Hello again to all my journal readers. It has been quite interesting receiving so many e-mails from many of you who are interested in learning more about Riddle’s flight program. This is why this journal will be very oriented towards the flight program here. Life is still the same here, just turned 19 this last weekend, I am about four weeks away from finishing off my first year of college, and I am doing well in general. I went down to Tampa for Airfest 2005 and had a great time; unfortunately, choosing not to wear sun block proved to be bad choice. Life here has been laid-back lately, but it has been nice to get some time to relax.
We will soon be registering for Fall 2005 classes and I have set my schedule to be much like this semester’s schedule in order to continue a bit of the academic success I have been able to attain. Next year, I will be taking Meteorology II, Technical Report Writing, Aircraft Systems and Components, Flight Physiology, Aircraft Performance, and the Multi-Engine Flight course. A looks to be a very full schedule, but quite interesting also in that I will be taking many Aeronautical Science courses. I am also going to be taking 2 general education courses back home. It was quite a deal, 6 credits for $170. As a California resident, I got quite a discount on my tuition back home. Next year looks to be very promising; I am looking forward to it.
Aeronautical Science here at Riddle is unlike your average flight program. You will be introduced to the basics of flight, from Newton’s Laws and how they relate to flight, to Bernoulli’s Principle and how it directly relates to flight. You will start off by taking AS 132, also known as Basic Aeronautics I. In this class, I built my knowledge of Aeronautics in general and was then taught the specifics of Private Pilot flight. Many aspects were covered ranging from Performance problems, Weight & Balance problems, Maneuvers, Emergencies, Cross-Country flight, etc. It basically prepares you to fly for the rest of your life by teaching you basic principles that apply to most, if not all, airplanes in everyday flight.
For the rest of your stay here, you will take AS 133, AS 232, and AS 272 which take you from your Private Pilot certification all the way to your commercial certification. All these courses are ground-instruction courses and they go together with your FA courses which are your actual flight labs. Around this basic knowledge, you will also be introduced to classes ranging from Aerodynamics, to Aircraft Engines & Turbines, all the way to Domestic and International Navigation and Crew Resource Management. The Aeronautical Science program has been tailored in a way that the airlines have asked it to be. Though all that is required of Aeronautical Science students is a “Commercial Multi-Engine Instrument” certificate, many go on to complete their CFI and CFII and even become flight instructors here at the school; this becomes a great option for those students who are interested in building flight time.
In your last year here, you will be put in a Canadair Regional Jet simulator course which teaches you the ins and outs of airline/regional carriers. By the time you graduate Riddle, you will have attained a broad, yet very well prepared curriculum that enables you to become knowledgeable enough to fly for an FBO and in many cases, the major airlines. It takes time to get to a major, especially in this day and age, and most use regionals as a stepping stone or as a way of getting their foot in the door. If you love to fly, you will attain your dream of becoming whatever you want to be if you want it enough. Flying at Embry-Riddle is expensive, but many will tell you that flying here is an experience of its own in that you are provided with many resources and much assistance in your flight course. I have never had any problems with flying here nor on the academic side of my education here neither, but flying here will prove to be expensive to most. I recommend looking into private external scholarships as well as grants and loans to provide money for your stay here at Riddle. It has become a problem for me in that I will be unable to attain my Multi-Engine rating before the summer as I wanted to, but I will come back in the fall with money in pocket so that I can finish it off.
Overall, it has been a fun and rewarding experience to fly, one that has been enjoyable since the first day. If you have any specific questions about the flight program here at Riddle, the Aeronautical Science department, or Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in general, feel free to post a message on the message board. I will answer as soon as possible and make sure that your question gets answered. Thanks for your time and will write again soon.
Sergio
