atpwannabe

Flyin4Delta:

I totally agree with ctd57. As soon as I can finalize my financial & fiscal options, it's off to ATP for me. The amount of multi time you get is priceless.

I've had to postpone my initial training, but my eyes are still on the prize.


atp

cubanfiredawg

Hey atpwanabe,

I was in your shoes about three months ago. I went to the DCA dog and pony show, and was not too impressed. Good training but too many hoops to go through. Like having to build time to get your MEL, and other things like that.
I then went to visit an ALL ATPS location. Not so many dogs and ponies and still great training. And get this HALF as much as DCA!! Also your housing is included in your tuition! I've just completed the first part of training, and it was great. I'm now going on XC's all over the place. Fl, AL, GA, TX, and others. In the one and a half months I've been here, carriers already hired three of the instructors. From what I've seen you could get hired with as little as three months of instructing. It all depends on the number of students you have. Feel free to email me @ [email protected] if you have any questions.

Flyin4Delta

I was told the housing with ATP was not very good, that you house in a 2 bedroom apartment with 3 other guys. I also was told that unless you can make it to be one of their instructors you cant afford to get the hours anywhere else, therefore failing to accomplish the goal of building time. How true is this, coming from a student at ATP?

ctd57

The housing is a 2 bedroom apartment and you possibly will share it will others. But all it is designed for is a crash pad. You sleep, eat and S@#t there, alot of your time is spent at the airport, and that housing is for 90 day program guys only. 3 of my former students are not instructing at ATP and building time just fine. Look at how many other CFIs out there get hired at the regionals and never had anything to do with ATP. When you complete the career pilot program at ATP, you will have more than 100 hours. Most regionals require 100 hours, some are a little more. If you don't instruct for ATP, you career is not over. ATP just gives all that multi time which you can't beat when going for your first regional job.

LAfrequentflyer

ATP is a stepping stone to the next rung in the aviation ladder.

I've done a lot of research - you can't find a better deal than ATP. Their rep is excellent. You always have the oddball that got jacked. At ATP 99% of the time those people did it to themselves.

-LAFF

ctd57

I agree with that 100%. You really get what you paid for, there are no hidden costs. ATP isn't perfect, but the program works, and you get valuable multi time and at good cost. Yes there are people who have had a bad experience at ATP, but the success stories outway the failures by an astronomical figure.

GDLBEN33

Just out of curiosity, I am getting ready to go to ATP (ATL) in Nov. What should I expect my daily schedule to be like? Im doing the 90 day program. I already have my PPL. Just curious as to have much flying is actually done in one day.

POPA

One thing to look out for: A guy in my new-hire class went the DCA route, and they wouldn't let him instruct anything unless he got his MEI. They also wouldn't let him instruct if he went anywhere else for his instructor training.

ctd57

You can expect to be at the airport everyday. I had about 10-12 days off during my 90 day program. I finished 88 days from the day I started. I instruct now for ATP, and did the program in '05 in ATL. Your PVT ME will most likely be scheduled a week after the day you start. During your instrument training, there will be more sim than flight. Days can be relatively short or more than 8 hours. It all depends on how well you are learning the material, what phase you are in, weather, and your checkride schedule.

POPA, what and who are you talking about?

JesseSW

Wow..what happened to SkyHigh? I was almost positive he would have jumped all over this thread by now.

ATP all the way in my opinion over DCA. DCA is considered a joke by most pilots I've talked to. It is just too expensive to justify the training you could get elsewhere. Basically you are paying for the name Delta. (on the cusp of Chapter 11) Flight Safety and ATP are my two top recommendations. Both are expensive but if you want the fast track , 60k-90k is the norm these days (without living expenses).
If you are unsure at all about being a pilot, my personal recommendation is to get your ppl through your FBO and then reassess the situation.