It does not matter where you were trained. If you are/were a slacker it will eventually show. Most of my college classes (all non-aviation) were here is the book figure it out.

As for the sales pitch well do I really need to say more.

 

This business is cyclical. We all know that in the aviation world that crazy good times ($10,000 sign-on bonuses given out by eagle last year??) are followed just as quickly by "the end of the world". Just as quickly as I would caution people away from irrational exuberance during the good times, we need to remember that people are not going to start taking boats and trains around the world en masse again, and pilots are going to be needed for a long time.

The guy who wrote this article is merely stating the obvious that every downturn in aviation has its upside. Where he may miss the point is that he is basing most of his rosy predictions for 2009 on the current low fuel prices. Three short months ago, every wanna-be financial expert was breathlessly claiming that oil prices were going to rise forever...

Remember: never as bad as it seems, and never as good as it seems.

 

Those guys were losers who didn't do their homework before they signed on to ATP. It's a self study course complemented by CFIs who themselves were students 90 days prior. What do you expect? Still CFIs are given FAA checkrides, yes the day long ones if you're lucky. However the operation they run is outstanding, there is no place that would put a 350K dollar airplane in the hands of 2 85 hour pilots and allow them to fly coast to coast in all kind weather and situations. You have to learn real QUICK. As far as lack of knowledge you had with your students, I can tell you for sure that it's not ATP/organizations fault, they provide the student with everything that is possibly needed to succeed. Instructors can only do so much with 90 days, if you don't learn quick and do not rely on someone to hold your hand you won't make it. You can't blame ATP for your students stupidity or lack of preperation before they paid 50000 dollars!

 

No better way to say it!

 

I was getting ready to tongue lash you for being too negative, but you hit the nail on the head big time... If you dont come prepared (which they tell you before you sign on), you will wash out... They told me before I came to get ALL of my written tests done before I got there... I was already a private pilot so that helped some, but they send you a box full of books that feels like it weighed 30 lbs about a month to a month and a half before you go to class... they tell you to start studying... I did get some one on one or two on one time with my instructors, but it was not an every day thing...As for experience I got all kinds... most of my XCs were in hard IFR for a good portion of them and dealt with lots of thunderstorms and busy airspace (Atlanta, Miami, Houston)... They encourage this....

The CFI "academy" was nothing more than a week of teaching you how to make lesson plans... I didnt learn a thing in that portion... And I sure learned more in my first 2 weeks as a CFI than I learned in all of my training.... It is a good program if you are trying to minimize your training time, but dont even think about them spoon feeding you anything cause it will be a nice kick in the face...

 

Me too man.....I'm pretty much putting all my eggs in two baskets -ASA and Pinnacle-. I'm almost convinced one of them -if not both- will start hiring by Feb 09. We'll see. As far as that article is concerned, that is a sales pitch!.

 

From the Delta investor webcast

Today in the investors webcast they talked alot about up gauging aircraft in specific markets and that the DC9s were now a very helpful tool in the puzzle. "yesterdays trash is todays treasure" was the exact quote. Context of the discussion was in regards to higher fuel and now low fuel. fwiw

I think we will see alot of md80s and dc9s put on old rj routes. This will allow them to move the same amount of seats with less frequency.

so i think ATP is wrong

 

And this is a good training method??? Taking the knowledge tests before doing any ground on the course? And then self study on most of the ground? What about those subjects that the student can't learn on his own and his CFI doesn't know either because he was never taught it? Last time I checked most students aren't eager to learn ground. They want to go fly circles over their friend's houses because they think it's cool. Great place to go to if you want to pass a checkride. If you want to be a "great" CFI, I don't think 2 weeks cuts it.

Couldn't bite my tongue on this one...

 

Where did you get this information and B) How much do your drugs cost on a daily basis ?!

 

and just what do you think your airline new hire initial ground school did?