People speak up about ATA!

robair73

Well-Known Member
I'm an interested student in ATA. I just received their packet in the mail. I want to get some opinions on the school and answers to some questions. They quote a fixed price on airstage I with no cost over-runs. I wanted to know if this holds true.
They also say that you don't need to work as a flight instructor to be hired as a regional pilot. Their affiliate "American Eagle" hires with only 400 hrs of total flight time. This is stated in bold print and underlined on the cover page. How can they say this and does anyone know of students being hired with that little time recently?
They also have a money-back guarantee that says if you don't receive a letter of hire from one of the airline partners within 45 days of graduating airstage II, they will refund $30,000 to you. I want to know if anyone has heard of this and knows that they stand by their word.
Basically, I want to know if their regional partners are hiring students without CFI's and with little total time like they say. They make bold statements and I just want to know if anyone else at the school knows that they back it up. Especially recently.
 
i recieved ATA's mailer also and visited their school. i was impressed . it sounds great if it is all true. getting hired with a regional upon graduation. i don't think American Eagle is hiring. i received a letter from Mark Brown with American Eagle stating that they have a bridge program along with all of the ATA literature but note that the date on that letter is from May 16, 2001.
i also visited Comair in Sanford. it wasn't for me. i was there 2 weeks ago and just received a letter from their VP asking me to come visit their school for a tour. during my tour 2 weeks ago the guide noted how they have boxes there for their students to receive papers so that they dont waste their students money on postage, but that is trivial and didn't not affect my decision.
i hope this helped. if you have anymore questions i check this site often.
 
I don't know from personal experience, but I've been told that the whole refund thing is something that's worded to sound better than it is...kinda like "GUARANTEED" inteviews with a regional after graduation. I visited an American Flyers location, and the way the guaranteed refund works is that you pay for a resume/career service which helps you build your resume and gives you some interview prep. Then you speak with all kinds of companies (everything from FBO flight instructor and banner towing, to possibly [not likely] regional airlines. This part of your training/program is like $600 and if you don't get ANY job offers, you get the $600 back. But if you get an offer as a banner tower for $0 but free flight, it's considered an offer. I'd investigate further...but basically in IMO it's BS and not worth your time. The main thing to focus on is the quality of the flight instruction and the condition of the aircraft (maintenance quality).

Fly Safe!!!

Wonger
 
I got the mailer too... The EXACT wording is:

We Offer a Money-Back Guarantee
If enrolled in the "Money-Back Guarantee Program" you will receive a letter of hire from one of our ailine partners within 45 days of graduation or receive a refund of $30,000.

When I spoke with them the other day, the didn't mention anything about this and I also can't seem to find any more info about it anywhere else in the material. I think that the catch must be in the "if enrolled in the...." part. I wonder what that means or entails? I'm also very interested in their program and I plan on touring it in the near future. I'll be sure to ask what they mean by their guarantee...
 
American Eagle is NOT hiring. They wont be for up to 4 years. In fact they might be letting more pilots go. So with ATA their only "bridge partner" is Discover Air. You'll be flying for them, not Eagle. I think Discover Air flies Piper Seminoles around Florida and the Bahamas. And I think Discover Air is owned by the same guy that owns ATA. BIG difference compared to Eagle.

The Turk.

"Take lots of pills, one of them might work!"
 
I really hate this crap. Sifting through all of this info is starting to get to me. Does anyone tell the truth?
 
ACA IS hiring, I worked for them at dulles airport (hub) and I saw new pilot classes start every month or so. ACA is growing and plan to be all JET by Jan 04(j-41's blow) despite United' filing of chapter 11. ATA sends to grads to ACA upon grad...there are pilots waiting for class dates to start but they are still hired employees. Just my 2 cents
 
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