Originally Posted by worksweekdays

Negatives about ATP:

Lots of below average instructors there, why? Because they zoomed through their flight training and have no idea what they are doing!

ATP cares about one thing, MONEY. They don't care about your flight training experience or going at your speed. When you start to complain about anything in training, ATP doesn't have a problem reminding you what you signed up for and that you will be charged more or dropped from the program if you decide to deviate from the plan.

Oh yea and that guaranteed instructor job they're flashing in your face? Here's how that works: All across the country at ATP locations, wanna be aviators are progressing through their flight training at break neck speed, learning by fire hose, hopefully retaining some knowledge. Once a student is done with their program, they are offered the awesome instructor position at ATP.The student will then go to Florida where they will go through the ATP instructor training course. Then will you go instruct? No, because there will not be any open instructor positions at any of the training facilities.

In the meantime, you'll be in Florida at their call center, taking calls from the next group of saps until an instructor position opens up somewhere. When a spot opens, regardless of whether or not you want to go to that training center, that's where you're going. Forget being able to pick where you instruct, although they may allow a change later on.

So now a brand new instructor goes off to teach for the first time in a an area of the country that they may be completely unfamiliar with, the making of a recipe for disaster. Oh and remember how you sat in the call center waiting for an instructor spot to finally open? There will be lots of guys behind you wanting your instructor position and ATP can't just keep filling up the call center, they need instructors to leave and if they need to, they will help you leave so they can keep moving people along. Make one little slip up and you'll be told your services are no longer required.

As an instructor, ATP will pay you with a 1099, meaning you are never truly an ATP employee, you're just someone doing contract work for them, so getting rid of you at the drop of a hat is easily done. Oh and by the way, enjoy that 1099 come tax season.

Don't do ATP, it's designed to make them money, not to help you become a good pilot.

Originally Posted by kingsnake2

US Aviation Academy, like most flight schools right now, is hiring CFIs and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Flight schools around the country are struggling to keep CFIs when regional airlines are offering huge bonuses as soon as they meet ATP minimums (1500 hours, 23 years old, with 50 hours of multi-engine time).

Our current new instructor incentives are:
American Eagle (Envoy) Airlines has partnered with U.S. Aviation Academy to develop a career path from CFI to Regional Airline Pilot. This exciting new program gives the pilot a secured position at American Eagle Airlines while building time towards the ATP minimum flight experience requirements. Not only does the program provide this streamlined career path, but instructors are hired and employed by American Eagle while they are still instructing!

What does this mean for the CFI? It means that while flight instructing, you have medical, dental, and vision benefits, as well as travel privileges on American Airlines and American Eagle! Once Pipeline Instructors reach the ATP minimums and 50 hours of multi-engine experience, they are placed into new hire pilot training at American Eagle in the next new hire class.

US Aviation Academy has also started working with Republic Airways to provide another career path to our CFIs.

Originally Posted by rickair7777

There was a time when accumulating hundreds of hours of ME was a requirement to get hired by regionals. That is no longer the case, and will not be the case for many years to come.

Realistically you'll just need 50 hours ME (maybe 25 if the regionals allow you to credit their sim time towards ATP mins, some already do this).

I would be reluctant to spend a lot of extra money solely to get ME time. Do a little math and figure out what's the cheapest path to 25 and 50 ME hours.

Originally Posted by Flightcap

in case you get diabetes.

Originally Posted by rickair7777

If you're going to commit to the cost and effort of entering this career you really should first carefully consider whether you're willing to commit to the lifestyle needed to preserve your health. Of all the common career-ending ailments, type-II diabetes has to be the most preventable. It's probably almost 100% preventable if you your diet, exercise, and weight are within the recommended parameters. Not to mention the quality-of-life benefits.

Originally Posted by NovWhiskyLima

Kingsnake,

I posted in another forum too asking the same question but never got any reply. I am from Singapore and is interested in going to USAA and then staying on as CFI. Do you hire your own international students as CFIs?

Originally Posted by Flyboyxc91

ATP is actually still only $65,000 as of TODAY .

Originally Posted by chignutsak

Here are some other things to consider about ATP. I went through quite some time ago, but I would be surprised if anything has materially changed.

I recall having the dispatcher in Jax get mad at us. Why? The aircraft was unairworthy. Says who, I need that airplane here for a couple of check rides. Says the FARs, we replied. They got mad and said from the safety of their cubicle that the aircraft was indeed airworthy and told us to fly. We refused. While it was being fixed locally, the ATP boss calls to chew me out. He demanded to know why we would not take the airplane. My response consisted mainly of FARs he was well aware of. He backed down and hung up after muttering that I better be prepared at any job in the future to justify such decisions. I remember thinking to myself that's all well and good, except that I am a paying customer, NOT an employee. This was a training mission for us, NOT a revenue flight, so what was the ******* hurry?

Another example, several weeks later: We diverted enroute due to a misfiring engine. On the ground we called dispatch to report the problem. They told us it was just fouled plugs. Run it up, lean it out, and get that airplane to Jax and we'll fix it. We refused. They got mad and told us to do it again. We refused. Finally they contacted the local yokel A&P to look at it, and he quickly diagnosed a bad mag. He said, and we agreed, it was wise that we did not try to go. It got fixed.

Moral? These guys treated me like an employee instead of a customer. It was a great lesson in knowing the FARs and sticking up for what is right, even if it costs the boss money. But why does it cost them money? Two guys fly the Seminole around. They both paid the same amount for the privilege to repo their airplane around for check rides and mx. If the airplane is out of position, they're not making money.

So for the young guy who's got it all figured out, keep my experience in the back of your head. Don't let the promise of a future job affect prudent and sound aeronautical decision making. It's not worth having to explain what a dope you were at every interview for the rest of your flying career.

Originally Posted by gdpballin

Lol, what flight school ISN'T designed to make money? It's a business, not a charity.

Originally Posted by kingsnake2

Do you currently hold a green card or work visa?