Hello, my name is Jared and I am starting ATP in March with a Private Pilot Credit! When looking through the first email ATP sent me after enrolling I saw this sentence “All credit for private students must arrive able to pass a Private Pilot Practical, Oral, be Current and Proficient” and was just wondering if I was going to be tested when I arrive on my first day?
Jared,
It’s been a while for me but I believe there was a quiz? Hopefully someone in admin will respond BUT if the email said you should be “able” to, I’d show up ready to. Regardless of testing that’s where you need to be so you can dive right into the Instrument phase.
Adam
Jared,
Other than completing all of the required materials listed in the onboarding email, you will want to be proficient enough to pass a private pilot checkride. To my knowledge unless it’s changed in the past few months, you won’t do a check ride day 1. What you should have memorized for day 1 is the items listed under the Oral Review Section in the back of your respected Training Supplement, being able to answer all of those by memory.
Your Read/View/Do’s and any briefing notes on your Student Extranet should provide a detailed list for you to have completed day 1 or lesson.
One thing I did before attending ATP (credit private) was conduct a lesson (somewhat of a ‘checkride’) with my instructor who conducted my original training in a rental aircraft to ensure my knowledge and flight proficiency was good. This is just what I did, it’s not required of you, but a possibility depending on how recent your PPL checkride and flight was.
Brady
ALSO, you have plenty of time to complete some knowledge tests ahead of schedule. 
Jared,
When you think of it, any licensed pilot that is out there flying should be able to pass a checkride any day. We do not just study for the checkride, we study and practice to stay safe and alive in the air. The threats you will encounter as a pilot do not go away or lessen after the checkride is over.
Arrive as a current, knowledgeable Private Pilot and you will be fine. I always recommend reviewing the oral exam guide.
Chris
Thank you all for the quick responses!!! I just wanted to make sure there is not gonna be any surprises that I didn’t know about on the first couple days, but I just got my PPL back in September and I try to fly 1-2 times a month to stay current and proficient. But regarding Brady’s comment I am definitely planning on getting all the written test done before hand since I heard it can help lighten the work load, and just got set up on Shepard Air yesterday. Also when I get my box of books I will definitely review the oral exam guide again. Thank you again for the fast reply’s!!
Jared,
As you just passed your checkride, your knowledge and skills should be sharp, just keep them that way. Please let us know any way else we can assist.
Chris
Jared,
Coming in credit private, you’re “late to the party”. Meaning the zero time students may have completed their Private checkride the day or two before starting instrument.
Admissions wants you to be as strong with your skills coming in so that you can flow seamlessly in to the program. Also, if you have any deficiencies from private, by the time you get to commercial you will really struggle to catch up.
It’s more to ensure your success than to stress you about a quiz.
Hannah
Jared,
I would disagree with Hannah that you are “late to the party”, you are implying doing it at another time. You just passed your PPL, so you should be fine. There are others that come to the program with a PPL that is several years old and yes, ATP needs to make sure that they are still up to speed.
I would agree with Hannah in that it is to ensure your success. But again, keep current and study up between now and March and you should not have any issues.
Chris
Jared,
Echoing the others, from what I remember there is no test on Day 1. From experience though, the Credit for Private students that showed up rusty were challenging to work with. The email’s purpose is to set realistic expectations from Day 1. Chris is right though. A pilot should be holding themselves accountable for the standards appropriate to the certificate held every day.
Congrats on your start date! Have fun studying for the writtens! You will thank yourself later for completing those now.
Tory
Jared,
Let me clarify, what I meant by being late was simply that your classmates who will be in the instrument stage with you will have just completed their private checkrides when you meet them on your start date. Since you’ll be trying to acclimate to the ATP curriculum as well as learning instrument, it’s best to come in as if you also just completed your private in terms of skills and knowledge.
You by no means are late to starting your training. You’re right where you’re supposed to be!
Hannah
I started credit private a few weeks ago. I got my private almost two years before that.
I wouldn’t worry about it. We did some basic maneuvers during my checkout flight prior to starting and I’m pretty sure I didn’t do them to ACS standards but the instructor was find about it.
The first few things you do when you start are basic take offs and landing stuff in the sim and then in the airplane. I was a little rusty and also was getting used to the archer as I had done my private in a Skyhawk, but after a bunch of laps in the pattern we were all set to go and moved onto instrument training. There’s set time in the schedule for you to do the take offs and landings before you move to instrument.
So from what I have been reading does the ATP coarse offer the ability of getting your PPL or should I be enrolling in the coarse with one already? Would it help me complete the coarse faster if I already had one, or would it not really make a difference?
Ryan,
I recommend you visit the FAQ section and ATP’s website linked below.
There are two different entry points to the program: zero time or credit private. Obviously if you start credit private, the program is faster at only 5 months instead of the full 7 months. However you would still need to factor in the time it takes to get a private rating elsewhere. You’d be hard pressed to get your private more efficiently than 2 months. The only reason we recommend you getting your private outside of ATP is if you’re still discovering the idea of an airline career.
Hannah
Ryan,
I second everything Hannah said. There is no better, more efficient route to an airline career than ATP. That’s a given. However, you don’t mention any flight experience and $90k+ is alot to invest in a vocation you’ve never tried. At the very least of you’ve never flown (and no commercially doesn’t count) you take an Intro or Discovery flight to see exactly what you’re getting yourself into. If after that you still have any doubts or concerns that flying is really what you want and can do, then we recommend taking a few lessons elsewhere, perhaps solo or even earn your PPL first. If that’s not the case and you’re really to go, why wouldn’t you want to do your PPL (which is the foundation for all your training) at the school you’ve decided is best to take you all the way?
Adam
Ryan,
Welcome to the forum, I am just going to branch off of what Adam and Hannah have already mentioned. There are two programs offered at ATP for the Airline Career Pilot Program (ACPP): Zero Time and Credit Private. You didn’t mention any previous flight experience, this is typically one of the first questions we return to ask to those seeking advice. In order to attend a flight school, you must complete a discovery/introductory flight - this is a great opportunity to get firsthand experience and opportunity to venture into the plane. I would recommend checking a few schools out if you’re unsure or undecisive in your path to get options (never hurts).
The next question I have for you is, when are you looking to start training? If you’re looking to start in the coming months, then I would start being proactive with seeking the right school for you. Every month/year that you delay any training towards the path is a month/year of seniority you’re behind. If you’re looking to start training, you need a medical (attending ATP you are required to have a 1st class medical) and if you need finances, you want to start figuring out finances and how you plan to afford flight school. These are the common questions we get, answered in the FAQs if you have not ventured that way.
Please let us know any other questions you may have.
Brady