Cross country flight with ATP

Where did ATP have you all fly while doing those two or three weeks of cross country flights? And how were nights set up?

Dan,

After a quick look in the logbook here’s what I got. I trained in Manassas VA and flew to (in no particular order) Atlanta, Stuart FL, Jax, Chicago, Raleigh Durham, Tampa, Pensacola, Huntsville, Lexington, Trenton, and Houston. If we landed at airports where ATP had a location we’d stay in the student housing. If not ATP would make a reservation at a nearby hotel. We’d charge it and ATP would reimburse us. To be honest that was one of the few times I thought “ok, here’s the btw and I’m getting stiffed”. I couldn’t be more wrong and the money was in my account within days.

Adam

Dan,

I too trained in Manassas, VA. During my cross countries I flew from Manassas to Chicago, down to Dallas, over to Jacksonville and back up to Manassas. Of course there were stops in between for fuel, food and a night’s rest, but those were the highlights.

Chris

Do you fly the non ppl cross countries with an instructor or solo?

Dave,

You fly the cross-countries with another ATP pilot alternating legs. The flights are also to build instrument time so the flying pilot is under the hood (vision restricting device unless it’s actually IFR conditions) while the non-flying pilot acts as a safety pilot.

Adam

I have to say that the cross countries are by far the most fun part of the program. I really enjoyed getting to fly all over the eastern and central US. I flew from Washington DC, to Chicago, then down to Dallas, over to Jacksonville and then back to DC, that is true cross country flying.

Makes sense! Hoping to start ATP in January so I’m trying to get a little more vfr cross country time in before then.

During the cross country phase, are you always paired with another student?

Erik,

You will begin XC flying right after the instrument checkride. Most likely that you will be paired up with another student from your training facility that is in the same phase. If no other students are available, you might be paired up with an instructor or flown to a different location for the XC phase.

Yarden

I see a few people have commented that they received their training from ATP at Manassas, VA. That is a short ride from where I live and would be super convenient for me, but I don’t see it listed on ATP’s website. Was that a previous location that has since been removed? If so, does anyone know if there is any possibility of a new ATP location in the Washington DC metro area in the future? Thanks!

Gary,

Adam and I did both train at Manassas. Several years ago ATP made the decision to consolidate the Manassas and Norfolk offices into Richmond.

I can’t see a new ATP location opening up near DC anytime soon. The Department of Homeland Security places so many restrictions on that airspace that it makes it not very conducive to flight training.

Chris

Chris,

Thanks for the info. I figured that was the case.

Gary

Thank you. And do you know anyone who did the cross country phase in the 172? If so, how was his or her experience different from someone who flew cross countries in the Seminole?

Erik,

Since the single engine (40ME) program is fairly new, there are still some aspects of it that are in a ‘trial’ phase. Before I left in July, west coast students, and by west coast I mean any location west of Denver, who were in the single engine program were slightly limited in routes because of the mountainous terrain. They were usually airlined to KPHX and flew to KNYL and KTUS out of KIWA.
But you can never know, another student of mine was airlined to KIND, basically flew all over the east coast, and ended up in KJAX in the C172. I on the other hand, flew the PA44 on cross countries and pretty much stayed in an AZ-CA-NV triangle.

Either way it is fun, the destinations aren’t really the most exciting part of cross countries.

Yarden