PegasusPuppy

And I can tell you that at least two ATP locations are absolute ****. ATP has so many locations that it's just not fair to say ATP is a **** school. It IS a pilot mill - so is American Flyers. But really it's about your CFI and you and what you put into it, just like any other education. You get out what you put in. I visited an ATP location and was not impressed with anything except the shiny new aircraft and the very long faces of the students and the incredibly terse and rude and overworked administrator who even the students insulted about her ability - that said enough to me.

American Flyers, at least the location I'm at, has only very good and dedicated and serious CFIs. My CFI is actually an ATP graduate and she is a very capable pilot, a very wise for her years teacher and absolutely gets into my head and heart and moves me forward. If it weren't for her I'd never know what LLWS feels like nor would I have conquered crosswinds or short fields or soft fields.

Yes, AF is expensive. No doubt. The aircraft at my location are also just a little beat up. The students are all happy, the curriculum is tailored individually, the ground school does seem like ticking a box for most of the CFIs but for others they're very very good. The weekend ground course is *great* and should be included in the price of the regular school but c'est la business.

I can't speak for the other locations, but I can say this: American Flyers feels invested in your success. ATP feels invested in picking your pocket. They really do not seem to give a damn how good of a pilot you become. I can say with complete confidence that the flight instructors at the AF location that I'm studying at not only want you to pass your checks but to be the sort of pilot they want in the left seat.

One last horn toot? Three of the five CFIs at this location are family of pilots of big name airlines. Connections count, but more importantly they chose this school for a reason.