Questions about All ATPs CFI program
 

Okay, so I am thinking about doing the All ATPS CFI program, but I was hoping some of you could answer some questions for me. What happens if one of the checkrides is pink slipped? Is any extra money required if you do, and is it guarenteed that you leave with 3 cfi certs? What are the differences with the three different places that they offer the cources? Does the FAA usualy give the checkrides, or does that go to a DE?

I think that is most of the questions that I have, I will add more if I come up with more.

Thanks

bump...

Yeah, let's hear some insight since my ass will be there soon..

-Forest

Atp Cfi
 

I went through the 90 day program in ATL. But everyone goes through the same CFI school. I would recommend going to ATL because it is a more relaxed atmosphere. If you go to Vegas, you could possibly get a FSDO examiner instead of a DPE. You don't want a FSDO checkride. I knew a couple of guys who had 8+ hour orals. If you go through ATL or JAX, you would be assigned a DPE. I am not saying that it is easy, but the oral is not as long and painful. Everyone I attended with walked out with all checkrides passed. ATP cannot guarantee your certificates because it is your responcibility to pass, not ATPs. I don't know if they charge extra if you bust. They don't for career pilots because they have already dropped 40K into the program. You must be prepared, these examiners aren't going to pass you just because you went through ATP.

Funny, my FSDO examiner resulted in a 4 hour oral and a 1.5 hour flight.

I know a couple people that went through the 10 day CFI, CFII, MEI thing. They had good things to say about the program. The one thing that running through all of that so quickly doesn't do is prepare you to instruct. At least that's what my friends mentioned after they had been sitting in the right seat for a couple weeks.

No really? SHOCKING. Then whats the point of going through the program

Getting your ratings quick, that's it. For some people, time is of the essence. I'm not saying it's a bad program, and neither did they. You can get a commercial certificate with 250 hours (less if you do it part 141), but there aren't too many operations out there that will hire with kind of time. You can get an instrument rating fast, but how many out there are comfortable going single pilot in IMC with only a hundred hours and maybe 5 in actual?

I was just stating what a couple of friends who went throught the 10 day program expressed. You go through the motions required to get your CFI. The cost of doing it fast is not having as much preparation when you begin instructing. The cost of going more a 'traditional' route is that it will take you more time.