FullyInvolved

Sliceback, I'm not sure why they're even faster than ATP Flight School, for example. I just thought of trying this new "fast track" approach today, so I haven't called or visited any of the schools to get the low down.

I know it would be extremely intense but I am highly motivated. I'm willing to put in any amount of time or work necessary to get it done. It's certainly gonna be more expensive than staying at my current school...for example, PPL at my school is $8k versus the $11k at the fast track/2 week PPL school. The trade off though in terms of finishing in ~18 weeks versus 1.5-2 years is probably worth it though. I just want to make sure I'm getting a quality learning experience. Tough decisions.

Sliceback

Some of these programs also expect you to have X done before you show up. Like your GS courses. So the 16-18 weeks is only the flying portion. The X takes additional time. In the rest of the training world you can fly WHILE you're taking the GS courses.

CFI course? Maybe. MEL? Sure. PPL? Uh, I'm frowning. Comm/inst? I'm frowning. It's an area many of us probably don't have much experience with.

PrettyFlyGuy

Not sure if you have this option but lots of smaller township departments will pay you like $150/night to sleep at the station over night for about 10 hour shifts. Lots of these places die for experienced guys to come on who already have their EMT/FF1 and 2 certs. You could do that and spend your days flying full time at a local FBO. So you still make money and have your days to fly full time and you wont have to pay for housing going to some ATP type school.

FullyInvolved

I'm at a big city career FD now so I think I'd be best staying here and using my salary (80k) to pay for flight training. There are some small town/volly FDs around here that do something like you're saying, but it's not very much pay...probably right around what you're saying.

So I talked with the accelerated flight schools today and they're saying about 2 months for PPL...and roughly 9 months from zero to CFI. I think that's more reasonable hours. I'm going to be able to fly multiple times in one day with this school versus just once a day with the current school I'm at.

PRS Guitars

Disclosure:Theses replies are long...so I didn't read them all. I will later, but a few posts had me concerned enough to post now.

I'm gonna say don't quit your Fire Fighting job! It's literally THE perfect job for transitioning to the Airlines. It will allow you to do this debt free which is critical.

You are only 23, you have plenty of time, trust me. Guys preaching getting this done ASAP are not factoring in risk. They aren't factoring in your near term (6 to 9 years) financial stability or QOL.

You can easily get everything done to CFI in under a year with your schedule. Then get a job as an independent contracter CFI and work on your 20 days off. You get to set your schedule and price ($30 to $50 an hour to start minimum). Meanwhile save as much as possible and jump to full time when you can.

I can't emphasize enough, you'd be F-ing crazy to quit that job cold turkey and make this transition. Again, time is important, but at 23 is not nearly as critical as being financially sound. Do not rush, just like you wouldn't rush and make a critical mistake on your job.

FullyInvolved

PRS Guitars, thanks for the reply. That is my ultimate goal...to be a CFI on my off days while still working at the FD. I would build time and wait until I was on with a regional, then quit. Basically going straight from the FD to Envoy (for example).

You're absolutely right...it's a good schedule. I think I'm going to switch schools (I've only had a couple lessons) and go with a bigger school that can get me in more often.

I talked with the schools that advertised "16-18 weeks" for zero to CFI (or 14 days for PPL) said that it's a somewhat misleading statement. The school I'm thinking about going to said about 2 months for PPL, and 9 months from Zero-to-CFI. The school said it's possible I can finish it even faster. If I did 2 lessons every day I was off, that would be 40 lessons a month (minus a few for weather, etc).

Bellair

ATP grad here. 20 days a month is a enough days off to keep up with your training at ATP, they want you to be fully committed (they don't want you working) but there is nothing wrong with a little white lie. Plus my buddy worked full time as a cop and finished under a year at ATP.

FullyInvolved

Thanks Bellair. For me, I think it's going to be challenging to be in a M-F 8-5 program and be missing days routinely for work. I think I'm going to stick with a local flight school that can work with my schedule (they're saying I can finish in roughly "6-9" months...so fairly comparable to what ATP Flight School advertises).