ATP Locations

**DONOTDELETE**

New Member
Does anyone have any thoughts on the West Coast locations of ATP. I will be applying next week and I would like to stay in Ca or close to it. So in short how is Sac, Riverside, and phx.?

okflyer
 
Socal can provide a better insight on this as he attended in Riverside,CA but my visit to ATP Sac was good. Do a search on ATP (Search link above) on this board and you'll be surprised the information that is already here, which will probably answer more questions than you have.... Post again if you have any other questions.
 
I recommend Riverside as a great location. The training environment is like no other ATP has to offer. The airspace surrounding the LA area provides unique experience with communications and Instrument Proficiency that you cannot duplicate anywhere else. The facilities are great with 2 sims and maintenance on site. soCal can back me up on this too, if you can fly in Riverside everywhere else is cake.
 
I did my training in PHX, and only have good things to say about that location too. It's not as busy as SoCal airspace, per se, but the airport itself is nicer, with 3 large parallel runways, and it's fun to share the pattern with KC-5s and even a B17, on one occation.
Apartments are nicer too, within walking distance to TGI's, making for excellent.. *Cough* 'Oral study nights'.
(We actually did that. Took our Oral Study Guides with us over there and made an evening of it. Fun stuff.)

I'm hoping to be transfered to Riverside, I've only got Travis ahead of me on the seniority list now, but I would also take Phoenix, if it came up, even though it's 5 hours from home.

If you have any questions about the place let me know, or call me on the 800-number. /ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif

Helge
 
Adler,

You're an instructor with ATP? I have talked to you guys at the 800 number and one thing I forgot to ask about is this, and maybe you can just answer this here. I am also gonna ask the same of SoCal:

I presume more ACP graduates desire to become ATP instructors than are hired.. considering current realities. If this is so, what is it that ATP is looking for in their instructors? Lets say that a group of candidates are relatively equal in their ACP experience and flying capabilities.. what else is ATP looking for? Level of college? Previous teaching experience? etc.. If I come to ATP I am approaching it not just as a training experience but also as my most probable "first aviation employer", so I would like to know more of what ATP is looking for in their instructor selection.

Any insights are helpful. If not answered here I will call.

Thanks,
Dean
 
Sorry for the late reply, I've been busy. I'm now working out of their Las Vegas office, and had my first student pass his checkride on Saturday! Yay! /ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif

Regardless, to answer your question;
Basically, anyone who goes through the program and doesn't • up in one way or the other will be hired. There is no guarantee as such, but it's a question of patience. Some of us had to wait for 3-4 weeks before getting hired, some had to wait up until 6 months, but I still haven't heard of someone who A) Went through the program without any hitches and B) Handed in a resyme, who didn't get hired.

And by •ing up I mean things like busting checkrides left and right (Some of the instructors have busted a checkride, but I don't think you should make it more than one.), messing up on simple things like deadling with dispatch in an orderly and timely manner, filling in the tracker forms properly and so on.

Basically, as I've said so many times before, be prepeared for checkrides being changed on you, be prepeared for 3 months of not knowing what's going to happen more than one day into the future. Roll with the punches, because it's those that can't who doesn't get hired. /ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif

Hope this answers some of your questions. /ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif

Regards,
Helge
 
Helge,

Thanks for the reply. That and others have been helpful. I am seriously planning on attending in November (Sac hopefully), using the time between now and then to execute those writtens and also build that cash reserve (relates to your 'patience' comment). It actually isnt too far away. Is it appropriate to visit a location prior to the interview? if not, then I will just continue to deal with the folks at 1-800.

One thing that has not been explained to me is how it works in terms of being teamed up with another ACP candidate.. what is that like in terms of training scheduling?

Thanks.
 
I'd HIGHLY recommend visiting first any place you're considering giving that sort of cash to. To do otherwise is just plain foolish.

That said, I've paersonally visited ATP at SAC and I think you'll be satisfied with what you'll find there. It's clearly a "satellite" operation, but the opportunity to talk to ACP students and instructors both is the best sort of homework you can do. (Which technically, I guess you're doing with the 1-800 number..sigh).
 
There is absolutely /no/ problem visiting a location prior to the interview. /ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif All you have to do is call the 1-800 number, get the direct number to the local office you plan to visit, give them a call to coordinate and make sure someone is there to welcome you, then go visit.
Shouldn't be any problem at all, as long as you can make it there when the instructors aren't busy.

As to your second question, not sure I understand fully what you mean, but I'll try to describe it;
Some people go through the program 'alone', some do it paired up with various other students, some do it (As I did it) paired up with the same guy all through the program. It depends on if someone's signed up to start at the same date that you are, and the schedule of the instructors at the location.
Any of these combinations have their advantages and disadvantages, so I wouldn't sweat it, no matter which one you get.

As far as training scheduling, it looks more or less the same no matter which one of these you do. You might backseat once in a while, if you want to, but otherwise it's mostly just you and the instructor, no matter if you have a training partner or not.
The time in the training where a partner comes into play is during your cross country flying.

If you have any other questions, or any of my answers needs clarification, don't hesitate to follow up. /ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif

Cheers,
Helge
 
Thanks,
That WAS kinda my question. I will continue to follow along here and probably try to visit the Sac folks in a month.

I have also read on the forums here to get all the writtens done in advance. I am working on the Instrument and then the Commercial. Should I plan to have ALL of them done by the time I would enroll? This would be in mid November..
 
Howdy,

I only had my instrument written done when I started, though I had studied for a few of the writtens so I was more or less ready to take them when I started.

You don't /have/ to do them before starting, but your first few weeks are going to be /busy/ if you don't. /ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif

Cheers,
Helge
 
Thanks,
I think my plan will be to complete the FAA written for Instrument and Commercial by end of summer and see where I am after that.

I hear of people taking the written for Instrument and CFI II at the same time.. does this mean basically being signed off to take the test and taking and paying twice on the same day??
 
Bluelake -

You don't need a signoff for the CFII exam, but yes, you pay for two tests and take both the same day. I took them both, the instrument is 60 questions, the CFII is 50. If you plan on getting your CFII within 2 years, it's worth it to take now. However, don't let yourself slack off in remaining current on the instrument knowledge part - you'll have to restudy before taking the CFII ride!

One suggestion is to take the CFII as the first test before the instrument to get a "feel" for how you would do.
 
diane..

Thanks for the advice. I am willing (and will be able) to take both tests on the same day.

As far as getting the feel goes, between the Gleim and ASA books and the online sites where I can go through the test database, I wont even go to the FBO for the tests until I am confident I am scoring routinely in the 90's.

Right now in my studies, I am probably at the 85 mark. More to go.

Thanks again.
 
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