Quick Background: I currently live and work in Charlotte, NC. I’m 24, live with my girlfriend (soon to be Fiancé), our two dogs, and work in the Investment / Finance industry as an analyst. I was fortunate enough to realize early on that this is Definitely NOT what I want to spend the rest of my life doing, and was very stoked to find out ATP had a training facility down the road.
With that, I’m planning to attend the ATP site in Concord, NC and live at my current residence in charlotte. My girlfriend is on board with the pilot life, understands the time away, and genuinely just wants me to finally enjoy what I do. Granted I haven’t taken my admissions flight yet, but lets assume I LOVE IT.
My questions:
-How much time away from my home training base can I expect?
-I know CFI training is a month spent at the texas location, but what about time as an instructor?
-I know where you teach is based off demand, but could they just ship me off to some other site to instruct?
-Does ATP cover housing while away (even if you aren’t using them for your main housing)?
-How much time is spent away during the other training evolutions?
Also (A question for wayyy down the road, but im curious) being charlotte based, I would love to work for a regional based out of CLT and possibly for American one day. Does the regional you start at carry any weight toward the possibilities of getting into a certain Major?
during the crew portion of your training you’ll be gone approx 1.5-2 weeks and then again for CFI training.
2-3) when your an instructor you won’t be away from your base BUT as you point out your instructor location will be based on demand. When you complete your training you’ll be offered a list if available locations. If there’s one that works for you great, if not you can decline and look for employment locally but no one can ship you off against your will.
yes housing is provided for all time away.
see question 1
maybe? Some of the Regionals offer flow-thrus to their respective Majors but you also have to keep in mind the Major is not going to cannibalize their Regional so others might actually be hired before you.
As you point out this is years from now and you haven’t taken an admission’s flight. Id be much concerned with doing well in training or this whole conversation is moot. Further the environment can be very different when you’re ready. When you get closer you’ll have better info to go with.
Appreciate the info as always.
Any advice for a young couple while going through flight training? We’ve been dating for almost 6 years so no trust issues or any of the stupid little things like that. Iv been straight forward on the time sacrifices and shes on board.
Just curious if you have any advice learned from experience you’re willing to share.
As for trust issues you’ll be too busy to water a plant let alone do anything inappropriate (and if you aren’t too busy you’re not working hard enough). As long as your significant other is aware of the commitment and the fact that training needs to be your priority you’ll be fine.
As long as we’re on the subject the real challenge will be when you actually start working for the airlines. You’ll be gone half the month, flying to exotic locales and having a grand old time while she’s home doing laundry. That’s where the understanding really needs to come in. The solution is to take her when you can and when you’re home you need to be home.
To chime in here, I understand why you have questions about being away, but it is important to keep in mind that you are signing up for a job that by definition involves being gone for long periods of time to far away places. Even if you live in base, you should expect to be gone for long periods of time and spend twelve or more nights per month on the road.
My honest advice would be not to propose until you are finished with training. See how she does with the time on the road and if this is really the lifestyle for her. I dated somebody who said she was okay with the lifestyle, but really wanted a guy that was home every night, that was doomed for failure. Hopefully she truly can work with the career, I think the job offers many fantastic benefits.
Usually in situations like yours, you won’t be the one struggling with being away from home. Your future wife needs to understand that no matter what happens she needs to live her own life.
I’ll chime in here. I’ve found that in my particular relationship it’s not the ‘away’ time. It’s when I come home that the friction can start. Both my wife and I have developed our ‘routines’ while I am gone. Me returning home tosses a monkey wrench in all of that. I’ve learned to approach everything gently for the first day or two I am back. Then everything settles into the normal ‘home’ routine. Rinse and repeat a couple/few times per month…