Background:
I've been a 121 FO for about 4 years and 3000 (sic) hours. In the interest of personal improvement and possibly getting back into corporate aviation, I am pursuing my ATP certificate.

Challenges:
The challenges I foresee are two fold. One, going back to a single pilot mindset after years of having someone else set the radios and spin the bugs. Two, flying round gauges after flying glass for several years. (what's an instrument scan again??)

I'm looking at doing the 10hr program at AllATPs.

Anyone care to share there experiences or recommendations relating to earning an ATP rating?.

 

I can't help with the ATP aspect as I did that a long time ago, but I have recently gotten checked out in a single engine plane after many years flying for the airlines. I was furloughed in September and hadn't flown a single in about a dozen years, everything came back almost immediately except for visualizing the proper height to flare, it felt like landing in a hole. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

This is what really scares me about going into the airlines.

 

"Scares" you how?

You are going to see two pilot crews almost everywhere in the professional world; single pilot Citation or KingAir aside. The same goes for glass, you're gonna see it nearly everywhere... except in a trainer

 

I would say 10 hours is overkill.

Find an MEI that is recommended or that you know and trust and give them a call.

Fly all the maneuvers with them along with a few approaches to get your scan down and see where it takes you. I wouldnt be surprised if you were checkride ready in 2 hours.

 

I agree, 10 hours is an overkill. My ATP checkride was long (almost 2 hours) in the Seneca I - 4 approaches, hold, maneuvers, engine shut down and a total of 3 simulated engine failures. DPE said he was looking for complete systems knowledge and sharp instrument flight skills.

As for the challenges you mentioned:
1) Give a full approach briefing and set everything while you talk. If you fly an airplane without any bugs, you won't have to set anything other than frequencies and courses.
2) Get Microsoft flight simulator and practice instrument scan on the six pack round dial gauges or get instrument proficient in a non-G1000 Cessna 172.

I've finished ATP preps in 3-4 hours in our Seneca I. We only have one DPE in our area and since the aircraft doesn't have an NDB or GPS, pilots are limited to ILS, VOR and LOC approaches. This means the checkride will have 2 ILS approaches (one SE), one VOR and one LOC. I have a condensed ATP PTS on my website, if you want to download it. I got tired of reading the ATP PTS over and over again and put everything on one page to review.

If you don't have your written, I suggest Sheppard Air Flight Test 4.0 Prep Software ATP, Flight Engineer, Mil Comp - FAA Airline Transport Pilot. Good luck with your checkride!

 

Just did the ATP 2 day. It was a non-event. Remember, you've already been trained to ATP standards. You know how to do everything that they ask. It was so easy, I thought I had gotten robbed out of $2200!!!!

All primary info that's on a glass panel is in the same place as steam.

Day 1 - Paperwork, oral prep, 4 hrs of flying
Day 2 - Oral, Checkride

I spent 10 min answering oral questions. I got to pick which systems to talk about. My examiner really didn't asked anything. Just fly like a professional should and you'll be fine. Again non-event!

Good luck

 

Easy easy easy ride. You can do it in a single retract, get the ATP-SEL, then add the MEL if/when you upgrade, or just get the MEL version, but I'd say if you've been flying professionally, you shouldn't need more than 2-4hrs and get on it!