Category Archives: Training

Flying, Training

“What can I do to increase my chances of landing a job post cfi…?”

A reddit poster asked:

“I’m starting at a part 61 school in NJ in January. I have a lot of anxiety surrounding finding a job once i get my licenses. I don’t have a college degree (almost have enough credits for associates) and have no instruction experience. I’ve worked plenty of jobs and currently work at costco. At this point, the only thing i’ll have on my resume are my hours and endorsements.”

I wrote the following reply which seemed to be well received by those who read it (edited slightly):

A great start would be to be part of the 20% that finishes Private.

Don’t fly faster than your money.

Be part of the 50% of Private Pilots who get an instrument rating.

The pass rate for checkrides is around 80%. Simple math says about 50% of pilots will get to CFI with no failures. Strive to be one of them. Or at least minimize failures.

If you fail you’ll pay for remedial training and a repeat checkride. “Pre-mediation” is better than remediation.

“Amateurs train until they get it right.
Professionals train until they cannot get it wrong.”

Find a CFI who has at least 2-3 successful clients. Don’t be the first.

Be wary of anyone claiming “instruct to 1,500 and get a job.” Don’t pin your hopes on “1,500” or “mins.” This is a setup for disappointment.

Flying is expensive. Really expensive. You can save a lot by genuinely showing up prepared. Insist your CFI use a syllabus and keep records. You use the syllabus to show up prepared.

Select an online ground school with your CFI. Use the matching syllabus.

Print the ACS and spiral bind it. Buy a PHAK and AFH. Have the spines cut off. When you watch the video, highlight the key info in the “text books.” Look at the ACS to find broad topics.

Buy a Gleim Private Pilot test prep guide. After each broad lesson category highlight the right answers for that category. This becomes your rote memory test prep to augment actual learning.

These suggestions address the three four biggest reasons people fail to become Private Pilots:

-Running out of money; this is totally on you.

-An experienced instructor who’s not burned out will help you avoid a crappy CFI.

-Forcing a syllabus and record keeping provides broader structure that is often missing.

-Poor academic prep. (OK, that’s four).

Good luck.

Me and N4304B about to head back to Peachtree Dekalb Airport north of Atlanta

Fantastic write up, I appreciate you taking the time out of your day 🙂

Flying, Training

I went to school at Delta’s Aircrew Training Center

I attended the ATP-CTP course at Delta’s Aircrew Training Center recently. Why did I go there and what did I learn?

“Why” is easy – the course is a prerequisite for the knowledge test to become an Airline Transport Pilot – my next aviation goal. So, why “there”? The 40-hour course is offered in several places around the country, all but one of them cheaper than Delta. All would require airfare to get there and a rental car to get around. Delta’s training center is in Atlanta, an easy drive for me. The course fee includes Gleim’s test prep, a voucher for PSI’s testing center, pizza & beer after the last day of academics. It also includes a guaranteed look at your application.

Congress pretty much told the FAA what the content of the course should be. I don’t think the legislation includes the statement “death by PowerPoint” but that’s what much of ATP-CTP is anywhere you take it. The Delta version includes a lot of interesting insight into the company and its hiring practices. The topics on high altitude aerodynamics, historical failures of Crew Resource Management, and so on were all interesting, but what you really want is the 411 on getting hired. Here’s what I learned:

Contrary to popular legend, only 25 percent of Delta’s new hires the last couple decades are military. The other 75 percent is from the traditional route. Of the military hires, the US Air Force makes up the preponderance of the hires. In 2021 the individual with the lowest flight time had not quite 1,800 hours. The highest had 20,000, with the average just over 5,000. Of the non-military hires, the vast majority came from another Part 121 organization, mostly Regionals, though ten came from United. The two biggest non-military categories of hires were “Part 135” and “Other,” but these two were grossly outnumbered by the 15 or so named 121 organizations.

Update summer of 2024. I finally took the ATM Knowledge Test. I prepared using a combination of King Schools, Sheppard Air, and my own notes. I passed. I was happy.