ATP vs Flightsafety?

[whaletail]

I am 35 have my PPL and am looking to get my add'l ratings. I have toured Flightsafety and was very impressed. However ATP seems like a better choice because of the multi time you log while getting your ratings. If I CFI after, I assume most of that will be SE and so it seems smart to get the multi engine time at the same time as the ratings. I do like the reputation though of a school like Flightsaftety. I have heard nothing but good things about it.

Can someone with experience tell me what you think. If I go the flightsafety route I guess I will just have to buy ME time to get enough time to apply for a right seat job?

thanks -- Michael

 

[rjcap]

If you attend the ATP pro pilot program that should qualify you to become an instructor there and then you will fly multi all the time.

 

[bobbysamd]

FSI

I instructed there ten years ago. Read some of my other posts. I'll vouch for the place as a great source of initial training. I think you still leave with about 50 hours of multi, with 40 or so being multi PIC after you earn your Private Multi. You'll take all your advanced instrument training in multis. You'll take your Commercial and Instrument checkrides in the multis as well. You can add on a Commericial Single later. In addition,a major plus is the school offers a formal introduction to unusual attitudes training. The place was just starting to do it when I was there, and, after noticing the place flies Zlins, I gather that this part of the training is completely formalized now.

Don't assume that you'll be instructing strictly singles forever. Maybe at the beginning, but you can get into multis later. You should never have any need to buy multi time; in fact, it is better if you don't. I know that commuters have hired with 1000 total and 100-300 of multi. Mins industry-wide are probably higher now, because the applicant pool is better qualified, but not much higher. You can certainly build those hours within a reasonable period.

Hope that helps. Good luck with your choice.

 

[AZaviator]

ATP

Without hesitation, I'd definetly recommend ATP. I looked in to Flightsafety about 3 years ago and signed up to go, but backed down at the last second. The school looked like a great place for training, but my major concern was the high cost which at the time, I was looking at a $40-50,000 loan for the entire program up through the CFI. I already had my private pilot's license.

I did the ATP program about a year and a half ago. Went in with my private, and about 100 days later, walked out with my commerical-multi/single, instrument, CFI, CFII, MEI, and about 120 hours of multi. The cost at the time was about half of what I would have had to pay at Flightsafety. The thing that impressed me the most at ATPs was the fact they didn't try to guarantee me any kind of airline job or airline interview when completing the program. The only thing they guarenteed was getting my ratings in a very short period of time, and over 100 hours of multi and I got just that. They were very straight forward. AT ATPs you can get your ratings in 3-4 months, over 100hrs of multi, and the cost they quote you includes housing. The cost of the program is a flat rate, which is nice. As a student you'll also get the chance to fly their aircraft across the country which is something not too many other flight schools offer.

Again, I had a good experience there, but I do know of others who had a completely different experience. Continue to search for the opinions and experiences from other people. It will definetly help.

Let me know if you have any other questions.
Good luck with your decision.

 

[rjcap]

AZaviator,

I used to be an instructor at ATP in SAT. I think you probably determined that the quality of your experience was determined by your own work ethic and the base you chose. Sometime there are instrucotr - student personality conflicts but that can be fixed. Otherwise if you pick a good location for your training you can have a blast.

what are you doing now ?

 

[VFR on Top]

I used to be an instructor at ATP in SAT. I think you probably determined that the quality of your experience was determined by your own work ethic and the base you chose. [...] Otherwise if you pick a good location for your training you can have a blast.

How might one determine what the "better" bases are?