just coming from first hand experience with those type of pilots

 

There is a lot of things I've learned since I received my commercial that are impossible to learn at one of those programs. Just experiece related stuff. Different seasons and different geographical regions=different types of flying a school just can't do for you. Challenging and exciting it's all been. If I could do it all over again I'd follow my same path. One of my biggest fears is getting into a regional or airline one day and not being able to fly a 172 anymore with any type of skill. I know it sounds crazy but I have fighter pilots and heavy pilots come wanting to rent our 172 and you'd be suprised how horrible they fly it.

 

Haha, being a CFI I know what you mean. They are two different worlds. That's why when I start flying for the regionals and IF I have the time, I still want to rent a C172 at least once a month to go get one of those expensive hamburgers.

 

Good luck doing that on a first year salary. The fact is a lot of us, if not most of us in the airlines haven't touch a general aviation aircraft in years. Some people by choice, others just can't afford it or don't have the time.

Two types of regional pilots, there's the guys that can't wait to finish a trip to jump into a their "pro-bono" cfi gig. And the guys that are just happy going to work and completely disconnect from it on days off. I'm the second, I get my kicks at work, and believe me, flying a VOR approach in IMC conditions in Mexico is more fun than anything I ever did in G.A. with the exception of the mile high club!

So it's a matter of personal choice, many of us just simply don't miss steep turns, hot cockpits, and student pilots trying to kill you. Other's see it in a different light.


Either way, enjoy it.

 

Pass rate at ATP is surprisingly not that high. From what I've heard and obviously it's not universal but about 40% of students fail at least one check ride. ATP students that go into CFI school have a good pass rate, street pilots that go into the CFI school have a low pass rate. I think ATP gets the smack mostly because people are ignorant of what ATP does. ATP doesn't cut corners, they don't hold hands, they offer exactly what you get at the local school. It's just for people that want to do it quickly as in fly 8-5 for 3 months straight, with out the FBO bull$hit. If anything pilots that come out of ATP are better because they have shown that they can handle an intensive structured training with airline procedures. Not to mention it's all multi with nation wide cross-country experience.

 

I think the process of obtaining a CPL should be restructured. 90 days may be sufficient for the flying portion, but as i have said before, the academic portion of becoming a pilot is incredibly inadequate. I know quite a few of these 90-day wonders, and they fly as well as anyone. Its their knowlegde that lets them down. For example; once i came into my flightschool and there were 5-6 CFI's trying to understand a simple electrical schematic ...for a BE-76(!). These guys just could'nt figure it out. How would they? They had 90 days to complete a course. I think a pilot should be educated well enought to be ready to work, fresh out of the box. make it a 4 year BS, or incorporate some sort of 1y+ academic license/test that cannot be "gleimed". self study will keep costs down. Instructors need to be experienced pilots with proper pay. New pilots need to be paid properly (to factor in their investment and dedication). What kind of pay do you expect when you graduate from a 90 day course? what are you worth?

 

The only reason atp cfi's pass quickly is because the examiners are on atp staff. They even flaunt this in the magazine ads. I have seen their training as well as pan am's play out. I found just the opposite to be true, their knowledge base was great but these guys probably couldn't pass a private pilot checkride with a real examiner because their flying ability was so pitiful. 2 90 day wonders worked at our school=2 damaged airplanes (both cherokees)=no more hiring of quick finish up cfi's.

 

What school did/do you work at?

 

an fbo school in Texas. Eight planes and six instructors. Why do you ask?

 

Just wondering, curious to know if it was in Dallas.