First day of the rest of my life. Checking in at ATP in Denver at 0900.
7 Likes
Good luck, Peter! And study hard!
1 Like
Woohoo! Work hard but have fun!
You’re on your way!
Adam
1 Like
Peter,
That is fantastic. Please keep us up to date as you go through the program.
Chris
1 Like
Haha! Love the enthusiasm. The program goes by quicker than you think. Enjoy the process as much as you can. I still reminisce about my time at ATP with the friends I’ve made there.
Tory
2 Likes
Well fellas, I got smoked today. 
I believe I saw someone compare it to drinking out of a fire hydrant. Accurate. 4.8 hours of flight time on day one. KAPA>KBFF>KAPA and then right back up for the return flight, shooting ILS approaches.
This location’s entire 172 fleet is ‘17 models with G1000 cockpits. This was my first time ever flying a glass cockpit. Amazing. And my instructor is top notch from what I can tell.
2 Likes
I am glad it went well. Instrument flying is a lot to digest, don’t be surprised if it takes a bit of time.
There is not currently an option to PM.
Awesome man! Yeah please keep the updates coming! Pumped to start in Denver myself soon
Week 1 is in the books! Lost two days due to weather, but still managed to fly 13.1 hours, including 11.5 instrument. We were actually able to do a couple hours of actual instrument today, with some low level clouds. It was a great week! My instructor is leaving in about 2 weeks to begin work with SkyWest, so that’s pretty cool too, although selfishly, I hate to see him go. Hitting the books this weekend, and finishing up the time building portion next week.
Pete
4 Likes
Sounds like a great start!
1 Like
Great. Glad it is going well 
1 Like
Did you start with your PPL? Just curious cause I was surprised that you flew so much on day one! Glad things are going well!
1 Like
Yes, I am doing the credit for PPL, 50 hour multi program.
Quick update: passed my instrument check ride today - 2 full weeks ahead of schedule. DPE said he was very impressed with my knowledge, and that the flight went really well, despite it being a bumpy day.
Crew eval on Monday!
8 Likes
Peter,
That is awesome. Congratulations!
Chris
1 Like
Nice work! Would you mind giving us your back story Peter? I can see from the thread that you already had your PPL when starting ATP. I’m curious to know your flying experience, how long ago you got your ppl, total time, stage of life etc.
If I go the ATP route I’ll also be going with my PPL.
Keep us updated on your progress
Thanks, Warren! And I’d be happy to give a little more background.
I am currently 31 years old, and I took my first flying lessons when I was 29. At the time, I thought I only wanted to do it as a hobby, and I was actually under the impression that you needed an aviation or engineering degree to fly professionally. I’m a little embarrassed that I didn’t realize that was wrong until this past November. I do have a degree, but it’s in a completely unrelated field, and I’ve spent the previous several years in management in the non-profit sector. I recalled the chief pilot at my flight school commenting on how rigorous the program at ATP is and that he would hire anyone who came from ATP on the spot. Once I began looking at possibilities, that conversation stuck in my head and led me to this forum, and here I am.
I earned my PPL with around 45 hours, rented through my previous flight school to build the required time (80+) to join ATP, and I currently have around 135 hours of flight time, plus about 40 hours of simulator time.
I also forgot to mention that I am married and have a 6 month old at home. My wife is a teacher, so I decided to begin the program while she was off from school for the summer, which was a tremendous help.
Let me know if you have any other questions or specifics you’d like. I’m happy to help.
1 Like
did you ever feel overwhelmed, and what tips would you give to new students?
I just completed the instrument phase, and to this point I have not felt overwhelmed at all aside from the first couple of days when everything was new (G1000, learning the schedule and how to navigate the extranet, etc.). I’ve been commuting from Colorado Springs to Denver each day, and while that probably isn’t ideal, I’ve actually enjoyed it and feel like it helps me mentally prepare for the day on my way, and it also helps me decompress on the way home.
I would suggest a few things to new students:
-
Get to know other students and instructors. They’re valuable resources while learning and will one day be a potential recommendation letter. It’s also good to have friends you share experiences with. Students who stay in the student housing won’t have a problem with that, but it is probably a little more challenging for those with families and who are commuting.
-
Come in prepared. The more studying you have done before you report on day one, the easier your road will be. This past week alone, I saw two of my friends, who were in the same part of the program, be forced to move their check ride date back because they needed more time to prepare. They had spent a considerable amount of time studying for the written exams and were unable to commit much time to preparing for the practical. At a very minimum, come in with your instrument written already passed. That question bank is massive and will take most people a bit of time to conquer.
-
Don’t forget that flying is fun. With the schedule being so full and there always being something that comes “next,” it’s easy to forget the reasons you began flying in the first place. It’s a blast. Soak it in.
Today, I did my first ever flight as an instrument rated pilot, and was able to get some solid “actual” time - flying through and above the clouds. It was incredible.
2 Likes