ATP - CFI Locations

[YodelinPig]

Hiya -

Still kicking around which school to choose but it looks like it will come down to ATP and Ari-Ben so any suggestions or comments are apprecaited.

My first question - is ATP's 90 day fast track reasonable? I know it can be done, but what kind of quality do you get after? I wouldn't trust a Dr. with a fast track degree, so is this much different?

Also, about ATP, I am in So Cal and would probably go to Riverside or Sac for training. What are the chances of getting a CFI position local, either Riverside or LGB?

Thanks for the info!!

[JJPilot]

I have just one comment about the fast pace.... here goes:

I agree about the 90 days seeming very fast but when you consider the fact that 10 months to 4 years studying an hour or so a day because you know you checkride is sometime this year versus studying 10-12 hours a day because your checkride is scheduled for 3 weeks from now (in most cases it's scheduled before you set foot at the school).

It is all about the content and currency of training.

[YodelinPig]

My thought process for the fast track comes from an example from the computer industry - getting your MCSE (or any other Microsoft certifications) - we call them "paper MCSE's" since the folks went through a boot-camp, fast-track training, passed the tests because the memorized knowledge was still fresh and then wanted jobs. The problem was that they had the "book' knowledge to pass the test but no working skills to use the knowledge.

Maybe this isn't true in the aviation world, but I got really tired of seeing resumes come across my desk from someone that worked at Starbucks for the past two years and then wanted a CIO job because due to the work-retraining program, they passed the MCSE tests.

I just want to make sure that my money is well spent and that I set myself up for the best chance to get a job from the beginning.

Thanks

[blee256]

I dont think comparing MCSE to ATP is a fair assessment. You are correct about starbucks and a MCSE certificate wont wont get you anything. Just like coming out of ATP wont put you in the right seat at ASA right after you finish the program But you wont get that at DCA, FSI, or Pan Am.

ATP gives you the certificates and training necessary for the next step in your aviation career. Which would probably be flight instruction. if you look at ATP's website, you'll see that airlines are hiring our instructors (i.e. TSA, Chautauqua, Pinnacle, expressjet, Pinnacle and etc..)

[YodelinPig]

[ QUOTE ]
ATP gives you the certificates and training necessary for the next step in your aviation career. Which would probably be flight instruction.

[/ QUOTE ]

Completly agree, and I wasn't trying to compare ATP w/ an MCSE just comparing "fast-track" type of programs.

So does that mean a cert is a cert is a cert, no matter where or how you obtain it? Is a CFI any more competent after a 90 day fast track vs. slow and steady pace, with the general assumption that s/he passes the writtens and checkrides?

Please understand that I am not disputing or contradicting what you are saying, just trying to gather as much and as varied information as possibe.

Thanks

[EatSleepFly]

What do you call a doctor who graduated lowest in the class?

A doctor.

[blee256]

Yeah a cert is a cert is a cert. No matter what school you go to you have to go thru the same checkride. We use FAA DE's. The De's we use in Riverside also the the checkrides for 5 or 6 other schools in the area. So no matter where you go ATP or not, your put to the same standards in the checkride. Also, i've also heard on this message board several times, the airlines dont even ask where you got your training.

btw, is that you pig in ur avatar? I've always wanted a pet pig. are they good pets? and how big does yours get?

[pscraig]

In my former life as a network admin I saw lots of those paper tigers, but there is no checkride for the MCSE-the correct analogy would be having someone passing all the FAA written tests and awarding them an ATP certificate. Aviation is different, you have to take a practical test and prove to an examiner that you can do what the PTS says you should do, regardless of who or where you received your training-it's the same rating you get anywhere else. ATP's course isn't easy but it is manageable and can be a lot of fun.

As far as CFIs, this is a hot button issue for me. A person is either willing to teach or not and has the ability to teach or not, again regardless of where they were trained. As part of my job I train many CFII and MEI candidates (already CFIs) that were trained elsewhere, and based upon that I do not believe doing a CFI rating at a small FBO or large academy makes you any more or less competent than someone who is a product of an accelerated program. I've seen both good and not so good instructors from accelerated programs, flight academies, and local FBOs. It's all up to the individual whether or not they want to excel at what they do and really be a teacher.

Besides, you don't really figure out the whole "instructing thing" until you've been doing it for a while and it clicks. Then you really start learning.

[YodelinPig]

First, thanks for the info.

Second, nope, no pig. Got a fat a$$ cat if you're interested in the care and upbringing of him, plus the thousands of dollars he has cost me.

(is this a smiley face smoking??)