I have a concern about becoming a CFI with ATP. For any of the past instructors or current ones, are you guaranteed the same location you trained at to be an instructor. I spoke with ATP today and they said it depends on a few things regarding 1) if they invite you back (ie you failed less then 2 check rides, good demeanor, etc) 2) the school is in need of more instructors.
My concern is that the school id train at is 10 mins from my house in McKinney, so I’d like to keep it that way once becoming an instructor for the sake of saving money commuting since finances will be extremely tight! Is their a way to request that and ATP accommodate that?
They way this works at the moment is once completing your MEI, you are given a list of locations that are available. This list changes daily depending on student/instructor load. If you talk with the lead instructors at your location you can most likely have a good idea wether or not your location will be available when it comes time. You don’t have to choose right away after your MEI, you can wait until your two add on checkrides are compete. Even then, if you have to go to another location, later on you can transfer to locations if they become in need of CFIs.
Thank you Tucker. What’s the turn around time from student to instructor? After the 9th month of earning your commercial license, how long till instructing begins?
The 9 month quote includes your CFIs. The only thing not included is the week of standardization training. This is 5 days of training, teaching you how to be a CFI for ATP, ATP policies and prosecutes, and ensuring that everyone is teaching the correct way. So let’s say your last checkride is on a Thursday, the following Monday you can be in standardization, and the following week, you are working.
Sorry for the repeat questions but just to clarify, the 9 month time frame includes private, instrument, commercial ratings as well as sei, mei, cfi, and cfii. Then you spend a week in standardization training and it’s go time!?