Zero to MEI with AllATP or USAA?
09-01-2014, 12:03 AM
#31
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Joined APC: Jul 2012
Posts: 8
Sorry I missed all this replies. I am actually busy moving out of Shanghai China. Not sure if I mention before, I am in the financial field in China. I am moving back to the states to pursue a career as a pilot, open to live and move to anywhere. I am a US citizen.
I talked to both USAA and ATP on the phone. USAA takes about 1 years while ATP takes 6months, really depends on the pace the student wants. I am more leaning to ATP because they seems to be more organized and the instructor I talked to on the phone seems to be clear with his career path. I will be paying more for APT however they do give more hours in the end in a shorter period of time. Right now financial is not my main factor, as I mentioned it matters but for me quality of the flight training comes first. And I looked into a few smaller flight schools, and seems most of the students wish they would went to a bigger flight school just for the network. Of course there are few that went the smaller flight school route, saved a lot of money and became a major airline pilot.
I talked to both USAA and ATP on the phone. USAA takes about 1 years while ATP takes 6months, really depends on the pace the student wants. I am more leaning to ATP because they seems to be more organized and the instructor I talked to on the phone seems to be clear with his career path. I will be paying more for APT however they do give more hours in the end in a shorter period of time. Right now financial is not my main factor, as I mentioned it matters but for me quality of the flight training comes first. And I looked into a few smaller flight schools, and seems most of the students wish they would went to a bigger flight school just for the network. Of course there are few that went the smaller flight school route, saved a lot of money and became a major airline pilot.
09-01-2014, 06:34 AM
#32
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2010
Position: 747 Captain, retired
Posts: 928
Originally Posted by pkan51
Sorry I missed all this replies. I am actually busy moving out of Shanghai China. Not sure if I mention before, I am in the financial field in China. I am moving back to the states to pursue a career as a pilot, open to live and move to anywhere. I am a US citizen.
I talked to both USAA and ATP on the phone. USAA takes about 1 years while ATP takes 6months, really depends on the pace the student wants. I am more leaning to ATP because they seems to be more organized and the instructor I talked to on the phone seems to be clear with his career path. I will be paying more for APT however they do give more hours in the end in a shorter period of time. Right now financial is not my main factor, as I mentioned it matters but for me quality of the flight training comes first. And I looked into a few smaller flight schools, and seems most of the students wish they would went to a bigger flight school just for the network. Of course there are few that went the smaller flight school route, saved a lot of money and became a major airline pilot.
I talked to both USAA and ATP on the phone. USAA takes about 1 years while ATP takes 6months, really depends on the pace the student wants. I am more leaning to ATP because they seems to be more organized and the instructor I talked to on the phone seems to be clear with his career path. I will be paying more for APT however they do give more hours in the end in a shorter period of time. Right now financial is not my main factor, as I mentioned it matters but for me quality of the flight training comes first. And I looked into a few smaller flight schools, and seems most of the students wish they would went to a bigger flight school just for the network. Of course there are few that went the smaller flight school route, saved a lot of money and became a major airline pilot.
09-01-2014, 08:24 AM
#33
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Joined APC: Jul 2013
Posts: 94
Originally Posted by krudawg
After reading all the posts about ATP vs USAA, If MONEY is not an issue for you, go the ATP route but if it is an issue, then consider this: If one borrows the money via a Salle Mae student loan and gets thru the 180 day program then what? You are saddled with a large student loan with hefty payments AND you only have 275 flight hours - that is WAY short of the 1500 hours needed for the ATP. Now what? CFI employment at ATP -how many slots do they really have open for those positions? I called ATP and spoke with a young man who had just completed the 180 day fast track. He borrowed the money to do the training and now he is sitting in a CALL CENTER answering questions about the ATP program. What he is not doing is building hours or presumably making a salary to pay his loan back. Bueller? Bueller? Anybody?
One of the biggest dangers that I've seen from this is that guys are forced to fly in a state that they've never flown in before. As a brand new CFI, you don't want to be learning new airspace and a new airport while you are trying to instruct for the first time.
ATP has housing at all of their locations and it's glamorous. You'll get to live in a nasty little apartment with a bunch of other instructors, it's basically a crash pad. If you don't like instructing at ATP, or if you get fired because you made a little mistake and they need to get some guys out of the call center, good luck getting hired at another flight school. There definitely are some flight schools out there who will NOT hire you once they see you went to ATP. I'm not saying that no one will hire you, but some flight schools will not.
09-01-2014, 11:47 AM
#34
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2010
Position: 747 Captain, retired
Posts: 928
Originally Posted by worksweekdays
I mentioned this in an earlier post. Once you get your CFI cert ATP may hire you back as a CFI. You will be sitting in Jacksonville, FL in their call center until a spot opens up at one of their training centers. That could be two weeks or two months, anyone's guess. Once a spot does open up at a training center, you'll be sent there whether you want to or not. You may live in Chicago but guess what, a spot just opened in California so that's where you'll be going.
One of the biggest dangers that I've seen from this is that guys are forced to fly in a state that they've never flown in before. As a brand new CFI, you don't want to be learning new airspace and a new airport while you are trying to instruct for the first time.
ATP has housing at all of their locations and it's glamorous. You'll get to live in a nasty little apartment with a bunch of other instructors, it's basically a crash pad. If you don't like instructing at ATP, or if you get fired because you made a little mistake and they need to get some guys out of the call center, good luck getting hired at another flight school. There definitely are some flight schools out there who will NOT hire you once they see you went to ATP. I'm not saying that no one will hire you, but some flight schools will not.
One of the biggest dangers that I've seen from this is that guys are forced to fly in a state that they've never flown in before. As a brand new CFI, you don't want to be learning new airspace and a new airport while you are trying to instruct for the first time.
ATP has housing at all of their locations and it's glamorous. You'll get to live in a nasty little apartment with a bunch of other instructors, it's basically a crash pad. If you don't like instructing at ATP, or if you get fired because you made a little mistake and they need to get some guys out of the call center, good luck getting hired at another flight school. There definitely are some flight schools out there who will NOT hire you once they see you went to ATP. I'm not saying that no one will hire you, but some flight schools will not.
09-01-2014, 05:20 PM
#35
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2008
Position: C-172
Posts: 111
Originally Posted by worksweekdays
I mentioned this in an earlier post. Once you get your CFI cert ATP may hire you back as a CFI. You will be sitting in Jacksonville, FL in their call center until a spot opens up at one of their training centers. That could be two weeks or two months, anyone's guess. Once a spot does open up at a training center, you'll be sent there whether you want to or not. You may live in Chicago but guess what, a spot just opened in California so that's where you'll be going.
One of the biggest dangers that I've seen from this is that guys are forced to fly in a state that they've never flown in before. As a brand new CFI, you don't want to be learning new airspace and a new airport while you are trying to instruct for the first time.
ATP has housing at all of their locations and it's glamorous. You'll get to live in a nasty little apartment with a bunch of other instructors, it's basically a crash pad. If you don't like instructing at ATP, or if you get fired because you made a little mistake and they need to get some guys out of the call center, good luck getting hired at another flight school. There definitely are some flight schools out there who will NOT hire you once they see you went to ATP. I'm not saying that no one will hire you, but some flight schools will not.
One of the biggest dangers that I've seen from this is that guys are forced to fly in a state that they've never flown in before. As a brand new CFI, you don't want to be learning new airspace and a new airport while you are trying to instruct for the first time.
ATP has housing at all of their locations and it's glamorous. You'll get to live in a nasty little apartment with a bunch of other instructors, it's basically a crash pad. If you don't like instructing at ATP, or if you get fired because you made a little mistake and they need to get some guys out of the call center, good luck getting hired at another flight school. There definitely are some flight schools out there who will NOT hire you once they see you went to ATP. I'm not saying that no one will hire you, but some flight schools will not.
What's wrong with flying in a different part of the country? It sharpens your skills as a pilot flying in different ares, instead of one area and becoming complacent.
09-01-2014, 05:23 PM
#36
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Joined APC: Aug 2008
Position: C-172
Posts: 111
Originally Posted by worksweekdays
Reading this reminded me of so many horrible things I've seen out of this company. You are correct, it is still exactly the same.
Let me get this straight, after everything I said about ATP, that's all you've got? Of course a business is designed to make money, that's why the business exists. Some businesses, believe it or not, also exist for the betterment of something or someone else. The latter does not apply to ATP. ATP exists because they want to take your money and give you the minimum in return, they'll take your money and then give you the bird.
Let me get this straight, after everything I said about ATP, that's all you've got? Of course a business is designed to make money, that's why the business exists. Some businesses, believe it or not, also exist for the betterment of something or someone else. The latter does not apply to ATP. ATP exists because they want to take your money and give you the minimum in return, they'll take your money and then give you the bird.
It's not a track for everyone. Do your research and choose carefully.
09-01-2014, 06:02 PM
#37
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Joined APC: Jun 2014
Position: 737 FO
Posts: 360
Originally Posted by worksweekdays
One of the biggest dangers that I've seen from this is that guys are forced to fly in a state that they've never flown in before. As a brand new CFI, you don't want to be learning new airspace and a new airport while you are trying to instruct for the first time.
I'm glad the airlines don't use this logic. I never would have left the state of Florida, let alone the U.S.!
09-01-2014, 08:56 PM
#38
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Joined APC: Jul 2012
Posts: 8
Originally Posted by krudawg
After reading all the posts about ATP vs USAA, If MONEY is not an issue for you, go the ATP route but if it is an issue, then consider this: If one borrows the money via a Salle Mae student loan and gets thru the 180 day program then what? You are saddled with a large student loan with hefty payments AND you only have 275 flight hours - that is WAY short of the 1500 hours needed for the ATP. Now what? CFI employment at ATP -how many slots do they really have open for those positions? I called ATP and spoke with a young man who had just completed the 180 day fast track. He borrowed the money to do the training and now he is sitting in a CALL CENTER answering questions about the ATP program. What he is not doing is building hours or presumably making a salary to pay his loan back. Bueller? Bueller? Anybody?
About locations he told me everyone give them 3 choices, and if they don't give them one of the 3 places, they can get transfer if one of those 3 places get open up later on.
He also told me he believe the average hours build per month as an CFI at ATP is about 60-80hours. He think he will get to regional with in 2years.
09-01-2014, 10:59 PM
#39
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Joined APC: Nov 2013
Position: Captain CL-65
Posts: 268
Originally Posted by meeko031
...how long do you think you'll be able to pay that off once you're done with flight training, even while on instructing pay if you choose to go that route? Your first career flying may top at $30k, after taxes and payment back to your school loan will leave you with very, very little!!!
do your research and attend a smaller flight school, save the money, you'll learn the same things that the big flight schools are offering!
Good luck!
do your research and attend a smaller flight school, save the money, you'll learn the same things that the big flight schools are offering!
Good luck!
09-02-2014, 09:02 PM
#40
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Joined APC: Jun 2010
Position: 747 Captain, retired
Posts: 928
Originally Posted by Flyboyxc91
I'm only taking out a $25,000 loan for my ATP 100 Day Program, the rest I saved for working through college! With my credit score and the fact my fiance will be making pretty good money as a Nurse, I'm going to be just fine... Even if you took out the full loan there are definitely ways to make it work.
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