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-   -   ATP vs American Flyers vs others (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/flight-schools-training/107922-atp-vs-american-flyers-vs-others.html)

gdpballin 11-12-2017 02:19 PM


Originally Posted by Pirringer (Post 2453049)
Got it, the last class at my airline had 30 students, 8 were from ATP, none of them made it through sim training. Any other questions or was that too anecdotal?


I know quite a few airline pilots from ATP who are great pilots. There are ones who aren’t as well.

Any school will have had pilots turn out. It’s not just ATP. It’s a good fit for certain people, but not everybody. Probably need to shop around to find the right school that fits your style.

superman 11-22-2017 10:33 AM

Do NOT go to ALL ATP
 
I’m with Pirringer, ATP is a crap school. They do not teach you the fundamentals at all, just enough to possibly get through a check ride. My son signed up for ATP, and during instrument he failed his check ride, and another, so they washed him out and sent him packing with the entire bill. $70,000
What most people don’t know about ATP, is that on day 1 when you show for class they make you sign a contract for $500/hr Multi and $250/hour single if they wash you or you leave. Which are insane rates for these types of planes.
Not only did he not make it all the way through the program, but none of the other students (4 total that we knew of) he was rooming with didn’t either. I think ATP lures you with the Job at the end and a quick program and then they send you packing without half the training, but all of the bill.
Go to a Community College or a good flight School, NOT ATP!

FlyingStormie 11-23-2017 07:53 AM

Your son (and everyone else) is entitled to a prorated refund of all money not used. Since there is no legitimate way he, or anyone else for that matter, could have burned through the entire amount by the time of the Instrument checkride, he (or his lender) is due a sizable refund.

When I left ATP, I (my lender) had already made the first installment of $12500. When I withdrew, they immediately canceled the loan (I verified this via Sallie Mae) and began processing the refund. The unused funds were returned to Sallie Mae a full week earlier than ATP promised. The only money not returned was the $995 deposit and the handful of hours in the 172, which were billed in accordance with the rate sheet provided.

If ATP truly is not returning unused money, I suggest hiring an attorney.

PegasusPuppy 01-13-2019 11:48 AM

I can vouch for American Flyers
 
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.

viper548 01-13-2019 02:26 PM


Originally Posted by PegasusPuppy (Post 2742212)
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.


Addison North?


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