Atlanta area flight training

[johnpeace]

I've read a bunch of threads in this forum about flight training and have also Googled intrepidly for Atlanta info.

As part of my research I wanted to ask you all for some input:

I don't need the career warnings or sky is falling don't pursue a pilot career lecture.

I am currently working on my PPL here on Maui where I live. We just had a baby girl a few months ago and are ready to move back to the mainland. My family is in the Atlanta area (Gainesville, Ga) and that would be a very natural place for us to relocate.

I am comitted to pursuing a pilot career (even after understanding the pitfalls of such a path) and need to finish my training through CFI/CFII/MEI. It looks like I can show up in Atlanta this summer/fall with my PPL and about 80-100 hours TT.

Then where do I finish my training?

I am looking at ATP and would LOVE to train that way (short, intense, lots of twin time), but I don't think I'm, flexible enough to work there as an instructor after training (I get the impression they expect you to work in Jacksonville for an undetermined period of time while waiting for a CFI job at who knows where to open up, then you move perhaps across the country on a week's notice...my family would not appreciate that very much).

I am looking for (ideally) a similarly highly regarded flight school that can offer an immersive training experience in the Atlanta area, and be a potential CFI employment opportunity after graduation.

On the other hand, how hard is it to get hired as a flight instructor somewhere else after graduation from ATP? I guess that would all depend on the person and school and timing...but are there any indicators to look for to help answer that question?

Selecting a flight school looks like this complex weighing of all these different elements, it's tricky. I feel like I am making a comittment not just to a school, but to my first employer as well.

I'll be in Atlanta in a few weeks and would like to visit as many qualified schools as I can...any help you guys can offer (especially firsthand knowledge) would be very appreciated.

thanks

 

[captainv]

the only airport i know about in-depth is LZU in Lawrenceville, about halfway between Gainesville and ATL. i would imagine your options are limited out at Gainesville.

LZU has (or had) three flight schools. Astron, the Flight School, and Advanced Aviation. the Flight School was the most professional outfit - Cessna Pilot center and all that. the other two were your typical FBO flight schools.

PDK would probably have the best schools in the area, and the most expensive. it's the main corporate airport in Ga., and it's conveniently located in NE Atlanta. probably also the hardest to swing a job.

FTY out at Fulton County had an ATP flight training outfit.

a few other airports i know nothing about - McCollum, Peachtree City, and others....

 

[wmudriver]

Flightin training in ATL

I'm dowin in ATL just visiting for a few days. I checked out a FBO at Falcon Field in Peachtree City (20 miles south of ATL).

They have a fleet of looked like 5 or 6 Diamonds (2 and 4 seaters) and 2 PA-34's.

The flight instructors were nice and the FBO seemed very nice and organized.

Its worth at least checking out.

 

[johnpeace]

Yup, Peachtree Flight Center is on my list...got a nice message from one of the CFIs there and will be checking them out.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

Macon has the SE Flight Academy (adds in Flying). Peachtree-Dekalb has a pretty big flight school also.

Good luck!

CLiff
MKE

PS-ATL is great, except that the traffic is OUT OF CONTROL!!! If they had modern mass-transit, like a typical European city, ATL would be one of the best cities in the world. Unfortunately, ATL is in the US, where mass transit is viewed as undesirable.

 

[johnpeace]

Hi, thanks.
I'm not having any trouble at all finding the flight schools. They almost all have websites and are listed in directories on the web.

I want to hear from people who went to school or worked at the schools in Atlanta and know what they're like. I've gotten a few great private messages from folks already, thanks.

I really want to know what schools to avoid and why and which ones are doing a great job of training pilots and then employing those pilots as CFIs.

Inside insights.