NEW CFI Academy

myron96

Well-Known Member
Has anyone heard anything about the new CFI Program they have? Apparently its only in JAX and uses all DPE's. Any updates appreciated.
 
"new" CFI program?

No clue. They have a few different CFI schools, one in Vegas, one in JAX, and then one in IWA (which may be for ASU students only, I don't know).
 
Apparently they used to offer a full MEI, CFII, CFI program to outsiders then stopped for a while and now its back. They may offer the MEI/CFII program at a few locations but they offer the MEI/CFII/CFI intial program only at JAX and use DE's.

I am curious how the program is structured.. and what the pass rate is.,
 
I will be heading there in April. I have done their 90 day program before, but due to a family emergency couldn't finish the cfi part.

I keep in touch with some current CFIs and the word is that the ground school is a lot more structured from the previous years. Your initial still rolls out pretty quick(14ish days) and then bust out the inst in 3 days and single in another 3 days* weather permitting*. Classes are usually 8-5 with one hr lunch everyday including weekends. From what I heard pts is covered within 10ish days and then fly, study and prep for your checkride. I wouldn't be surprised if by that time you already had a date for your initial. They will do their best to get you in and out ASAP. Biggest mistake is not going in prepared because ready or not you will take that checkride to get you done with the amount you paid for and time frame.

Word is pass rate is still reasonably high with only 1 or 2 busts(if that) per class. As far as I know DPe do it.

Price has gone up though. It used to be 7k. :mad:
 
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Wow. Yea 12k now! I've been hearing good things as well.... So what is the pre arrival packet and study work they send you? Also, im hoping you do a blog while your there???
 
Yup! When I went there it was 40k for the 90day and tests and stay was covered. Now you gotta pay for both(unless you go to some of their promo locations, then it's free(lol)).

I just paid the deposit couple days back, but my guess would be the Seminole and archer supplement that you would have to know cover to cover. Probably a cfi folder with lesson plans, for maneuvers, syllabus, and if a cfi prep packed with questions that had taken me 3 days to finish before just to get you geared and ready for cfi.

Sure, if no one has done a blog of the atp cfi school I would be happy to.
 
Word is pass rate is still reasonably high with only 1 or 2 busts(if that) per class. As far as I know DPe do it.
Seriously? I had an instructor for my private tell me that he went to ATP but didn't do his CFI. Said the course was 14 days, super intense but the pass rate was under 30%. He said he backed out and got his money back when he found that out....so I always assumed to stay clear of a program like that. That would be awesome if the pass rates really were in the 80%+... I assume you know better than me?


Wow. Yea 12k now!
Is that just for CFI? WOW....my college estimates $7k (for Archer III training and checkride in Bonanza E33C)
 
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Seriously? I had an instructor for my private tell me that he went to ATP but didn't do his CFI. Said the course was 14 days, super intense but the pass rate was under 30%. He said he backed out and got his money back when he found that out....so I always assumed to stay clear of a program like that. That would be awesome if the pass rates really were in the 80%+... I assume you know better than me?



Is that just for CFI? WOW....my college estimates $7k (for Archer III training and checkride in Bonanza B33)

ATP is not for everyone. It's fast! They push you to finish on time. No days off! It is rare you will pay a dime over the price listed.

I finished mine in roughly 75 days since I didn't attend cfi school. You will be at the airport everyday. If the weather is bad you will do ground or jump on the sim. They will not hold your hands and guide you through the program.

Yes, it's expensive, and yes, you could get most of your ratings for half at a local FBo, but sadly, I do best under pressure. I like accelerated programs. In college when I took 12-15 credits I averaged 2.7gpa and when I took 20 credits for 3 years straight I avg 3.5. Go figure.

Under the old program your cfi was 14days and very intense. Pass rate was still pretty high though. I would say easily over 75% . In the cfi class I was supposed to be in only one busted their first time and passed it two days later. This was out of 11 people. The following class of 9 everyone passed their initial. And the instructor I talked to a couple days ago, none of his students busted the initial, yet.

The people who do drop out of cfi school and it does happen will be due to people who don't feel confident they will pass or get burned out. Again, the classes ran for 7 hrs. Quiet easy to fry your brain in 14 days.

10k covers all three rides( mei, meii, sei).
 
Their website gives you a boat load of stuff to study beforehand, and you only get a max 7 hrs multi and 5 single engine flight training. So what are you paying $10,000 for?!
 
I will say that I did get my Multi commercial with ATP a few years back and it was the best 2995 I have spent. The program worked exactly as advertised and the study info they sent me was on point.
 
I will say that I did get my Multi commercial with ATP a few years back and it was the best 2995 I have spent. The program worked exactly as advertised and the study info they sent me was on point.

I did the same program in 2011 for $3400, and feel the same way. It was the most up front, got exactly what I paid for, on time, as promised training I ever did.

I did their MEI-CFII-CFI program about 6 months later. It was fast paced and fairly tough. I remember being glad I was well prepared with the pre-study materials because the CFI ground school portion wasn't that great. We got a loose overview of things, but had to study on our own to really get the ground knowledge. Most of the time with the instructors was spent on learning the flight profiles. The examiners they use pretty much run the checkrides just like ATP trains the flight profiles, which made the flight portion of the practical test not so bad. The orals though, that was pretty much the student CFI candidates getting themselves through it without much guidance.

@aviatorx43 their flight rental charges are pretty high. There is x amount for ground training, written test fees, etc. If you still need to build some multi pic time there is a charge for that, so their used to be two different price levels. Housing costs and examiner fees were not included in the cost. I did the 3 instructor rating program in 2012 for about $7500 for the version that included however much time (maybe 6 extra hours?) to get me up to the 15 hour multi PIC min before the MEI checkride. It was about $1200 for the three examiner fees and then I also booked a cheap extended stay hotel for the three weeks or so that it took. (Weather delays stretched two weeks to three)

Total cost was about $9500 in 2012. Figure today's total cost is more like $12,000 once you add hotels and examiners.

I was really stagnated where I was prior to the ATP CFI program. It was expensive, but I got it done fast and was able to get going as a CFI sooner than I would have otherwise.
 
Av80r13,

Just curious how long its been since you went to ATP? I am definitely leaning towards going to the CFI program now.

I went exactly two years ago. Yup! do it! once you sign up there's no turning back. ha. Just go in with your inst and initial pts done and you should be good to go. Myself and another guy are heading down there in April.

Their website gives you a boat load of stuff to study beforehand, and you only get a max 7 hrs multi and 5 single engine flight training. So what are you paying $10,000 for?!

Pretty much what Beefy said. Plus its an additional 4 hrs block included for your multi check rides and 2 for the single included in that price. Its not cheap, but its the quickest. I tried doing it at the fbo(too many cancellations or mx issues) and i tried American Flyers who quoted for 3500 for 10 hrs of training flight for both your II and single add on, but i personally know of people who have spent a shy over 7k just for one cert and another 3ish for their single. cost is 195 for a 172 and 95 for instruction.

Sure ATP will be expensive, but i will come away with all 3 in 21 days.

I was really stagnated where I was prior to the ATP CFI program. It was expensive, but I got it done fast and was able to get going as a CFI sooner than I would have otherwise.

Same here. Been trying to finish this for almost two years now. Would have gone to ATP sooner if they would've opened the window for students outside of their program.
 
I finished mine in roughly 75 days since I didn't attend cfi school. You will be at the airport everyday. If the weather is bad you will do ground or jump on the sim. They will not hold your hands and guide you through the program.

Yes, it's expensive, and yes, you could get most of your ratings for half at a local FBo, but sadly, I do best under pressure. I like accelerated programs. In college when I took 12-15 credits I averaged 2.7gpa and when I took 20 credits for 3 years straight I avg 3.5. Go figure.
It's hard to say whether or not that program is for me. I have already done my CFI ground school that my college offers and have all my outlines and lesson plans made and huge CFI binder. I figured I may as well just finish the lab since I have it paid for already. Mine is just significantly more expensive than ATP....if that cost get's you all 3 and mine is half that cost for one certificate? Feel like I'm kinda getting ripped off.....

(although how can I not feel that way going to a 4 year flight program):ooh:
 
It's hard to say whether or not that program is for me. I have already done my CFI ground school that my college offers and have all my outlines and lesson plans made and huge CFI binder. I figured I may as well just finish the lab since I have it paid for already. Mine is just significantly more expensive than ATP....if that cost get's you all 3 and mine is half that cost for one certificate? Feel like I'm kinda getting ripped off.....

(although how can I not feel that way going to a 4 year flight program):ooh:

Ouch! A decent number of guys erau head to atp for the cfi course. Had two in my class. Why spend 40k when you can spend 8k at that time for it.

I would say if you have everything ready, you study and come ready most of it should be review. The key is being able to teach and talk as you fly. I did the same with another flight school last year. Felt they were milking my money, so I just finished my ground school and got the remainder refunded. So my cfi folder is done and now working on my double I folder. 21 days will just fly by.
 
It's not a new course. I taught it until December 2014 in JAX, so I can probably help with any specific questions.
 
Not looking for a DE who just passes you to pass you, but I'd rather have one on board with ATP Training and Philosphy vs. a FSDO guy who goes into the ride with the mindset that you are going to fail the first time regardless cause they dont like accelerated programs.
 
Not looking for a DE who just passes you to pass you, but I'd rather have one on board with ATP Training and Philosphy vs. a FSDO guy who goes into the ride with the mindset that you are going to fail the first time regardless cause they dont like accelerated programs.

I responded to your PM. So everyone else will know, the DPEs are very knowledgeable and do follow ATP procedures. They both have been at ATP for a long time and they wrote the training supplements. They are fair, but don't just give out certificates. If you prepare, it's a good course.
 
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