ANY OLD Texas State Technical guys out there?

[Catbert]

I was there in '97 and '98 -- had a great time and thought it was a great group of people. We didn't have any fancy-schmancy Mooneys then though. Just 152's, 172's, and an Apache with the Geronimo conversion. I remember the maintenance being very good.

I also remember the realism of practicing short field landings on a runway 8600' x 150'.

 

[Pugh]

I'm a first semester student at TSTC. I should be in bed right now (test tomorrow and finals next week!). I really like it here, but there aren't enough instructors to get everybody flying a lot. They recently got one more and say they'll be getting more soon. Yes, there are two fancy shcmancy Mooneys, but they apparently are maintenence hogs and I hear its pretty rare that both are in working condition at the same time. A couple of Diamonds should be coming in before Xmas, and they'll begin to get rid of the 152s. They are replacing all of the 152s with Diamonds.

 

[keith]

Former instructor & alumni

I went through the program '98-'00. Then I instructed there for 7 months. It is one of the better programs in Texas. I have worked at other schools and TSTC was much better. I remember a few of the above mentioned former students who did not like it also. You can't please everyone all the time. To TSTC's credit the list of alumni that are airline pilots is impressive.

-Keith

 

[Pugh]

Does anyone know why the graduation rate is 5% though? Thats what I heard it is right now

 

[Catbert]

Does anyone know why the graduation rate is 5% though? Thats what I heard it is right now

That's just nuts. I'd put our graduating class (1999) somewhere around 70 to 80 percent.

 

[garf12]

Is Scruffy Murphys still there? Cold Shiner on tap...the patio in the summer.

Yep its still there, but I still havent been there. I usually goto a new place called Treff's. Im actually about to go to Georges here in a minute. Waco still sucks!

 

[Superpilot92]

Does anyone know why the graduation rate is 5% though? Thats what I heard it is right now

BUMS dont graduate! The reason why the graduation rate is so low is because the Graduation REQUIREMENT is that you must earn your CFI to graduate. Everyone quits or moves on to finish their four year degree before they recieve their degree. I am a graduate of TSTC. I would say it is still a good school to train at. Everyone knows a lot of people quit because of MONEY. But the main reason is because of the CFI requirement. As far as i am conserned a lot of guys dont care about the associates degree they just care about the 4 year. So when you hear the 5% graduation rate its because people dont try hard enough during the 2 years they are here. My class had 100 or so people of those people maybe 10 stayed here and finished college and recieved their CFI and got their 2 year degree. I busted my rearend off and got all my licenses including my CFI and associates in 2 years with no previous flying experiance. TSTC is a great school. Baylor also drags down the graduation rate because pretty much none of their pilots dont finish their instrument in 2 years because of all the BS they have to put up with there. If you work hard and dont expect it to be given to you then you will get everything. All the guys who finished with me ended up working at TSTC instructing and moved on quick. The only problem with TSTC is the upper managment. They wont hire enough instructors because they will have to pay more money and they just bought new planes. Work hard get a good instructor and tstc will get you done with out any of those BS promises you see at some of the bigger schools. Thats why they require the CFI to graduate because if you get it then you are employable in aviation upon graduation. No one is employable without it unless you buy your time or you know someone. GET YOUR CFI. You will learn so much instructing plus its a blast helping others learn to fly. Just my 2 cents.
From someone who knows.

 

[Superpilot92]

Oh yeah the only other problem main problem is that WACO still sucks. But its a great place to fly. Summers are a bit hot and winter is really good for IFR training. Good approaches and flat land.

www.theflightcollege.com

 

[Pugh]

Thanks for the advice. It really is a great school. It's nice having the airport basically to ourselves (except for L3 Communications and President Bush using it to get to Crawford), and there are good people here, too.

 

[Mmmmmm Burritos]

I flew there in the late 90's and I would do it all over again. MUCH cheaper than a 4 year program at an aviation college. We just got the "new" Seneca I 51T and I was one of the first to get my multi in it. They got it after they landed the Geronimo gear up during the aviation school open house. Oops!

We didn't have Mooney's back then, we had 88763. Kick a@@ short field fun! 210hp skyhawk with a CS prop. I heard it's been scrapped though due to old age.

Do they still have 6328V and 95591? Those were my planes. And 763 of course. It was a great school for the cash, as long as you were motivated. I got my CFI elsewhere but called TSTC back and got my degree on the wall now just for fun.

Speasmaker not still around is he?

 

[CoolHands]

Wow, I didn't realize there were so many TSTC alumni on this thread I did one year there from 00-01 and even though I had fun I gotta second or third the fact that Waco sucks!! There were a lot of good guys there and some pretty cool instructors that I run into on the road from time to time. I would have stayed longer to finish up with all the CFI stuff but moved back to the DFW area for monetary reasons. 95591 and I think 95565 were the mighty 152s that I did most of my training in. My memory is a little hazy but does anybody remember that shirt that was printed up after the RG geared up?? It had a picture of the wrecked RG on the front with the words "Got Gear?" right above it......good times.
Cheers,
Scott

 

[Pugh]

Yeah my ground school teacher was telling us about 763 the other day. Sounded like a ton of fun for sure.

28V and 591 are still around, of course. I haven't heard of anyone named Speasmaker, so I dont think hes around.

 

[Mmmmmm Burritos]

Yeah that must have been 52D that geared up then. The smart pilots flew 28V. I would like to see that picture though. That was after I was there.

Pugh, is your ground school instructor named Steve and bald? I still have the operating handbook for 763, all I remember is that if it was -20C with a 20mph headwind at sea level with the aircraft basically empty, the short field takeoff distance was listed as 70 feet. 200-300ft was more realistic though on a Texas day (meaning windy) and flying solo. The POH recommended flaps 20 for takeoff. And sometimes on a humid cool IFR day, you'd see prop-tip vortices for a second when you apply takeoff power.

I'm flying DFW-AUS on Monday. What's the school frequency again? I'll listen in

 

[Pugh]

Yep, its Steve, and hes still bald. Hes a great guy though.

I cant remember the frequency for the practice area, they recently changed it. But the tower is 124.00. Thats not quite as interesting though .

 

[Superpilot92]

Frequency is 123.5 for practice area. I 52Dog is still around and 28V they are beasts. 565 crashed in 02 i have pics if you want to PM me with a email i can send them. 51T is still around but no one flys it because the new seminole is about the same amount with all the new luxurys. But 51T definitly flys better. Prop tip vortices happen every once and a while. I am working her instructing and I did all my training here. Great place to work and fly. Got me done alot cheaper than any where else and they didnt give out all the bs storys of getting everything in 10 months or what ever some of the other places do. With regional and KCNW right next door to each other its a great place to do instrument work. I have done 5 approaches in a 1.3 hour flight. now thats bang for the buck. Alot of experiance in shorter time means Less $. Any questions i would be happy to answer. Fly safe.