PPL Through a Local FBO?

JeffMSU

New Member
I am looking into attending ATP starting in April/May of 2009 because I graduate from MSU in December and have an apartment lease that runs till the beginning of May. I am trying to use my time and money wisely so I am thinking of getting my PPL and my 85 hour requirement at a local FBO so i can enter into ATP's program. I would be doing this between August and April in Michigan so i am a little concerned about the time constraint with the unpredicability of a Michigan winter. Any thoughts on getting my PPL during this time span or should I wait to do everything at ATP?

Also, since there is not a huge selection of FBO around Lansing, what are important things i should look for or questions to ask the few FBOs that we do have in my area? Thanks for any thoughts or comments you may have!

Jeff
 
The price is going up. by May of next year it may not be worth it anymore, hell its not really worth it now. I paid 54k 2 months ago. Its over 60k now for the Airline Career Pilot Program and its going to go up again soon I heard.

Id wait and see what the price is like in 2009 before you make any commitments.
 
I am not talking about making a commitment to ATP for April/May right now. The price at all flight schools will go up in the coming months because of what oil has done and will do for some time to come. If ATP and every other school does not raise their prices by years end, I would be very very surprised.

I am just looking into the option of getting my PPL and hours at a FBO in Michigan between August and April and wondering if this a good/feasible option.
 
Well, it will be more easiler for you if you can get your PPL and instrument done while you stay at East Lansing. The whole idea is get it done as cheap as possible. At current industry environment, you can take your times for training.

You can come to AZO for training. It is about an hour drive. ;)
 
I did my PPL and time build at my local FBO. I am not too confident that the price that we paid, and will be paying for a long time, was worth all the trouble. Met a lot of great people, but the program seemed very rushed. I could have saved a bunch of doe by staying at home. The key to the FBO is finding an instructor that you can work with. As you have probably already heard, "ATP is not for everyone". Well, I think that something should be added to that: "At times it is and at times it is not".
 
I would do all of your training at a local FBO. It'll take longer, it'll be cheaper and noone's hiring right now anyway.... Don't spend 70k to go make 24k (if that). I work for a regional, I like it and I got there only owing 25k with a degree.... Don't pay for multi time! Get 1200 hours and go work for Flight Express for about a year. Get paid to fly multi, it's great experience. I did all of my training at www.dutchwingsflightschool.com and then www.flightexpress.com .

good luck!
 
:yeahthat:
bpowell is right on. im currently doing all my training at my local fbo. www.fly-eagle.com
i might have done a fast paced school like atp if the industry was still booming like it was a few months ago, but it isnt and i had to adjust. i hope to do exactly as bpowell did. im going through the ratings cheaper and plan to instruct till i get 135 mins and move on to flightexpress and hopefully fly their barons. this way i'll be hireable by the airlines or a corportae operation without a 60k loan to pay back and maybe only 30k worth of debt.
 
I dont know how many classes your taking but I was working on my PPL while taking 18 credits in college and it really took a toll on my school work and flight training. I would have to stop flying here and there for a week or so when a big paper was due or to study for exams etc.. I was flying at a 141 and they felt expensive especially when I found out other schools were renting 172s for 95/hour I was paying $125/hour plus 50/hour for instructor. This was also back in 2007 might be more now.
 
wow thats way to much! where were you flying at? our c-172 is $92 an hour and instructor is only $30. im taking 12 credits at FSU and flying at a part 61 school. it doesnt really get in the way too much. lots of long nights studying though.
 
Hard to believe that I paid only $33k for the ACPP. My advice would be to get you private and instrument (and, if possible, the rest of your ratings) at a local FBO. Focus on school and enjoy your time in college. You have the rest of your life to fly. Your young enough that you can take your time, which in turn will save you money. Hiring is going back down, so there's no need to rush into the bottom of a deep pilot pool. Enjoy your time instructing or towing banners, or if your lucky enough, getting a right seat 91 gig. Keep one thing in mind...once you start flying 121, the enjoyment factor of flying goes WAY down. Just my 2ct
 
Hard to believe that I paid only $33k for the ACPP. My advice would be to get you private and instrument (and, if possible, the rest of your ratings) at a local FBO. Focus on school and enjoy your time in college. You have the rest of your life to fly. Your young enough that you can take your time, which in turn will save you money. Hiring is going back down, so there's no need to rush into the bottom of a deep pilot pool. Enjoy your time instructing or towing banners, or if your lucky enough, getting a right seat 91 gig. Keep one thing in mind...once you start flying 121, the enjoyment factor of flying goes WAY down. Just my 2ct

I cannot disagree with what "tapcon" said above.

Makes perfect sense to me.
 
At this point in time I would say go the FBO route. There is much point in spending 60k to get your ratings in 3 months, get done and not be able to get a job. Its hard enough right now to find a CFI job let alone an airline job, plus ATP is even slowing down there hiring. Now the one thing about ATP that makes it a lot of fun is the people you get to be around the 75hrs of multi-engine x-country time. Whatever you do have fun!!!
 
WOW it makes me very happy to see the above posters, our Junior members, really know what they are talking about... all the above are dead on and the smile on my face is huge.... no point in going to ATP..... FBO is the way to go. Cheaper, your pace, and you can do it now.....
 
Meyers- Why do you dislike ATP so much? I mean I'm not a huge fan of the company and right now I wouldn't recommend going that route due to the status of the industry, but they aren't all bad. I was just curious.
 
Meyers- Why do you dislike ATP so much? I mean I'm not a huge fan of the company and right now I wouldn't recommend going that route due to the status of the industry, but they aren't all bad. I was just curious.

Subpar product.... only can learn so much in 90 days.... fact of the matter is by rushing through you miss out on a lot of things. Basic educaton psychology. The brain can only process so much information. I've viewed and experienced better pilots and instructors from other schools. The ones i've encountered from ATP have not been impressive in my experience. However the arguement back is so are others from different schools. True but how much can one learn in 90 days..... DL31082 you had a good post back... keep it that away. You seem to know as to why you recommend this guy to do the FBO. Many of the same reasons.

Also hell how much money is ATP right now? 60k.... simply not worth it once so ever.
 
Meyers- I am not going back on my pervious post. Right now I do not believe that the ATP or any other "fast track" route is the way to go at the moment. As I said it doesn't make sense with the industry the way it is. That being said I somewhat disagree with the sub-par statement. Just like with any school the quality of the students that leave ATP depend on 2 things. 1. The instructor. I have seen instructors that really work with the students both on the ground and in the air. Then you have the instructors that fly with a student and ignore them to study on their own all day. 2. The student themselves. If you really study and work hard you can come out as a great pilot. If you don't then you won't and I have seen more then enough people do the bare minimum to pass the check-ride.

That being said I am somewhat biased I did go through the program and never busted a check-ride. I had a great instructor and when I wasn't with him I was studying. I agree that the price is high (kinda feel stupid about paying that now) but I have 140 multi hours compared to the 20 that someone that I work with has. But anyways I have been rambling on. I just wanted to know if you had a bad personal experience with them or if it was something else. Thanks.
 
I just wanted to know if you had a bad personal experience with them or if it was something else. Thanks.

Just think their are a lot better options out there..... And have no problem discussing those options with prospective students who rather get all their ratings for 30k instead of 70k that they'd spend at ATP. In addition if they want to spend 40k get them 100ME as well. In the end there are better options IMO. The state of the industry should not matter. The training itself is what one should consider. If you are going to go into this industry the state should not be a reason as to why to go to ATP or not to go to ATP.
 
pardon me for jumping in here and going off topic but... lol... meyers, what the crap does "once so ever" mean??

who taught you that?

there's a word that i think you meant to use instead.
 
pardon me for jumping in here and going off topic but... lol... meyers, what the crap does "once so ever" mean??

who taught you that?

there's a word that i think you meant to use instead.

Nope.... meant what I typed... its an older quote. But great productive post?
 
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