Unfortunate Decision

Well today I forced myself into a slight setback when it comes to my flight training. I think I have decided NOT to go to the flight school in Cedar City anymore. Mainly my decision is based on the cost of the program. The more I look, the more I'm noticing larger, more reputable flight schools charging less than the school in Cedar City. I also don't like the fact that they recently had a plane in which the engine just quit (see post below) just after takeoff. Most pilots I have talked to say that catastrophic failures such as engine loss are completely unacceptable and usually the mark of poor maintenance, not a freak accident. I have to realize that probably 10% of engine failures result in fatalities, something I'm just not willing to look past.

I now think I will start looking very closely at the Mesa Airlines pilot development program in Farmington, New Mexico. The program is a year and a half long and not only gets me an Associates of Applied Science in Aviation Technology and all my FAA ratings, but they also hire 95% - 100% of the pilots that complete their program as 1st officers, usually in CRJ's (Canadair Regional Jets). This is the route my cosine went and the program worked for him, he's currently flying CRJ's out of Phoenix.

I'm a little pissed that I won't be going to flight school next month as I was planning, but I just can't rush a $60,000 decision.