$10K Extra Fee Added for VA Program

Counselor

Well-Known Member
Just saw on the website that ATP added an extra $10K fee for their VA ACPP in Panama City. Anyone going through the program in Panama City who can explain why ATP did this?
 
To my knowledge... there's an extra charge for the additional 50 hours XC time that is needed for the Commercial Cert. since it has to be with an instructor in order for it to qualify as "training" under part 141. In other words... I'm not certain that you can claim "time building" under the VA bennies.

So that boils down to @ $200/hr wet for a twin, with an instructor, and flying potentially across the country with housing provided as well.

I'm not sure if that's the part you are referring to... but it makes sense to me. I'd call them to find out if you wanted an answer straight from the source though.

Bob
 
CaptainBob - so do VA students come away with an extra 50 hrs of multi-engine time? And I will call Tuesday. Thanks.
 
CaptainBob - so do VA students come away with an extra 50 hrs of multi-engine time? And I will call Tuesday. Thanks.

No, what he is talking about is after you get your instrument, you are required to build certain time to meet the requirements of the commercial cert. The VA doesnt pay for time building to get this time, so ATP has to throw an instructor into the plane with you, thus costing them the CFIs time, and throwing the cost onto you.

The way I see it is, its either this, or you pay out of pocket for the time building under part 61.

For the record this is why I said ATP would and should never go part 141, it just adds headaches.
 
To my knowledge... there's an extra charge for the additional 50 hours XC time that is needed for the Commercial Cert. since it has to be with an instructor in order for it to qualify as "training" under part 141. In other words... I'm not certain that you can claim "time building" under the VA bennies.

So that boils down to @ $200/hr wet for a twin, with an instructor, and flying potentially across the country with housing provided as well.

I'm not sure if that's the part you are referring to... but it makes sense to me. I'd call them to find out if you wanted an answer straight from the source though.

Bob

FYI, the cross countries with an instructor are not going across the country. The instructors are so busy they are struggling to keep up with the cross country flying and therefore are doing all out and backs. Also, you can forget about finishing in 90 days if you go to PC. They are running at least 30 days behind schedule again due to the fact that instructors are flying all of the cross countries.

Actually, the 25 hours of single engine time building are solo. Yes, ATP is letting the students go solo and the students in PC are pretty much able to pick where they want to go when they are doing those flights. I don't know if all ACPP students are doing solo SE flying, but that is the case in PC.

Either way, it is crap that they are now tacking on another $10K. They better update the ad at the top of JC stating how much the ACPP costs the vets after they are reimbursed 60%. :rolleyes:
 
CaptainBob - so do VA students come away with an extra 50 hrs of multi-engine time? And I will call Tuesday. Thanks.
I just saw this on their website:

What is the $10,000 charge for Multi-Engine Cross-Country?

For insurance and safety reasons, ATP always operates Seminoles with two pilots–never solo. During the cross-country phase of the non-VA-approved Airline Career Pilot Program, two multi-engine instrument rated students practice crew operating experience while flying nationwide cross-countries in an airline-style dispatched environment. The VA will only reimburse "solo" and "dual" flight time, which requires that this portion of the program be conducted with an instructor for VA students.
 
That's $200 an hour for instruction. It had better be Chuck Yeager teaching you. Sean Tucker is not even that much.
 
ATP loves adding fees to it's programs to inconvenience their students. I feel bad for those students already going through the program who have just found out they need to come up with 10k immediately.
 
FYI, the cross countries with an instructor are not going across the country. The instructors are so busy they are struggling to keep up with the cross country flying and therefore are doing all out and backs. Also, you can forget about finishing in 90 days if you go to PC. They are running at least 30 days behind schedule again due to the fact that instructors are flying all of the cross countries.

Actually, the 25 hours of single engine time building are solo. Yes, ATP is letting the students go solo and the students in PC are pretty much able to pick where they want to go when they are doing those flights. I don't know if all ACPP students are doing solo SE flying, but that is the case in PC.

Either way, it is crap that they are now tacking on another $10K. They better update the ad at the top of JC stating how much the ACPP costs the vets after they are reimbursed 60%. :rolleyes:

Can someone in Panama City explain the VA curriculum? It sounds like for the commercial ticket, it's 25 "solo" single engine time building, 50 "dual" multi-engine time building (where the new $10K) comes from, and 45 "dual" commercial instruction? I guess that adds up to the 120 hours needed for a Part 141 commercial ticket.

Would love to hear from a VA student in PC about the program.
 
ATP loves adding fees to it's programs to inconvenience their students. I feel bad for those students already going through the program who have just found out they need to come up with 10k immediately.

This is the first time I have ever heard of ATP charging someone extra after the fact. Thats the one good thing about ATP is that they are pretty up front about their costs. The only time you get charged more is if you really suck at flying.

And yea, its $200 more an hour per flight, but you have to figure that when its 2 students, they are able to bring costs down because 2 people are paying for the seminole, now 1 person is paying PLUS they are taking an instructor away from other students. I have a feeling this is something ATP didnt account for and only realized after they started the 141 program.
 
The charge is not going to be for anyone already signed up that's not how atp works, in fact when they raise the price students already signed up don't pay anymore they get the old price, when they lower the cost they give refunds to students already in the school. what other flight school does that?
 
Unless you know something that I don't... I've never seen ATP raise any rate during any student's program.

Agreed with here, however Bob 10k is very steep for our VA program. These guys are ones whom deserved to be part of a VA program due to their service to our country, and we are going to spike the fees up on them. Just does not seem right, especially if this is not MULTI time. Because if its single, a student would be much better doing that on their own for a heck of a lot cheaper.
 
The charge is not going to be for anyone already signed up that's not how atp works, in fact when they raise the price students already signed up don't pay anymore they get the old price, when they lower the cost they give refunds to students already in the school. what other flight school does that?

Not always true...they just recently dropped the price of the ACPP by $5000. Student A started a week ahead of Student B. After the price decrease, Student B got all $5000 taken off his program price. Student A, on the other hand, was given no price reduction at all. When he asked Jim about it, Jim gave him a citation ride instead and tried to act like he should be grateful he got that much. Oh by the way, this is the same citation ride that ATP offers on their website for $3000 and they claim it will "make you remember why you want to be a jet pilot." I hate them so much...:banghead:
 
Not always true...they just recently dropped the price of the ACPP by $5000. Student A started a week ahead of Student B. After the price decrease, Student B got all $5000 taken off his program price. Student A, on the other hand, was given no price reduction at all. When he asked Jim about it, Jim gave him a citation ride instead and tried to act like he should be grateful he got that much. Oh by the way, this is the same citation ride that ATP offers on their website for $3000 and they claim it will "make you remember why you want to be a jet pilot." I hate them so much...:banghead:

:rolleyes: Doesn't surprise me to hear this at all...
 
Not always true...they just recently dropped the price of the ACPP by $5000. Student A started a week ahead of Student B. After the price decrease, Student B got all $5000 taken off his program price. Student A, on the other hand, was given no price reduction at all. When he asked Jim about it, Jim gave him a citation ride instead and tried to act like he should be grateful he got that much. Oh by the way, this is the same citation ride that ATP offers on their website for $3000 and they claim it will "make you remember why you want to be a jet pilot." I hate them so much...:banghead:


I have a question for you guywhoflies, you had a contract saying how much you would pay, and they gave you some compensation back because the price went down, how is that a bad thing? legally they did not have to, and yet they gave you a jet ride, i am sure that you would have preferred the money, but do other schools give you anything when there prices change? And the amount of refund you got depended on your progress, if your training had progressed further than pilot b, your refund should be different. :banghead::banghead:
 
I have a question for you guywhoflies, you had a contract saying how much you would pay, and they gave you some compensation back because the price went down, how is that a bad thing? legally they did not have to, and yet they gave you a jet ride, i am sure that you would have preferred the money, but do other schools give you anything when there prices change? And the amount of refund you got depended on your progress, if your training had progressed further than pilot b, your refund should be different. :banghead::banghead:

ATP CFI I presume? Take a step back and look at his situation. Was that week worth an extra 5k? The jet ride is worthless FYI. :)
 
ATP CFI I presume? Take a step back and look at his situation. Was that week worth an extra 5k? The jet ride is worthless FYI. :)

DING DING DING DING! Especially a RIDE! Pay 90 bucks and I'll take you from DAY-CLT the next time and even show you the flight deck.... Maybe push a button or two even during the pre boarding :). Its a jet RIDE....

Plus when you take a look at things, my fiance and I make combined a little under 100k. Not amazing but not bad at all. I tell you right now, 5k would make a huge difference if I could get 5k back. Especially when you have a mortgage, car payments, two student loans combined (flight and her graduate school for her doctorate degree), all of a sudden that 5k makes a large difference....

In addition, read your post above... You just said that's the POLICY and how it has worked in the past, so why not now?
 
i never said it was a policy it is something they do to be nice, my point is they didn't even have to give him the jet ride they could have just said this is what contract says this is what you pay. but they didn't they gave him something even if he didn't feel it was worth it. How can a school give something to a student they don't have to and then you guys jump on them for it?
 
Back
Top