Hello all, I have been quite busy reading many posts here on this website the last few days. I have a few questions that perhaps you can give insight / advice on my personal situation.
A little background on myself first. I am an 33 yo, no flight experience, single, no kids, and currently deployed to Africa as a US Army Officer. Prior to my deployment, I submitted my paperwork to leave active duty (it takes months before getting approved). Upon my return to Georgia in APR/MAY 2020, I will have a few months before being fully released from active duty and I should be done with active service starting September 1, 2020. Basically I have 13 months from now before I can begin with ATP.
My questions are:
Though I read the thread of a 45 min commute, but would a 1h 25min commute be doable, as both a student and later as a CFI? I live in Columbus, GA and the closest ATP location is Peachtree City, GA. Being single with no kids, I was thinking of either doing the commute or renting a room from someone and spending the week there while training and driving back to my house on the weekends, both as a student and CFI.
While still technically employed by the Army between May and August 2020, I was informed for the most part, as a person getting back from deploying and just about to leave active duty, they won’t keep me too busy. Would it be advisable to try and get my PPL during these 3 or so summer months and then start ATP in September with the 6-month ATP Program or just wait and do the 9-month Program? The big pros I see with trying and getting my PPL first is I can 1) Save money; 2) Save on commuting since it would be at my local airport and 3) Save time. The cons I see are 1) Can getting a PPL be comforably done in 3 months given the timeline; 2) Instructor availability and 3) Checkride availability. I’m intent on starting ATP in September.
I’m mulling staying in the Reserves / National Guard when I leave active duty. Would this create a problem both for ATP and myself (getting behind on studying, homework, and flight time) when I take a weekend (2-4 days) a month? Looking long term as a CFI, I would need to do a 2 week annual training each year in addition to the monthly weekend. I would try and schedule it as much as I can when students are doing their off station training but not sure if if would affect my work and relationship/standing with ATP too badly.
The location I wanted to go to has a new “class” monthly. I love being in group settings and learning from other students and was just curious about the number of new students in each class.
Finally, with me being overseas, I currently have a good amount of time to self study and research. Are there any good websites with great informative articles / videos that will set me up for success before I even begin the formal training and flying? Perhaps good ground school information / instruction resources / regulations while I’m here in Africa? That way, when I start ATP I won’t have to stress and cram as much with all the information one needs to be a pilot?
I cant answer most of your questions but remember if you get your PPL from a local school, to enroll for ATP with your PPL credit, you must have 78 flight hours. The minimum hours needed to get your PPL is 40 so if it only takes your 60 hours to get your PPL, you need to somehow get an addition 18 or so hours. With ATP if you enroll with 0 time, they fly you for basically 80 hours before your checkride so that by the time you get your ready to get your commercial, you will have the correct amount of hours to be able to take that checkride.
Joshua, yeah I factored that in, should have mentioned that. I had an interview with the local flight school just a couple weeks before deploying and he said that his students usually have around 50 flight hours or so on average. I did already know about ATP’s 78 hour minimums and factored that into the overall price of getting my PPL at a local flight school vs ATP. I would still ahead cost wise, and maybe even have some fun if I used the other 20+ extra hours as joyrides before starting ATP. Just wasn’t sure if it would be wise to try and cram everything during those few months all else considered.
Well its definitely do able I think if you keep on top of things! Just keep tabs on how you feel mentally trying to do that. What I mean by this is that one of the Checklists Pilots use in decision make is PAVE, which you’d learn about. The E, which is what this kind of would apply to, is external pressures. Trying to cram in a small time could create stress and add another layer of risk/risk management, which can be problematic when trying to make safe decisions which flying. As pilots we take risks everyday, but your job as the pilot is to assess which risks you are okay with flying with, and which ones you arent! And welcome back to society now that your Military active duty is almost over
I can help with military transition questions. Same boat, I was Air Force active duty, went to ATP. I got my PPL in the last 6 months before I separated. It didn’t really save money, but saved time - be sure you have a reasonable timeline to get 80 hours and a PPL (what mom and pop shops quote is usually the best possible scenario). I got hired by the AF Reserve in a flexible unit that has accommodated my training and time as a CFI. It’s nice to have benefits and a small income, but every time I drill, it takes time away from flying. If you do Reserve/Guard, do something very close to where you will train. ATP is very good about accommodating drill, as long as you develop a plan for your students while you’re gone.
I totally agree about trying too cram too much info in too little a time. One of the things that the military is good at is assessing risk management. That is why I hope to spend my time here on deployment productively, doing all I can do short of being in an actual aircraft flying it so that I won’t have to cram too much, mostly hands on stuff by that point.
Haha, thanks…If you think 13 months left is close enough to being back to society. It will be strange for sure since I’ve only known the military for my entire adult life (if you exclude college as being part of my adult experience). On the plus side, I’m sure it will make ATP lifestyle easier to bear than most…early days, late evenings, strictly regimented schedules etc.
Lance, that is very good to know. Yeah, I feel the same way, nice to make a bit of side income (not to mention a great health insurance plan) with the Reserves/Guard. Plus I would have 11 years in and it would be nice to just 9 more to have my 20. I’l just do a little extra studying around the weekend I’m gone as a student and hope my unit doesn’t expect too much out of me like planning and such outside of the actual drill days. Thanks for your input.
Thats great positive thinking! I am sure you will do just fine! In which case, if you can try to get your hands on the study material because you could essentially take all your writtens prior to starting with a flight school! Just be careful, they expire after a certain time and you’d have to retake them, but i am not sure how long they are good for.
I personally think that is way too long of a commute, but that is just my opinion and nothing more. Three hours a day is a long time to spend in the car, it will get very old and is not a good use of your time. Being a CFI means working at odd hours, so there are times when you will be getting up REALLY early. While weekends are given off, there are times when you will need to fly on weekends and if you want to get your hours more quickly as a CFI, you will definitely do so. I don’t think this weekend commute plan is a viable one either.
I think that getting a PPL from a mom and pop school in three months is overly aggressive and probably not going to happen. Keep in mind that ATP will not actually let you schedule your program until you have your PPL in hand (if you are going that route).
ATP will work with you in regards to your reserve commitments. But keep in mind that if you keep activated during your training, all bets are off as returning to the program will likely require additional training to get you back up to speed.
Class sizes vary by location and are usually pretty small. Either way, most of your time will be one on one, or very small groups.
Thanks for that thorough explanation. I think that I will be definitely rent that room the more I think about it. I’ll at the very least save a bunch of gas money offsetting the cost, if not paying for the room completely. The good thing about getting back from deployment and then starting my studies is I won’t have to worry about a deployment for at least 24 months due to dwell time (non deployable time) after deployments so definitely not during my student time.
I did see that link you posted before I even posted my question, however, unfortunately the King Schools Private Pilot Ground School and Test Prep courseware and the Sheppard Air’s test prep software seem to be available through their Student Extranet which I won’t have access to until after I sign up with ATP with my $995 deposit. Honestly, I wouldn’t even mind paying now and reserving a spot for September 2020 but I believe the date and locations are non-transferable and so if I don’t make said class date, I’d have to pay another deposit. Do you know if ATP would refund the cost of King’s and Sheppards if you buy their respective subscription on your own, or is that something I would have to call and ask ATP about? I’d be totally up do doing those courses and exams while I’m here.
ATP will not refund the cost of subscriptions, but they will refund the cost of taking written exams early, so save your receipts from the actual testing fees.
Keep in mind that written results are only valid for two years, so don’t get too far ahead of yourself.
Just keep tabs on how you feel mentally trying to do that. What I mean by this is that one of the Checklists Pilots use in decision make is PAVE, which you’d learn about. The E, which is what this kind of would apply to, is external pressures. Trying to cram in a small time could create stress and add another layer of risk/risk management, which can be problematic when trying to make safe decisions which flying. As pilots we take risks everyday, but your job as the pilot is to assess which risks you are okay with flying with, and which ones you arent! And welcome back to society now that your Military active duty is almost over 
It will be strange for sure since I’ve only known the military for my entire adult life (if you exclude college as being part of my adult experience). On the plus side, I’m sure it will make ATP lifestyle easier to bear than most…early days, late evenings, strictly regimented schedules etc.