Okay. I just passed the test online through ATP and they said to give them a call during the week. Will I get to experience flying on a private plane or simulator with a mentor or how does that work?
Larry,
Welcome to the forum. I going to make the assumption you passed the COMPASS test, congrats! What you’re referring to next I believe is the Admissions Flight, this is done in a plane; Cessna Skyhawk or Piper Archer, depending on the location you’re going through.
Brady
Hey Brady,
That’s good to know. How cool that will be to do the Admissions Flight in a plane. When do I reserve a spot for the Flight Admissions? What happens after Flight Admissions should I decide to continue?
Thanks for all your help.
Regards,
Larry Holford
Larry,
You can schedulean admission flight as soon as you’re ready to. After that you should apply for financing (if you need) and once approved you should schedule a start date.
Adam
Brady, I also passed the COMPASS test. Thanks for the motivation.
Adam,
By applying for financing you mean like for the Admissions Flights? Btw I passed the COMPASS test which has made me eligible for the Flights Admission
Regards,
Larry Holford
Larry,
If you apply for financing and get approved, your admissions flight is covered. You can read about that here:
Chris
Larry,
You don’t HAVE to apply for financing to do the Admissions Flight - I am still about a year and a half from being able to start the program so I am too far out from applying for financing and starting ATP’s ACPP but I wanted to check out the location I plan on attending here in Tucson so I contacted Admissions and scheduled a flight and paid out of pocket for the admissions flight. I think it was $250-$300 - I felt it was worth the investment as it gave me a chance to talk to the instructors there, some of the students, and get up in the plane. It was an awesome experience and really solidified my desire to pursue this career path through ATP. I really enjoyed getting a little tour of the facilities and having face-to-face conversations with those that are currently enrolled and/or instructing. The forums and the mentors are great resources but also some have been out of the training program for awhile (some more than others) so getting firsthand knowledge and seeing the operations was greatly beneficial.
Good luck!
-Steve
Stephen,
I am up for the challenge. Sounds like a cool and neat experience to fly for the very first time as an admissions flight. I just passed the COMPASS test. So is it whenever I’m ready, I schedule an appointment to the the Flight Admissions? I plan to do one in San Diego. Please lemme know what else to expect. I am still trying to figure out the financing situation should I attend flight school.
Regards,
Larry Holford
Okay I will just that then Chris. How long would it take to become a commercial airline pilot, should I attend the flight school?
Adam, I am still deciding on a date to schedule the admissions flight. I heard it’s a really cool experience. How do I do that?
Larry
Roughly two years. Check out this link:
Chris,
I want to do this, but how do I budget the finances for the Flight School? Can I pay it by separate payments or do I have to pay it in full when I start the Flight School.
Regards,
Larry Holford
Larry,
ATP is a huge commitment and training slots are actually very much in demand. Because of this the funds have to be verified before you start the program and a substantial allocation will be made before you start.
If you’re not sure if this is for you we recommend doing some training at your local flight school until you decide.
Adam
Good to know. Are you saying I should do the Admissions Flight to try it out? Someone was saying it’s worth the investment to get a hands on experience.
Larry,
If you’ve never been up in a small plane you absolutely should. It blows my mind that people consider a career/life change and investing $100k without ever sitting in a cockpit. Kind of like watching a cooking show and saying “I can do that, think I’ll open a restaurant”.
But what I was actually saying was after your Intro Flight if you’re still not certain maybe take a few more lessons or even solo. Again it’s a significant investment in time and money.
Adam
Larry,
Absolutely, you need to do an admissions flight. It is really the only way to see if you like flying airplanes.
Chris
Larry,
You will NEED to schedule an Admissions Flight, 100%. In previous replies we have all mentioned about scheduling the Admissions Flight. It is a requirement to attend ATP, but also an opportunity for you to get first-hand experience of what it’s like to fly an airplane.
Brady