Does everyone really get all the time and ratings?

pscraig

Well-Known Member
Doing some research on the ATP career pilot program, and impressed at the 90-day timeframe. Does everyone, or most everyone, really finish the program with the promised multi time and all three CFI ratings?
 
I am gonna piggyback on this one and ask has anyone hear taken the private pilot course? If so how long did it take?

-Brian
 
Everyone really does get all their ratings in the 90 day period and with the fixed price. Once you schedule your start date your checkrides are reserved with one of our designated examiners. The private multi is scheduled one week after your start date and then your multi instrument four weeks later. The instructor must have you ready for your checkride on the date no matter what. The average right now is about 70 days, but some people take the full 90, it just depends on when your other checkrides are scheduled. It is 7 days a week, so it is a very accelerated program. Everyday you will most likely be at the airport doing ground, sim or flying. Everyone comes out of the program with the 140 hours of multi time, give or take two hours. About 130 of that will be PIC multi time which you will log (PIC) after your private multi.
 
Second that. The garanteed ratings, hours, and time frame was one of the thing that sold me on ATP. When I got my PPL at a local FBO, I was quoted about 4,000, which *magically* got stretched to about 7,000 for 'stage checks' and 'extra ground' and my favorite: 'Ok, were doing performance manuvers today. Oh, we did that the last two times? Ok, well, we'll just go do something else up there. Go preflight and I'll be there in a minute.. <sips coffee>'. Needless to say, my udders were sore and chafed after all the milking I took.
You don't have to worry about paying extra with the ACP program. You give 'em 32,995 and you get your four ratings, 3 CFI tickets, 3 endorsments, 140 hrs. multi, 50 hours sim, 10 hours single eng. (for the CFI ticket) and 3 hours turbine time in the Citation, in 90 days.

It has to be said though, that they do *not* guarantee a set schedule. The hours are random, so you might go to class at 8, do nothing but study your Gleims till noon, then sim all afternoon till dark. Next day you'll fly your a$$ off in the morning, and leave after lunch (for more Gliems). It all depends on who's doing what and when, so you have to be ready all the time. Forget having a job or attending college, but, to be fair, if you have to do those things then the Airline Academy route probably isn't for you anyway.
 
Does that mean I wont have time for church on sundays?

And also, if you finish in 70 days, can you still live the apartment for the last 20 days or do you have to move out once your done?

-Brian
 
The first 5 weeks you are there (the first week your multi private and the next 4 your instrument training) you will coordinate your schedule with your instructor and partner. It all depends on what you need to do that day. Usually the program is 7 days a week all day, but there are several people that I know of that were able to go to church most Sundays in the first 5 weeks. After that dispatch will coordinate your schedule for your cross countries and your CFI training. During that time you will definitely have less time if you did want to go to church because you will be flying all day on your cross countries or working on your cfi stuff.

And once you finish the program you can't stay in the apartments for the full 90 days if you finish before early.
 
So when you're done the program, where do you go. If they're not hiring students right away as instructors, does everyone who finishes the program go home? How soon after you finish do you have to be out of the apartments?
 
hhmmmm, its cuz I live in California and I am doing their private program so i have to go out to JAX. So I'll probably do my ACP out on the east coast. ATL maybe. ANd when its over I dont want to have to drive all the way back to cali, only to have to drive back to JAX (if i get an instructor position) the next month or 3. sheesh, thats gonna suck.

-Brian
 
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hhmmmm, its cuz I live in California and I am doing their private program so i have to go out to JAX. So I'll probably do my ACP out on the east coast. ATL maybe. ANd when its over I dont want to have to drive all the way back to cali, only to have to drive back to JAX (if i get an instructor position) the next month or 3. sheesh, thats gonna suck.

-Brian

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What are you doing driving, man? You're a pilot!
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So when you're done the program, where do you go. If they're not hiring students right away as instructors, does everyone who finishes the program go home? How soon after you finish do you have to be out of the apartments?

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I just finished up in Dallas. I stayed about a week to take my AGI and IGI writtens in the Dallas office. My instructor, whom I butted heads with towards the end, called the home office and told them I was staying in the apts after I was done with the program to take the AGI and IGI. The home office said I could stay until I finished the exam, but then I had to leave. And my instructor told me basically I was getting kicked out and to pack up once I was done with the tests. So if there's room and you have a valid reason to stay, they'll grant you a minor extension.
 
Otherwise you have to go back home or find somewhere to stay while waiting for an instructor opening? of course if one is offered to you. That's gonna stink hiney.
 
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