Airline Training Academy

[bobbysamd]

School sales pitch malarkey

Do not believe everything you read. All vocational-type schools, of which flight schools are a part, use similar sales pitches.

So many schools prey on people's troubles. Try watching some weekday afternoon TV sometime. Along with the ads for sleazy PI attorneys, you'll see the ads that proclaim: "Earn GREAT MONEY as a Surgical Technician in only THREE WEEKS!!" Somewhat exagerated, but not really. People who can barely read and write take the course, and find out that you need five years of experience to be hired.

I can say that the same is true with paralegal schools. I've found from being on both sides of the desk that there is no shortage of paralegals. Moreover, new attorneys and third-year law school students compete for these jobs. In a way, that's like a furloughed 747 captain competing for a 135 SIC or banner job.

Of course, flight schools, don't prey on people's troubles but prey on their dreams. So, that's why the "Be An Airline Pilot in Ten Months" pitch is so powerful. In any event, you are where you are. Get something that will help you get work. Get your CFI.

I don't know ATA but I know FSI in Vero very well. If I were to choose and had the financing, I'd choose FSI. It is a six-month program and you can get your CFI there. You can't beat the name recognition. It is expensive.

 

[Anaconda]

it always cracks me up in this day and age to open up an aviation magazine such as flying, aopa pilot, etc. and see all of the advertisements for flight schools promising to get you hired in a short amount of time. the irony is that almost without exception every single one of the airlines they claim to have connections with has pilots on furlough or is not even hiring. it should be a crime that schools get away with advertising such as that. saying that the magazine is produced months in advance and the ads can't be changed is no longer an excuse either. it's been nearly a year now...IMHO.

 

[edy]

as i was based in vancouver for a number of years, i met a number of pilots who fly for horizon airlines. i became friends with all of them. there is NO bridge program between ata and horizon. infact there is only one pilot from ata at horizon and they did not speak highly of his skill. i was told he was hired only due to a family connection.

i would advise against being sucked in to the marketing lies of a place like this.

 

[cpierse]

As a FlightSafety grad, I can tell you without reservation that their training program is excellent. I went from a private pilot with 50 hrs, to having my comm, multi, inst in less than four months.

A very good option at FSI is to get your CFI with them and stay on as an instructor. Their CFIs typically got around 60 hrs/mo (most of it multi) and make $1,500/mo which is pretty good for an instructor.

Two things to consider about FSI: first - it's REALLY expensive; you certainly get what you pay for, but it may be cost prohibitive for some (about 40k from 0 to Comm, multi, inst). Second - they certainly are not hiring as many CFIs as they used to (not many leaving to the airlines, obviously).

In short, there are many many options out there. Do some research, decide what works best for you and plan on full time instructing for a year or so once you're done. Good luck!

 

[doclarse]

In Deep

I have mixed feelings regarding ATA. I enrolled there Jan 2001 with a Private license and by mid May had my Instrument and Commercial Multi license. I felt that although the training was not cheap, I received a good education from a very good instructor. That was not the case with some of my friends there. They either had bad instructors or numerous mechanical problems that kept them on the ground. In that regard it was just luck of the draw, and I lucked out.

AirStage II I felt gave me a good understanding of what to expect from an airline. We were taught by "current" Comair check airmen (they were still on strike at the time) who really seemed to know their stuff. I also learned a lot about the ATC system through the flights I took. At the end of it all, I was hired by Eagle, which at the time was the only airline affiliated with ATA. When 9/11 happened I was in Dallas taking my flight physical and received a letter a week later saying I was no longer needed, but to keep my resume current.

Up until that point, I was very satisfied with the program at ATA (and still am). My problem comes in with the refund of my money. ATA came out with a contract gaurentee for ASII of $15000. I had already paid my $30k, but now have a legal document stating I will receive a $15k refund 90 days after completion of ASII. 90 days was mid-Dec 2001 and still no refund. I will soon be contacting a lawyer to collect my money since ATA will no longer talk to me. There are other people in similar situations and from what I hear, there may also be a class action lawsuit in the works.

Another rumor I have recently heard is that they don't have enough money to consistantly meet payroll. Some of the Comair instructors I had will no longer teach there because they don't always get paid. Sounds to me like they spent too much money on their prize CL65 Simulator, Jet trainers, and expanding their building.

The big negative to ATA is that you aren't going to get a Single Commercial License or a CFI. I spent the time and money to get a Single Commercial after the fact and am now working on my CFI. My recomendation would be to find a local FBO and get your licenses and ratings there, and then go to one of the bigger schools for their "airline prep" courses, if that is your ultimate goal. Earning your CFI along the way can only help you in the long run.

The bottom line is that no matter where you go, be willing to spend whatever the price is they are advertising. There is no school in existance where you don't have the possibility of having a negative experience.

Good luck.

 

[ILS JNKY]

flight school

Part 61 is fine , since there seems to be so many high time pilots out of work rite now , i mean pilots with any where between 6,000 and 10,000 hours according to this board, check other postings.


Pay as you go , not in a lump sum, very tough to get it back, when i left comair it was some what hard to get the money but kept calling and they came throughwith it.

You mite want to look through some other posts here because i saw one about a month ago that said the Delta was laying off 860 pilots this past june and it was posted by a Delta Offical, O and by the way comair is going to pull out of MCO, and go to DFW, this i over heared the last time the Delta big boys were in town, say march of this year.

My two former instructors who did the whole program through the academy side did not get there interviews with conair untill they had all ready signed letters of intent with other cairrers, and were issued class dates were confirmed, go figure.

 

[Vandal]

Another note about ATA. I am working as a fueler at a Vero Beach FBO and ATA flies in all the time. The thing is they are no longer allowed to get fuel at any airport other than their home base. So if you go there don't count on any fun cross-country adventures far from home...have to leave and come back on one tank. Just another thing to keep in mind.

 

[popilot78]

Just curious as to why they can purchase fuel? Seems odd.

 

[Vandal]

The pilots have said something about they are re-negotiating fuel contracts or something...As of today though, no fuel for you!!

 

[buzzer]

My wife went to ATA, did the program quickly and got hired with Eagle. She was two weeks into ground shcool when she got furloughed.
I spent the money for the chance that she could go from zero time to airline fast and it worked.
I don't have a high regard for any of these schools. You may or may not get a good education no matter where you choose. She started with Comair and I was very upset with them for many reasons, so we changed over to ATA after her private. ATA was better for her, but once or twice I had to go in and "negotiate" with the school owners for them to do things right.
In the current environment I wouldn't recommend a school with a high priced bridge program.

 

[TWC]

This is a little off the subject and it has been discussed on the board before if I remember. Why is everyone in such a hurry to get their ratings and pay so much for these bridge programs. What ever happened to your local FBO get your ratings and build your time instructing and really learn?I think the bridge program is just buying your job. Just as bad as PFT

 

[ch47fe]

In a rush to get my ratings.......

I must say I am in a rush because this will be a career change for me. I 'm not 20 and have the time to fart around waiting for my instructor to cancel or the airplane have a maintenance issue while I train part time. I know I will deal with this but training full time will allow me to complete a training course at a faster rate. Plus I will benefit from putting all of my effort full time into this venture. I need the structure of a school to keep me going.

I am almost 30 and think it would be behoove of me to get my tickets and start instructing ASAP.

Sure if I had just graduated from college and had my act together I could have done that but I am already behind the eight ball.

Sounds like the possibility of a secondary recession could really make the upcoming few years a good time to training.

 

[TWC]

I am kinda biased on the school thing, I operate a small school.I think the local FBO and instructors can provide structured program and I think you will be treated more like a person in a smaller setting. The larger flight school instructors have one thing in mind the airlines thats it and getting your money.You might find an older instructor that has a lot more to offer at the FBO. I was kinda in the same boat getting out of the military. I started at the FBO then went to a big school for my multi commercial, instrument then left for a smaller school/FBO for my CFI,CFII. I got the best training at the FBO. I would really look around and ask a lot of questions from both the big and small schools.Hope this helps and good luck in your search.

 

[ILS JNKY]

AIRLINE TRAINING ACADEMY

Just this past week they made the news in orlando Florida on Channel 9 , action reporter Todd Alrich, broke a story about several students that were having trouble getting their money back, since they were not going there any more., because of 9-11-01.They also interviewd one stuident on TV that was having trouble getting a refund.

Also a law suite was file in the circuit court of orange county florida for this , and channel 9 even showed a copy of it on tv.

go to www.ilsapproach.com and read the rest of the sory which is in greater detail there.

 

[bobbysamd]

Structured programs

I appreciate ch47fe's comments, above. That is exactly where I'm coming from regarding a structured program. The structure and discipline of actually going to school indeed keeps you going.

I can relate, from my experience learning to fly, as an instructor in formal schools, and when I went back to school to learn to be a paralegal. I had seen it from the other side of the desk as I meandered through my training over the years and then saw my students, who were products of a structured program, do better than I did. My paralegal school had a 7½-month program. I had classes nearly every day of the week and, easily, five hours of studying a night and on weekends. The discipline was good for me. The schedule kept me going. I wish had the same when I was learning to fly.

Just something to think about.