Richmond or Trenton?

[Asta]

Anyone have the skinny on Richmond VA? Good planes and people? I'm closer to Trenton NJ and was thinking of doing the self-paced there, but I am considering Richmond which is the closest center with the 90 day program. I could probably do the self-paced at Trenton pretty quickly as I am my own boss, but I thought that a more structured and busy environment would be better. From what I hear, Trenton is slow and I wouldn't want to have delays because planes/instructors are unavailable. Also, as Trenton seems like kind of a backwater, I imagine they don't have the newest planes, sims, etc. Anyone know if I would find Richmond more dynamic?

Also, I'm thinking of Richmond as it is the closest 90 day center, figuring that I might be able to get home every other weekend -- which made me wonder, is there going to be any time to get home during the 90 days, or is training so intense that there will be no down time? In which case, I suppose I could go anywhere in the country for the program.

Sorry for thinking out loud here, but any advice will be appreciated.

[v1valarob]

Richmond just had a big turnover in instructors, all 5 of them went to Airlines about 3 or 4 weeks ago. The new guys are all really cool guys. 2 of them where there when I did my single engine stuff, and the 2 other guys where in my standardization class. Its a busy location, but a nice location. The only pain in the ass is that its located at a fairly busy class C airport, so you sit around waiting sometimes.

I would def. suggest the 90 day program at Richmond.

-Rob

[TheAviator737]

Well I think I might be able to help you out a little bit, I am in the 90 day program, well closing in to the end of the 90 day program, just have my CFII and CFI single to do and im done. Richmond has become a nice training center NOW. When I started back in June (its bad i know lol) My first week, all the instructors went off to the airlines, and they couldnt send anymore instructors up for a long time so we couldn't do much. Back then they didnt have amanager here in RIC because it was a new location, just opened a few months prior. Now as I do my last bit of training, RIC has a manager and is doing great things now keeping everything on track, the manager here makes sure people are happy with triaing and instructors and if your not he will try and make it work. The sim here is like all the other sims you will find at the other locations, i flew up to Trenton a few times and the sim is the same, as far as planes you are more likely to fly 79 models, they keep the newer ones down in JAX, some in ATL, and Dallas locations. We have about 6 seminoles and i think 3 cessnas. As far as the days off, you do get days off to go home, actually my 2 friends/roommates are from the NJ area and they went home a few times throughout the program so you wil deifnently have time off. The students now are getting done within 90 days like the program says, for some reason when i came in it wasnt like that and now im like in the 6 month program HAHA. hope that helps you out a little bit, feel free to send me a message if you have any other questions about ATP or RIC.
-PEZ-

[sate]

What is the housing like in RIC, also I am thinking of doing my PPL in Raleigh-Durham, and then going to RIC or Aurora Municipal Airport (KARR) near chicago to finish the program. Info on all places would be great.

sate

[Shep8]

I did my intervew at KARR Aurora and I was very very impressed by the instructor there. It is a smaller operation though and its mainly add-on ratings rather than ACPP. Only one sim as well but I'm not sure how many students they have at a time at that location.

[Asta]

thanks all, and to follow up: i spoke with eric at atp (very helpful) and he advises that you are kept so busy in the program, seven days a week, that it really doesn't matter where you are in the usa because you're not going to be going home or anywhere else until your done.

aviator, i wonder how your jersey pals got away?

if that's the case, family man that i am, i think i better stay in trenton where i can get home