PilotG
16th Apr 2007, 18:15
Fellow pilots in training, or due to be pilots in training, if you are thinking of attending ATP flight school, I would like to give you the most important 5 minutes of information you might need to help change your decision.
Please listen:
A little background: I have completed all my certificates/ratings successfully. I have complied with every request from their dispatch and management despite how ridiculous it may have been, my record proves my accolades. However, I feel that it's my civil duty to my fellow future pilots to let you know that there are grave flaws currently within this institution.
The Phoenix branch had its CFI school abolished because the FSDO here believes their program is insufficient.
The Jacksonville CFI school had its veteran instructor relieved due to medical problems. That base now has NO ground school. You will have to teach yourself EVERYTHING.
Talking to upper management is virtually a waste of precious time. I've done it, I know. The course is so accelerated, management knows that by the time you complain, it would be in vain anyways. Their attitude is Extremely defensive, as oppose to willing to help customers. They will defend their shirking of responsibility and false advertisement by saying, "every instructor has their own style of teaching." Yes, but there are some better than others, and some in JAX are non-existent.
There are several branches which are severely understaffed. The managerial disorganization makes it such that the left had does not know what the right hand is doing.
Example:
6 CFI students were returned to their home base of training without their last ratings. Dispatch was so incompetent that they did not notify that home base. Now they are all scrambling to line up and wait for the single engine instructor training...delayed for up to a week due to lack of staff, planes, and most importantly: planning.
Speaking of Dispatch: ATP's dispatch is managed by someone who has insulted many individuals, claiming they defaulted on their responsibilities, when in fact, they DID comply, were on time, and/or choose the correct aeronautical decision. I, myself have been a victim of his self-deprecating behavior when accused of calling for my assignment too late when in fact a satellite-set clock had told me otherwise.
The Vegas branch of ATP has a back log of students so numerous than the FSDO there could not keep up. The students had to sit there for up to a month waiting for Checkrides...ATP did not foresee such a flux and did not warn the FSDO. Those students were Not allowed to go home. Not even for a week, when they have been away from their loved ones for months already and it was not their negligence which got them there in the first place.
Back to Dispatch:
Students were notified 36 hours before their flights that they had to move across the country. They also had checkrides to take care of within those 36 hours. AND these students had to completely move out of their ATP housing to make room for more unsuspecting souls. These students came from far away and did not have any other provisions for housing. Many of them were forced to keep some of their luggage in their cars. Ridiculous.
Finally: Upon move in, I was never given a key to my apartment. I had to get a set cut by myself, after 2 (TWO!) weeks of waiting for someone competent enough within ATP to give me a key to my ATP-given homestead. The onus was upon myself to obtain a copy of the apartment facility keys from the apartment management and bill ATP.
I urge you to think wisely about your training, there are problems with flight training at any institution. Just be clear on which problems you can withstand. ATP's success is built on speed, not quality.
An old economics mantra says: "Good, Fast, Cheap: pick two"
You can see which of these are ATP.
Good Day.
Please listen:
A little background: I have completed all my certificates/ratings successfully. I have complied with every request from their dispatch and management despite how ridiculous it may have been, my record proves my accolades. However, I feel that it's my civil duty to my fellow future pilots to let you know that there are grave flaws currently within this institution.
The Phoenix branch had its CFI school abolished because the FSDO here believes their program is insufficient.
The Jacksonville CFI school had its veteran instructor relieved due to medical problems. That base now has NO ground school. You will have to teach yourself EVERYTHING.
Talking to upper management is virtually a waste of precious time. I've done it, I know. The course is so accelerated, management knows that by the time you complain, it would be in vain anyways. Their attitude is Extremely defensive, as oppose to willing to help customers. They will defend their shirking of responsibility and false advertisement by saying, "every instructor has their own style of teaching." Yes, but there are some better than others, and some in JAX are non-existent.
There are several branches which are severely understaffed. The managerial disorganization makes it such that the left had does not know what the right hand is doing.
Example:
6 CFI students were returned to their home base of training without their last ratings. Dispatch was so incompetent that they did not notify that home base. Now they are all scrambling to line up and wait for the single engine instructor training...delayed for up to a week due to lack of staff, planes, and most importantly: planning.
Speaking of Dispatch: ATP's dispatch is managed by someone who has insulted many individuals, claiming they defaulted on their responsibilities, when in fact, they DID comply, were on time, and/or choose the correct aeronautical decision. I, myself have been a victim of his self-deprecating behavior when accused of calling for my assignment too late when in fact a satellite-set clock had told me otherwise.
The Vegas branch of ATP has a back log of students so numerous than the FSDO there could not keep up. The students had to sit there for up to a month waiting for Checkrides...ATP did not foresee such a flux and did not warn the FSDO. Those students were Not allowed to go home. Not even for a week, when they have been away from their loved ones for months already and it was not their negligence which got them there in the first place.
Back to Dispatch:
Students were notified 36 hours before their flights that they had to move across the country. They also had checkrides to take care of within those 36 hours. AND these students had to completely move out of their ATP housing to make room for more unsuspecting souls. These students came from far away and did not have any other provisions for housing. Many of them were forced to keep some of their luggage in their cars. Ridiculous.
Finally: Upon move in, I was never given a key to my apartment. I had to get a set cut by myself, after 2 (TWO!) weeks of waiting for someone competent enough within ATP to give me a key to my ATP-given homestead. The onus was upon myself to obtain a copy of the apartment facility keys from the apartment management and bill ATP.
I urge you to think wisely about your training, there are problems with flight training at any institution. Just be clear on which problems you can withstand. ATP's success is built on speed, not quality.
An old economics mantra says: "Good, Fast, Cheap: pick two"
You can see which of these are ATP.
Good Day.