Choosing an ATP Flight School

If you have decided to become a commercial airline pilot and join one of the top-paying professions in the United States, you will need to find a good Airline Transport Pilot or ATP flight school. When seeking an ATP flight school, you need to compare pricing, locations and housing, and make sure they are FAA accredited. Many airlines have relationships with flight schools, to provide employment opportunities upon completion.

Airline Transport Pilot or ATP flight school will require you obtain Certificates and ratings in Private Multi-Engine, Instrument Multi-Engine, Commercial Multi-Engine, Commercial Single Engine, and Certified Flight Instructor in Multi-Engine, Instrument Airplane and Single Engine. In addition, you will need to have logged flight times in multi-engine and single engine. It is important to know that the more logged flight time, the more competitive you will be in the employment market.

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There are some schools that offer a 90 day fast track program and others offer a self-paced program, allowing you to take the required exams, ratings and certifications as time and money allows. A 90 day fast track program, including housing can cost anywhere from $60,000 on up. However, once you have completed the requirements, you can start for a regional airport as an airline pilot around $100,000 on up.

There are many ATP flight school choices in the United States and they are much cheaper than European schools that can cost up to $150,000 for an ATP license. This field is expanding with the passage of the new GI education bill and military flight training. Many military veterans are continuing to pursue this field in the civilian sector.

Airline Pilots are listed as one of the top paying careers in the United States, outside the medical field. The amount of time and money necessary for obtaining your Airline Transport Pilot license is much less, so it is gaining in popularity in recent years. By finding a good ATP flight school, you can be earning large paychecks in a comparatively short amount of time.

The FAA is stricter on all guidelines now, including safety, security and mechanics, and these areas are covering in your schooling and licensing, as well. With the components of the ATP license, you are also eligible for other airline careers, as well, such as flight instructor or airline dispatcher or controller.

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Airline pilots work a schedule that allows them generous days off, with the opportunity to travel and see many locations. While they may be away from home for a number of days at a time, they are also scheduled home a number of days. There can be some stressful work environment issues, such as weather conditions beyond your control, and you need to be in good health and mental strength.

It is important that you research your plans to become ATP licensed, as there can be considerable expense involved in going through ATP flight school, and many may not have a refund policy if you decide to discontinue. Once you have succeeded in completion of your FAA accredited ATP flight school, you will be flying high and earning those great paychecks in a short amount of time.