Potential student with a few questions

Airline Pilot Questions & Answers
1

Hi all,

I’ve been lurking the forums for awhile now, along with spending tons of time on google trying to answer my own questions, but just wanted some personal advice before I take the next step. I’m a 22 year-old from Jacksonville, FL (just graduated in April with a BBA) and have been seriously looking into flight schools, as I would like to pursue a career with a major airline. I’ve had 3 intro flights now, my best of them being with ATP - the other 2 were with smaller flight schools that seemed very unprofessional (i.e. poorly run, bad reviews, the person I was paired up with only had bad things to say about the school, etc.).

With this bit being said, I have a few questions regarding ATP and my intro flight.

-Living in Jax, about 40-45 minutes away from ATP itself, would anyone recommend housing as something necessary? Not only to shorten the commute, but to place myself with people in a similar situation / state of mind?
-From what I’ve read, all ATP locations are standardized to the best of their ability, however, I have been interested in attending either the Ft. Lauderdale or the Tampa location (with Jax being my 3rd choice). Could anyone share their experiences at these locations? Including why you chose it, what you found to be ‘different’ about it compared to another location, and anything else that you may find helpful for me to make this decision?
-I have been reading different answers to this question every place I look, so I have to ask it again: should I get my PPL prior to starting at ATP? I absolutely love being in planes and am intrigued with everything about them, but having 0 hours under my belt makes my wallet nervous. Aside from my 3 intro flights, I haven’t had controls of a plane otherwise.
-Following up with the previous, I don’t consider myself to be scared of much (I love skydiving and other adrenaline filled activities) but when the CFI I was paired with at ATP demonstrated a stall in the plane, the brief moment of free fall had me pale-faced. Did anyone else starting out have initial fears like this? Or even been in a situation where they love planes but having controls over one makes them nervous? Is this just a newbie thing or is it something different?

Thanks for taking the time to read and respond, I’m sure I’ll have more questions later on! Hopefully I’ll be able to update this post later on with my progress if I end up attending ATP!! (fingers crossed)

2

Adam,

Welcome to the forums. Let’s get to your questions:

  1. With free housing only 45 minutes away, I would absolutely live there and commute to and from CRG. You can set up study sessions if need be, but give your wallet a break and take the free housing.

  2. Can’t help you on that one. The experience at each location really should be the same though, I would just go for what is cheapest (housing) and most convenient.

  3. I would get your PPL at ATP. This isn’t me being a salesman, but I can tell you from personal experience that most small flight schools just can’t produce pilots like ATP can. There will be all sorts of delays and cost over runs. On top of that, when you do come to ATP, you will have to re-learn things to ATP standards. I got my private at a small school and really came to regret it.

  4. I didn’t like stalls when I was in training and I still don’t like them. I never got used to the feel of the nose dropping. I used my dislike of them to make sure that I would never find myself in a real stall and I haven’t. Some people like all that stuff, I like to stay right side up and moving forward.

Let us know what other questions you may have.

Chris

3

Adam,

Here’s my take:

  1. 40-45min commute isn’t bad. Save money and as Chris said you can always hang out with the other students and join their groups.

  2. See above.

  3. People always seem to make this a all or nothing decision. I don’t believe it is. If you’re not 100% than take a few lessons until you are. Maybe get to your first solo as a goal? Some people would ask if that’s not a waste but you’re going to need flight hours and every one counts on your way to 1500.

  4. Loving planes has absolutely nothing to do with a person’s comfort or abilities at the controls (I love watching snowboarding half-pipe but no ones inviting me to the next Olympics). Stalling an airplane is an unnatural act an “some” discomfort or fear is normal. Terror is not.

Adam