Hello - I am still researching my next steps and if a potential career in aviation is for me but in the meantime, I have been starting to think about where I would wish to do my training if I in fact do go the ATP route. Is there a fair amount of consistency between ATP locations or are some better or worse than others? What are some of the things I should be thinking about when deciding on a city?
I currently live in Minneapolis, MN so I would be relocating if I chose to go with ATP. Being single with no kids, I could pretty much go wherever I want to, so I just wanted to get an idea. Currently my top choices would likely be Tampa, Atlanta or Phoenix due to family and/or friend connections.
ATP strives very hard to make their locations as consistent as possible, student to instructor and student to aircraft ratios are very similar at all locations. Also, all ATP flight instructors go through the same standardization course. I would pick the location that is most convenient for you and not give it any more thought.
I just moved to Lawrenceville, and am starting there on the 17th. It is nice because we are close to Atlanta (30-45 minutes away) if you want to go there. Lawrenceville is also like ten minutes from Duluth and Suwannee, both of which have a bunch of restaurants, and other things to do that won’t break the bank when you need to take a breather for an hour or so. ATP has some good deals for rent in the area too. The traffic in the area is almost non-existent except for like 5-6 pm where it might add like fifteen minutes.
Plus Duluth, Suwannee and Lawrenceville are all within 15 minutes of the LZU. Can’t go wrong there.
Tampa is okay, I’ve never found it to be all that special the four or five times I’ve been there (I just moved from Orlando). Traffic can be rough.
Phoenix I’ve heard good things about from my grade school friends from Alaska that moved down there for school.
Like others have said, the training is pretty standardized everywhere. LZU is a maintenance location, which the flight instructor who gave me my tour said led me to believe that there is always a plane to fly, and a lot of the flying (outside of maneuvers and whatnot) here is transporting planes to other locations nearby.