Hey what’s up everybody!
It is crazy how time flies, it feels like it was just yesterday when I was talking about finishing stands and about to start instructing.
Well it’s been a while since my last post so hang on…
I instructed for ATP about 8 months, December 17-August 18 and spent a little bit more than 600 hours in the air instructing students. I averaged about 75-80 hours a month instructing, the winter months were harder to get good weather but I had several months of 100+ hours in the spring and summer. I learned so much during that time period of instructing. Of my total aeronautical knowledge that I have right now (And I’m still learning more everyday), I would say 25-30% is what I had when I finished the program and started instructing, and I gained a good 70% more knowledge and skill through my time instructing. Especially with teaching instrument. When I started instructing I was definitely not very excited by it, but looking back now I don’t know how I would have learned everything I know now without having been an instructor. It was an excessively busy time instructing, when you’re in the program all you have to worry about is yourself and studying for the chekrides (Which can be stressful and busy at times), but let me tell you, that doesn’t hold a candle to the workload and stress of instructing! Just don’t think it’s going to be a cakewalk, it takes hard work and many long days. But it is so worth it, very rewarding when you see your students doing a good job and then when they turn around and start instructing for themselves.
I accepted a job offer from a Part 91 Corporate flight department in the middle of August and have been with the company for 6 months. I fly a Beechjet 400 as a First Officer and have logged about 100 jet hours since August. It is a blast!! I thought that flying a Seminole was the coolest thing out there, well buddy, it doesn’t even compare to setting takeoff power in a jet while getting pinned back in your seat! I’ve been to Key West, Miami, Palm Beach, Houston, Dallas, Tulsa, Phoenix, Bozeman MT (3 times), South Dakota, Chicago, NYC and numerous other places! It is an awesome life style and it really doesn’t feel like a job. I still instruct in my free time a good bit and fly for fun. I still plan on going up the next step to a regional sometime in 2020 most likely, this has been a really cool job for me to do while I wait to turn 21 in November.
If I can leave y’all with anything it’s this.
The ATP program has changed, price increased, amount of students gone up etc. When I went through the program I had my private already paid 56k for the program.
What is the current price for the program now guys?
Back on track, I argued with myself and went back and forth about taking this giant step. After all, that is a heck of a lot of money, especially when you’re 18. But looking back now I think it was the best decision I’ve made to date. I would probably still be working on my CFI ratings if I was trying to do it on my own. I see it time and again with the students and people I know outside of the ATP world. These people have good intentions to get all of their certificates and ratings and build their hours. But they have a full time job still, they don’t have access to good airplanes, their are multiple week long maintenance delays and so on. They end up taking years to get what you can get at ATP in 6-9 months! (Full disclaimer, I would anticipate an extra 2-3 months from what the program is advertised to take. I have heard and seen of more delays in the program due to the amount of students now in the program) With ATP I was building hours, and making money in just 6 months. Not to mention I am now working on my bachelors degree and the training from ATP was good for 35 credit hours, which for me amounts to $13,650 I saved and don’t have to spend on college!
Don’t wait, go for it! Study harder than you think you can and you’ll do fine!
Noah L
Congrats! I look forward to hearing more from your experiences.