May 02--OGDEN -- The largest flight-training company in the United States has announced it will open a new flight school in Ogden this month.
Jacksonville, Fla.-based ATP Flight School will open a training center at the Ogden-Hinckley Airport where prospective pilots can learn an array of flight-related skills, including training to become a Federal Aviation Administration-certified commercial airline pilot.
"This is a big deal for the airport," said Ogden-Hinckley Airport Manager Royal Eccles. "It really opens up our whole operation."
Bryce Gibby, director of business development with Kemp Development Inc., said ATP will lease a building from Kemp at the airport that will serve as the school's campus.
"We've been trying to work with ATP for quite a while," Gibby said. "It will be a tremendous operation."
Gibby said the Ogden ATP campus will soon have the necessary aircraft, including Seminoles and Cessna 172s, and they've hired instructors and have already enrolled students.
The operation should be fully up and running in a few weeks, allowing pilots to receive several different certifications and ratings.
Gibby said ATP hires its graduates as flight instructors, providing the valuable experience and the flight time necessary to qualify for airline positions. They also arrange the airline interviews for their students.
Gibby said the potential pilots will play a key role in expanding Northern Utah's burgeoning Aerospace Industry.
"We're trying to attract job-creating companies to Ogden, including aviation engineering, manufacturing, marketing, maintenance and flight management companies," he said. "That will require an abundance of well-trained pilots."
In June, ATP will open another training facility in New Jersey.
The opening of the two new training centers brings to 30 the total number of facilities ATP operates, the most locations of any flight-training provider in the United States.
"We know how important it is to provide flight training in quality aircraft by properly qualified instructors and staff," said ATP Vice President Jim Koziarski. "It is our goal to make that available in as many locations throughout the United States as possible."
For more information, visit www.atpflightschool.com or call 1-800-255-2877.
Copyright 2013 - Standard-Examiner, Ogden, Utah
