JoeSkurkis

Has anyone done their training at an ATP school? It's the main one I'm considering here in Orlando to attend and do their accelerated program. Give me the good and bad, please. Other than that my biggest concern is finding ways to get my hours to 1500 because I want to go the airline route. Thanks.
https://atpflightschool.com/

Pilot41

You're in the MCO area?

youngmd

I am planning to train with ATP as well, but at the Long Beach, California location.

Does anyone have any experience training specifically at this location? Thanks.

Switch

Good:
- You will get your ratings fast
- Structured training program
- Plenty of resources they make available to you that will help you
- Nice, well maintained, fairly new airplanes (minus the older seminoles at certain locations)

Bad:
- Expensive compared to other options
- Instructors can be hit or miss, there are great ones out there but there are also really bad ones.

Ultimately your experience at ATP will very on how much effort you put in, your instructor and which location you go to.

JoeSkurkis

Yes. ATP at Orlando Executive is about 40min from my house.

JoeSkurkis

Thanks so much. Appreciate this response.

Woland

I went through their program at FXE.
Pros:
-brand new airplanes that were a joy to fly. Well equipped. When I got my Private, as a teenager, it was in an old 152. ATP's aircraft are something else, man.
-Fairly efficient and well structured program, overall. Ground school is limited, the emphasis is on self study. They do give you plenty of study materials and everyone (in my experience) helps eachother out with interview gouges for particular DPE's, etc. Though I imagine that is fairly standard at most large flight schools.
-Simulator Access: you can use it 24/7, and it doesn't cost any extra $. At least it didn't several years ago, when i went through. This was a big attribute, to me. Really helpful with getting flows down and practicing for instrument. They had a simulator for both the piper archer and the Seminole.
-There is a benefit to being surrounded by like minded people with the same goal as you can't be over stated. It won't be hard to find a study buddy, or buddies. When you're at ATP, you are living, breathing, and dreaming aviation. Its designed for you to be fully immersed. If your life situation doesn't allow for that, ATP may not be the best choice for you.

Cons:

-Cost: aviation is expensive. ATP is most definitely no exception. I want to say their hourly rates are steep, but my only real comparison is an old cessna 152 that I rented for $99 an hour in 2008. Apples and Oranges; not fair to ATP to juxtapose the two. During my time, the rental rate, if you broke it down from your lump sum payments, was $250/hr for the archer, and 500/hr for the Seminole. I don't recall if that rate included the CFI. Sorry about that.
Cons:

-Quality of training, to me, appeared to be poor. I know this is entirely subjective, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. But my experience with the instructors was not great. I had one decent CFI who took me through my IFR rating but I was then switched to another CFI after mine got his 1500, and we didn't have a good rapport. I know we're not there to make friends, but the guy was clearly one of those who was just there for hours; in fairness that is probably most people, but he just didn't care, and didn't hide it. He was always texting on his phone during lessons, for example, and would get butt hurt when I expressed disatisfaction with it. I know from other students that he was not the only one to do that.

The environment propagated by the CFI's staffing the location at the time was unprofessional, full of gossiping and smack talking, both about students and other CFI's. Was reminiscent of a frat house, which I found displeasing.

Like the last guy said, it's a mixed bag, kind of the luck of the draw.

If you go, you'll probably be fine through the commercial ratings but the CFI program was a challenge. As it should be, I guess. But they only allot 4 hours of multi time to practice (though you already have a lot of multi hrs at that point) before sending you off for your MEI, which they have you do as your initial.

I would say my biggest mistake was allowing myself to be pushed into checkrides before I was ready. That's on me, 100%. Failed one and learned my lesson the hard way. But they absolutely will pressure you to take a ride; they usually have you set up the checkride date when you begin training for a given rating, and you just gotta hope you're ready by the deadline that has been set up for you.

Overall: not recommended. Fits the 'pilot mill' stereotype.

Av8tr1

This couldn't be further from the truth. You can put in a 1000% effort but if you get with one of those really bad instructors you're done. Complaining will get you nothing but a reputation.

Avoid ATP, they have a horrible reputation and put out a poor product. Most of the guys I fly with who have been to ATP don't have basic stick and rudder skills but they sure like to dog on everyone else.

DerekC

If you can't recommend ATP, then what would you recommend?

JoeSkurkis

Thanks everyone. Decision was made today. I didn't go with ATP. I chose a local 141 school that offers part 61 also. Thanks for all your help and insight.