Commercial Pilot training at GATTS (Manhattan, KS)

AggieMike88

AggieMike88

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The original "I don't know it all" of aviation.
[placeholder for longer intro post. Creating the thread on lunch break and will have more here in near future. Follow my Twitter feed for other more up to date reports]
 
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Day 1 at GATTS. Photos are of front area with a full motion King Air Simulator and the classroom.

76E71CA5-2AB5-4B6D-98D5-AFE6B35D4DF5.jpeg 1674E94D-C2A0-419D-883E-0BB0513099B5.jpeg

So far we have done the indoc, short review of some regulations, and an overview of the maneuvers we will practice this afternoon.

@Matthew ... the examiner will be the one you and Sam discussed at dinner last night.
 
AggieMike88 said:
@Matthew ... the examiner will be the one you and Sam discussed at dinner last night.
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Cool deal. He's a local legend, and a good guy. He won't let you off easy, but he's fair.

If you end up out here for the checkride, give either of us a call.
 
AggieMike88 said:
[placeholder for longer intro post. Creating the thread on lunch break and will have more here in near future. Follow my Twitter feed for other more up to date reports]
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Thanks for the update. I was just looking at them yesterday for my commercial. I will follow this closely
 
They were training two guys on Caravans when I was there for my IFR.

Keep us posted on how things go. I had fun when I was there.
Gary
 
Mooney Fan said:
How did it go? Do you recommend them?
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Based on my experience . . . I do not recommend them for obtaining your commercial pilot certificate in 3 days plus checkride day.

Apologies in advance for not providing details. I will in person if asked, but I prefer not to do so in forum or online.

Things I will share was the fun of meeting @Matthew and @ja_user. And flying a C172RG.

IFR training with them is likely very different, as would the training for turbine aircraft. And that training is not included in my criticism.

I will also share that after this experience, I have a renewed appreciation in the viewpoint that @James331 has on schools that promise a rating in very minimal time.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Based on my experience . . . I do not recommend them for obtaining your commercial pilot certificate in 3 days plus checkride day.

Apologies in advance for not providing details. I will in person if asked, but I prefer not to do so in forum or online.

Things I will share was the fun of meeting @Matthew and @ja_user. And flying a C172RG.

IFR training with them is likely very different, as would the training for turbine aircraft. And that training is not included in my criticism.

I will also share that after this experience, I have a renewed appreciation in the viewpoint that @James331 has on schools that promise a rating in very minimal time.
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Copy all. Keep keeping on
 
Glad you got’er done.
 
@James331 and @CC268 ... the congratulations are misplaced. I only strayed through Day 1 and left.

CPL still needs doing and will determine options after holidays are over.
 
AggieMike88 said:
@James331 and @CC268 ... the congratulations are misplaced. I only strayed through Day 1 and left.

CPL still needs doing and will determine options after holidays are over.
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Dang dude.

Well if you want a VERY fun way to do it, find a CS prop seaplane (complex) and combine your initial SES with your CPL, Seattle seaplanes is a good recommend, than just do your land add on in anything
 
That place looks an awful lot like the place I did my Caravan training. It was called Turbine Training Center back in 2012, but also located in Manhattan, KS.

They were okay for getting a box checked for the company's insurance, but not necessarily high on my list of recommended places.
 
Anymouse said:
That place looks an awful lot like the place I did my Caravan training. It was called Turbine Training at the time, but also located in Manhattan, KS.
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Same place. Turbine training still a main stay item. Dale Walcott's (founder of the school) introduced himself during a break. He mentioned they were adding onto the turbine program by becoming a training center for agriculture aircraft.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Same place. Turbine training still a main stay item. Dale Walcott's (founder of the school) introduced himself during a break. He mentioned they were adding onto the turbine program by becoming a training center for agriculture aircraft.
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Training AG in budget sims?

This places sounds like a whole ton of

45a6f06b8b2377ed61dc427cb98b2129.jpg
 
James331 said:
Training AG in budget sims?

This places sounds like a whole ton of
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The King Air sim I photographed was full motion. Since I have no interest in agriculture flying, I didn't ask what Dale had in mind to make the training valuable
 
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Aside from the whole sim aspect, if you want to take a week off and have some fun and get your CPL and learn some stuff I have some suggestions
 
AggieMike88 said:
Same place. Turbine training still a main stay item. Dale Walcott's (founder of the school) introduced himself during a break. He mentioned they were adding onto the turbine program by becoming a training center for agriculture aircraft.
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Dale is the one that signed my certs, along with someone named Sandford Blyn
 
James331 said:
Aside from the whole sim aspect, if you want to take a week off and have some fun and get your CPL and learn some stuff I have some suggestions
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Once the holidays are done, I plan to talk to local providers on how best to complete what's needed to open the door on opportunities in professional aviation.
 
Talking to the local folks at your airport probably IS the first step. Get your commercial from the local FBO. No reason to go traveling for it. For the most part, it's just regulations and a few maneuvers that are not difficult.

While you're practicing for the checkride, start networking to see who might need a newbie pilot. The first job or three might not be very lucrative, but it will give you time and experience.
 
Mike,
Why not go talk to Jake Huffman down at Spinks? You could fly the club planes down to your lessons in 15 min. He's an awesome guy, ex B52 driver with a great flight school. I hold him in high regard. (As does @Ravioli) His crew will get the job done and can take you through CFI as well without issue...just a thought.
 
James331 said:
Aside from the whole sim aspect, if you want to take a week off and have some fun and get your CPL and learn some stuff I have some suggestions
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I am all ears James. I am in a similar situation. I have most of the requirements checked off. I expect to take the written in the next month or so. I have the complex and most of the other requirements out of the way.
 
flyin'gator said:
Mike,
Why not go talk to Jake Huffman down at Spinks? You could fly the club planes down to your lessons in 15 min. He's an awesome guy, ex B52 driver with a great flight school. I hold him in high regard. (As does @Ravioli) His crew will get the job done and can take you through CFI as well without issue...just a thought.
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I will keep that in mind. Thanks.
 
Jim_CAK said:
I am all ears James. I am in a similar situation. I have most of the requirements checked off. I expect to take the written in the next month or so. I have the complex and most of the other requirements out of the way.
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Well depending on what you have done, as I said getting your seaplane add on is VERY fun thing to do, and seaplanes with a constant speed prop and flaps count as complex,

“Complex airplane means an airplane that has a retractable landing gear, flaps, and a controllable pitch propeller, including airplanes equipped with an engine control system consisting of a digital computer and associated accessories for controlling the engine and propeller, such as a full authority digital engine control; or, in the case of a seaplane, flaps and a controllable pitch propeller, including seaplanes equipped with an engine control system consisting of a digital computer and associated accessories for controlling the engine and propeller, such as a full authority digital engine control.”

Thus, combine your initial CPL training with your initial single engine sea by using a complex seaplane, like this

fleet_172_large.jpg

http://www.seattleseaplanes.com/training.php


You end up not having that much more work vs the initial PPL single engine sea, but when you take your ride instead of it being a PPL add on it’s taken to the CPL standards and you not only get your SES but your initial CPL as well.

The land CPL add-on is a dirt simple ride, and can be done in whatever plane you normally fly (did mine in a 7AC champ with no electrical).
 
Thanks James. I had not thought of the seaplane rating first. I plan to get one but wanted to get the commercial out of the way first. I did consider the multi commercial first when I was having trouble finding a complex single. I am just now finishing up the required complex time in an arrow. It is a well worn bird but serves the purpose.
 
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