Can anybody tell me the difference between the two programs? Aside from a $10,000 tuition difference, what makes one program any better than the other?
The 100 hour program is essentially for those who do not plan on instructing for ATP as multi time can be hard to come by. If you plan on instructing for ATP, you should absolutely plan on doing the 40 hour program as you will get plenty of multi time there.
The education and licenses are exactly the same. My vote is to save your money and do the 40 hour program.
In the 40 hr program, the instrument training and crew cross country phases
are done in the single engine. In the 100 hr program, the instrument
training and crew cross county phases are done in the multiengine.
This is how each program is outlined:
40 hr:
PPL in single engine
Instrument in single engine
Crew Cross Country in single engine
Private Multi Add On
Commercial Multi
Commercial Single Add On
MEI
CFI Single Add On
CFII
100 hr:
PPL in single engine
Private Multi Add On
Instrument in multi engine
Crew Cross Country in multi engine
Commercial Multi
Commercial Single Add On
MEI
CFI Single Add On
CFII
There are pros and cons to both. I recommend the 40 hr, unless you don’t
plan on instructing at ATP. Then, I would do the 100 hr so you have more
multi time.
Tory
Tory,
Would it be fair to say, because both programs are followed with a posting as an ATP CFI, the 100 ME program would be for those students who hope to bypass instructing by gaining employment at a small 135?
I guess my question is what opportunities are out there for 100 ME?
Greg,
The 100 hour program is primarily for those who do not wish to instruct at ATP as multi-engine time can be very hard to come by. I am not terribly familiar with the part 135 world. I know there are still opportunities out there, but the days of flying checks in the middle of the night are over. There are not a whole lot of opportunities for a newly minted CFI, with the exception of flight instructing.
Chris
Ah, okay. Thank you.
Greg,
While there are opportunities out there, they can be hard to come by. Out here in Hawaii for example there’s a small local commuter where many local pilots try and get hired. Problem is they’re a SMALL local commuter and there are only so many slots available, plus it’s all single engine. Other pilots decide to instruct but for any number of reasons want to stay close to home and perhaps ATP doesn’t have a location close. In both examples Multi time can be hard to come so the 100ME makes sure they have more than the min required by most Regionals.
Adam
Ah, okay. That makes more sense.
It appears the 100 hour program is no longer offered and only 25 hours of multi-engine flight time is offered in the standard fast track program. Do any of you know why ATP made this change?
Paul,
Simple. The hiring environment has changed so dramatically. In the past many Regionals wanted 50-100hrs of ME time as part of their hiring mins. ATP offered the 100hr program to students who had no intention or desire to instruct for ATP (where they’d normally build considerable ME time), but wanted/needed to insure they’d secure more than sufficient time to meet the mins of any Regional. Right now the need for bodies is so great at the Regional level that as long as you meet the requirements for the ATP license (ie, 25hrs ME) you’ll meet the requirements for any Regional making the 100hr program unnecessary.
Adam
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Paul,
As Adam said, 25 hours is all that is necessary anymore. Also, by reducing the amount of unnecessary multi-time, ATP has been able to avoid further price increases that would have happened in light of rising fuel prices, increasing instructor pay and so forth.
Chris
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In addition to the benefits that Chris and Adam mentioned, the program has also been greatly streamlined. You no longer obtain your Commercial in a Seminole and stick to the SE Skyhawk or Warrior until after your CFI and CFII. It not only removes the need to learn a new aircraft somewhat early in the program, you’re also not having to take the most complex checkride during your training (CFI initial) in a complex, multi-engine airplane. The chances of you passing grow exponentially and stress for you, your CFI and training center manager drop. After you get your CFI and CFII, you obtain the ME CFI addon in a Seminole. Much easier checkride to fly and pass.
What many people fail to factor in is the amount of ME time you end up getting as a CFI at ATP. Many of my current instructors nearing their 1,500 hours have well in excess of 300 hours of ME time gained while instructing. So, if you end up doing something else after getting your ratings at ATP, you still meet your licensing requirements. If you stay at ATP to instruct, you will get plenty of ME time as a CFI.
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Nevermind, I see where 25/hr ME is included in the program and that’s it.
Chris you say ATP has been able to avoid further price increases since the removal of the 100 ME program but, the tuition cost still went up an extreme amount, its now $63-$81k without additional examiner and gear fees ( like $9k) as opposed to what it was when the 100 ME program was available roughly $59-$73K. The 2 prices are from what i remember being PPL credit and Zero time prices.
Ankel,
Yes, the price went up. My comment was from October of 2018, more than five months ago. The price of doing business continues to climb as aviation is a very expensive industry to be in. Also, the company continues to acquire new airplanes, which has significant costs associated with it.
Chris
Ankel,
The most recent large jump is because ATP is taking delivery of about 100 New Piper Archers this year.
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