Redbird Skyport in San Marcos - anyone know what changes they're making?

camel

camel

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Camel
I recently called Redbird Skyport about a flight review (I did my PPL training there). Renée told me that the school was going through some changes currently so Redbird couldn't do a flight review. I'm just curious what changes (I should have asked her, I guess, but I didn't). I liked Redbird, so I hope it's the good kind of changes.
 
Sorry, never saw this post.

Everything looks like they are closing up shop. All the instructors have taken other jobs, all the planes are sold off and the flight school is completely empty.

I saw a couple of ATP guys there about a week and a half ago looking around like they were interested in buying it.

My advice is to go do your flight review with George Farris at Above & Beyond Aviation. \

Phone: 512-766-8359 (UFLY)
www.aboveaviation.com
 
Wow. Sad news. They really made as big a play for it as they could...
 
Stuff they were doing finally caught up with them? It always seemed like it would fold as soon as the sugar daddy stopped backing it.
 
Fascinating. They had a big booth at OSH. Must have been the last hoorah?
 
I got note from them today. They are hosting the monthly IMC club Thursday night and said the sims that had been removed (for Oshkosh?) are back.

I'll report back after the meeting.
 
Bummer. Does anyone know if the Redbird FBO will remain open? (and will it be owned by them or someone else)?
 
Archammer said:
Sorry, never saw this post.

Everything looks like they are closing up shop. All the instructors have taken other jobs, all the planes are sold off and the flight school is completely empty.

I saw a couple of ATP guys there about a week and a half ago looking around like they were interested in buying it.

My advice is to go do your flight review with George Farris at Above & Beyond Aviation. \

Phone: 512-766-8359 (UFLY)
www.aboveaviation.com
Click to expand...


Wow - sad. Lots of great memories at that place.
 
Wonder if they lost a major contract, or if the owner just wanted to get out of the business.

Whatever happened, sad to see another aviation business close.
 
WTH? Isn't this the place that did the 99 cent avgas with AOPA a couple of years ago?


Edit: If they are closing, no one has told their webmaster: http://redbirdskyport.com
 
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Jay Honeck said:
WTH? Isn't this the place that did the 99 cent avgas with AOPA a couple of years ago?
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That was a load of crap. I was planning to go down there from MD to get a multi rating when the guy I spoke to assured me they were going to keep that price for an extended period. Then they raised the gas price back up like the next day without notice.
 
Chip Sylverne said:
That was a load of crap. I was planning to go down there from MD to get a multi rating when the guy I spoke to assured me they were going to keep that price for an extended period. Then they raised the gas price back up like the next day without notice.
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They planned to do the 99 cent gas for a month (?), but curtailed it after 2 weeks (?) when they were totally overwhelmed with demand.

We flew up from the coast a couple of times to partake. It was like free flying!

Sad to see them go. If they couldn't make it, in that location, in booming Texas, with their amazing facility and marketing acumen, well, damn. I don't know any FBO that's ever done it better, or tried harder.
 
If they'd have not done that 99 cent gas, perhaps they could have hung on longer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have a trip planned there in October, so wrote to find out if they were closing; here's the reply.



Hello Troy.



Not sure who is spreading that rumor but it is absolutely false. In fact, business is better than ever!



We look forward to seeing you in October.

Regards,





John Koenreich

General Manager



Skyport FBO

2080 Airport Dr

San Marcos, TX 78666



Main: (512) 878-6670

Cell: (512) 629-1956

ASRI: 130.850
Click to expand...
 
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I just got back from the monthly IMC club at San Marcos Skyport. Here is what I observed:

The FBO is still there and doing fine. The facility and people are as first class as ever. There are no signs of any problems in the FBO. It's a great FBO, the most GA friendly first class FBO you will find anywhere.

The two sims that disappeared last month are back, and there is also a new one there.

Unfortunately flight training has been suspended. When I called during business hours to ask about training I was told that training is being 'reset' and they hope to restart in September.

I did see their Semino and one of their remanufactured C-172s in the hanger.

I was able to chat with a former Skyport CFI who told me that the reason for the reset is probably related to a combination of things, including the difficulty of retaining instructors, higher than expected costs of operating the German diesel engines in the C-172s due to expensive and hard to get parts, and the economic drawbacks of offering a fixed price PPL.

Hopefully Skyport will succeed in resetting their training system, because Skyport is just a wonderful operation and deserves to succeed.

Edited to add: The IMC club meets at Skyport at 6pm on the third Thursday of every month. There is always an excellent presentation with a bunch of your GA peers. You don't have to pay anything to attend and Skyport provides free pizza!! :goofy:
 
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I got some of that $0.99 fuel! We took framed the receipt since it's likely the least I'll ever pay.

Also got to "play" with the x-wind simulator in San Marcos and at OSH. Very kewl.

Glad to hear they'll be back to full operation shortly.
 
I would be most surprised if their FBO operation were to fail - it is very popular, and very good. Cannot speak to their flight training ops; maybe they are still suffering the consequences of David going to Alaska instead of going into instructing?
 
Oh goodness.... a whole ready room full of DavidWhite Mini-Me's? and all trying to do the Hasselhoff pose?

There's a scary image
 
Someone around here has the photo fro Gastons 2013 of him doing that pose.

That was the one where Jesse flew his FlyBaby, David S his King air, and KimberlyAnne was in session.
 
Yesterday Redbird Skyport announced that an existing part 141 school will move into the space that housed the now closed flight school.

The FBO operation is and has been unaffected by the changes at the flight school.
 
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