All ATP flight school=Joke

[scarlet]

ATP has a phone interview with private pilots to come to their AIRLINE CAREER PILOt PROGRAM....

A guy doing the interview the other day, ask for definition of lift, my friend stated the definition, the interviewer told him it was incorrect, (Low pressure on top high on the bottom of wing) The ATP guy laughed at him on the phone.-- that is very unprofessional!!

I would recommend ATP to no - one!!!! They wanted him to pay 5,000.00 for a refresher course, and this friend just got his private last month and received a 86 on his written, so come on guys get a break....I will tell everyone not to receive training from you guys!!!!

 

[NW_Pilot]

I called them up and questioned them about their CFI program, I was not impressed they only offerd 1 CFI package Includes CFI, CFII & MEI their attitude was take the entire package or they offer nothing!

 

[luvz2fli]

I never tried to do their career program but I recently did their multi course. The course is 4 days long and my instructor was gone on checkrides most of the time. I had to get in 6 hours of time as it was required since I had paid for it. We ended up flying the third day for 4 hours because we didn't have the time in. I ended up having to shoot my instrument approaches at night and that was the first time I had done anything instrument throughout the rating. I ended up being at the airport til 1AM that night so that we could fill out the 8710 and do all of the endorsements.

I found the program to be very unorganized and they had a lack of staff that week. The program is a lot of self study and if you aren't prepared to do most of it yourself, this place isn't for you. They will get you done very quickly but it will be on your shoulders a lot of the way in order to make sure you're ready. If you're not prepared for that or you like the one on one help, I would recommend you go elsewhere and not even consider this place.

 

[PA28 Freight]

If you can handle studying on your own then ATP is a great option for anyone who wants a rating fast. I did my II & MEI at ATP and It was very difficult but well worth it for two ratings in 4 days.

 

[aeronautic1]

All Atp Scamm

If you can handle studying on your own then ATP is a great option for anyone who wants a rating fast. I did my II & MEI at ATP and It was very difficult but well worth it for two ratings in 4 days.

These "Career Programs" are all a over priced scams!. Call it All ATP, Comair Academy, American Flyers; they are all the same whore in a different dress. Just stay with your mom and pop flight school, support local instructors at your home base, get your instructors certificate and pay your dues. You will be ahead in money and experience.

 

[Goose Egg]

Just stay with your mom and pop flight school, support local instructors at your home base, get your instructors certificate and pay your dues. You will be ahead in money and experience.

Amen!

-Goose

 

[pilotpat]

I'd agree with you aeronautic1. I took my first real flying lesson 4/25/01 & got my CFI on 8/28/01. I did this not at Comair, Riddle, or any of the "Big Name, Big Bucks" - ehem..academies. I've been flying jets for a little over 2 years not because of where I got my ratings, but because I busted my a** and my wife made a lot of sacrifices while I instructed for a little over a year. Having a good positive attitude helped! I'm sure it also helped that I moved to AZ (due to great weather) for those long months with no job except to learn how to fly. The place was a small school and I came out with around $23K invested. Not cheap, but not overpriced like others were. Do yourself a favor and find a good CFI - that's really what it takes. Just my .02.

P.S. Did the 'guy' doing the interview still have wet ink on his certificate??

 

[fasteddy69]

WOW that was fast...how many hours did you fly every day??

 

[pilotpat]

Well, looking back in my log book I averaged around 7.5 per day. A few days during my commercial training, I did a couple of the lessons back to back - the 141 syllabus had solo x/c stuff, so I'd do as many as I could. A few days I did like 10 & 12 hour days!! But, like I said - my only job was to learn how to fly. Not a lot of people have that opportunity. I have an extremely supportive wife, which is a God send now that I'm flying jet charters!!

 

[FlyingToIST]

These "Career Programs" are all a over priced scams!. Call it All ATP, Comair Academy, American Flyers; they are all the same whore in a different dress. Just stay with your mom and pop flight school, support local instructors at your home base, get your instructors certificate and pay your dues. You will be ahead in money and experience.

One of the best posts I have ever seen in this board...

 

[Almerick07]

I'll vouch for pilotpat, took me a little over a year to go from 0 time to CFI while being a full time college kid. Spent about $25k which is a lot but no $40k some places charge, I'm now flight instructing while I finish up my degree so I can go to UPT...how is that for some airline placement program?

 

[FDAFCFI]

The problem I see with all the posts here is that the majority of folks here are in their 20s. Something is gravely wrong with American children these days and this is the common thread...no one wants to really study for what they are earning. I have seen countless students come in and out of the flight school I work at simply expecting us to give them their ratings. I don't speak for all of you, there are a lot of great, hard-working young folks out there who were raised with good hard-working principles. If you work hard at a flight school, have a great attitude, and expect a challenge through each rating, you will be rewarded. Additionally, I want to add that not everyone is cut out to be a pilot. That's a fact, Sorry to break it to you. If you keep failing the PPL practical, you may be one of those folks and its not the fault of a reputable 141 school if you can't pass.

Stop blaming each other and pull up your britches and get serious about studying. My best students are the ones who go home after a flight/ground school session with me and actually do the assigned homework. When that student returns with a completed assigned quiz, we grade it together, answer questions about it and then review it in the air, the whole thing dovetails nicely. We have thousands of letters of thanks from people all over the world who took the time to be serious about getting their licenses and they were rewarded handsomely.

Anyone with a solid work ethic will do well at any of the above listed schools, although I can't speak for a few (ATP). They have a different approach and its just perfect for someone else, maybe not you, that's okay. To each his/her own. Learn that phrase and you'll be a much happier camper in life.

 

[Buckeye]

Lets see, I learned to fly in 1993 while high school on my own dime, worked three jobs over many summers. Went to college, earned my Instrument in 1995, Commercial in early 1998 went to ATP in Atlanta Georgia for Multi in late 1998, CFI in 1999. Meanwhile graduated from college with a double major in 1999, paid for all my flight training MYSELF and college (no student loans), did it at the local FBO, then instructed flew 135 freight, then 135/121 Freight. I didn't have mommy and daddy funding it. I was smart enough to get degrees in something outside of aviation in case something like?... 9/11 would happen. I feel sorry for these kids that go through these rating crash courses and go right to a regional, looking back at it I enjoyed every minute of instructing and freight flying it took to build my time. Especially flying the ole' DC-3. Things have gone down hill. Thats my .02$ worth.

 

[imacdog]

I got my ATP though All ATPs. I got unlimited access to the sim, a reasonable rate on a modern aircraft, and no scheduling conflicts. I took my ride with an airline check airman and definitely had to earn the rating. I don't know about their career program but I feel that getting the individual rating at this school was worthwhile.

 

[FDAFCFI]

I agree with you Buckeye. What the heck is going on with these green newbs these days. Kids today suck, they suck bad, friggin worthless no counts driving brand new Z71 Tahoes to the flight school, cancelling lessons 10 minutes after they were supposed to show up, smelling like traces of last nights' bedsheets, and constantly worried about their tee-times at Daddy's country club at 4 pm. Pathetic. Any young bucks dropping $40,000 at MAPD to get the right seat job in an ERJ makes me damn leery of flying the friendly regional skies...especially Mesa. The Captains should be commended for being the true PIC of that aircraft with no help from the freq switcher sitting next to them. Teaching is where you learn so much.

 

[FlyinTim]

Woah Woah Woah...I am a 20 year old CFI, CFII and MEI, and I worked my a$$ off for all of my ratings, at a local 141 school. Worked 50 hours a week and flew 6 days a week... not all of us are bad.

 

[Buckeye]

Fly'n Tim, Key Phrases = "Local", "Worked" now all you need is the non-aviation degree and you should be at the Big - Boys by the time you are 30. Hopefully this wasn't a place that has some sort of bridge program. I always recommended All Atps for their training, but it looks like they are in the process of selling out too. I still recommend their Multi course.

 

[av8rbama]

I had no choice but ATP at JFX (The BHM location that's 50 miles from BHM) for my commercial as this was the only complex airplane for rent within 100 miles of my home a couple of years ago. Turns out I got a multi- and single- for the same price as a single. Of course, the program was about $500 less than it is now when I took it. Did the maneuvers in a rented fixed-gear 172 and all the Vmc and complex stuff in the Seminole.

I have nothing but great things to say about the operation up there... granted, I wasn't part of the career pilot program though. My instructor wasn't the checkpilot and didn't have wet ink on his certificate (I was his 1500th hour). The aircraft was brand new and when it was time for the 100hr inspection, they made sure another airplane was there so I could fly. The DPE up there is a DC-10 captain and really took me through the wringer on the checkride... he wasn't trying to fail me, just to see how well I could perform. I think it all depends on the ATP location where you get your training. It was explained to me that each location is a franchise so you could run into slightly different operating procedures from one to another.

I am a mid-twenties pilot and it bothers me to see the reputation guys and girls my age have because of all the PFT/PFJ programs out there. I worked my butt off to pay cash for my private at a part-61 operation, had (paid off now) very little debt for my instrument & commercial as I did it through the CAP (cheap airplanes and free instructors) and have earned every single hour since then by flying photo-mapping. Oh, and did all of this while going to school full-time to get a BS and MS in civil engineering and working as much as I could to get scholarships and grants to pay for those degrees. We're not all looking for a "direct-track."

 

[FDAFCFI]

FlyinTim,

Once again, read my whole post. What did I say? I said there are some good kids out there doing the right thing amongst the bad litter. Read before you post. I'm proud of your accomplishments, keep it up.

 

[172driver]

The problem I see with all the posts here is that the majority of folks here are in their 20s. Something is gravely wrong with American children these days and this is the common thread...no one wants to really study for what they are earning.

Yeah, well, I am in my thirties and have had training in the 61,91,121,and 141 environments. My experience at AllATPs a couple of weeks ago was horrible. Most disorganized, unprofessional training I have ever seen. I went there to get my ATP, expecting a structured program, assuming because of their name that they had done this before.

Airplane was in disrepair, CFI's inexperienced, both were gone when they were supposed to be there for me. No charts, no gouge, no way to deice the planes, and on and on. I ended up getting much less training time than what I paid for because of their disorganization. Should've gone to the local FBO and saved some $$$. Thought I was paying for a structured program and got the opposite.

 

[FlyinTim]

haha...I'm sorry FDAFCFI..I got all pi$$ed off once I saw the beginning... Somone brought up the baby CFI thing about 10 minutes before at work..and I got online with a little bit of attitude..
I am taking classes right now with Utah Velley State College for a aviation degree online, I know, I know...its useless...but it is a four year degree, and I could not sit in a school for anything else but flying... couldn't do it.. the ladies would be on my mind MUCH more the 17th Century English Literature...

I am nearing 1200 and 100.. looking for any local (BDL PVD BOS ORH...etc...) cargo places?.. Any one know of anything good? Time to be a freightdog..

 

[pilotpat]

Flyintim, you thought about AirNow...they're out of Burlington, VT & I hear they're usually looking for pilots. They fly the C208 and EMB110. Pretty good place to work for as I know plenty of guys have moved on to other careers...just a thought.

 

[FlyinTim]

I have to look into them a little more in depth..when I get my IFR min's later this month I'll probably send in a resume..I know that they fit you in the Caravan for 6 months... then I believe you have the option to get into the Emb-119? (Bandirete)..Single pilot multi-turbine...hmmm.... A guy from my work went over there a year ago (with 1800/80)...and now has over 500 hours of Multi-Turbine PIC... doesn't seem like a bad gig at all... minus the freight dog deal (not to knock those guys... but I don't think the night shifts are for me right now...)

 

[luvz2fli]

In response to the post making it seem as though younger people aren't credible and expect things to be handed to them that bothers me. Yes there are some who don't put in the time and there are others who do. I know you said some aren't bad apples and all but I just hate the stereotype that goes along with young people.

Also when I experienced the ATP program for the multi course, my instructor was gone basically two out of the three days for my training and then the fourth day was my ride. This isn't a tough ride but at the same time I wasn't overly comfortable with my instruments and to wait until the last day to even think about them just bothered me. I was told repeatedly by my instructor that he was sorry and this isn't how they do things and this was a bad week for them etc. Weirdly enough I did my training a week before the prices would increase and 4 of their instructors were on interviews that week. I think they had 3 instructors there to cover the group they had. Maybe I picked a bad week, I don't know. I just want to say that just because some of us aren't as old as you are doesn't mean that our view isn't credible or that we blow things out of proportion as I've seen on other threads as well.

To back up what was said though, I do know plenty of pilots who went to my old school that didn't like to work and lived off of Mom and Dad's money/credit card.

Also I personally would love to be a freight dog. I have a few friends who do the whole freight gig and they absolutely love it.

 

[iflyabeech]

I tried to do my ATP there. The CFI's were unprofessional. Scheduling sucked. They kept trying to push the more expensive programs. They wouldn't fly when it was 2000OVC----for ATP training! Such a one dimensional place. I fired them before I even got into the air! (Because I spent 3 days waiting to do ATP training in 2000OVC!)

 

[Jim Dandy]

When are people going to learn that flight training has nothing to do with where you train and everything to do with who you are and how motivated you are. I've seen students at an old school I instructed at go from 0 time to CFI in a year and a half and I've seen students at the same school bitch and moan and take 3 years to get their private, the whole time they blame the CFIs, the planes, the WX and anything else they can think of. People these days want everything for free.

And to the person who started this post - you say your friend got an 86 on the written test - that's a crap score for any test where you already have all the questions and answers.

The world if full of people who lack any kind of personal accountability.

 

[Metro752]

ATP has a phone interview with private pilots to come to their AIRLINE CAREER PILOt PROGRAM....

A guy doing the interview the other day, ask for definition of lift, my friend stated the definition, the interviewer told him it was incorrect, (Low pressure on top high on the bottom of wing) The ATP guy laughed at him on the phone.-- that is very unprofessional!!

I would recommend ATP to no - one!!!! They wanted him to pay 5,000.00 for a refresher course, and this friend just got his private last month and received a 86 on his written, so come on guys get a break....I will tell everyone not to receive training from you guys!!!!

Should be getting a 95% or better. I'd give 5% margine of error for selecting the wrong answer accidently.

 

[FlyinTim]

Jim Dandy...I think you said that about 10000% correct... people suck.

 

[shamrock]

My experience at AllATPs a couple of weeks ago was horrible. Most disorganized, unprofessional training I have ever seen. I went there to get my ATP, expecting a structured program, assuming because of their name that they had done this before.

Airplane was in disrepair, CFI's inexperienced, both were gone when they were supposed to be there for me. No charts, no gouge, no way to deice the planes, and on and on. I ended up getting much less training time than what I paid for because of their disorganization. Should've gone to the local FBO and saved some $$$. Thought I was paying for a structured program and got the opposite.

Just curious, which location did you go to?

I'm looking at getting my ATP and weighing my options.

 

[Captain Oveur]

One can't overgeneralize, either. I've flown with 'rich kids' who
were as serious about flying as I ever was. I wish all those who are
working their way through the ratings game the very best....