Originally Posted by
mjt2147
I am hesitant to post as I have found that these forums are mostly utilized by disgruntled people and others who are not able to be satisfied. For some reason there is no shortage of people who bash every regional, major, flight school, etc. that anyone asks about. Having said that, I have a little bit of time on my hands and hope that some level headed people might weigh in. Here is my situation:
-My veteran status allows me to complete R-ATP programs from Liberty University, etc. at EXTREMELY low cost. Low cost up front, anyway. The 2.5-3 years of training that is slave to the college semester schedule is the equivalent of a huge cost in time/seniority, missed years of potential future earnings and the like. That same veteran status brings in some monthly income and my wife makes good money, so the low up front cost isn't as attractive to me as it might be to some people in a different position.
-There is one part 141 school in my area that doesn't get good reviews and has been extremely flaky when I have reached out to them. There is another mom and pop school, but they don't have a lot of airplanes. The ones that they do have are 1960's and 1970's 172's that get flown basically nonstop and are always in maintenance. I don't even think you can do ME through them.
-I my options for relocating to do an accelerated ATP-type school are limited. I need to be back on most weekends, at least Sundays so that my wife can work and I can take care of the kids. That leaves ATP's in either Greenville SC or Charlotte NC, or Blue Line Aviation in Smithfield NC. I have heard that ATP is basically 7 days a week, if that is the case it is out. Blue Line advertises 5-6 days a week with 5 being the ideal but weather and maintenance can necessitate a 6th day.
-I have seen a lot of stuff on Reddit about policies from 2020 peak Covid at Blue Line. These just aren't reliable as that was such a unique time and peoples' brains were turned to complete dog**** by the whole pandemic. I have seen other things that people think the owner is a jerk, etc. Honestly I don't care.
My question is, if there is anyone out there who can help, does Blue Line Aviation in Smithfield NC provide what they say they will provide? If I plunk down the $, will they get me through the training on schedule and safely? I don't need to hear about other schools in other locations and how much better they are. I have explained why those aren't an option. I also understand that places like Blue Line and ATP are expensive, but given my situation i.e. the lack of quality training locations in my area, my inability to relocate, etc. I think that they are the best way for me to achieve my goals. Does anyone have any thoughts? Thank you!
First of all, you need to understand that getting to the R-ATP level is going to be a time-consuming process that requires a lot of study and training. I've been flying for almost 40 years, and I've never met anyone who's gotten to the R-ATP in less than about two years. Last year I flew with a First Officer who had gone from 0 hours to a regional airline in 2.5 years, and I thought THAT was pretty amazing. Second, I expect that airline hiring will be pretty good for the next five or ten years. Instead of worrying about "career progression" and "seniority", your focus should be on getting through your basic training and acquiring some quality flight experience.
If I was in your position, I'd take another look at Liberty University. Once you get your Private, you can get rental privileges at some of the local flight schools. This will allow you to build some additional flight time, and one of those schools might be willing to hire you once you get your CFI (flight instructor) certification. It's never a bad idea to save some money. You might need it later.
Finally, you should consider how your "inability to relocate" may affect your future flying career. I've been pretty lucky. I've only had to move four times in the last twenty years for my airline job.