Topics covered during training

Airline Pilot Questions & Answers
1

Good evening everyone! What are some of the topics covered at ATP during the program? It would be interesting to hear what an aspiring airline pilot can expect to learn in such a condensed amount of time. Thank you!

2

Adam,

The topics covered during training at ATP are really the same as covered at any flight school. You see, ATP students, like all pilot students, take the exact same FAA check rides so all of the relevant material must be taught. It would take hours to list all of the topics covered, but highlights include:

aerodynamics, weight and balance, aircraft systems, navigation, airport signage, radio communications, instrument flight, partial instrument flight, rules and regulations, weather, teaching techniques, etc. To write it all out would take considerable time. Rest assured though that all topics necessary to make you a successful and safe pilot will be covered.

Chris

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3

Thank you Chris! I figured there’d be too much information to list it all on here, but I appreciate the topics that you included. I’m assuming some level of mathematics would also be covered?

Adam

4

Adam,

Have you gone through this page on ATPs website? Lots of good info here.

https://atpflightschool.com/airline-career-pilot-program/flight-training-timeline.html

Adam

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5

I have not, but thank you! There’s so much information on this site that it’s difficult to find it all. I appreciate the link!

6

Adam,
If you want to really get in depth, Google the private pilot ACS. It’s an FAA document and free to view online. It’s the outline of all the topics that are free game for a DPE to test your knowledge with on a private checkride. Basically you’ll need to know everything in that book.
-Hannah

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7

Thanks! I looked it up and you weren’t kidding, it really gets into the specifics. If you don’t mind me asking, what did you find to be the most challenging aspect of training? Was there a particular subject that you found especially difficult?

8

Adam,

Math is not really covered, you are expected to have a basic understanding of that prior to starting the program.

I found the partial panel instrument work to be the most challenging, but certainly something that can be learned.

Chris

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9

Hey Adam!

I found that CFI school was the most challenging aspect of flight school. It isn’t for everyone but for me a lot of my private pilot knowledge was lacking. I got my private outside of ATP and I didn’t do a good enough job of retaining the information.

The most challenging subjects? Most of instrument training was pretty difficult. The training is very technical. Regs, weather, radio comms, missed approaches, holding…trying to do all of that without any visual references was a whole new way of thinking for me.

Tory

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10

I’m with Tory. CFI initial simply because you’re responsible for knowing EVERYTHING. The FAA needs to know you’re giving new students the correct information and keeping them safe.

Adam

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