Noob here. Some quick questions

[avi8tor1983]

A little about myself first off. I'm 23, married with a beautifull 6 month old son. I started my flight training at Airman flight school in Norman, Oklahoma only to have the school shut down 3 flights from my instrument checkride. I have 100 hours TT and 26 hours X/C time. I am really looking into ATP's 90 day fast track to finish my ratings. I have read a lot of posts on here and I am extreamly impressed with all the knowlage about ATP that is here. So here are some more questions I have that pretain to my situation.

If I go to ATP I will go to the Arlington campus. I do not have a 2 year degree but they said that equivalent work experiance will sufice. Is this correct? After the interview how soon do classes start? Do you fly 7 days a week? I intend to finish up my degree while i'm instructing(Hopefully at ATP). Is there any time for that? When you get hired on as an instructor do you have the choice of where you want to instruct? And last but not least. If any of you have been there what were your thoughts on ATP? Good and bad.

Thank you agian

[JEP]

Originally Posted by avi8tor1983

.........So here are some more questions I have that pretain to my situation.

If I go to ATP I will go to the Arlington campus. I do not have a 2 year degree but they said that equivalent work experiance will sufice. Is this correct? #1 After the interview how soon do classes start? #2 Do you fly 7 days a week? #3 I intend to finish up my degree while i'm instructing(Hopefully at ATP). Is there any time for that? #4 When you get hired on as an instructor do you have the choice of where you want to instruct? And last but not least. If any of you have been there what were your thoughts on ATP? Good and bad.

Thank you agian

I did not go to ATP, but have been here for a bit so I'll answer your questions from the information I have gained.

#1 that really depends on your schedule.

#2 with the 90-day program it is so condensed that you are busy most days. Maybe not in the plane, but could be sim, ground, etc....

#3 if you instruct at ATP, there will be little time for school depending on the location. Most of the CFI's I have heard about say it is balls to the wall..

#4 you may have your choice, but that could lead to a longer time answering phones in Jacksonville. You could also go to a second choice until your 1st opens up.

[amorris311]

i just want to say hello. im going to leave the atp questions to the people that have been there. best of luck and once again welcome.

[LookoutLoop]

When I first tried to do the ATP thing, I did not have 2 years college complete. This was when I was 20, 5 years ago. They told me to come back when I got the school done. I did just that. Not sure about work experience but it should be fine I would think. They do make exceptions, but it didn't work for me

I got to choose when I would start. I had about 3 months I think between picking my date and starting.

I flew everyday for the most part. There will be some "off days" but you're still in the books.

I did not stay on and instruct so I can't answer those questions for you.

I had a great time and got a lot of great experiences. If you have the drive and are willing to do the work, go for it.

[CaptainChris87]

#1 After the interview how soon do classes start? :
-every third monday of the month for 90 day, I don't know about 10 month


#2 Do you fly 7 days a week?:

-depends, for your private multi you fly about 3 hours a day for 3 days, it gets tiring after going over sim and ground, it kind of eases a bit during instrument phase. you also gotta do a 250 nm IFR xc with 5 ifr approaches and 10 night landings at a towered airport we got back 130 am it was fun right after your multi private a VFR xc me and another CFI and student went to vagas together had some dinner and they played some slots.




#3 I intend to finish up my degree while i'm instructing(Hopefully at ATP). Is there any time for that?: -online yes. real campus presance no, maybe for the 10 month.

#4 When you get hired on as an instructor do you have the choice of where you want to instruct? -yes, but you may or may not have to wait at JAcksonville working the "pit" or dispatch or as a dude answering calls.




And last but not least. If any of you have been there what were your thoughts on ATP? -GOOD, I went to a major aviation university not erau, for 1 year got my ppl there, im VERY happy about ATP and its results just that im 19 and everyone else is over 22 married, or going to get married and no college life.

anymore questions PM or IM me Im currently going on my cross countries.

[avi8tor1983]

Thanks to all of you who replied. I got most of the answers I was looking for. It looks like i'll be starting there in Feb. I'm really looking forward to it. Hopefully I have the knowlage to get things done quick haha. Captin Chris I will be sure IM you as the X/C phase sounds like a blast and I hope to hear all about it.

[LookoutLoop]

...and get your writtens done before you start.

[MSUDAWG]

Originally Posted by avi8tor1983

Thanks to all of you who replied. I got most of the answers I was looking for. It looks like i'll be starting there in Feb. I'm really looking forward to it. Hopefully I have the knowlage to get things done quick haha. Captin Chris I will be sure IM you as the X/C phase sounds like a blast and I hope to hear all about it.

Good luck with it all, im thinking about doing it as well but I have no clue how I am going to pay for it.....I guess sign my life away and pay it off for the next couple years while living at home and using every paycheck towards it!

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by MSUDAWG

Good luck with it all, im thinking about doing it as well but I have no clue how I am going to pay for it.....I guess sign my life away and pay it off for the next couple years while living at home and using every paycheck towards it!

Suggestion: live at home for a couple of years and save every single penny you can, then pay for your training with your own money and save a boatload of moolah on interest payments. Couple years either way really doesn't make a difference in the long run, and the only ones that will tell you differently are the big school recruiters. Don't be in a big hurry to get to the final job - you'll have more fun along the way then when you get there anyway.

[avi8tor1983]

Thanks for the sugestion there Steve. I do have money saved up. Just enuf to pay for half of the school the other half I'm going to have to go through SLM. I'm not to happy about having to pay that off but I guess I have to do what I have to do to get things done. Its a ton of money but you only get one life so might as well do what you love with it. Is anyone else thinking about going to the Arlington location? Any thoughts on it? I'm just wondering what the housing is like? Also wondering how many aircraft are based at that feild? How many instructors?
Thanks

[avi8tor1983]

I see that the instructors get paid 1000 per month salery. I was wondering if that was take home pay or not? I don't know if I could deal with 800 a month take home after taxes. If anyone can shed some light on this that would be helpfull. Thanks

Tyler

[Heath]

Well, its both. Its take-home, but there are no taxes with-held. So, you'll have to save some to pay the man at the year's end.

[SpiraMirabilis]

Assuming you make enough to actually owe anything after deductions, which is not certain.

[Heath]

Originally Posted by SpiraMirabilis

Assuming you make enough to actually owe anything after deductions, which is not certain.

True if you're single. But I'm married, as is the fellow asking. And then your wife's earnings will pull you up into the "owe money" bracket, and you have to plan accordingly.

Also, you get bonuses for each student you sign off that passes on the first try. It's only $40. But if you work at a volume location like JAX or ATL as an add-on instructor, it can come to an extra $400-500.

[avi8tor1983]

Thanks guys. I am married so I will be paying to the "Man". Thanks for the replys. I am going to check out the GKY location in Jan. If after training I got offered a position my top 3 would be Arlington, Addison and Houston. If I had to strech out to another location I think PHX would be the best. I just want to stay close to home if at all possible. Thanks again.