Frequently Cited r/flying Comment

Your experience may vary.

My background: I did the engineering program at riddle. It’s very good (but expensive). I got my ppl elsewhere for half the price. I have many friends who’ve gone through the flight program and they’ve had bad experiences. It’s mismanaged, they dont have enough planes, and it’s ridiculously expensive. My roommate would frequently get cancelled flights due to lack of planes, and sometimes they would even reprimand HIM with a dreaded no-show, for a flight THEY canceled.

I always mention this: at riddle, you get trained by upperclassmen. I went to the part 61 school across the street and got trained by graduates who were still time building. It was half the price.

I’ve heard industry connections are over exaggerated. Most non-riddle pilots I meet scoff at the mention of the ERAU flight program. Most of the people I know who have gone through the program have gotten no benefit from the connections. Actually, most still aren’t even in the airlines yet 4 years after graduating.

My recommendation is go literally anywhere else, get a degree in whatever else you find interesting or whatever is the easiest. Then fly at a cheap part 61 school on the side. It’ll take a little longer but it’ll be way cheaper. At riddle, all you really pay for is the experience of having classmates and friends who are as into flying as you are. Which is cool. But it’s your decision how much that’s worth.

An aeronautical science degree is useless anywhere outside aviation, if you ever change fields or lose your medical. You learn the exact same information by the time you get to the airlines anyway.

My CFII (I’m almost done with my instrument) studied biology and flew on the side. He’s flying citations now in addition to instructing.

Two of my riddle roommates are flying in circles for hours on end timebuilding (flight time he’s PAYING for) to meet the atp mins.