Internship @ ACA or do CFI

[Pilot877]

Hahaha, well if there is one thing for sure in this industry, it is that you are never guaranteed anything. I dont know where your guaranteed jobs are, but I can tell you that they are not at Atlantic Coast Airlines.
As far as the term "Bridge Program", it just means that when you complete the 13 week internship you are eligible for an interview if you meet the flight time requirements. In that interview, by the way, you will be with pilots who have far more experience and flight time than you but the interns do have the advantage of getting to learn all about the company before hand if they pay attention during the internship.
Seems like flame bait to me, but I can tell you that there is no room at any airline for people who go around telling others that they are stupid and shouldnt be flying if they happen to fail an interview.

 

[EMcx2]

Here is the deal with ATA. ATA suckered many people into believing that if they paid a LOT of money and did the Stage 1 and Stage 2 programs they then would be hired by an airline. Now nobody will hire these "graduates". ATA now wants these people to pay more money to become an instructor or to buy SIC time at Ameriflight. Lets be clear about that, these people are not getting a job, they are buying 300 hours of SIC time. If anybody really wants the true scoop on ATA, talk to the students, the FAA, or the Better Business bureau. You will hear about how ATA lost its self-examining authority and then its Part 141 status. You’ll also hear about scary planes and fatal accidents. Then you will hear about lawsuits and disgruntled students who cannot get their money back.

 

[Bouyer]

are we talking about the right ata (airline training academy) i dont know where you got your info from, but that is untrue what you are saying. (i am a student there) what about the 12 students that just took jobs with two airlines and the 20+ students a few months back that got hired on, they are hiring the students.

 

[AvJunke]

DO THE INTERNSHIP

Tell your friend he HAS to do the internship. If I could change one thing about my college tenure it would be to go back and take the unpaid internship prior to completing my CFI. I had friends get hired at various regionals with 350/50 who did the internships. I didn't buy into the program, I knew no one has any business flying for an airline with that experience. I went out and got my instructor ratings and a right seat job in a Citation, which hasn't been bad. But........they were given class dates and beat me to the airlines by 2 years and are still going strong while I've had 1 class date canceled and another that may be in the future. I guarantee you it is the only way your going to get an airline to even consider you for an interview with 600 hrs over the next few years. If "he" is dead set on an airline gig, the internship is a must. It's a lot easier to get hired at an airline after you've made some contacts within and have people pushing for you than it is off the street. Good luck.