are atp graduates of the fast track doing financially well as a cfi?

Matt13C said:
Website says only guaranteed for 6 months. An instructor at my school, a great instructor at that, was let go to make room for new hires. They only have a need for so many instructors, if they have a guy they HAVE to give a job because it is guaranteed and you are beyond the 6 month window, guess who gets a pink slip.
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Hasn't happened, ever. If you were told that, you were lied to. Every student that takes advantage of the guaranteed job has been given a class date. No one has been let go to make room. Believe it or not our IP's are getting hired and with an overall increase in enrollment there's plenty of flying to be had.
 
Pfly said:
Hasn't happened, ever.
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Sorry, inclined to believe otherwise. Ever is a long time and aviation suffers huge ups and down. The entire reason they have the 6 month window is to give themselves an out. They know hiring and students cant grow forever, it has dropped off before and it will drop off again. Guaranteed CFI job is a strong selling point, but it is only possible if they can fit you in.
 
Matt13C said:
Sorry, inclined to believe otherwise. Ever is a long time and aviation suffers huge ups and down. The entire reason they have the 6 month window is to give themselves an out. They know hiring and students cant grow forever, it has dropped off before and it will drop off again. Guaranteed CFI job is a strong selling point, but it is only possible if they can fit you in.
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You're certainly entitled to your beliefs, but you're wrong here. I hire them. I'm intimately aware of how this works.
 
I don't remember anyone being sent home while I was there because some kid was told he had a job. What I do remember is guys sitting in the pit several months waiting their turn to go to a location.
 
Pfly said:
You're certainly entitled to your beliefs, but you're wrong here. I hire them. I'm intimately aware of how this works.
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Not a belief really, more hearsay from a trusted source. Doesn't matter though I really don't care that much. Simply stating that what is today, is not guaranteed for tomorrow.
 
Matt13C said:
Not a belief really, more hearsay from a trusted source. Doesn't matter though I really don't care that much. Simply stating that what is today, is not guaranteed for tomorrow.
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... but even in your scenario, which several years ago guys were spending months in the pit, shows that, guys were sitting in the pits. Instructors were not asked to leave to fill spots. You sat and waited your turn.
 
Tram said:
... but even in your scenario, which several years ago guys were spending months in the pit, shows that, guys were sitting in the pits. Instructors were not asked to leave to fill spots. You sat and waited your turn.
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what do you mean by sitting in the pit
 
The pit is the call center. Instructors answer the phones until they have a place to instruct. PFly would know if anyone had been let go for the reason you stated.
 
When I was at ATP, and it sounds like things are still the same or similar, things went like this:

You went to JAX for a lil' ATP indoc training and your "Can I pass the Rich Tillery am I ready to be a flight instructor test."

While you're in JAX you are manning the telephones "That's one.. eight hundred.. all.. a. t. p's. Again, one eight hundred, two five five two eight seven seven.."

You're the guy you get to talk to when you call ATP. The area these phones are answered in, is called the Pit.

At some point while you're there, you'll fill out your location wishlist.

Then, once day, a nice lady will walk into the pit and say "INVERTED - You wanna go to Sault St. Marie???" and you'll say "YES!!!" and she'll say "GO BOY!"

... and then you're an ATP instructor in Sault St. Marie.

While I was there, this took about 2 months. When I was in training at ATP this took about 8 to 12 months. Now, apparently, it takes 2 weeks.
 
Pfly said:
It's evolved a little, but you've got the general idea!
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Well then the info I was given was incorrect, maybe they just felt that way since there was no real reason for the pink slip. Good to hear ATP is standing by their word and keeping them employed until a CFI spot opens.
 
Matt13C said:
Well then the info I was given was incorrect, maybe they just felt that way since there was no real reason for the pink slip. Good to hear ATP is standing by their word and keeping them employed until a CFI spot opens.
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I was instructing at ATP in the worst of times. Even then, they never let someone go that was doing a good job.
 
Inverted25 said:
So the question then is, is it worth it to do the CFI/CFII/MEI program and get the guaranteed six month contract to get a few hundred multi?
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No. They'll hold that carrot out in front of you forever. Guys that graduated in Nov. still dont have jobs.
 
No matter where you train, you will have to flight instruct. You're fortunate to instruct where you actually trained. Even more fortunate to fly their multi engine aircraft.
 
LoadMasterC141 said:
I was instructing at ATP in the worst of times. Even then, they never let someone go that was doing a good job.
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Nice post. While I do not believe that ATP is a bad place to work it is for a select few. I have not nor will I probably ever work there as I am working towards my next goal in my career, but I did attend as a student awhile back. The instructing environment is fast paced, and the politics can be easy/hard to play depending on the person.

While I am sure they would never fire someone that is a good instructor, it can be hard to fit in (As at any other job). So my point is, it is like a normal job to the next step in your career. One can be successful, or one can not make it as an instructor at A.T.P. and still be successful. A.T.P. can help you progress quicker towards your end goal, but it does not mean you cannot still get there without A.T.P.

I will admit I am in a comfortable position because of the training I received at A.T.P. It is up to you to make instructing for A.T.P. better or worse! Good Luck to all my fellow aviators!
 
Pachong said:
No. They'll hold that carrot out in front of you forever. Guys that graduated in Nov. still dont have jobs.
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earlier in this thread someone that works for ATP said that right now it's about two weeks to get instructing. So where is your info from that nov finishes still dont have jobs
 
Pachong said:
No. They'll hold that carrot out in front of you forever. Guys that graduated in Nov. still dont have jobs.
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You have nothing to contribute to this thread.

Funny, I finished up all my ratings in mid-september, started at the call center in mid-october and started at my first instructing at my first location Nov 1st. I now have 200hrs dual given, not including the 40-50 hrs of sim dual given I have done.

Oh and even if you are at the call center, you are getting PAID! Not to mention when I was there, I had free room and board, didn't pay a penny for the really nice condo ATP put me in... I know a couple of airlines that don't pay their students nor provide free places to live while going through standardization training!

To whomever is actually reading this (still) and wondering if its a good place to train, ATP has treated more than fairly, and been an excellent employer. Let those who know/train/work for ATP actually be the advice heard.
 
Dude, why on earth would I make this up? If anyone would like to PM me I will gladly give you my friends' phone numbers. No need to get attacked over it.
 
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