dodsqubam

I just typed a long response and it got deleted

Here the gist:

My cost 0 time to CFII $70k
No international students (I think one or two locations maybe have them, but I’m not sure what the other guy was talking about with that)
Fast Progrm
Don’t take a checkride unless you’re ready (you can buy more flights if needed. They can’t force you to take a checkride)
They treat you like and employee (which can be good or bad depending on how you deal with authority)
Stay away from party people. Find a couple serious students to study with.
Unlimited access to the sim. Use it!
Study at least 4-5 hours a day.
Come in prepared. They give you all the information you need, study it. Don’t waste your time or your instructors time.
If you don’t think you have a good CFI, change instructors!
If you don’t need the financing, you can get your ratings a lot cheaper elsewhere. However, expect it to take longer. ATP doesn’t waste time.
I passed all my checkrides.
It is what you make it.

dodsqubam

On a side note, I chose not to work there as a CFI, but I will often send my private students who are career oriented there for their instrument through CFII because it’s so fast.

By far a cheaper way to go is train at a good mom and pop flight school. Get to CFI single engine as fast as possible. Work as a CFI. Use your employee discount to add your multi engine and CFII.

JKC39180

I went to ATP in Concord, NC for two months. It was very expensive and there was almost no education gained. My instructor honestly told me, “I shouldn’t have to teach you this stuff. Are you reading your book and finding YouTube videos?” When I said, Yes but I need the gaps filled in, he advised me to read more. I asked for a new instructor and I was told I wasn’t allowed to choose to change my instructor, so I spent $12,600 in two months and I wasn’t allowed to switch to an instructor who was able to instruct! Then when I found a massively better flight school and told ATP I was withdrawing, then they asked what they could do to keep me as a student. Make no mistake, they just want your money! They have no concern about you as a professional pilot.

My advice, spend less, find a better flight school, take a little longer to get to CFI (a little longer being about 2 months), and you’ll be much happier and a much better pilot.

mirrorfogger

ATP is an excellent place to flunk a check ride.

They started with a 90 day program. They were really hosing people then. Now it looks like it has doubled in length. Do tell.

ATP gets away with there garbage program because flying an airliner is an easy job backed up by a massive support system. It also has nothing to do with flying GA airplanes.

You can pump people through there ratings and the airline will teach them what they need to know.

IamEssential

stay away from atp

Propeller

Its amazing how much a place like ATP can make pilots hate flying GA, which is probably the most fun ever to be had in an airplane outside of work.

I went to ATP in 2012, I heard there have been some slight improvements over the years but it still looks largely the same. They just don't care about you at all. Looking back at my logbook theres one page where I had 3 checkrides in 6 flights, and I was constantly alternating between a Cessna 172 and the Piper Seminole. I was clueless and along for the ride but after instructing for several years I know now that making a student switch back and forth between two very different airplanes is exactly how to set them up for failure. I steer people away from ATP all the time but if financing is an absolute must, at least get the private single out of the way so that you have some outside experience before going into this pilot factory. The paper thin knowledge level given at ATP still holds true.

DrSmacFum

I definitely put the time in every single day, AND was lucky with some great instructors.

I saw kids that weren't so lucky instructor wise, and they had a rough go at it.

You will realize quick that ATP doesn't care about you, but I managed to get what I needed out of ATP.

FullFlaps

Find a 141 school owned by a dpe or where the chief pilot is a dpe. If you live near a military base see if they have a flying club, usually if you join the civil air patrol they are allowed to take you on as a student. A lot if the instructors at military flight clubs are retired military pilots that have also flown for the airlines.

Find an instructor that wants to instruct and that you mesh with. A lot of instructors don't want to instruct and just want their 1500. At 200 bucks an hour (plane and instructor) you deserve someone that wants to be there.

ATP gives loans if you have a co-signer. So do all the airline run schools. Community colleges also have 2 year flight programs where you get all your ratings access to financing and an associate's. Liberty university has agreements with fbo's throughout the country and access to financing.

If you are young and want to serve, try to get a national guard spot as a pilot of just join the air guard for the gi bill benefits. See if you can get a pilot slot after getting all your ratings on the civilian side.

It'll cost you more than you thought and take longer than you thought to finish. Weather, dpe availability, aircraft availability, instructor availability, flight schools going under.... you'll see lol.

Im finishing my ratings now above is what I wish someone told me when I started.

ceelo

Meanwhile ATP has the some of the highest checkride pass rates in the country... but ok

Myfingershurt

They better! As much money as those DPEs make off ATP students! They know better than to bite the hand that feeds them. The DPEs in JAX had offices in the ATP building. It’s a pretty sweet gig for those guys. I think most checkrides are well north of $500 now. Cash money. Doubt those guys are into taking cash app, PayPal, pr Venmo yet.