Kozman

I just got my private pilot license. I'm 19 and I am trying to figure out which flight school to attend, with the goal of flying for the airlines.

What do you guys think of
-LIFT Academy
- L3 Harris
- Epic Flight academy
-Flight Saftey
-ATP Flight School

TOGALOCK

May I ask why you’re set on an “academy”? No one will care where you got your ratings. Going to one of those schools will only leave you with a larger than necessary bill in exchange for average instruction. Don’t believe the marketing they will push on you about a guaranteed job as an instructor followed by a guaranteed first officer job at a regional affiliate. While their promises may end up working for you, it will likely lock you into a commitment with an airline and is not necessary in today’s hiring climate.

Flight instructors are in short supply everywhere and, as a newly minted instructor, you will be able find a job relatively easily in an area where YOU want to work. Not where the school tells you that you will work. Once you get the necessary flight experience you will be able to follow this simple four step process to regional airline success: 1) Apply to the regional airlines you’d like to work for and wait for the (almost guaranteed) interview invite. 2) Don’t show up naked to the interview in order to ensure you will receive an offer. 3) Pass training. 4) Tell people you are an airline pilot.

Find a local part 61 flight school close to home and an instructor with real experience - such as a very experienced career flight instructor or a retired airline/charter/corporate pilot who truly enjoys giving flight instruction. You will likes save a lot of money, receive better instruction and still get that first airline job as fast, if not faster, than your “academy” peers.

Kozman

This really helps alot, anymore tips for a 19 year old looking to make a career out of this?

TOGALOCK

It may sound corny, but enjoy the journey and don’t rush yourself. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great sitting in an Airbus or Boeing at 37000 feet while sipping coffee, but the most fun you will ever have in flying is within spitting distance of where your are now. You don’t realize it yet and it won’t seem like it at the time, but it will be. I personally still fly GA for fun, rating collect, and instruct a little on the side just to stay in touch with my roots. THAT kind of flying has always been the most fun to me.

Secondly, always remember that there is a difference between passing a checkride/test and truly being a competent aviator. Never stop learning, get a glider rating, get a tailwheel endorsement, get some aerobatic instruction - do whatever you can to truly hone and perfect your stick skills, aircraft control and energy management.

Lastly, never take a Checkride before you feel ready. Don’t let an instructor force you into it if you don’t feel comfortable. In the end, you’ll be the one with a failure on your record. Not them. This and my previous advice are a problem with many of these academies. They are rating mills that are designed to push students through quickly while learning, despite what they’ll tell you, the bare minimum to pass the checkride, not be a competent pilot. One of the ones on your list is particularly notorious for pushing students to checkrides they weren’t ready for. I’ll let you do your own homework to find out which one that is.

Kozman

I'm guessing its ATP because that's what I read about it. No, but you really do have something there "enjoy the journey". I need to start doing that a little more.
I did all my training in a tailwheel and loved it. There is a great flight instructor that loves instructing for the fun of it and teaching. I think im just going to stay local and get my instrument and commercial there, and then maybe instruct. What do you think about getting my instrument and commercial and then doing banner towing to build my hours to build my tailwheel time. I have always wanted to fly in Alaska or some place like that and do bush flying but I have heard you need alot of tailwheel time to get hired. What are your thoughts?

155mm

Out of those listed, ATP flight school appeals to me, or really to me for my kids. Financing, accelerated training with an airline type structure, discount for having a private, hiring as a CFI after training, alignments with the Regionals, housing, a variety of training locations, etc. gives you a "fast track". Their website looks good but I would talk to a few of their graduates and get some feedback! I had a jumpseater once who went through the program and he wasn't too happy about it. In addition, I can't find their price quotes on the website anymore which makes nervous.

Macchi30

there are many ATP graduates instructing where I’m at now. They all said they didn’t stay with ATP because being a CFI there is misleading. The job is guaranteed, but it’s only based on openings nationwide. So, if you live in Florida, and the only opening is in the north. That’s your guaranteed job.

Another thing, being a CFI is already financially stressful enough. But they said at ATP the pay scale is tiered based off how many hours you fly. He said at his location, no instructor ever flew more than 80 hours a month. Here is the pay scale https://atpflightschool.com/airline-...d-cfi-job.html