..........finally I am joining the real flight....

[Guest]

.....today I am beginning an ab initio atpl flying school here in Italy..... after 18 months I will hold an european atpl licence... i am so excited I hope everythings go well during this months and obviously after...;-).... I want to thanks this flight simulator and all people who worked and are working behind..(PMDG..ROTW....Richard Harvey..ecc ecc)...because when I did 2 weeks ago a private lessons with an instructor on a pa 28 he told me that he could not believe that I have not flown a real aircraft before..... he left the yoke in my hands all the flight and , believe me, he let me landing with only minor input from him!!!.. obviously the centerline was at the extreme right .... but at the end I did it...... I want say again thanks!!! ...:-waveIvan Italy

[Guest]

Sweet... I'm assuming ATPL is a Air Transport Pilot License.. is that true? If so... thats awesome... how many hours would you have collected by the end of this training?Let me knowMihir

[Guest]

Ivan,Il mio italiano non

[Guest]

Good Luck Ivan. Be sure to take some pics when you can and post them.Take careMike

[Guest]

IVAN,I have 3 questions for you:1) How many hours are required for an ATPL in Europe? In the states an ATP requires 1500 hours of PIC.2) Is an airline sponsoring your (BA, Lufthansua, etc.) or are you self financed? I looked into these and they where EXTREMLY expensive compared to the States.3) How is the job market for airline pilots over there in Europe?I was in an ab-inito program myself in Arizona. I recieved my PPL, INST, COMM-single, Comm-multi-inst., CFI, and CFII. Then September 11th happened and EVERY pilot and instructor that had gone through the program and been working for airlines were fired (furloughed indefinetly) and they flight instructor market was COMPLETELY saturated. Thus no job anywere for a newbie CFII. :(Furloughed pilots went back to instructing with hundred and thousands of hours of turbine and jet PIC time. I had no way to compete with that much less pay all my flight and college loans.So now I take my passion to fly into FLY!.. heheheTHANK GOD FOR PMDG!!! If it wasn't for them I would be going INSANE!!CB

[Guest]

Hi!Mihir: at the end you hold about 200 flying hours + MCC on a FNTP II simulator Meco: ti terro' informato sui miei progressi....(I will tell you about my progress;-)Mick: Thanks! ...I hope you will be a pilot as soon as possible..:-)Captain_bob: I will answer all your question1: In europe is different, at the end of the course you hold only 200 hours and an atpl frozen licence + MCC, with these you can have a job as copilot in an airline ( even if usually they want about 300 hours) .....after, when you reach 1500 hours you can take the exam for the full atpl licence..2: I am self sponsored I am 26, you are right here is very expensive I am lucky because my parents help me with a loan ,but I am looking as others students at the prospective... in Italy no airlines are sponsoring students..never!!..:-)3: In europe there are some big airlines that are cutting jobs...ex Alitalia, Swissair, Air france, British Airways... and others as Ryanair that is going to take 800 pilots in the next 8 years...(check the web site www.ryanair.com) and I believe others low fare airlines are going to grow in the next years.......... I hope I have aswered every question...If you need more information I am here... I will be happy to help ! :-waveIvan Italy

[brucek 38]

Hi Ivan,"1: In europe is different, at the end of the course you hold only 200 hours and an atpl frozen licence + MCC, with these you can have a job as copilot in an airline ( even if usually they want about 300 hours) .....after, when you reach 1500 hours you can take the exam for the full atpl licence.."That's interesting, sort of a partial ATP. Makes some sense, I think.Good luck!Bruce.

[Guest]

To me it sounds like you take a written and/or oral exam and then once you get the excerience hours your tested. In the states that's not possible. No regioal, national or especially the majors will look at you unless you hold a minimum of 1500 hours for regional, 3,000 nationals (southwest, alaska, etc), majors the sky is the limit. However, alot of US pilots that don't have their ATP take the ATP written exam and/or the FE (flight engineer exam) these are simpily scores yet you do not get any type of provisional license.Regarding cost, for a GOOD quality program your talking about $60,000 US just for training (no living expenses included) and a minimum of 6-9 months. I breifly remember seeing overseas ab-inito programs near and in the six figures. That is why for some time airlines have been sending their students to the states for primary training. Here in the us it costs $70 / hour for a C172, where overseas it can be up to $300/hr.CB

[Guest]

...I know that in the states is different.....here fortunately not ....because even Alitalia with his own flight school they recruit pilots for md 82 or airbus 321 with only 200 hours plus the md 82 or airbus 321 simulator.... the Alitalia flying school now is closed after the 11 september ... I did an entry test there but without success.... that school costs 75000 $ in 18 months...... mine cost 45000 $ in 18 months ..and it is enough cheap here....for the teory the instructor are professionist...two of them are first office in the 767 Lauda Air...and a traffic controller who work in Milan Linate Airport.... we will fly with Cessna 172 and Partenavia P66 (100$ HR)for the initial training..then in the middle with 172 complex and Pa 28 warrior(150$HR).....at the end for the multiengine training they have just bought a new Piper Seneca 5(300$HR)...wonderfull!..the only bad thing is that in our airport we don't have night lights so' we have to move for the night training...... it is equipped with an ILS system but I don't know how it could be usefull without runway lights ...:-)...Cheers Ivan Italy