Studying and Intensity?

Airline Pilot Questions & Answers
1

Hello All! This may be a quick and simple question but I am looking to start the fast track commercial pilot program within a couple of months at Denver and I am excited, to say the least. I have taken an intro flight and actually spoke with a few current pilots that have gone through ATP and they all mentioned how majority is self-study and it is very intense. I completely understand and am ready for that but is it so intense that you almost lose most weekends and sense of social life during the six months? I am just curious because I will be at a location far from family and I would like to visit them one weekend a month, I am fully prepared to study ahead to allow a “free-ish” weekend but I was hoping to learn a little more about the intensity. Regardless, I am ready, excited, and appreciative of any insight and answers. Thank you kindly.

Best Regards,
Jordan

2

Jordan,

The program is designed for you to have most weekends off while you are a student. You shouldn’t have a hard time getting home one weekend per month, but be prepared that you will likely need to hit the books at some point during that weekend.

Of course there will be other students and instructors that you become friends with and will undoubtedly get together with from time to time. I am still very good friends with one of my former instructors.

Chris

3

Jordan,

Just to add to Chris I would also ask you to be flexible on that weekend. You may, depending on where you are in the program (checkrides, etc) find the weekend you had planned to go home becomes the wrong weekend to go home. Otherwise you’ll be fine.

Adam