Flight Colleges in Texas

[Pugh]

I'm looking for flight colleges in Texas that offer some sort of degree program, preferably bachelors. I was planning on attending Spartan in Tulsa, but it's just so ridiculously expensive that I am having to rethink my plans.

 

[bobbysamd]

Texas aviation colleges

LeTourneau University is supposed to have a good aviation program.

Mesa Airlines Pilot Development has a tie-in with Midland College.

Hope these help. Good luck with wherever you choose to train.

 

[sewerpiper]

Hey check out Henderson State University, it's a great program, I went there. It's in southwest arkansas. Has a 4 year degree, you can obtain all your ratings, I think they are up to 16 airplanes now. Maules are the primary trainer. The website is www.hsu.edu

 

[jb320guy]

Try Texas State Technical College they have a 4 year program inconjuntion with Balyor. They are in Waco. Great School. T.S.T.C.

 

[garf12]

I goto Baylor in waco, but dont do any flying with them. I do it at a private FBO here in town. Flown over to TSTC a few time though, I hear its a pretty good program.

 

[Peace]

go to Southeastern Oklahoma State University

hey

SOSU has the best and cheapest 4 year undergrad aviation program in the united states.

check out their web site www.sosu.edu

 

[pilot_guy]

Try San Jac in Pasadena, TX.

Hey, if you're looking for a good two year program, try San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas. It's in the South East Houston Metropolitian area. Good school, and you'll fly out of a local FBO tied in with the school. I believe it's all a 141 program.

I don't know if I would go with Midland College. I took my training at a flight school in Big Spring (Big Joke was more like it.) and we had some of the students come over and take their written exams with us.

Problem I saw with Midland's program (keep in mind, it may have changed. I was training in West Texas back in fall of '01 through spring '02) was that all the single engine training took place in Mooney's. Now, you may think...Cool, that's a fast, sophisticated aircraft. Keep in mind, as with all things, you must crawl before you can walk. These guys were running the planes off the runways, and solo times were 20+ hours compared with 11 hours at our school. (Our school was a real dump too, so a solo time of 11 hours is really saying something.)

So, being in an advanced aircraft like that will mean more time needed to learn the basics, plus the systems of a complex aircraft. This will mean more money you're gonna have to spend. On the flip side, you'll have mastered a complex aircraft early on, but I don't think that is a good exchange.

In my opinion, which is just that, an opinion, so take it with a grain of salt; one must build a good fundamental knowledge of flying. This the pilot will carry with him throughout his career, from the small single engine up to a heavy. I don't believe you can build good basic skills when having to worry about being in such a fast, unforgiving aircraft designed with more experienced pilots in mind. Until you have a mastery of such an airplane, it will be easy to be "behind" the aircraft, and this will cost you more money and time. Once you have your PPL, it is easier to transition to a faster aircraft, because you will already know how to fly.

Check with them though, as they may be flying other aircraft. The Midland College program sounded like it was a good program other than that, and it should be better still, as it was in its infancy at that time.

 

[bobbysamd]

Mooneys and Mesa

I saw with Midland's program (keep in mind, it may have changed. I was training in West Texas back in fall of '01 through spring '02) was that all the single engine training took place in Mooney's. Now, you may think...Cool, that's a fast, sophisticated aircraft. Keep in mind, as with all things, you must crawl before you can walk. These guys were running the planes off the runways, and solo times were 20+ hours compared with 11 hours at our school . . . .

So, being in an advanced aircraft like that will mean more time needed to learn the basics, plus the systems of a complex aircraft. This will mean more money you're gonna have to spend. On the flip side, you'll have mastered a complex aircraft early on, but I don't think that is a good exchange . . . .

I don't believe you can build good basic skills when having to worry about being in such a fast, unforgiving aircraft designed with more experienced pilots in mind . . . .

I understand the Midland program is based on MAPD. I instructed for a time at MAPD, so I have a few comments in rebuttal.

The MAPD philosophy is predicated on teaching students Mesa line procedures in equipment that is as similar to Beech 1900s as possible. (I realize that new-hire MAPD grads go directly to jets now, but that's a subject for another discussion.) In Farmington, MAPD students did most of their flying in A36 Bonanzas and earned their multis in highly-similar B58 Barons.

A36 Bonanzas and Mooneys are both "hot" aircraft; I have Mooney time from my days as a FlightSafety instructor. But it's all relative. In other words, a new student might think a 152 is a "hot" airplane, but its performance pales in comparison to a Bonanza. Consider ab initio military students, who start off in equipment that is faster than Mooneys and Barons. Foreign airline students at Air Training Center Arizona and IFTA in Bakersfield train and solo in Bonanzas. None of these students know the difference, because, to them, "airplane" means their first trainer.

I had Mesa students who soloed in Bonanzas about 10-15 hours. I had Riddle students who needed 18-20 hours to solo in 172s. Again, it's relative.

Having said all that and because others have suggested schools in Texas border states, I will suggest Mesa Airlines Pilot Development in Farmington. You earn your Commercial-Instrument-Multi, an A.S. in Aviation Technology from San Juan College, and can interview with Mesa Airlines upon graduation. I second the suggestion of Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant as having a fine program.