by David Santo -

Coming to America . . .Helping Foreign Flight Students Navigate Entry into the United States

By Kim Jones

Foreign Flight StudentsTraveling to a new country can be daunting. Foreign flight students travel from their country to the United States, and  will experience some culture shock and might even feel a bit homesick. It’s an advantage to stay with someone who strives to make things easier and feel welcome by providing the caring support and services you need. The same holds true when choosing your flight training organization.

Good judgment when it comes to training means you pick the best value not the lowest price. You cannot rely on the price of your training alone. You need to look at your school of your choice to see what is provided in their total package. Look for a school that takes great pride in being a full-service Flight School. A school that considers not only the training event, but the student’s total training experience. A school that will help you navigate through the many checkpoints of entry into the United States.

At AeroStar we welcome customers from all over the globe. Our typical student is an aviation student who desires to become a pilot flying large jet aircraft. The AeroStar distinction is that we know what is required when it comes to visa and immigration issues to achieve this dream by attending training in the United States. AeroStar recognizes that these requirements to enter the United States are extensive and time consuming to you. We are there when you need that extra lift.

To ensure that international students are well equipped, AeroStar puts in the extra effort in assisting you through this demanding task and aids you in expediting processing. We have done this in part by generating an informational “flight plan.” This flight plan is specifically for foreign students attending AeroStar to successfully navigate the required course for entry into the United States for training at the AeroStar training center. This “flight plan” was developed by the experiences and suggestions of students who have attended AeroStar before you and now are flying jet aircraft for airlines around the world.

The flight plan has several “checkpoints” that each student must complete to begin their training at AeroStar. These checkpoints are required by the United States government to ensure that the student is properly vetted and meets the requirements set forth by United States laws and regulations. These checkpoints are cumbersome and confusing if you do not choose a training school that has the first hand experience and is highly qualified in dealing with the different government departments of the United States. It is so important to select a school that is committed to helping you complete these requirements in a timely and acceptable manner to prevent being denied entry in the United States.

Some of these checkpoints are items such as being processed to receive an I-20 document to begin the visa application process. AeroStar is one of the few advance aircraft training organizations approved to provide you with this document. Another checkpoint is the process of receiving approval through the Alien Flight Student Program administered by the Transportation Security Administration. Other checkpoints deal with how to properly contact and schedule an interview at an US embassy or consulate in your home country. Several more checkpoints deal directly with entering the US and what to expect in this process. Finally, what to do when you have arrived in the United States to begin your jet training. In addition, throughout the “flight plan” AeroStar will provide you with more detailed information as necessary and be there to answer the hard questions that arise by working closely with all the Federal agencies involved to ensure that your interests are represented.

This flight plan is one of the many ways AeroStar is there for you along the journey to your aviation career. Just remember the team members here at AeroStar take great pride in providing you the best training experience in the world and the benchmark for which you will measure all of your future training events in your aviation career. The training you will receive from AeroStar will lay a foundation for building a successful career.

We look forward to helping your aviation dreams become a reality!

by David Santo -

A Day in the Life of an AeroStar Student

By Kim Jones

Day in the life of a flight studentSo, you are considering AeroStar as your flight school and you’re wondering what a typical day in the life of one of our flight students would be like.

As one of our students, you would wake up at one of our recommended hotels where you would eat breakfast. Our recommended hotels have many wonderful food options and the surrounding area has many outstanding choices as well.

Shuttle service is provided each day to and from your ground school location or sim location.  We have found most students like to have their own rental car so they can get around freely.

A student completing our traditional 21 day program would attend Virtual Flight deck ground school for 9 days.  A school day is approximately 8 hours per day with weekends off in most cases.

Each class is different, but many get lunch off campus together as friendships develop during training. We have a list of our favorite delivery spots for those who wish to order in. The same holds true for dinner, though many will grab something and return to the hotel at the end of their day where you will study and sleep.

When you have completed your ground school you will be ready for sim training.  You will train in one of our state of the art Simulators.  Four, Level 5 Flight Training Devices, advanced courseware technology, are all housed in State-of-the-Art facilities supported by a team of experienced pilot instructors. These instructors are dedicated to making your training experience professional and enjoyable.

All training requires crew partners and your schedule would look like this:

  • FTD (flight training device) for first session 2-hours each pilot
  •  FFS (full flight simulator) Level D 2-5 module session
  •  FFS (full flight simulator)  Level D sim check ride last session 2 hours each pilot

This is a good overview as to what you can expect as an AeroStar student.  If you have any additional questions feel free to contact us directly.  In the meantime,   did we mention we are located in Orlando, Florida? Orlando has sunny weather and occasional rainfall throughout the year.  The average annual temperature is a cozy 72.4 degrees Fahrenheit. Does it get any better than that!

Congratulations to our latest AeroStar graduating class!  We are proud to report all 12 students including 3 from FIT have passed!  Job well done!

For more information or to enroll in our next available class, email [email protected] or call 1.407.888.9011. You can also join us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Google+.

by David Santo -

Great Pilots Aren’t Necssarily Great Flight Instructors

By Kim Jones

great flight instructorsThe single most important element in your desire to fly is finding a great flight instructor that’s perfect for you.  There are two professional organizations that represent flight instructors.  The Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) and the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI).

A Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) in the United States is required to be at least 18 years of age and be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language.  You also need to attain a Commercial Pilot Certificate which requires a minimum of 250 hours of flight time as a pilot, and then complete the training and pass both an FAA practical knowledge written examination and a flight test to become a CFI.

A CFI completes many requirements, as does a professional pilot.  Many professional pilots will acquire their CFI certification as a means to build flight hours in preparation for a move to the airlines or other flying career.

You would think a great pilot would indeed make a great instructor.  They have the certification and experience. They may be competent and skilled at flying as well as being extremely passionate about flying. They may have a great personality and plenty of devotion to the student.  This does not make them a good teacher. Being a good teacher is the key ingredient to make a great CFI.   There are some individuals who truly enjoy life as an instructor pilot and find it very rewarding to teach people how to fly.  Not only are they sharing their love for aviation with a fellow pilot, but the very process of teaching someone to fly helps sharpen their own skills to become a better pilot in the process.

A good teacher allows the student to benefit from their experience and carefully prepares and guides the flight candidate to a successful outcome.

A good teacher does their homework and is well prepared during training at all times. They will provide their students with plenty of demonstrations.  These demonstrations are done with clarity and skill.  They provide the initial experience that students build upon as they work towards mastering the skill. Providing plenty of good demonstrations will accelerate the student’s progress.

A good teacher will also talk to you while you fly.  Verbalization is a powerful way to not only improve the CFI’s instructional skills, but will increase the rate of a students’ progress. It is a good idea to have students talk while they fly.  The “telling and doing” process identified in the Aviation Instructor’s Handbook not only provides a great feedback loop for the pilot, but it allows the instructor better insight into the students thought process.  More often, execution problems are cognitive in nature. If they talk, you may be able to pick up on problems faster and correct them.

Lastly, a good instructor is able to admit if they have made a mistake.  Error analysis training is an important part of initial CFI certification.  By hearing your acknowledgement of the mistake, along with necessary actions to correct it can give the student some tools for coping with errors.

A great pilot may not necessarily be a great flight instructor, but, rest assured, a great pilot can be made by a great flight instructor.

At AeroStar, we hire great instructors!

by David Santo -

Pilot Careers – What are Airlines Looking For On Your Resume?

If you’re interested in a pilot career, you want to know what personnel managers for the airlines often sort through many resumes for each posting.

There are many things that airlines look for when they’re hiring captains and first officers for Airbus 320s, Boeing 737s, and other pilot jobs. Get out a copy of your resume and review how well your resume reflects the items they value most.

While there may be many candidates that have similar or equal skills and all should meet the posted minimums for the job, here are some ways you can really stand out from the crowd.

Having a type rating sets candidates apart.

“This really convinces a potential employer that they’re hiring students with the discipline, focus and ability to handle an aircraft that goes 8 miles a minute, not 2 miles a minute,” said Peter Dunn, chair of flight education programs at Florida Tech, referring to more typical collegiate training aircraft. “That’s 85 tons, not 1,600 pounds.”

Be sure your hours and ratings are current on ANY resume you send out, whether or not it’s specifically required by the position!

Communications Skills (listening, verbal, written). By far, the one skill mentioned most often by employers is the ability to listen, write, and speak effectively. Successful communication is critical in business.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

  • Exceptional listener and communicator who effectively conveys information verbally and in writing.

Flexibility/Adaptability/Managing Multiple Priorities. Deals with your ability to manage multiple assignments and tasks, set priorities, and adapt to changing conditions and work assignments.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

  • Flexible team player who thrives in environments requiring ability to effectively prioritize and juggle multiple concurrent projects.

Interpersonal Abilities. The ability to relate to your co-workers, inspire others to participate, and mitigate conflict with co-workers is essential given the amount of time spent at work each day.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

  • Proven relationship-builder with unsurpassed interpersonal skills.

Leadership/Management Skills. While there is some debate about whether leadership is something people are born with, these skills deal with your ability to take charge and manage your co-workers.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

  • Goal-driven leader who maintains a productive climate and confidently motivates, mobilizes, and coaches employees to meet high performance standards.

Multicultural Sensitivity/Awareness. There is possibly no bigger issue in the workplace than diversity, and job-seekers must demonstrate a sensitivity and awareness to other people and cultures.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

  • Personable professional whose strengths include cultural sensitivity and an ability to build rapport with a diverse workforce in multicultural settings.

Planning/Organizing. Deals with your ability to design, plan, organize, and implement projects and tasks within an allotted timeframe. Also involves goal-setting.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

  • Results-driven achiever with exemplary planning and organizational skills, along with a high degree of detail orientation.

Problem-Solving/Reasoning/Creativity. Involves the ability to find solutions to problems using your creativity, reasoning, and past experiences along with the available information and resources.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

  • Innovative problem-solver who can generate workable solutions and resolve issues.

Teamwork. Because so many jobs involve working in one or more work-groups, you must have the ability to work with others in a professional manner while attempting to achieve a common goal.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:

  • Resourceful team player who excels at building trusting relationships with customers and colleagues.
by David Santo -

For the First Time, Aviation Students Will Be Able to Earn Credit Hours Toward Graduation While Earning their FAA Type Rating

Florida Institute of Technology and AeroStar Training Services LLC now offer this unique opportunity to undergraduate flight students, graduate students and alumni of Florida Tech. Through Florida Tech, students from other colleges and universities may take type rating courses to earn credit hours as well.

credit hoursThe three courses included in the program are:

  • Simulator Observation
  • Jet Transition
  • Type Rating Training Course (students may choose to earn their type rating in either the Boeing 737 or the Airbus 320)

Upon successful completion, students will have earned a type rating certification and up to six hours of college credit toward graduation in their degree program. Successful completion of the simulator observation course earns one credit hour. The jet transition course earns two credit hours. Either type rating training course (A320 or b737) earns three credit hours.

These courses may also be approved as electives in Florida Tech’s aviation master’s degree programs. The university offers master’s degrees in aviation human factors and applied aviation safety.

Since January 2012, three Florida Tech students have completed the simulator observation course, six have completed jet transition and four are scheduled to start type rating training in the A320 program in Spring 2012.

If you’re a Florida Tech student, please contact the College of Aeronautics for forms. Prospective students are encouraged to explore the university’s undergraduate flight programs.

If you’re currently enrolled at another university and would like to participate, please ask for details and appropriate forms for transfer credit at your university registrar’s office.

We look forward to seeing you in the program!

by David Santo -

Finding pilot jobs on the web – Bookmark this site for your job search!

AeroStar Flight Training Services prepares students for careers as captains or first officers of A320s and B737s, which are the most popular airliners in use today. Finding pilot jobs is one of the big things on the minds of our students!

finding pilot jobsHere are some of the sites that list jobs for these types of pilots, as well as individual airlines sites.

We understand that some of these sites are confusing or difficult to use, so it takes initiative and diligence to use the web in your career search.

Leave a comment and let us know what you’d like to see in the ideal job search site for pilots!

Of course, any such list is incomplete, but we’d like to grow this one. Please leave a comment if you know of a site that we’ve left out!  (Especially if you’ve used it successfully to obtain an airline job!)

Pilot Job Sites

Airline “Careers” or “Human Resources” links

 

  • AirTran
  • Alaska Airlines
  • Allegiant Air
  • American Airlines
  • Continental Airlines
  • Frontier Airlines
  • Hawaiian Airlines
  • JetBlue
  • Southwest Airlines
  • SunCountry Airlines
  • U.S. Airways
  • United
  • Virgin America
by David Santo -

Reasons to get an A320 Type Rating

Reasons to get an A320 Type Rating!

As an aspiring pilot, it is smart to do your homework about which aircraft qualifications will make you the most marketable as a pilot. You certainly don’t want to spend a lot of money getting qualified in an aircraft only to find that there are no jobs in that particular aircraft type.

Getting a type rating in the Airbus 320 is probably the safest bet – each time an aircraft is sold, more jobs for captains and first officers are created.

Here are recent orders for Airbus A320s by domestic and international carriers.

  • Qatar Airways selects 50 Airbus A320neo and 5 additional A380s
  • Spirit Airlines signs commitment for 75 Airbus A320 Family jets
  • Aviation Capital Group signs firm order for 30 A320neo  
  • ALAFCO expands commitment to 80 Airbus A320neo 
  • Republic finalizes order for 80 A320neo Family aircraft
  • Lao Airlines becomes new Airbus operator
  • JetBlue signs firm order for 40 A320neo aircraft
  • TAM finalizes order for 32 A320 Family aircraft, including 22 A320neo
  • Qantas and Airbus seal biggest order in Australian aviation history
  • Airbus sees demand for over 27,800 aircraft in the next 20 years
by David Santo -

How “You Get What You Pay For” Applies in Advanced Flight Training

Ever heard the old adage “you get what you pay for”? The reason it’s an old adage is because it’s a true one.

advanced flight trainingThere are a lot of schools who offer type ratings and advanced flight crew training. AeroStar is one of about a dozen schools approved to provide type ratings under FAR 142. However, not all these schools are built the same. Unfortunately, most are not focused on helping your career dreams take flight.

It’s sad that many of these schools prey on the passions and career aspirations of aviation enthusiasts for selfish reason.

Many schools care only about their “bottom line” rather than their customer’s career success. One key way to help you identify the school’s motivations is to look at the qualifications and background of the people who own them.

Are they pilots? Have they ever been professional pilots? Do they really know anything about training pilots? How can they help you achieve what they themselves have never accomplished?

Most type rating schools are owned by career business people and some by aerospace engineers. These owners have never pursued the dream of being an airline pilot. They have never experienced what it’s like to train to airline standards nor do they have a proven track record of successfully flying airplanes.

To learn about the school’s owners check out their website, call and ask or inquire via e-mail.

Sure they deliver what their customers pay for but all too often this is nothing more than the bare minimum. These companies share an unspoken motto to get training done cheaply and get clients in and out as quickly as possible – the cheaper the better. To them a marginal pass rate is good enough. To them their clients are just numbers and dollars not fellow pilots.

If you’re looking for business advice, talk to a business man. If you want really cool aviation software, talk to an aviation software engineer. However, if you want to train to be an airline pilot then enroll in a school founded and operated by career pilots – pilots who care about your success, pilots who have a proven track record of helping others fulfill their career dreams.

No, AeroStar is not the cheapest. Our programs frequently cost more than some while less than others. Why? Because we care enough to offer the best training at the best value! Our fee structure has allowed us to price competitively while recruiting and retaining the best instructors, offering the best simulators, deploying the best learning tools and creating the best courses. Our pricing reflects our belief that quality and experience matters. It reflects that you get what you pay for and that the customer expects a return on their investment.

AeroStar Training Services, LLC was founded by career airline pilots with thousands of hours of flight experience. They created their unique and highly successful training programs to help others succeed the way they had.

At AeroStar we don’t create software nor do we build simulators, we train professional airline pilots. Our organization utilizes the best training tools available to deliver the best training experience. Each AeroStar instructor has been hand-picked based on his/her experience, talent, and a passion for teaching.

Our bottom line is that we care about the customer’s success. Our motto is to “help your aviation career dreams take flight.”

by David Santo -

Florida Tech Offers Two New Pilot Training Courses

MELBOURNE, FLA.—Florida Institute of Technology announces two, new advanced airline pilot training courses to be presented in conjunction with Aerostar Training Services of Orlando. The courses, Jet Transition and Commercial Type Rating, are aimed at upper-division students who plan careers with commercial airlines.

Florida Tech Pilot Training CoursesThe offering is unique in that it allows students to use regular electives in their bachelor’s degree program to prepare fully for a career flying a large transport jet. Although private pilot,  jet transition and type rating courses are available on the open market, no other college or university offers this program as part of its academic degree.

“We are very excited to make this opportunity available to our students in the College of Aeronautics,” said Dean Winston Scott. “The courses will prepare them well and provide all the ratings necessary to go directly to a major airline. This is a significant step forward, and represents the gold standard in collegiate flight training.”

Although most colleges and flight schools offer commercial multi-engine ratings in propeller airplanes, type ratings (required for all turbojets), have not been offered for academic credit. The type rating check ride is beyond the commercial certificate: it is conducted to airline transport pilot standards. “This is truly innovative and reinforces Florida Tech’s excellent reputation for flight training,” said Scott.

According to Peter Dunn, program manager, assistant professor and faculty adviser, there has been much talk in the industry about the looming pilot shortage in the United States. “At Florida Tech, we decided to do something about it,” he said.

“Recently, the U.S. Congress has mandated airline pilot standards for first officers. We are responding to what the new law intends. We want to give our graduates the ability to compete for major airline jobs. Having this credential is a huge step in that direction. Airline recruiters understand the value of a type rating.”

A type rating, according to Dunn, proves that pilots have the “right stuff” to pass the rigorous airline initial training. This program is designed to enable Florida Tech students, with additional flight hours, to bypass the regional carriers and get a job with a desirable national carrier.

“At this time, we will offer the A320 and B 737NG type ratings so that students can target the airline of their choice. We also plan to offer a summer school program, so students from other colleges may also take these courses,” said Dunn.

Florida Tech, teaming with Aerostar Training Services of Orlando, will offer a three course sequence: Flight Observation Lab (already available), Jet Transition and Commercial Type Rating in either the A320 or b737. Students may take any or all of these courses.  To enroll, prospective students may call Nick Galli, Florida Tech College of Aeronautics, (321) 674-7369.

 

About Florida Institute of Technology
Founded at the dawn of the Space Race in 1958, Florida Tech is the only independent, technological university in the Southeast. PayScale.com ranks graduates’ mid-career median salaries in first place among Florida’s universities, and lists Florida Tech among the top 20 universities in the South—both public and private. The university has been named a Barron’s Guide “Best Buy” in College Education, designated a Tier One Best National University in U.S. News & World Report, and is one of just nine schools in Florida lauded by the 2012 Fiske Guide to Colleges. The university offers undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs. Fields of study include science, engineering, aeronautics, business, humanities, mathematics, psychology, communication and education. Additional information is available online at www.fit.edu.