Thoughts on just paying for the ATP

Posted by Wingnut150@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 24 comments

As the title says. I'm a part 91 pilot with 135 time under my belt flying Caravans and Pilatus PC-12s. Got around 6k total time, the vast majority of it turbine, but less than 100 hours multi. Thinking of moving on one day but rather than take a year at a regional (and a disastrous paycut) I'm considering just knocking out the ATP on my own and thus not getting tangled up in some sort of training agreement or stuck in a plane/job I hate. What's the hive minds concensus on just covering my ATP outright on my own? I'll have to do the ATP-CTP first and the written which also factor in.

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24 Comments

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Sprucepineoakbirch@reddit

I spent ~5k and three days in Jasper, AL for the ATP on a Beechcraft light twin. That was in 2014. I wouldn't waste money on a type rating in this environment. At least not until hiring slows.

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12-7@reddit

For 13k you can do your ATP-CTP and A320 type rating at somewhere like ATP Jets in like two and a half weeks all-in. If it makes sense to you, go for it. That's a drop in the bucket of your earning potential.

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PILOT9000@reddit

What’s the point of paying all that money? A tour with no time means nothing. A LCC running an A320 would send him back through training again.

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TristanwithaT@reddit

This is the way to do it.

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PILOT9000@reddit

The multi time is going to be your limiting factor. Call and ask some LCC recruiters before spending the money.

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HbrewHammrx2@reddit

You won’t even need to pay for it if you go to Spirit. They may not hire you because they are worried you have too much creds to then just hop somewhere else but it’s worth the try.

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Wingnut150@reddit (OP)

Yeaaaah...nothing against anyone who flys for Spirit, but I don't want to fly the banana bus.

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HbrewHammrx2@reddit

Starting to sound exactly like the 91/135 people who failed out or survived at both my airlines by the skin of their teeth and hanging by a thread. Good luck with that.

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Wingnut150@reddit (OP)

Or I just don't like the color yellow. Asshole.

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burnerquester@reddit

How about Delta ATP CTP?

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ltcterry@reddit

I did that one. Gets you an internal letter of recommendation. I was the only non-military pilot out of 12 people. I went because Atlanta is relatively local for me, so no airfare or rental car. Equalized the cost.

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dragonguy0@reddit

I paid for mine when I was considering leaving my job and going somewhere else. I havent taken the checkride, but I figure having the written out of the way helps.

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TheRauk@reddit

You don’t say what your goal is, just move on. You are a current part 91 with 135 time. What are you looking to do in the next 1/5/10 yrs?

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Just_Another_Pilot@reddit

Pay for it and go to a ULLC, then start applying to the legacies if that's your goal. No reason to waste time at a regional.

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bobafeeet@reddit

It’s not the same as your case but most mil pilots pay for their own and just go straight to a legacy/major. With 6k hours? Id just pay for it. There are programs out there that are pay to win, in a sense, with the ATP. They want to attract business and won’t shoot you on your checkride.

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MartonianJ@reddit

You might be able to go straight to a major with that time with an ATP. Maybe even a legacy. When I did my ATP CTP in April my instructors said with my total time of 7500 (vast majority of which is single engine turbine like you) that I could get hired on at a legacy.

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jose88w@reddit

Exactly what I did earlier this year except I only have 2700TT. Got the written done and applied like mad to anything that was remotely better than where I was at. Here were my statistics: Applied to 42 Jobs Heard back (interest email/phone screen) from 27. Weeded some out based on more research. Interviewed (phone/skype/in person) with 12. Job offers from 8. Took the job with 1. All of those jobs were everything except regionals. LCC, Cargo, Charter, Fractional, Alaska ect. I’ve been following everything aviation related since I got into the industry 10 years ago. Since about January this year I’d say is the only time I’d recommend for people to pay for their own ATP/CTP if they have over 1500 hours and any good experience. As you can see if you go hard on the applications places are definelty interested.

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x4457@reddit

Dude, what the hell are you still doing flying SETPs? Yes, pay for your ATP tomorrow and apply to any of Delta, American, and United and they're going to race to call you with your experience.

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Wingnut150@reddit (OP)

Honestly it's been for love of the job. Very specific type of Caravan. But some things have come to light that make it apparent that for the long haul, I need to consider my next move, and I want it really to be the last major one.

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Thoughts on just paying for the ATP

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24 Comments

Sprucepineoakbirch@reddit

12-7@reddit

PILOT9000@reddit

TristanwithaT@reddit

PILOT9000@reddit

HbrewHammrx2@reddit

Wingnut150@reddit (OP)

HbrewHammrx2@reddit

Wingnut150@reddit (OP)

burnerquester@reddit

ltcterry@reddit

dragonguy0@reddit

TheRauk@reddit

Just_Another_Pilot@reddit

bobafeeet@reddit

MartonianJ@reddit

jose88w@reddit

x4457@reddit

Wingnut150@reddit (OP)

x4457@reddit

Capital-Cricket-1010@reddit

Known_Season_5623@reddit

RaiseTheDed@reddit

KCPilot17@reddit