Pilot Questions

Airline Pilot Questions & Answers
1

My name is Paul and I am 23 years old. I have zero flying experience but being a pilot has always been a dream of mine. I graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in finance and marketing May 2017 and I am currently in between jobs and considering a career change. I’ve requested all free information possible and spent several hours on this forum, which has answered a lot of my questions but I still have a couple questions and was hoping someone could assist me. Sorry if some of these questions have been answered before but I couldn’t find them if they have. Thanks for taking the time to help me in advance!

  1. How long does the application process take and if accepted how long before you start the first day of pilot school?
  2. Is it better/faster/cheaper to get your private pilots license before applying for ATP? I’ve read several responses to other questions saying that you should get your private pilots license before attending ATP? But ATP advertising from zero time to commercial pilot in 2 years so I was hoping someone could clear up the confusion of why I shouldn’t just start from zero time at ATP?
  3. What’s a typical school week at ATP? How often are you attending seminars on site or flying? And how often are you at home studying on your own?
  4. While in flight school at ATP are people working other jobs for a source of income? For example do people serve or bartend while in flight school? I don’t know if I can afford flight school or go 9 months without a paycheck. Has anyone ever bartend or served while in flight school?
  5. I understand a lot of ATP graduates finance the whole thing and the cost is the biggest obstacle for most and it’s the biggest obstacle for me too. I will have to finance the whole thing and do not have much money saved. Hence why I need to work while in school. The plus is I have no loans, I’m not in debt, have great credit and my parents would cosign. The cost of becoming a pilot is the #1 thing standing in my way and I was wondering how someone who faced the same issue overcame it and to pursue their dream? Is it worth the investment and risk?
  6. Once becoming a commercial pilot I understand seniority gets the best schedules and the newbees don’t get control of their schedules. I think that’s fair that everyone has to do their time but how many years as a pilot are you going to be considered a newbee for before starting to control your schedule? I’m only 23 but would like to start a family at 30 and want to be around for the big things.
  7. What is the lifestyle of an ATP student? Instructor? And newbee pilot? I am very passionate about physical fitness and love working out and competing in tough mudders for example. If accepted and I become a student then an ATP instructor, will I still have time for my hobbies such as lifting weights and running? I’m willing to put in the time and effort to become a pilot but curious if the process of becoming a commercial pilot will consume all my time?
2

Paul,

Welcome to the forum and thank you for the introduction. Let’s get to your questions.

  1. The application process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, usually depending on your financing application. We recommend applying ninety days (or more) before you would like to start training.

  2. No, not at all. We recommend getting the private first for people who are on the fence about flying for a career. Private schools often cost much more and take far longer. If you have fully decided that you want flying to be your career, then I would recommend doing all of your training with one school.

  3. I would say that there is no typical week. One week might be mostly small group instruction, whereas the next week could be mostly flying or simulator work. Every night should involve home studying. There are no seminars during training.

  4. It is not possible to work during ATP’s program, the demands of such a fast track program are simply too much to allow for working. Now we can’t tell you what to do, but I can tell you that if you try to work during the program, something is going to suffer and it will most likely be your training. Fail more than one check ride and not only will your future with ATP be in doubt, but you might also have a very difficult time getting a job at the airlines.

  5. I financed my program and felt that it was very worth it, but that is me and not you. Only you can make that call.

  6. That really all depends on seniority, which also depends on if your airline is hiring or not and how soon you make the leap to the majors. If you get hired at an airline and they continue to hire behind you, then you will do well with seniority. If they stop right after you, then you will be stagnant until they start hiring again. Now right now, there are no signs of the airlines stopping hiring, but there are no guarantees in life.

  7. As an ATP student, it will be hard to do much else other than study and fly as again, it is an incredibly accelerated program. As an ATP instructor, you will have more free time. As an airline pilot, you will have more time and plenty of down time at hotels to work out and run.

Even though it has long been a dream of yours to fly, you need to go take an intro flight. You can do this at any ATP or just about any local flight school. It is one thing to want to fly, it is quite another to actually take the controls of an airplane.

Good questions, let us know how else we can help.

Chris

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