Originally Posted by
BURflyer
Those guys were losers who didn't do their homework before they signed on to ATP. It's a self study course complemented by CFIs who themselves were students 90 days prior. What do you expect? Still CFIs are given FAA checkrides, yes the day long ones if you're lucky. However the operation they run is outstanding, there is no place that would put a 350K dollar airplane in the hands of 2 85 hour pilots and allow them to fly coast to coast in all kind weather and situations. You have to learn real QUICK. As far as lack of knowledge you had with your students, I can tell you for sure that it's not ATP/organizations fault, they provide the student with everything that is possibly needed to succeed. Instructors can only do so much with 90 days, if you don't learn quick and do not rely on someone to hold your hand you won't make it. You can't blame ATP for your students stupidity or lack of preperation before they paid 50000 dollars!
I was getting ready to tongue lash you for being too negative, but you hit the nail on the head big time... If you dont come prepared (which they tell you before you sign on), you will wash out... They told me before I came to get ALL of my written tests done before I got there... I was already a private pilot so that helped some, but they send you a box full of books that feels like it weighed 30 lbs about a month to a month and a half before you go to class... they tell you to start studying... I did get some one on one or two on one time with my instructors, but it was not an every day thing...As for experience I got all kinds... most of my XCs were in hard IFR for a good portion of them and dealt with lots of thunderstorms and busy airspace (Atlanta, Miami, Houston)... They encourage this....
The CFI "academy" was nothing more than a week of teaching you how to make lesson plans... I didnt learn a thing in that portion... And I sure learned more in my first 2 weeks as a CFI than I learned in all of my training.... It is a good program if you are trying to minimize your training time, but dont even think about them spoon feeding you anything cause it will be a nice kick in the face...