It seems that I’ve been missing those posts and conversations. Where can I find them or can someone fill me in as they relate to age!!?? Or did I misunderstand. Thank you!
In short ATP has been forced to extend the length of the Career Pilot Program (6mos w/PPL Credit, 9mos w/o) due to the shortage of DPE’s. No relation to age other than you’ll be a few months older when you’re done?
Adam
PPLs?
Private Pilot License
What are DPEs? Sorry, I’m new at this! That’s like wow!!! 9 months??? Why?
Designated Pilot Examiner. They are the ones that oversee your checkrides. And 9 months because of the shortage of examiners ATP has extended the timeline to compensate for students waiting for checkrides. Not to say you can’t find an instructor not overwhelmed in your area and you continue the old path of 180 days. Not gonna be easy for those stars to align but it’s still possible and the 9 months is just an estimate from ATP could be less depending on the area
I really don’t think that nine months is much time at all. Think about, you are learning to fly an airplane, carrying other people, in all sorts of weather conditions. The fact that pilots can successfully learn to fly in such a short amount of time is rather impressive to me.
1 Like
So it isn’t a necessarily a change just a possible waiting period!!?? So would it be helpful to get your private pilot done before you start The program or not really??
Kimberly,
It is a change of time frame. The program has been extended by three months, but there is a possibility that some students will complete it faster. I would not recommend getting your private done before starting as that will take much longer than nine months at just about any school other than ATP.
Kimberly,
I’m with Chris on the PPL with ATP (also sorry for the unexplained acronyms, I get confused who’s new and who isn’t, my bad). As Chris said 3 mos is relatively short to get your PPL (and the 80hrs required to continue with the program), but more important there’s something called the “Law of Primacy”. The Law basically says what you learn first stays with you the longest and has the strongest impression. ATP has a very well developed system which has been modeled after actual airline training programs. By starting your PPL training with ATP you’re learning that methodology and system from Day 1 making the whole program that much more seamless. Make sense?
Adam
1 Like
Yes it does! Thank you so much for the input 
When working for regional carriers do you get to fly jets or are they small planes?
Most US regional carriers fly Embraer ERJ or Canadair CRJ twin engine jets in the 50-90 passenger size range, a few fly twin turboprop aircraft such as the Bombardier Dash-8.
Kimberly,
Like James said, the bulk of the regional carriers fly the CRJ or ERJ (145 & 175) these days, and it looks like the E175 is the way of the future. (Anybody seen “The Aviator”?)
But there are also carriers that fly smaller aircraft like the Cessna Caravan, Saab 340, Beech 1900 etc. These are smaller (usually up to 19 seats) aircraft that fly under their own name instead of contract with mainline carriers.
Yarden
An e jet would be fun fun 
“When working for regional carriers do you get to fly jets or are they small planes?”
Not sure I understand the question? There are some VERY small jets and some VERY big planes with propellers? The Q400 prop is larger than both the E145 and CRJ200 and both are flown by many Regionals.
Adam
1 Like
Not wild about the lropeller planes but small jets 100 people are cool
I’m talking about jets verses propellers/props. Thank you.
You must not be as bright as Yarden! He understood fine.
Not even a question.
Yarden (and many others) were (are) “bright” enough to know what they wanted to do (and pursue it!) early in life. You see I waited till I was almost 39 to get started. While not old, I did have to (and continue to) be aware of the limitations age places on this career and be realistic about my goals. While I still believe even a short career in aviation can be a wonderful thing, I’ll NEVER achieve the seniority (and thus the benefits that carries as far as aircrafts, salaries and benefits) someone like Yarden (and the other young people) on this forum will. People often ask if I have any regrets relating to my career? My answer is I only wish I had started sooner.
Adam
2 Likes