ATP thoughts and my situation...

northofnowhere

northofnowhere

New Member
Well, I am bored out of my mind, so I just wanted to post about my recent interview with ATP down in Jacksonville for the 90 day program... Hopefully, some of you guys could help maybe give a little insight to what I should do.

As a freshman college student, I had a bad experience with a collegiate aviation program on Long Island, NY.. I had previously attained my Private through an aviation program at my high school for free. After dealing with this college for just one semester I was really frustrated with the lack of flying I was doing and the overall quality of the school. I can't really afford Riddle or UND, so I pretty much just wound up there as my last choice. Frustrated, I began considering ATP and decided to go interview down in Jacksonville knowing this is their HQ and I could probably get a good sense how they operate.
Arrived in Jacksonville on the 23th of Jan with a fellow pilot. Interview was the 24. Walked in the door that morning, took the 25 question test, same questions as posted on here.. Moved on to the Sim, completed that in about 10 min. No surprises... Saw the semis, the 172s, diamonds and of course the Citation.. All very clean, well maintained and ready to go. We go back inside and of course they charge me 100 bones for about an hour and a half of nothing, IMO. Might I add that if I hadn't read up about the interview from the PHX thread, then I would have had no idea about studying for the anything that they expected me to know other then my Private material or that there was any charge for this whatsoever. They seemed to expect for me to know the Seminole Supplement even though there was no communication prior about that. Oh and another thing, logic tells me if your trying to attract students for your school, why the hell do you charge them $100 dollars just to see it?!

Anyways, after doing the financing through all three companies and making a very long and hard decision, I've decided not to attend. In all my experience was positive, it gave me a good insight into the school. It seemed as though this is a great program to get you into the regionals immediately-, but for someone like me, I plan on going back to school in the fall for a degree in something other than aviation for a backup. I've near decided I'm going to stick to an FBO nearby my house where I know I can get quality instruction at about half the price of ATP. I would really recommend ATP to someone who already holds a degree and who would really like to be in the right seat of a regional in a years time.

I really do hope I'm making the right decision. Feel free to chime in with your own thoughts. Thanks.:rawk:
 
I think the reason behind the $100 is that they are busy enough that they can afford to (and in a way need to) limit how many people come interview to enter their program.

As far as your decision goes I don't want to rehash an old argument, but good idea staying in college.
 
northofnowhere said:
I plan on going back to school in the fall for a degree in something other than aviation for a backup. I've near decided I'm going to stick to an FBO nearby my house where I know I can get quality instruction at about half the price of ATP. I would really recommend ATP to someone who already holds a degree and who would really like to be in the right seat of a regional in a years time.

I really do hope I'm making the right decision. Feel free to chime in with your own thoughts. Thanks.:rawk:
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Good for you for making a decision based on your own situation! You're the only one that knows what will work for you. Everybody has different priorities and different programs/schools work for them. I had a degree and a family so getting to an airline quick was important, so ATP work wonders for me (it was a lot of hard work on my part too).

Our situations seem similiar. Let me offer you a word of caution though: Don't let your Plan B turn into Plan A.
That's what I let happen to me. I got my private then decided to go get a degree to "fall back on to." I had every intention to fly while going to school but most all of my time and money went to getting my degree. Plan B was becoming Plan A. During the three years I was in school I only logged 20 hours (including a BFR) and had a baby. So when I graduated I wanted to get to a regional quick.

If I could do it all over I would have gone to ATP, moved to a regional, then worked on an online degree. That way I would have built senoirity while working on the degree. That's what I'm doing now but only working on a Masters.
Best of luck to you.
 
northofnowhere said:
, logic tells me if your trying to attract students for your school, why the hell do you charge them $100 dollars just to see it?!
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Sounds like you went wanting a tour and they did an interview. It seems like the schedulers don't quite communicate as well as they used to. oh well
 
northofnowhere said:
I really do hope I'm making the right decision. Feel free to chime in with your own thoughts. Thanks.:rawk:
Click to expand...

If I was in your situation I would just go to a local FBO and take the time flying on your own schedule and save some money. You mentioned it's your first year in college? You've still got 4 years (more or less) so just go at your own pace and flight train around your class schedule. Another option would be to do the ATP program over summer break from college (assuming your break has 90days+ to spare) That way you can earn all your ratings while out of school and then instruct part time while finishing up your degree and in turn build time till you graduate. I chose the latter route...knocked out the program during the summer and now I am instructing and finishing my degree.

Also, like you, I didn't have a great first impression of ATP either, but as I met my instructor and the other students and instructors at my facility it changed my perspective quickly. Getting a good instructor that you click with is a hit or miss...

Good Luck with everything!
 
I did the collegiate aviation route fresh our of high school. It was fun overall, met a lot of great friends and still stay in touch with them. In addition to that I recieved a more formal method of aviation insturction such as taking a private ground school course as a regular college class ( 3 hours a day, twice a week) going through stage checks and preps. And you get exposed to the aviation world more with clubs and organisations available, as well as internships.

I left one semester to do ATP route. And X reasons I did not finish the CFI portion. I am now enrolled at another accredited college working on a business administration degree concentration in entrepreneurship. Another one of my passions besides aviaton is business related issues dealing with the market, funds, real estate acqusitions etc... I even have two business plans I have constructed with a friend dealing with acquiring property with a sub-prime loan below market value and on 90 day deafult , rent it out to a tenant or the owner themselves and when market conditions improve sell it. and the other a general projection of opening up a small operation Italian restaurant in Southern California. ATP itself is a good business strategy it shows that Airline pilots can create their own business based on their passion and helping others succeed in an efficent and safe manner and that both aviation and business is a possibility. I do not know if business is also one of your interests?

One thing I found out though do not do another degree just because of what someone else says. If you have no interest in business, for example, major in something else that you like, if it is aviation then so be it or even basket weaving, biology etc...

Everyone I knew at ATP is hired at a RJ right now, im happy for them some of them do not even have a degree. And about 95 percent of them are older than me (20+) On another note local FBO part 61 is not always the best route, especially in CFI phase, I and a lot of others are taking months to complete it there, so for ppl-commercial part 61 no problem if you wanna do CFI I recommend ATP or a school with a formal curriculum. Also remember that your ratings count for college credits for a number of university programs.

If anything ask Doug for any help or questions with "how to get there" and "what is the best way". He has helped and inspired us all find our own ways in getting there. Or you can do ATP in the summer which I have known some people who did, then go back to school and find a part time job and CFI, that way when you graduate in 2011? You will be ready.

But good desicion, -Good Luck
 
northofnowhere said:
Well, I am bored out of my mind, so I just wanted to post about my recent interview with ATP down in Jacksonville for the 90 day program... Hopefully, some of you guys could help maybe give a little insight to what I should do.

As a freshman college student, I had a bad experience with a collegiate aviation program on Long Island, NY.. I had previously attained my Private through an aviation program at my high school for free. After dealing with this college for just one semester I was really frustrated with the lack of flying I was doing and the overall quality of the school. I can't really afford Riddle or UND, so I pretty much just wound up there as my last choice. Frustrated, I began considering ATP and decided to go interview down in Jacksonville knowing this is their HQ and I could probably get a good sense how they operate.
Arrived in Jacksonville on the 23th of Jan with a fellow pilot. Interview was the 24. Walked in the door that morning, took the 25 question test, same questions as posted on here.. Moved on to the Sim, completed that in about 10 min. No surprises... Saw the semis, the 172s, diamonds and of course the Citation.. All very clean, well maintained and ready to go. We go back inside and of course they charge me 100 bones for about an hour and a half of nothing, IMO. Might I add that if I hadn't read up about the interview from the PHX thread, then I would have had no idea about studying for the anything that they expected me to know other then my Private material or that there was any charge for this whatsoever. They seemed to expect for me to know the Seminole Supplement even though there was no communication prior about that. Oh and another thing, logic tells me if your trying to attract students for your school, why the hell do you charge them $100 dollars just to see it?!

Anyways, after doing the financing through all three companies and making a very long and hard decision, I've decided not to attend. In all my experience was positive, it gave me a good insight into the school. It seemed as though this is a great program to get you into the regionals immediately-, but for someone like me, I plan on going back to school in the fall for a degree in something other than aviation for a backup. I've near decided I'm going to stick to an FBO nearby my house where I know I can get quality instruction at about half the price of ATP. I would really recommend ATP to someone who already holds a degree and who would really like to be in the right seat of a regional in a years time.

I really do hope I'm making the right decision. Feel free to chime in with your own thoughts. Thanks.:rawk:
Click to expand...


You gotta know how to do this, take charge and tell them what you want. they are their to make money, and they have plenty of work so just get what you need then get out.

I went through ATP's 90 day course without a tour, test, interview, sim ride, or even an evaluation. Just showed up after doing my research and told them to get to work with me. I made it through just fine even though I bet I probaly wouldve failed the test had they made me taken it cause I didnt have any prior ground school for my ppl from my FBO. so my knowlege was zilch even though I had my certificate.
 
Hey everyone! i am thinking about taking ATP's interview for 90 day course at the end of this month. I heard people talking about the sim ride and the 25 question test. Is there a thread or something where i can refer to regarding those questions and stuff? Really appreciate it if someone can help me out with these. thanks in advance.
 
Thanks Fletcher. Does anyone know if they are like in multiple choice format or u have to write your own answers?
 
mxflyer said:
Good for you for making a decision based on your own situation! You're the only one that knows what will work for you. Everybody has different priorities and different programs/schools work for them. I had a degree and a family so getting to an airline quick was important, so ATP work wonders for me (it was a lot of hard work on my part too).

Our situations seem similiar. Let me offer you a word of caution though: Don't let your Plan B turn into Plan A.
That's what I let happen to me. I got my private then decided to go get a degree to "fall back on to." I had every intention to fly while going to school but most all of my time and money went to getting my degree. Plan B was becoming Plan A. During the three years I was in school I only logged 20 hours (including a BFR) and had a baby. So when I graduated I wanted to get to a regional quick.

If I could do it all over I would have gone to ATP, moved to a regional, then worked on an online degree. That way I would have built senoirity while working on the degree. That's what I'm doing now but only working on a Masters.
Best of luck to you.
Click to expand...


Yeah, I know what you're talking about. I love flying for what it is and on one hand while I know what I want, it just seems more reasonable to take my time with everything..
 
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