is the ATP airline career pilot program worth it?

stevenzerafa said:
Hi everyone I am new to JC. Past week I have been reading as much as I can about each other’s opinions on ATP and have learned so much from you guys. I currently hold my private which I obtained at my local FBO. About a month ago I signed up for the 90 day ACPP and my class start date is April 12th down at JAX. Have been studying the supplement like crazy and preparing for the instrument written which my goal is to take before I leave along with the AGI and IGI (already passed FOI).

Just had one quick question for anyone who is familiar with JAX. 1. How far Craig from the apartments and 2. how much personal space in your shared room do you get to keep all you belongings?

Thanks everyone
Click to expand...

1. It depends on the apartments you are in. You can count on 10-15 minutes.

2. Not much space at all. In each room there are 2 twin beds, 1 dresser, and 2 nightstands. The 1 dresser can vary in size between 5' tall with 5-30 inch wide drawers to the miniature thing my roommate and I shared. It was about 5' tall but the drawers were about a foot wide. And we shared that. Needless to say the closet will be where you cram most of your stuff.
 
stevenzerafa said:
Hi everyone I am new to JC. Past week I have been reading as much as I can about each other’s opinions on ATP and have learned so much from you guys. I currently hold my private which I obtained at my local FBO. About a month ago I signed up for the 90 day ACPP and my class start date is April 12th down at JAX. Have been studying the supplement like crazy and preparing for the instrument written which my goal is to take before I leave along with the AGI and IGI (already passed FOI).

Just had one quick question for anyone who is familiar with JAX. How far Craig from the apartments and how much personal space in your shared room do you get to keep all you belongings?

Thanks everyone
Click to expand...

April 12th is a good start date. Gives you almost two weeks from now to get your deposit back and avoid a mountain of debt!
 
44Driver said:
April 12th is a good start date. Gives you almost two weeks from now to get your deposit back and avoid a mountain of debt!
Click to expand...


Wow you have some venom against ATP. To bad that even if he decided to drop out of the drop now he would not get his deposit back.
 
DL31082 said:
Wow you have some venom against ATP. To bad that even if he decided to drop out of the drop now he would not get his deposit back.
Click to expand...

Well, I guess they need something to show for the sales pitch. "ATP is awesome and you'll soon be a high paid, respected airline pilot who only works 1/2 as much as everyone else"... Yaaack

Ask them how many ACPP grads have been hired by airlines in relation to how many graduated in the last year. Garuntee they won't tell you.
Or ask them how many grads are on the waiting list to be CFI's?

Bottom line is, you'll need at least an Airline Transport Pilot rating before you'll ever fly at a 121 airline. Ask ATP why you should rush through training when you'll need another 1250+ hours after you're done with the acpp?
 
In my situation I’m not looking to get hired by any airline anytime soon. I’m still young and still need to complete my bachelor’s degree. The reason why I prefer ATP over my local FBO is the fast paced environment of flying. If I ever decide I want to fly for an airline then when the time comes ill have a few years of instructing under my belt. I’m looking at aviation as more of a hobby and would like to teach people how to fly on the side. My first career choice is the NYPD.
 
If that's your goal, why not go to a university aviation program like riddle, perdue, or western mich? That way you get a 4-year degree, which is the best investment you can make. At the same time you'll be learning to fly and taking your time to learn everything as a real aviator, not a 90-day pilot.
 
Because I can get the same education at a local SUNY school for so much cheaper. Like I said I'm not looking to study aviation just more do it as a hobby.
 
You don't like ATP we get that. If someone is on this forum then at least that person is trying to get the information that they need to make an informed decision. There are pro's and con's to ATP. There are pro's and con's to the university path and the FBO path. How about you give information rather then useless crap.

If you went to ATP tell people about your experience and why you would or wouldn't recommend the program. That is all that it takes.
 
DL31082 said:
You don't like ATP we get that. If someone is on this forum then at least that person is trying to get the information that they need to make an informed decision. There are pro's and con's to ATP. There are pro's and con's to the university path and the FBO path. How about you give information rather then useless crap.

If you went to ATP tell people about your experience and why you would or wouldn't recommend the program. That is all that it takes.
Click to expand...

You're not the moderator, nor is it your job to dictate what people should post about. So if you think my posts are useless then please skip over them and be polite.
 
Your right I'm not. How about you tell us your experience and leave it at that? Do you even have anything to do with ATP?
 
44Driver said:
I finished the program about 6 months ago. Speaking of pre-flights at ATP!

When I was there the manager took a student out to solo who wasn't ready. After a few rounds in the pattern he got out of the 172 and she did her 3 rounds solo. They parked the plane for lunch and then flew back. When they got back someone else noticed that there was about an inch of prop blade tip bent backwards on the 172.

Anyway, nobody really knows when the prop got struck. The manager of course blamed the student. But the bottom line is that they flew a 172 all the way back to the training center with a dinged up prop that they never bothered to check.
Click to expand...

He has been through it...
 
About the post above.

I have felt more than rushed into taking a check ride that I miserably failed. In the end, I was told it wasn't any one's fault but my own, because if I wasn't ready, I wouldn't have been signed off. In addition, I was told "Many other people have done what you are doing with no problems at all, so whats your problem? You just need to get over your internal issues and step up to the plate. This is what you signed up for."

I did in fact sign up for an environment in which when it was time, the mother bird would be nudging me off of the nest, ready or not, because I might not be leaving the nest otherwise. In the end, it was my fault I failed the check ride; not because I didn't do what I was "taught," when I should have known better (according to the instructor.) But because, I shouldn't have gone up, when I should have listened to my gut instinct, and grounded myself even when others were telling me I know what I am doing (e.g. "you showed us you know how to do it right!".)

I recommend to any future student of ATP to listen to their gut instincts. It's hard when you trust someone because they "know what they are talking about," and because of that you trust them to almost any degree.


Don't let any one push you around. I did, and in the end the experience made me a stronger, more aware individual.

Either way, ATP is a great option, I will always stick to that, and would recommend ATP to anyone. One must be aware of all of the variables though.

I know that when I start instructing, I'm going to do more "asking" and less "telling", when it comes to putting someone in the air. I can't take back my mistakes, and I can't blame anyone either. The only thing I can do is help others who are in a position I was once in.

No offense, to 44Driver, but I don't agree with blatantly smearing someones choice to go to ATP. There's a difference between "guiding" someone away from ATP, and straight up telling them "RUN!." That's like telling a woman to "stop dating that looser" when she already made the choice.

ATP isn't in the business of getting any one killed, or teaching the wrong lessons. That prop should have been noticed by the instructor, and the student before they went back home (they both were supposed to do a full pre-filght inspection.) We all must take responsibility. It wasn't "ATP's" fault, in the end, it was ultimately the instructor who didn't do his job, student's put their full trust in the wings (arms) of their instructors.
 
To 44 driver, while going back and reading my post, I did not mean to accuse you of "smearing" anyone. I mearly meat to say, sounds like (s)he already made up their mind, you know? We are all posting here to help one another out, and I know that.
 
Sorry to here about the busted checkride Contrail. I can tell you (and I am sure most former ATPers will agree) that this checkride will not be the last one you feel rushed into. I assume you are talking about your IRA or your PMEL checkride. The CFI initial feels very rushed! Heck, even the CSEL and CFI-SE can be a bit rushed (mostly because of only being alotted 7 hours of training for BOTH the CSEL and the CFI-SE add on). For most people that is not very much to learn new maneuvers and how to teach them and to re-learn how to land that damn cessna.

Unfortunately, the pressure to take a checkride rolls downhill from the most upper management through the training center manager then onto your instructor and finally to you. The overall attitude of ATP is that you signed up for a 90 day program and damnit they are gonna get you done in 90 days. Back when the economy was rolling and jobs were to be had at 300 hours, it was not uncommon to have someone move into your room on the same day you were finishing your last checkride. I heard something when I was in college, but I think it applies to ATP as well:

"Get in, get out, quit f'ing about. Yo ho yo ho yo ho."

Good luck with the rest of your training.
 
You definately have to follow ATP's timeline. I know guys that tried to refuse taking a checkride when they were told and were told to either take it or leave.
 
DL31082 said:
You definately have to follow ATP's timeline. I know guys that tried to refuse taking a checkride when they were told and were told to either take it or leave.
Click to expand...


:yeahthat:. You are on their time line. When people sign up, they don't realize that with a fixed cost program, when it's time, it's time. Otherwise they woulden't make any money. And who opens a buisness to loose money (no funny comments please). I made it through with out busting a single ride, with three days to spare. The only reason I did was because I was prepared for every checkride. All it seemed I did for the entire program was study and fly. There were times I went out and had a drink, but that was usually after I passed a ride, or someone else passed a ride. When I was on x-countries I would study every chance I had. And it showed in my checkrides. And now I am using the same things tought to me at ATP to fast track a UAV pilot through his PVT/INST ratings in 90 days at what I consider a relaxed pace. He is ready to take his PVT ride in less than a month, minus his solo x-country time (so says the chief pilot).

It's not about where you go, it's about your level of motivation.
 
I am in their CFI program now and have never felt the impression of rushing through a checkride from anyone at the Vegas campus.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top