ATP Flight School

Due to the length of acquiring my Private Pilot's License, I decided I needed something to get me through my ratings a quicker pace. After researching some flight schools, I decided to go with ATP because of their location, price and multi-engine time. Even after this decision, it took me a couple of months to actually go through with it. One motivator, and it certainly isn't the best motivator, was their increase in price for their Airline Career Pilot Program. If I could reserve a slot before June, their old price would still apply. I then went to work.

I scheduled an interview at the KSAC (Sacramento Executive Airport) location and drove up there for the day. I studied basic private pilot knowledge and felt pretty prepared for the interview. The interview was very enjoyable, and I was able to fly a simulator, which I've never done before. I was a little rusty on some questions, but I felt I did pretty well.

A couple of days later James from ATP called and said that Ignacio, the instructor at the KSAC location who interviewed me, said he would like to recommend me for the program. James then did a phone interview asking several private pilot knowledge questions. I thought I did even better during the phone interview, but still missed some information I should have known. He said I had successfully passed the interview and we began the paperwork.

As of today, all of the paperwork, including loan paperwork, has been completed and I scheduled for the May 28th, 2007 slot at the KRAL (Riverside Municipal Airport) location. I decided to go here instead of KSAC because I know some friends down there and also have some relatives who live near by.

I'm very anxious to start and I can't wait until I'm 'immersed in aviation', as they say you will be during the program. It lasts 90 days and I'll have received the following ratings and hours (per the ATP website):

• Private Multi-Engine
• Instrument Multi-Engine
• Commercial Multi-Engine
• Commercial Single-Engine
• Certified Flight Instructor:
  • Multi-Engine
  • Instrument Airplane
  • Single-Engine
• Jet Transition:
  • High Altitude Endorsement
  • High Performance Endorsement

• 200 Hours Logged Time
• 190 Hours Multi-Engine Time
  • 75 Hours Multi-Engine Cross-Country
  • 65 Hours Multi-Engine Instruction
    & Flight Checks
  • Citation Jet Transition
  • 50 Hours Multi-Engine FTD
• 10 Hours Single-Engine Time

There are a couple of downfalls. One and the most important one being that I'll be away from my wife for the 3 months. She'll be living here at our apartment while I'm there. I'm sure we'll be fine, but I know it's going to be hard. Another downfall is the loan I'm taking out. It's quite large and I'm a little skeptical of being that much in debt. Hopefully, though, I'll get a good enough job to pay that off.

I'll try to post more often on my progress and past accomplishments that I've omitted thus far.