Thread undrift- I haven't seen any proposals lately that were going to get the ATP to military pilots w/o an FAA checkride. End of the year is supposed to reveal some instructor crossovers from mil to FAA CFIs, but that's another old thread.

Get your ATP the first hour you are eligible, period. To not do so is the waste of time, money and energy in the long run. Don't pay for it w/ a credit card or miss a kid's 529 payment- but get 'r done or you are limiting your career options. Fortune smiles on the prepared.

 

Most if not all OSA jobs in the AF will get you one for free. It's also done by a recognized company like FSI, Alteon, or SimiFlight as opposed to one of the "ATP factories" or the local one flight and take an ATP check in an airplane you know nothing about places. Agree that you should get one when you qualify, but there are opportunities to get one for free.

 

I disagree. It makes no difference where and how you get your ATP -- just get it. The only documentation of your ATP that is kept in your FAA aviation file is the official check ride form that is signed by the licensed FAA check airmen and sent off to OKC. Neither your employer or the FAA will know where you trained to get your ATP.

Also, at the so-called "ATP factory" that I went to, I was required to know the aircraft memory items (boldface), ops limits, normal and abnormal procedures -- the same things the USAF requires of me. Also, I was asked FAA general knowledge questions. Finally, I performed an abort, normal takeoff, traffic pattern, touch-n-go, go-around, steep turns, engine out procedures and restart in-flight, ILS, GPS w/holding, and a VOR engine out circling approach.

I'm curious, who gave you your check? (FAA check airmen, USAF Evaluator, or both?) During my OSA experience, a USAF Evaluator gave us our check and the company didn't allow us to get an ATP with ours because they said it required extra sims that the USAF didn't pay for.

-Fatty

 

Fatty is correct. The ATP is meaningless...unless you don't have it.

Nobody cares where or how you got it, as long as it's legit.

 

If you can get a free ATP from Uncle Sam great, for the rest of us just get it done on your own dime. You can knock it out in a weekend, and the small investment in your future/options are well worth the cost...

 

Fatty, Rick-
My post wasn't meant to be a shot at anybody's ATP. I merely wanted to get the word out to fellow AF pilots (and maybe other services) about another way to get an ATP that I didn't know about until I got an OSA job. As far as waiting until that perfect ATP opportunity comes along, I wouldn't wait and agree with you guys that getting an ATP is what's most important. In terms of where it comes from, I can't say for certain whether it makes a difference. Same can be said of a 4 year degree or masters, but I think for a college degree it does. With the tight job market, all of us are looking at ways to polish our resume up. My ATP checkride was by a designated examiner from FSI at the end of their 21 day G-V initial course. I'm fairly new to aviation resume's and not sure what stands out, but I included that with my background. Again, my main purpose was to let guys know that there are ways to get an almost free ATP (you have to pay for the written test).

 

No worries. In my experience, my ATP wasn't exactly a piece of cake.

Anyhow, that is interesting that the USAF let an FAA check airmen give you your checkride. What does it say on your Form 8?

-Fatty

 

Hey that's funny- " what's in your wallet" comes to mind.... The C-21 community ****ed on it's free ATP setup CONUS back in about '99, mixed up the sim schedule for the V1 cut vs. the airwork. Your form 8 should be from a USAF EP, not the FSDO. The ATP is obviously to date an FAA eval. Some of us had Checks for ATP after getting our Type from the FSDO during RECURRENT training, not a USAF eval.

Proper prior planning produces good sheot for free.

The USMC had the code broken- they had it in the regs that to be in command of their C-9s you had to have a TYPE and ATP from the FAA- simple- at least until post Valuejet when not all FAA examiners would get on a DoD aircraft.... Anywho= get your ATP. It doesn't expire. While you're at it- don't ever get anything but a first class physical from the FAA- if you get hurt, you cannot be waived higher than the original class medical you held at the time... There are better pennies out there to pinch. You don't have to get it every 6 mos (year for those now under 40, just get your EKG on schedule) but make sure the paper says Class I when you get it....