what does the class 1 medical test comprise off?

Secondly, what other tests does a person need to pass before being taken into a flying club?
And what is stress test?

Please help me out as i'm not a very healthy person. I've also been operated once. So will this be a problem?

My basic objective is not to be a professional pilot. But i would like to get some flying hours and probably a PPL.
 

ou only need a class 3 anyway if your going for just a PPL. apparently it would have to be a pretty serious condition to have you fail it. Or so i have heard

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Much lighter?  I just got my class 3, you basically hop up and down on one foot and if you don't have a heart attack you get it. 

I'm another wanna be! Don't really care what sort of aviation in, just as long as i get my wings. In a perfect world i would fly for the RAF (yes, i am English) for ten or so years, then when i get a bit older move onto commercial aviation. I'm fifteen now, so i can't get my PPL, but by the time i am seventeen hopefully i'll get it. I've already got a few hours under my belt.
Just about to choose my A-Level subjects, so any tips would be much appretiated!

Mistral, Maths or Physics is a good place to start.
Jr. I believe the expense for a class 1 is very high, unless you were planning on doing all your training in one go, i would see little point in going straight for the class 1 right away. Since they are only valid for a certain length of time, if you dont need it, theres little point paying for it. But you will need it for your ATPL.

Its more a case of helping alot with the kinds of paperwork/ flying scenarios you may come up with. Maths will give you the ability to handle at very least the calculations, physics the technical side. You dont NEED either of them, but they are a big help.

Sounds logical enough. Though a-level in maths, or not, i think i would still be able to handle the calculations. I suppose they're main purpose is just to beef up your application. Thanks for the help.

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PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE.............DO NOT LET THE FACT THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE A STAR GRADES DISCOURAGE YOU.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is what I was told  my whole life by everybody, and well I listened to them. Instead of getting a pilots license I joined the Airborne and then went to Special Ops. 33 yrs later my wife has gotten me through my PPL and now that I have been doing it for a while yoou DO NOT have to be an einstine to be a pilot.!! Even to work as one. I now am training for a carrer and have a few options open to me. 33 yrs to late but at least I'm doing it now. NEVER NEVER let someone else determine your dreams.

Very true. Don't think I don't think grades are inportant, they are. My high school grades may not have been great, but after the army calmed me down my med school grades had to be 90% and higher. I think people put to much into grades though. I have new guys come out for ride alongs who have top notch 95% and higher grades. Put them in a real life situation though in the back of an ambulance and they go down the crapper.
It is to bad that so much is put on book smarts when in "real" life professions (besides rockets scientists....ect) being good at studying won't bring home any paychecks for ya if you don't have the hands on skills to utilize it.
But I do have to agree, employers these days are more interested in high grades and book smarts instead of quality control.
It all boils down to this, if you are happy and satisfied with what you are doing, and you have given it your 110% effort, and some particular company doesn't like it.......bugger them.......for every rejection there are many more people willing to give hard work and sweat a chance over glorified report cards. I say this from my lifes experiences from the military(airborn & special forces) icluding UN and active duty tours. 4 yrs total of med school. A certified architectural draftsman. as well as numerous college courses and a university course in entomology.(flyfishing has it's priorities ya know... ) I have found through all of this that I will not hire somone with crappy grades BUT I value lifes experience at a higher premiem and I have had no problems with my workers. Just remember, in the end, the only one you need to prove somthing to ....is yourself.

I'm training at UND right now, so if anyone has any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. 

Univ. of Illinois @ Champagin/urbana has a flight school, and is connect with KCMI - U of I/Willard airport. they also have a ground aviation school, for those who want to do the ground work...

Ben,

UND has a great ATC program as well.  I'm taking courses in that in addition to my commercial avit. major. 

It's tough up here but I'v put so much time/effort/MONEY into it to back out now. At times it can be really discouraging and quitting is very tempting, but I love flying too much to quit. 

Yes, it's very expensive but that's what student loans and gov't grants are for. 

Will I be prepared for the airlines? Not right after graduation.  By the time I graduate, I will only have about 200-250 hours logged, not quite what airlines are looking for.  I plan on sticking around here for a few years as a CFI to build up time.  I hope to get hired as a corporate pilot or I'd settle for a regional airline out west, like Horizon and Alaska Air, both are constantly hiring UND grads! I'm lucky enough to have a fabulous fiancee who is willing to live anywhere I need to go to fly.

--Dan

Ok #1 make sure you find a good patient ;D flight instructor.Try to find one who has been instructing for a long time ;D this will tell you he loves to teach. ;D There are instructors out there who only instruct to build time :( and go to the airlines. You don't need this kind of instructor ;D The airlines can be a back stabbing  :(job.Pilots will screw over you :( yep thats right they are out there. Corporate is the way to go. ;DI have been flying for 20 years ;D as a flight instructor,corporate and charter pilot and love it ;D.Go to your local Fix Base Operation (FBO) and get a older Instructor who loves to fly AND who has a lot of patient ;DKeep in mind going to big flight schools is not always the way to go.Go to college and get your degree  it does not matter what.As and instructor I have students now flying corporate,military and airlines so go get it.Make sure the instructor will listen to you and help you.You will know because he will go the extra mile for you. 8)

I'm going to have to side with beefohole on this one. An instuctor thats just building time will show you thats he's enthusiastic about aviastion. And he's most likely young. Those are the next generation of people who are going to shape aviation. We want to encourage them, not turn away from them.

Just my opinion...

Ya look at any modern flight school. They are going through pilots incredibly fast as they earn the necessary hours, then apply for and recieve and airline position.

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My argument on the "Questions" thread.

Mostickity, if I can offer some advice.
Be careful!
Always have a backup career you can fall back on.


A.

Hey Tacit Blue check out Sallie Mae or try this one
Key Bank
www.key.com/educate
1-800-key-lend this might help a lower rate

not much info on Sallie mae but type it in google for search

Check out MSU Mankato. And Take High-level Math Courses just in case you find out you want to do aeronautical enginering which also pays good.

If you want to learn how to fly, train at a flight school, not a flight acadamy. You'll fly more, learn more, and pay less.

If you're looking to get a college degree to meet that requirement of the airlines, don't get an aviation degree. They (the airlines) don't care what the degree is in, as long as you have one. Also aviation degrees are not very useful unless you plan on running an airport. If you go to a 'real' college, you'll pay less and have a viable backup if you have to leave flying for whatever reason.

For more information on this I suggest www.jetcareers.com, great place.