ATP 90 Day Training

R

rjordan85

Well-Known Member
Hello,
I am starting my training in sept 08 at the Phoenix location (actually starting PPL first). I was just wondering if anyone who is currently or who has gone through the accelerated training could give me a little in-site to some questions i have like:
How much free time do you have?
How is the overall training (especially if you attended the PHX location)?
What are some issues or praises that you have about the program?
Please anyone with any info or tips please respond.

Thanks in advance
 
How much free time do you have?

Enough. There's enough time to study and have fun. Obviously not as much as you approach a checkride. Freetime was lacking during the instrument portion.

How is the overall training (especially if you attended the PHX location)?

I thought PHX was great. I had awesome instructors there. Most of them have rotated out of there, and the remaining few will probably be gone by the time you arrive.

What are some issues or praises that you have about the program?

It's an accelerated program and moves very, very quickly If you stay ahead of the game it is very manageable. They'll give you all of the tools you need to succeed. Occasionally I saw an instructor drop the ball or slack with a student, but nothing a quick chat with the instructor or the Manager couldn't take care of.

Have fun! It's a great experience. It is also a good networking opportunity since most of the people in the program are career minded.
 
Thanks for the quick reply. Basically i am a 22 yr old that has a bachelor degree and no tie downs (kids, wife, etc.) so i am ready to eat, sleep, breathe aviation. I have heard good and bad about ATP as well as every other school out there. After doing all my research ATP seems the best fit for me. I was just recently visiting the PHX location and loved it. I am assuming that if my focus is 100% on this program i should have no problems. Any more feedback is welcomed. Thanks in advance
 
Yah just be careful with eating, sleeping, and breathing aviation. It's pretty easy to burn yourself out at ATP and not enjoy the experience.
 
That is true. basically i was saying that i feel as though i will have no distractions to keep me from keeping pace with the program. Hopefully i will have some free time to go out and just relax. Also i have family in scottsdale area which is about 45 min drive so it would be nice to be able to visit them occasionally.
 
If you stay ahead of the program and by that I mean get your writtens done ahead of time, get your CFI pre-test done ahead of time (and please do go to CFI school), study for your oral well in advance of any checkride then there is actually a lot of time in the 90 day, at least in the first 60 anyway. It wasn't uncommon to go to a movie or play some Halo 2 with roommates. Even managed to go see the grassy noll in Dallas where JFK was shot with a couple of guys staying for a day on their XCs. However if you aren't proactive and expect the program to pull you along I imagine it can be a pretty terrible experience. I did not have any free time after CFI school because at that point its just gotta finish you up and the only delays were because of weather.

This was over a year ago though so I dunno how time is now that they added the CRJ course to the 90 day.
 
I'll probably be doing the same thing.....I've just got to decide which location I want to go to. PHX is up there at the top of the list with a couple others. If you search the ATP forums here using the search function at the top, you will find pretty much every answer to every question you have. That's what I did, rather than repost, and found all the info I was looking for.

I'm kinda in the same boat, just a few years older. I'm 26, single, nothing holding me down. I'll know in the next couple months where I wiill be going for sure. So keep an eye out....I may be running into you sooner rather than later!:nana2:
 
cwu50 said:
I'm starting down at IWA in september also. How bad is the heat down there in the fall?
Click to expand...


Fall is great in the Phoenix area. I was in Goodyear (just west of Phoenix in November 2006. It was cool in the morning (upper 40's - mid 50's) and right around 80 for a high.
 
cwu50 said:
I'm starting down at IWA in september also. How bad is the heat down there in the fall?
Click to expand...

I went to ATP at IWA and started Sept 11 two years ago. It was the perfect time to go. A little hot in Sept, but after that it cooled down.
 
SoonerAv8r said:
I'm starting the 90 day ACPP in Arlington on April 14th.
Click to expand...

Hi Sooner! I replied to you on another post a few days ago.
Please keep me posted on your experience there.

Right now I'm thinking that it might be best for me to go ahead and get another IT job, and utilize an FBO pay as you go to get my private and multi ratings.

I was riding my bike on Saturday and decided to go by the Arlington airport. I saw where Skymates is (very south end of the airport) and ATP (almost at the very north end). From the road they both look like good business'.
 
Captain_Bob said:
Hey there Toyman...

I went through GKY back in '03.

Bob
Click to expand...

Well, hi Captain Bob! Which school did you go to? (or did you?). I see you live in DFW but are based out of ONT. Where is ONT?

Are you flying commercially now? If so, how is the experience other than getting to fly for a living?

-Thanks
 
Texas_Toyman said:
Well, hi Captain Bob! Which school did you go to? (or did you?). I see you live in DFW but are based out of ONT. Where is ONT?

Are you flying commercially now? If so, how is the experience other than getting to fly for a living?

-Thanks
Click to expand...
Hiya Tony,

I went to the GKY ATP location... that's the identifier for Arlington. KGKY ;)

ONT is the identifier for Ontario/LA California; KONT. It is just across town from LAX. I commute to the west coast for a better schedule and higher seniority in base. I could be based in Houston or San Antonio to be closer to home... but it would actually keep me away from home more often due to the fact that I'd be on Reserve in those bases, I'd have fewer days off, the potential to have my days off rolled by scheduling, and I'd have significantly less control over my schedule overall. By contrast... I'm a mid-level line holder in ONT, which equates to weekends off, 15+ days off a month, and the ability to drop and trade my trips. So for me... the commute is worth it.

I am currently a Captain with ExpressJet Airlines right now. I went through ATP's program and instructed for them for exactly one year before I got hired with XJT. This was at a time when not a lot of airlines were hiring (post 9/11), however, I was fortunate enough to get hired at the beginning of a huge hiring wave at XJT... and that brought with it instant seniority and the ability to upgrade within two years. I held out for an additional year due to wanting the awesome schedule of a senior FO... especially after my newest daughter was born.

Overall... my experience has been phenomenal. This job has allowed me to maintain a lifestyle with my family that was not even conceivable in my prevoius careers. In addition it's allowed my parents to become world travelers, my family to visit relatives across the US, me to spend great quality time at home and meet some awesome people, experience parts of this wonderful continent that I never woud have visited, etc. Flying the plane for a living is just icing on the top... ;)

Texas_Toyman said:
I was riding my bike on Saturday and decided to go by the Arlington airport. I saw where Skymates is (very south end of the airport) and ATP (almost at the very north end). From the road they both look like good business'.
Click to expand...
Two things:

1. Should have stopped in... both are good operations. They won't bite! :)
2. What kind of "bike"?

Bob
 
Captain_Bob said:
Hiya Tony,

I went to GKY ATP location... that's the identifier for Arlington. KGKY ;)

ONT is the identifier for Ontario/LA California; KONT. It is just across town from LAX. I commute to the west coast for a better schedule and higher seniority in base. I could be based in Houston or San Antonio to be closer to home... but it would actually keep me away from home more often due to the fact that I'd be on Reserve in those bases, I'd have fewer days off, the potential to have my days off rolled by scheduling, and I'd have significantly less control over my schedule overall. By contrast... I'm a mid-level line holder in ONT, which equates to weekends off, 15+ days off a month, and the ability to drop and trade my trips. So for me... the commute is worth it.

I am currently a Captain with ExpressJet Airlines right now. I went through ATP's program and instructed for them for exactly one year before I got hired with XJT. This was at a time when not a lot of airlines were hiring (post 9/11), however, I was fortunate enough to get hired at the beginning of a huge hiring wave at XJT... and that brought with it instant seniority and the ability to upgrade within two years. I held out for an additional year due to wanting the awesome schedule of a senior FO... especially after my newest daughter was born.

Overall... my experience has been phenomenal. This job has allowed me to maintain a lifestyle with my family that was not even conceivable in my prevoius careers. In addition it's allowed my parents to become world travelers, my family visit relatives across the US, spend great quality time at home, meet some awesome people, experience parts of this wonderful continent that I never woud have visited, etc. Flying the plane for a living is just icing on the top... ;)


Two things:

1. Should have stopped in... both are good operations. They won't bite! :)
2. What kind of "bike"?

Bob
Click to expand...

What was your prior occupation? Did you do the 90 day or the 10 month program?

2. '05 Suzuki DL1000 (aka VStrom 1000). Looks like this one, but all black.
 
90 day.

Prior to becoming a flight instructor... I'd worn many different hats. Crime Prevention Officer, Loss Prevention Director, Inventory Manager, Operations Manager, Restaurant General Manager, etc...

Nice bike... I just got back from a few days of touring the Texas Hill Country on the ol' GL1500... Hitting up the Texas wineries, Austin, Lake Travis, Fredricksburg, Gruene, etc.

Bob
 
Captain_Bob said:
90 day.

Prior to becoming a flight instructor... I'd worn many different hats. Crime Prevention Officer, Loss Prevention Director, Inventory Manager, Operations Manager, Restaurant General Manager, etc...

Nice bike... I just got back from a few days of touring the Texas Hill Country on the ol' GL1500... Hitting up the Texas wineries, Austin, Lake Travis, Fredricksburg, Gruene, etc.

Bob
Click to expand...

Nice! I've been through that way in a car and have always wanted to go back on a bike, but I can never get anyone together to go that far. I know some guys who go down to Austin for the Republic of Texas rally, but I hate crowds. Maybe this fall I'll sell it and get a sport cruiser like an ST, FJ or Concourse that is better for touring.

I'm thinking about going to S.Dakota (Mt. Rushmore/Blackhills etc.) in August. I'll go if anyone else wants to or not. Life's too short to wait.

On your comment about stopping in at the flight schools. I'm a bad sucker for good salesman ship. I wouldn't want to walk in w/o knowing all the questions I wanted answered before hand.

I spent the last 9 years in IT. I guess I shouldn't complain too much, but there was too much politics involved in advancing. I hate kissing up just to get a better job. Before that I signed up for some adventure and did 5 years as a truck driver (2 years across the US and Canada). I got too fat and out of shape, not to mention lonely. I enjoyed getting to see all the places I did, but I rarely had any time to stop and smell the roses when and where I would have liked.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top