This is my first post and if this question has been asked 100 times please forgive.
I have been logging more hours lately and been studying for my PPL written. I’m now realizing how much I truly enjoy flying and would like to do it everyday. Right now I’m in a situation where I can step away from work and commit to doing this full time. I’m about an hour from the local ATP campus and have a few questions.
What is a day in life of a student at ATP like? Are you sitting at the airport all day? Do you have an office/ desk? Are you free to study wherever you’d like? Do you have an idea the day before what time you will be flying? I own a few rental properties, would I be able to check in with emails etc during the day? Would I be able to schedule hours off for a Dr visit, etc?
I had tried to get an answer over the phone but it seemed like the hard answer is that I need to be available 7-5 M-F. Just trying to get a better idea of a normal day and what flexibility exist.
There is certainly some flexibility in scheduling, but only so much. This is a very condensed program, the way that ATP is able to pack so much training into so short of time is by immersing the student in flying. This means being available at the posted times. Of course you will know the day before when you will be flying the next day, but weather can easily change that. I wouldn’t say that you will be at the airport all day, but you will need to be available to be. Keep in mind that there are also night flight requirements and that at some point you will need to attend CFI school for a few weeks and that might not be held at your location.
&-5 is the range but you generally will not be at the airport all day. Typically you’ll do some ground first in the morning, followed by some sim and finally the actual flying. Thing is depending on where you are in the training you may need extra hours in the classroom, sim or in the air. If there’s weather forecast you may need to fly first. What I’m saying is you need to plan on FULL days because you need that flexibility to get the job done. You will always have an idea of what’s planned but again plans can change.
If you’re saying you need to schedule checking your emails every day at 11am that could be an issue. BUT if you simply need to check them at some point during the day you’ll be fine. The occasional day off is also not an issue BUT if you’ve got a checkride scheduled and are prepping you need to know your flight training must take priority. Make sense?
The problem is there’s rarely people there minding the phones as the instructors instruct and if they’re not instructing they’re generally not there. You could always schedule a visit and talk to them in person.