Originally Posted by
DawnCt
I have a son who is 25 with a BS in engineering who has always wanted to fly. He has found one flight school apparently affiliated with Delta Airlines which is very expensive. I would think that pursuing a Master's degree at Embrey Riddle may be a better choice. Of course, the military is the best option for training and cost, and one he is considering. Is there a message board or an area of this board where he could explore some of the options?
Any suggestions are welcomed.
There is absolutely, I repeat, absolutely no reason to persue a Master's degree if your son is interested in a career as an airline pilot (unless he's bored and has a lot of extra money to blow). The BS in Engineering will suit him just fine. Airlines are looking to see that a candidate can complete a degree (shows dedication, work, etc). There are a number of good schools that cater to people who already have a BS/BA and want to begin an airline career.
If he isn't interested in making flying his career, then he should not even consider a "flight academy". They are designed to get you a regional airline job as quickly as possible, and it's a great program for that alone.
If he wants to be an engineer and fly for fun, he would do better (and cheaper) just getting his ratings at the local flight school.
A couple of the industry boards also have sections about training that he might find interested. He should check out:
www.airlinepilotforums.com
www.jetcareers.com
Hope this helps. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions. I'm fairly familiar with the basic offerings of the "big name" places.