Originally Posted by
BryFlys
Agreed that they are $hitty but they aren't the "quickest" option. I went to a local 141 in Denver and was able to go from my private to commercial in less than 5 months(I started with roughly 60 hrs SEL) ...the CFI & CFII on the other hand... that's taken me a while due to some scheduling conflicts. Moral of the story is that if you get plugged in with the right instructor, school, club, ect. AND you're motivated, you can complete it just as quick (if not faster) elsewhere than at ATP.
I don't know what ATP is offering now but I went in 2010 and their Professional Pilot Program went from 80hr PPL to CFI/CFII/MEI in 3 months.
Not saying this is the best option but taking 5 months to go from PPL to commercial seems like an awful long time.
OP, I don't have experience doing it but know of several people who purchased their own planes and knocked out their training and then sold the plane for what they purchased it for. Basically their only costs were fuel, CFI and insurance.
The downside to that is buying a lemon and ending up way in the hole if things really start to go downhill for the plane. I had a student buy her own plane and that thing ended up being a money pit for her.