flyboy,

Looking back at 45 years flying, here's one view worth a penny. You only get to live once, this ain't a dress rehearsal. I've flown rides at fairs, hauled night freight/cancelled checks, ANG UPT and flew fighters, attack and retired on C-5s, flew for an airline now gone, flew corporate and now fly for an OEM of corporate jets. Along the way I've meet thousands of friends and characters, flown 12 different jets, been on six continents and 60+ countries. Last month It was several South American countries, next month Moscow. It's about living a good and varied life, not always money which will work out somehow anyway. Don't chase rabbits or seniority, enjoy the ride, it's the only one.

GF

I wanna be like you when I grow up!:)

Hey bro,

Thought I would chime in here. I also graduated college this spring and thought about going to ATP. If it helps your decision, I made the decision to go to ATP and haven't regretted it at all. I'm doing the zero to hero and am just at about 50 hours at 3 and a half weeks. You will work your butt off, but you'll also have fun. I don't know about the RDU location and personally think that's a load of crap. Considering I'm at the brand new Tulsa location that is still a work in progress, and even they are supposed to be open during "normal business hours" for stuff like tours and what not. But as far as ATP goes, the instructors down in the Dallas area are busy all the time flight instructing. They also usually try to keep it 4 to a instructor max so as the instructors don't get burnt out and what not. You will study, but you will also fly a lot and so far for me I couldn't have asked for anything better. I know there are a lot of naysayers and haters about the pilot mill type stuff, but seeing that I also graduated college I felt this was the best option for me. If I were you I would get registered before August 31st just so you save the $5,000. I can see how it looks like a red flag and it could be ATP being greedy. But it could also be a few other things like paying for the newer Archers (which is what I'm learning in), fuel as you'll use a lot of that, or highly doubtful but possibly to pay instructors more. Good luck in your decision!

Sooner91! Thanks for the "chime" and I'm on the page with you, I do know about the August 31st $5,000 savings deadline and will be driving to RDU for a walk in of the facility or whatever I can try and find out without prying to hard on the staff since there isn't a conventional tour. Also, I considered the reason for the increase was due to expansion which has been going on like made lately it seems with new facilities and planes.... At any rate, congratulations to you on the college degree (We did it!) and good luck on your PPL! I'll be flying 10 hours of PIC XC to meet the 100 Day program pre reqs and looking to set my class date for mid October if I sign Friday.

Yeah overall if you get signed up before the price increase or would consider yourself lucky haha. I can also see that being a reason which thinking about it kind of makes sense. Good luck and keep us updated on how your "tour" goes! Hopefully it's not too bad of a location, but chances are you'll only be spending half your training there. Because cross country time with another student won't be there and your time at CFI training is only at a few locations. Thanks for the congrats and same to you! It feels so nice but so weird to be done with college. It makes studying now that much more difficult haha, but of you have anymore questions, feel free to ask. I am just warning you I am no means an expert.

To lock in your $5000 savings, do they require you to pay for all your courses upfront. Or can you pay for each course individually?

Unless it's changed and I reserves my class date 2 months ago to start the beginning of August but you pay a $995 deposit. They then mail you your stuff and that's all you have to pay until your class date. So if you registered right now it would just be a $995 deposit. Then once your program starts, say you're in the 180 day program. If you locked it in at the discounted price then they charge in installments I think like every 6 weeks or so. So for me it's 4 separate installments so it's not all at once but I don't think you can pay for each individual course at a time either because it's accelerated training; that's my guess as to why it's paid in installments.

Yea this is correct from the information that I've been getting and going through the process as well.. the $995 "Class Enrollment" deposit is upfront and non-refundable.. You will be given your course study supplement materials and then on your 1st class date they will also be charged to your account and your first installment is due. The 100 day course installments are due separate times like week 2, week 4 and week 8 I think... something staggering like that leading to the total cost.. REMEMBER iPad, pilot supplies (bag, headset, etc.) and EXAMINER FEES are NOT INCLUDED in those prices so ADDDDDDDDD IT UP... and up and up and up and well up..

I got to see the RDU facility today and it was definitely pretty cool, I heard the Concord/Charlotte facility is a bit larger and has a few more planes that are newer than the RDU location.. Concord has the new Archers and newer Seminoles, RDU is still using the 172s and the later Seminoles... Solid facilities.

Yeah all the required extra items definitely make it add up, but if you can get it on the cheap like a flash light then go for it. Also don't buy all the apps until you actually need them. Foreflight will be a big one though and I personally recommend the more expensive version. I don't think you'll be flying the Archer much now until I think commercial single, but if I were you and could choose I would probably choose the Charlotte location based on that. Of course if you're living in Raleigh and can live at home then of course that would be better. Good call on walking in for a tour, hearing you can't tour a location is a load of crap. Either way both facilities will have the same stuff and my instructor is really pushing for me to learn instrument on the old steam gauge Seminole so if RDU is close then I would choose that. Already expensive enough as it is.