Old 08-06-2007, 06:07 AM
  #12  
FL600
Gets Weekends Off
 
FL600's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Position: ERJ
Posts: 211
Default

I am a current student at ATP.

As far as private - if the location you choose DOES NOT have an SE airplane, ATP contracts out with a local FBO to get your pvt. That's what I did. I started in SEA, where there is only one instructor/airplane, and they sent me to an FBO at the same airport, where I completed my private.

I have had nothing but a positive experience with ATP. I would whole heartedly recommend them to anyone who wants to completely delve in and live and breath aviation for three months solid. I fly EVERY day, sim almost every day and get ground school every day. (and believe it or not, I also have time for a personal life! lol)

I can't remember who posted it, but instructors are here to instruct their students, not to give impromptu tours or whatever. At my location, when someone schedules a tour/interview, they are given a dedicated instrutor for that 2 hours ~ but when someone just pops in and wants to shoot the breeze about ATP for 2 hours when I'm in the middle of ground school or sim and they snag my instructor, I'm a tad ****ed.

Those of you making surprise visits, just know that you're taking away an instructor from students, and really, you should have called first to see if someone was available to show you around. I don't like my flight/sim/ground being interrupted especially because I have huge time restraints on what and how much I need to get done in a certain time frame.

Some locations facilities aren't as new as others, I've been to two locations only. I've heard that Phoenix and Dallas are the nicest. Sure, there are some rude instructors (I'm sure there are at local mom and pop FBO's too!) In my experience, I've made really great friends (both inst and students) and really learned a ton.

Good luck!
FL600 is offline