ATP vs. Local Flight School

Corey Rourke

Corey Rourke

coreyr31
Im looking to get multi engine, commercial and commercial multi, Instrument, CFI, maybe CFII. ATP offers a 90 days course for $55000 which will get all the above named ratings plus a guaranteed CFI job making $2500 a month (supposedly). With 115 hours in a multi engine, 20 hours in a single, and 50 hours in simulator. My local flight school could off the same ratings for around $30,000 but only 10 hours of multi time. What is the better choice?
 
Making payment to Sallie is a PITA. I went to ATP. Ask your questions if you want. I don't regret it, but I do wish I had done things different now.
 
For the difference of 25K I'd highly recommend the local school. I don't believe it's a wise thing to get all your ratings in 90 days. Doing it slower allows for a seasoning process between the ratings for you to gain experience and makes for a more well rounded pilot. Get your ratings through CFI and don't worry about the multi time thing. Get a job instructing and build your experience level/resume. Look for opportunities to get twin time around every corner. Perhaps you'll run into an opportunity. You're young and that's the best thing you have going for you. And don't forget to get a degree in something that interests you outside aviation. College is the best time. Don't miss out on it.
 
mshunter said:
Making payment to Sallie is a PITA. I went to ATP. Ask your questions if you want. I don't regret it, but I do wish I had done things different now.
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Exactly. Glad I went to ATP, the loan is a PITA though.
DE727UPS said:
For the difference of 25K I'd highly recommend the local school. I don't believe it's a wise thing to get all your ratings in 90 days. Doing it slower allows for a seasoning process between the ratings for you to gain experience and makes for a more well rounded pilot. Get your ratings through CFI and don't worry about the multi time thing. Get a job instructing and build your experience level/resume. Look for opportunities to get twin time around every corner. Perhaps you'll run into an opportunity. You're young and that's the best thing you have going for you. And don't forget to get a degree in something that interests you outside aviation. College is the best time. Don't miss out on it.
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I totally agree with this post. The only reason I went to ATP is because the weather was being a PITA up here and and I was not flying near enough to feel my skills were getting better.
 
90 days is quick for all those ratings. for perspective here at und we have 30 (split over two semesters) weeks of just instrument ground school. I felt rushed getting my private in just 15 weeks....
 
I agree with everything that has been posted. I also am an ATP Grad. I enjoyed my experience there a lot. The Loan is a pain but in the end Time is money. Everyone's story is different on why they chose what they did. For me i was working in a factory at the time that was moving(as such is life in MI) so I was quickly becoming jobless and doing the FBO route wouldn't work for me. So I attended ATP. I have no regrets. Spent 6 months doing the self pace course and instructed with them for a year and half. I am now a First Officer at ExpressJet.
 
I did the FBO route and worked on the side. It took me 2.5 years to go from 0 to CFII and employed. I still have loans, but they're less than they would've been with an ATP type school.

It took me longer and if I go to the airlines my seniority number will be a bit lower than it could have been, but I have no regrets. Building the time was an excellent experience and the loan doesn't sting quite so much. I managed to make a few contacts and am looking at corporate instead of airlines now, so losing out on a higher seniority number is of little concern.

Everyone's situation is different, good luck in whatever route you choose.
 
I agree with going slower. Just because you got all those ratings in a short amount of time doesn't mean you're necessarily super experienced (flame suit equipped). It takes time to build the skill of flying. I'm in ground school right now and taking lessons on the side. It's nice to go to school and learn about everything flying related and have time to let it all sink in. It makes flying a lot easier when I get in the plane.

Plus, enjoy it as you go! Take in the smells and sights and sounds of flying. Enjoy being a private pilot for a while to gain some hours with your friends.
 
Or you could do the FBO and then go to that Aviator Flight Academy in FL and get 50 hrs of multi for $7k or 100 hours of multi for $14k. Either way, you still save at least $6000 over ATP. I would recommend building as little multi time as it takes to get a job, and then get paid for your multi experience. I think Ameriflight is hiring at 50 hours multi.

Disclaimer: I have not been to Aviator Flight Academy, but have heard good things. Others may and probably do know more.
 
Glad I went to ATP, the loan is a PITA though.
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+10

I also wish I had done it differently. Consider that even if you are sure you want to go to the airlines now, that may change after you borrow money, particularly when you have to start making payments. I easily have regional mins but I simply can't afford the pay. I'm not sure if you could land a job without the advanced ratings, but it could be possible to get your AGI/IGI and get a job at a big foreign contract academy. That way you could pay as you go and maybe get a discount training part 61 with your employer. A benefit to that would be you would almost certainly be able to move over to the CFI side once you get that, so there would be no interruption in your income. I can only dream of what I could do with $ 723/mo.

PS.
Even if you can net $2500/mo, thats for 14 hrs/day 30 days/mo and and they don't pay/take out any taxes so if you're not savvy good luck
 
mshunter said:
Making payment to Sallie is a PITA. I went to ATP. Ask your questions if you want. I don't regret it, but I do wish I had done things different now.
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The only thing worse than making a payment to Salie Mae is trying to contact them on the phone with a question.

I would rather wear Oprah's pantyhose as a ski mask than place a call to Sallie Mae's "customer service" line.
 
deadpixel said:
90 days is quick for all those ratings. for perspective here at und we have 30 (split over two semesters) weeks of just instrument ground school. I felt rushed getting my private in just 15 weeks....
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I've dont it both ways, as student, and instructor, and I really prefer the "fast track" method. You gain nothing sitting in a class for 8 months listening to an instructor try and fill up a 50lb sack with only 5lbs worth of crap.

As far as the FBO vs ATP question: You can go to almost any small town podunk FBO and stay as busy as you want with the instructor. He'll be grateful. Like others have said if you have the cash up front, actually id still go to the FBO even with cash in hand.
 
Corey Rourke said:
and how much does und cost for a out of state student plus flight school ? ...
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tuition is different depending on where you are from out of state. For me tuition is the same as in in state school. The flight costs are probably comparable to ATP (60 grand) from private to commercial (single, multi), instrument, cfi/i, and a crj jet transition course.
 
deadpixel said:
90 days is quick for all those ratings. for perspective here at und we have 30 (split over two semesters) weeks of just instrument ground school. I felt rushed getting my private in just 15 weeks....
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Just wait until you get to a place where the company is paying for the training.
 
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