Part 141 vs. Part 61

[Inferno]

I felt the need to register, just so I could add my input to this thread.

 

Some of you seem really heated about which is better. In reality, it all depends on the student. If someone needs the structure offered in a 141 school, then that is best for them. If a student has the drive and ability to take the initiative and study on their own, 61 is better. For adept pilots, the structure of a 141 school could become tedious, and on the instructing side, the same can be true.

 

I have seen students ready to solo at 8 hours, having to wait till 20 because of regulations at 61 schools and 141 schools alike. Conversely, I have seen students at 40 hours who had yet to solo at both types of schools. In the end, we all have to take a check ride and pass within the tolerances of the PTS. If it helps someone to do this at a 141 school because of the structure, then 141 is better in this case. If someone doesn't need the regimented structure of a 141 to do this, the more relaxed attitude of a 61 could be better for them.

 

One instructor at LA helicopters I flew with on a fun flight around LA a long time ago bemoaned not being able to do flights like the one we did (flew up the coast to Malibu and back along the mountains to hollywood) because of the structure of his 141 school. Whereas at the 61 school I trained at, the lack of structure game me the ability to do fun and interesting flights all over the Sierra Nevada mountains and out along the California coast. Obviously, I had to be proficient in the areas of operations before being able to do these fun flights, but this carrot methodology to teaching helped me along.

 

As far as which makes better pilots, there is no discernible difference. I have flown with 61 trained pilots at 141 schools, 141 trained pilots at 61 schools, and vise-versa. It doesn't matter. If the instructor is a good pilot and can teach effectively, and the student is able to absorb the information, he/she will be a good pilot. However along those lines, I feel a 61 school will make a more confident pilot because of the opportunities to do something outside the norms of a syllabus. Does this necessarily make them a better pilot? No, but a confident pilot is going to make his passengers more comfortable when working in real world situations as a commercial pilot, which the PTS does little to address.

 

I hope that was a semi-concise argument. I'm going on very little sleep right now....

 

 

And bellmodel206: I would also like to know what your school is.

[Pohi]

I think a lot of the posts hit the nail on the head here.

 

I had GI benefits and also wanted a bit of structure when I did my training, so a 141 school covered both of my goals.

 

After the 141 school, I instruct at a part 61 school.

 

Ultimately 141 or 61, the quality of the instruction falls to the instructor. Either place there might be huge successes or failures, the only difference is that in theory the 141 school might catch the problem earlier.

 

When it comes to checkrides; depending on the area, there might be the same DPE that does the testing at various schools. The standard is a standard, there is no reason that the examiner will hold any pilot to different levels depending on what school they went to.

 

My thoughts to the OP though is that when it comes down to hiring, what matters is a level of knowledge and the pilots ability. Besides the new CFI looking for their first CFI job(and a few exceptions), when a pilot is going to to their next job, the training they received was a while in the past.

 

Just my two cents