One of the top things that students think about before joining a flight school is its pros and cons. Even if aviation is your lifeblood, you will still stop and think twice before joining a flight school, since it is a long and demanding commitment with a lot of factors to account for. Here are some of the pros and cons of joining a flight school.
Pros:
1] Training with the best
One thing that you can count on when joining a flight school is that you will only be trained by the best. Every flight school aims to have only the most experienced and qualified pilots in their faculty.
The knowledge and experience that they will impart on you will translate to a better aviation career. You will always be in competent hands during your time at flight school.
2] Networking
When you join a flight school you become part of something greater. A flight school is a collection of talent that shares the same passion for flying as you. You will feel welcomed and you will fit right in with the students.
You will probably end up making life-long friends and develop relationships that will aid you throughout your career. Whether it’s study partners or people who have connections in big airlines, you will surely benefit a lot from joining a flight school than training at your local airport.
3] Opportunities
Joining a flight school will provide you with a lot of opportunities. Whether they come in the form of internships or job placements, you will have ample of chances to prove your worth and climb up the ladder. It gets even better if your flight school is associated with the big airlines.
You will also probably be exposed to some on-the-job training through your internships and placements which will give you an edge in the market when you eventually step out of flight school.
4] Standards and procedures
The understandably strict standards followed at any flight school will ultimately help you in building a strong work ethic and a better work profile.
These rules and procedures are set by the FAA, which expects every flight school to either meet or exceed the set standards. You will come out of flight school with a sense and respect for discipline, which is an indispensable attribute that most airlines look for.
5] The facilities
Spending money at a flight school will obviously grant you with a lot of high-end facilities that would otherwise be inaccessible at less-resourced schools. These could range from high tech simulators, newer planes or you might even be the first to try out new technologies in their testing phase.
These facilities are a privilege of joining a good flight school that will help you become a better and well-versed pilot.
Gaining access to a more elite flight school like AeroGuard Flight Training Center, Embry Riddle, or Classic Air Aviation will help you position yourself higher up in the hiring process when applying for future jobs in the airline industry.
Cons:
1] Cost
One of the main reasons why people think twice before joining a flight school is because of the cost. A lot of students might want to rethink their budget according to their ideal flight school. This is due to complex fee structures and general tuition costs, let alone the cost of flying.
You are bound to rack up debt at the end of your program, so be prepared. While some might consider the cost-benefit ratio as favorable, there is no doubt that joining any flight school will cause a serious dent in your finances.
2] A Tight Schedule
You are very likely to have a tight schedule during your program. You will have to prioritize your flight school training over everything else. It’s unlike training at your local airport, where you can easily make up your own schedule and train with flexible hours.
You will not get these benefits at a typical flight school where you will be expected to attend all your classes without skipping any training. While some might find adjusting to this schedule manageable, it will likely be a burden for most.
3] Strict rules
If you think that flying is one of the most freeing experiences in life, then you might want to reconsider that notion. While it is literally a breeze to soar high up in the sky, it does come with a lot of rules and regulations. There is a strict attention to detail, and zero room for errors or leniency towards mistakes.
Clearly, these rules have been put in place for your safety and the safety of others and should be taken very seriously, but the redundancies are more likely to become a dragging procedure for students who are just eager to fly.
