ATP Florida locations really that bad?

[PetrolBurner]

I've been hearing that I should avoid the Florida locations like the plague, but not really sure why. More strict? How so? Is it just an all out effort to impress certain management types when they show up?

[SpiraMirabilis]

I don't know how to really explain it. It's not a matter of strictness as most of the ATP locations are "strict" in the sense that they are very structured and expect you to do certain things. It's more tense, more mean? Less amicable? I don't know. It's like this in a lot of larger corporations/organizations. Like in Dallas or Phoenix, the Chief Pilot can fire you but he also knows you and sees you basically every day. The bigwigs can and will fire you if you mess up but there is hardly any chance to get to know them so there is more uncertainty? Which breeds a certain attitude that hangs around JAX like a miasma.

[BillH]

SUA does not suffer from those problems.
SUA "WAS" and "MAYBE" still is looked upon as a "Rogue" location by the white shirts in JAX because things are "more relaxed". Certainly a dog eat dog mentality going on with some individuals. I suppose if Kfour is now saying SUA is a good place well then the attitudes in JAX about SUA must have greatly improved.
No matter where you go, you WILL have to prove to others you know your stuff, and you WILL be judged fairly or not.

[kfour]

Originally Posted by BillH

]I suppose if Kfour is now saying SUA is a good place well then the attitudes in JAX about SUA must have greatly improved.

It was never about the actual location. How could you have not been angry during your instrument?

[WestIndian425]

SUA, FLL, LAL, and PNS are nice locations. I think you were referring to JAX.

[BillH]

Originally Posted by kfour

It was never about the actual location. How could you have not been angry during your instrument?

Ah, we'll talk about this at some point, a public forum is not the right place to do so.

[PetrolBurner]

I am currently scheduled for Daytona Beach for the ACPP, but considering staying in Phoenix after my PPL and just doing everything here. Any opinions?

[BillH]

Originally Posted by PetrolBurner

I am currently scheduled for Daytona Beach for the ACPP, but considering staying in Phoenix after my PPL and just doing everything here. Any opinions?

It's the people you meet and make friends with that make a location great. Then the negatives of a location subtract from that. One kid I heard of got his private at JAX, then went to SUA after I left, it was too much shock for him, he went back to JAX where his friends were. Worst thing you can do is do nothing at all.

[SoCalAprch]

Stay at IWA. Florida blew when I was going through a couple years ago when I went through there on my X country phase. I thought IWA and RAL were the best locations. Obviously things may have changed and it does depend on the people there. I just liked RAL because it was small and the white shirts rarely ever came in. More laid back approach, "What time do you want to fly?" instead of "be here at 8am then sit around and study until we fly." Still structured and finished everything in 90 days but wasn't run like some of the third reich locations.

My daily grind at ATP RAL: come in around 10, sim or fly, throw around the football, go fly, eat something, throw around the football, study a bit, go have a beer. Rinse and repeat... 90 days best time of my life.

Also pick a place that doesn't have a chief pilot. Just my two cents and everyones different, some people like having some guy breathing down your neck because you came in a little later on sunday.

[SIUav8er]

Originally Posted by SoCalAprch

My daily grind at ATP RAL: come in around 10, sim or fly, throw around the football, go fly, eat something, throw around the football, study a bit, go have a beer. Rinse and repeat... 90 days best time of my life.

hahaha! that sounds about right! RAL has a chief pilot now, but hes a good guy. definitely not like ATPs other chief pilots who all seem to be on power trips.

[NJT916]

Originally Posted by SIUav8er

hahaha! that sounds about right! RAL has a chief pilot now, but hes a good guy. definitely not like ATPs other chief pilots who all seem to be on power trips.

Wait I thought PM was the "supervisor" at the country club....

Or, could it be Chief Pilot Billy?

[BillH]

Originally Posted by SoCalAprch

Stay at IWA. Florida blew when I was going through a couple years ago when I went through there on my X country phase. I thought IWA and RAL were the best locations. Obviously things may have changed and it does depend on the people there. I just liked RAL because it was small and the white shirts rarely ever came in. More laid back approach, "What time do you want to fly?" instead of "be here at 8am then sit around and study until we fly." Still structured and finished everything in 90 days but wasn't run like some of the third reich locations.

My daily grind at ATP RAL: come in around 10, sim or fly, throw around the football, go fly, eat something, throw around the football, study a bit, go have a beer. Rinse and repeat... 90 days best time of my life.

Also pick a place that doesn't have a chief pilot. Just my two cents and everyones different, some people like having some guy breathing down your neck because you came in a little later on sunday.

You are painting all the Florida locations with a broad stroke of a brush. For all the reasons you love RAL, you described the SUA location in Florida exactly, except for the fact that there is NO manager or white shirt at SUA
My god, why do I even give a crap any more? To each their own!

[wayway8]

I did my PPL-AACP all at PHX. I also had the opportunity to fly from SAC on the west coast to TTN on the east. Facility-wise, PHX is definitely one of the nicest. I found the atmosphere a lot friendlier, as well. But that might simply be because I was on XCs when I visited the other locations, and didn't get much chance to meet the other ATPers.

[SoCalAprch]

Originally Posted by BillH

You are painting all the Florida locations with a broad stroke of a brush. For all the reasons you love RAL, you described the SUA location in Florida exactly, except for the fact that there is NO manager or white shirt at SUA
My god, why do I even give a crap any more? To each their own!

Don't get your panties in such a bunch there buddy. I am just saying that was my opinion when I was on my cross countrys. This was a couple years ago and things could have changed the week I finished. Its all about the people you have working at that location at that specific time. Another reason I would chose the west coast locations in because we got to fly from Riverside to JAX and then all around Florida. They don't let the eastern locations go west because of the mountains. This again may have changed but it was policy back when I went through.

[Pfly]

Originally Posted by SoCalAprch

They don't let the eastern locations go west because of the mountains. This again may have changed but it was policy back when I went through.

Not sure how long ago that was, but as far as I know, that's never been a policy. Few people get to go coast to coast, but that's reliant upon aircraft availability and the needs of dispatch to move them around.

[SoCalAprch]

Originally Posted by Pfly

Not sure how long ago that was, but as far as I know, that's never been a policy. Few people get to go coast to coast, but that's reliant upon aircraft availability and the needs of dispatch to move them around.

Who knows, I just remember talking to someone that said this was the reason we never saw anyone come through on X countrys that was from a location farther east than PHX. Saw PHX, LAS, SAC, LGB all the time in RAL but never anybody else. There were several of us that went RAL to JAX and back. In fact I think of the 5 or so people I was going through with we all got to do it.

[brewpilot]

Florida isn't that bad, I went to Arlington location, and let me tell you... You like brand new Seminoles, The first one I flew had about 96 hours on it, so... GO there, thats all we had up in Dallas.

[cool92092]

ATP SUA ROCKS!!!! Avoid JAX like the plague.

[BillH]

Originally Posted by cool92092

ATP SUA ROCKS!!!! Avoid JAX like the plague.

I couldn't agree more.
Are you being nice to my friend Andrew over there?
Next time theres a thunderstorm, tell Kuster you want to go time build in the Cessna. What ever you do, don't pee all over Andrews toilet seat and cough on his Brady Jersey or re-arrange his entire room and hide his treasure chest.
Yeh man, those were good times at Stuart.

[Pfly]

Originally Posted by cool92092

Avoid JAX like the plague.

Chickens!!

[vladi34]

How is the ATL location? Looking to start there in July.