Mount Royal

[dazednconfused]

There's lots of non aviation careers that accept any degree including one in aviation.

Such as?

[Beefitarian]

Tax collector.

[trey kule]

Team member...MacDonalds......

although they might require an additional degree in hamburgerology.

[Beefitarian]

In!! Let's make it jobs where a degree is an asset but it makes no difference what it's in.

Tax Accountant. Oddly enough you don't need any accounting training to do people's taxes.

[bcherri]

Been a few months here, anyone hear anything new on Mount Royal. Im considering it going into Fall 2012. Talked to a friend who enrolled two years ago and did not finish because it was just too much for him. Killed his social life he said. Obviously he wasn't cut out to be in professional aviation. I would be willing to commit fully to any program. Like many of you had said this program would look good on a resume. Let me know your thoughts, you guys are always very helpful.

Sincerely,
Brad Cherrington

[iflyforpie]

Killed his social life he said. Obviously he wasn't cut out to be in professional aviation.

Perhaps the program and its redundant academic requirements killed his social life. You are not required to sacrifice a social life to be in professional aviation.

Concurrent to my CPL training (Feb 2003 to June 2004) in which I received a multi rating, night rating, IFR rating, and instructor rating; I was employed full-time (including getting on as a charter pilot while I finished my instructor rating), got my AME license, bought my first house, became a father, and enjoyed an awesome social life.

[bcherri]

Killed his social life he said. Obviously he wasn't cut out to be in professional aviation.

Perhaps the program and its redundant academic requirements killed his social life. You are not required to sacrifice a social life to be in professional aviation.

Concurrent to my CPL training (Feb 2003 to June 2004) in which I received a multi rating, night rating, IFR rating, and instructor rating; I was employed full-time (including getting on as a charter pilot while I finished my instructor rating), got my AME license, bought my first house, became a father, and enjoyed an awesome social life.

Yes he said that it was very hectic he was going almost 12 hours 5 days a week. You gotta make some sacrifice but he was drving himself into the ground. I would like to get a part time job to really allow for me to have some time to fly. The job i work in the spring is very busy and is mostly out of town so I will have to work around it. I like the private schools as you can work at it on your own pace. That said I would like to limit it to a few months in order to hold on to a lot of the information. Said that I would be better off enrolling in a private flight school, then just working my way through. From what he told me there isnt much more you get out of college programs that you cant get at a good flight school.

Now that I am out of work for the brief moment I am going to visit some schools and look into what would be the best fit for me. Me living out in Crossfield AB I know i will try a few local schools in the area.

I am not ruling out the school but talking to some people it may not be worth the time and the money.

Really appreciate your insight.

[Shiny Side Up]

Yes he said that it was very hectic he was going almost 12 hours 5 days a week.

That's hardly a social life killing schedule.

Either way, in your case the Mt Royal program is basically a full time commitment. While its possible to have a job and do it, by the sounds of it your job schedule and the course aren't compatible. If you were looking into the course still your work is going to have to give. Otherwise I'd advise looking elsewhere.

[Beefitarian]

Retail manager.

[Shiny Side Up]

Whatever. Most serious university students will be putting in the same sort of schedule and from my experience it still leaves plenty of time to go for a few beers now and then. And by the way a "social life killing schedule" is where you work a night shift out of a camp in Zama City for 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

[Beefitarian]

Firefighter, though if you lost your Cat1 you probably can't pass the medical so that one might not be a good back up career plan.

And by the way a "social life killing schedule" is where you work a night shift out of a camp in Zama City for 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

Sure but you could soon buy an airplane. Especially if you're single.

[Shiny Side Up]

Firefighter, though if you lost your Cat1 you probably can't pass the medical so that one might not be a good back up career plan.

And by the way a "social life killing schedule" is where you work a night shift out of a camp in Zama City for 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

Sure but you could soon buy an airplane. Especially if you're single.

Or fund your MRU training.

edit: I keep forgetting its a "U" not a "C".

[Beefitarian]

Ha ha, you're old.

Civil servant.

[bcherri]

Yes he said that it was very hectic he was going almost 12 hours 5 days a week.

That's hardly a social life killing schedule.

Either way, in your case the Mt Royal program is basically a full time commitment. While its possible to have a job and do it, by the sounds of it your job schedule and the course aren't compatible. If you were looking into the course still your work is going to have to give. Otherwise I'd advise looking elsewhere.

Hey man he said it not me. haha. I've worked some pretty bad jobs I kinda laughed when he told me that. Speaking to a number of people I've decided to not enrol in the Mount Royal Program. I will pursue a flight school and complete it on my own basis. My parents may let me stay in their basement in Calgary so this may cut back on my costs considerably. Talking to people who hav went through it is great, they all have regrets and ways they would do it better if they could do it again.... Guys, again I really appreciate your feedback.

[BTyyj]

I have been hearing similar things about Mount Royal. I hope they turn their program around soon.

What type of commercial pilot are you aiming to be? I am asking this because, honestly, post-secondary education is becoming more and more of a requirement. Looking under the employment section of these forums, there are several commercial piloting jobs now requiring a diploma (at least). Also, during a lot the recent hirings at the major airlines, almost everybody had post-secondary.

That being said, if what you are looking at doesn't require it, and/or you aren't interested in doing it, it shouldn't hold you back too much and won't stop you from being a perfectly good pilot.

Looking at your previous posts, it seems like you are interested in post-secondary in some form, like an aviation diploma. There are many other diploma programs within Alberta, although they aren't as well known, and MRU is the only member of the CAAC. If money is an issue, you should look out East in the Ontario area. At Confederation, Sault, and Seneca, their programs are subsidized, meaning all the flight training is paid for. It is pretty competitive, so expect to work hard, but many people leave with a diploma, all the rating, and a total of only $20k spent (that's and Confed; not sure about the rest).

If you did reasonably well in high school, you could also try the ROTP offered by the Canadian Forces. They pay your entire tuition.

Hope that helps a bit.

[bcherri]

Well really i'd like to get on at WestJet or Air Canada. But business aviation also interests me quite a bit. Even if i get my training and go up north and do my time in the bush this may be a descent way of getting the experience required to get into the Mainline airlines in Canada. I wouldn't mind getting something in the form of a diploma online maybe and work on my ratings at the same time. Ive had some info delivered to me on Macewan in Edmonton and since im from up that way it would be a nice change from Calgary. Maybe these colleges in Ontario would offer something similar in terms of online study. That being said I want to enjoy my training and really just have fun with it. Really appreciate your feedback guys, making this process a lot easier for myself.

All the Best,
Brad Cherrington

[MissKonception]

What I would suggest to anyone looking at going to Mount Royal is to do your research thoroughly and explore your options. Talk to current Mount Royal students and see what their opinion is about the school. I was told by Mount Royal students that their costs in the program went up significantly since the new plane purchases. Mount Royal will not release the hourly rate on the planes but instead they have students pay for flight training courses that have dual hours and solo hours included in the cost. From the calculations that the students did, they figure out that the cost of their 172's dual was over $300 an hour, most likely they were in the range of $300-325 an hour. Their multi engine course is about $5200 and assuming 10 hours multi, you're now in the range of $500/hour with instructor. These

Tecnams, which are yet to be seen, are supposed to be the cheapest twin in the world to operate yet their prices are still far above the industry standard.

In addition, Mount Royal students do not schedule themselves. They submit an availability and are at the mercy of the scheduler. There are some students who are finishing the first semester with only one flight to their names and others have shared stories of going up to a month and a half before being scheduled.

I watched a couple of friends go through the program. Some have left and some are still there. The one thing they have in common is that no one would recommend the school. The final choice is definitely up to you. Perhaps the structure of the Mount Royal program is a good fit for you. But do the research first.

[co-joe]

There was nothing wrong with the old fleet, MEU, MKI, GAD, VOF, and VTB. Hearing their names is like seeing old friends on facebook. As for newer avionics, good for the college...uni, whatever they're calling it now. Sure you could wait ten years to see that fancy stuff again in your career but what a great opportunity to see current technology early on. There's going to be more and more of it creeping down into the 703 world as regulations require it as with TAWS, GPWS, and TCAS and as it becomes more affordable like decent GPS.

Success in aviation is still based on attitude, willingness to bleed, and being born in the correct year A.D. For me it probably wasn't the right move, but for lots it's the well structured environment they need. It's like going to prison and getting a Multi IFR while you're there.

If you want to compare apples to apples you should be asking how MRU compares to other colleges in Canada that you can afford to attend. If you want to save money or be guaranteed a job on grad day clearly colleges are not the top choice and comparing colleges to flight schools or bush specific training outfits is a whole other conversation.

[Beefitarian]

Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialist.

So what's happening at the Uni there? They must be rolling along with them shiny new 172s. Did they get their twins yet?

[BTyyj]

Thanks for clarifying WJ733.

[Beefitarian]

I wouldn't have bumped this if Star had made his thread a little sooner. I had not heard anything for a while. MRU should totally hire me in some capacity where they pay me in free 172 time.

[Big Pistons Forever]

Like everything else in life, this is a case of buyer beware. If you are a Canadian and aspire to a job in Canada then learning in Glass Cockpit aircraft will not prepare you for you first job or the next one after that and probably not the one after that either. You are IMO wasting your money if you elect to pay for the current MRU program.

Whomever made the decision to buy the current fleet obviously doesn't know anything about how aviation works in Canada. I can see why the European flight colleges have gone to glass cockpit aircraft as the intent is their graduates will go straight to an AirBus or Boeing 737, but this is not and never will be the case in Canada.

[Beefitarian]

Supervisor landscaping company. Can't believe I missed that on the last post.

The MRU program has allways been focused on becoming an airline pilot. I realize this is completely unrealistic to the point of possibly being nearly false advertising because you're going to come out 2000 hours short for that job but I'm pretty sure there are no laws against that anymore.

[Norwich]

There was nothing wrong with the old fleet, MEU, MKI, GAD, VOF, and VTB. Hearing their names is like seeing old friends on facebook.

Ah yes, I remember those names from my time at CYBW as well (thankfully not at MRC as it was called then)... I used to know all the flight school planes at Springbank and little quirks about them too. (fine pitch prop, "fake" 172P, no cabin heat ) I was actually hanging out at CFC right down the road from ground zero when the news broke that MRC's fleet was grounded.

[onlythebrave]

its sad to here all this about MRC aviation program i've been planning to attend for a while now but now my faith is shaken. The current CFI at the edmonton flying club is a former grad and she only has the greatest things to say about the program, albeit this was some time ago when she attended. I finished my PPL at edmonton flying club but now they have set the date for the airport closer (summer 2013), i'm left high and dry for a decent training centre where i can kill my commercial, multi, and IFR that can grant student loans in the Alberta area. has anyone heard anything decent about Red deer's flight training program or any other flight institution in Alberta for that matter ?

thanks