Alpha Tango Flying Service in San Antonio (TX)?

R

Red-Baron

New Member
Hello all,

I was wondering if there is anybody here from the San Antonio (TX) area who can give me any information about Alpha Tango Flying Service? Thanks and any info is appreciated!

Happy Landings :)
 
Red-Baron said:
Hello all,

I was wondering if there is anybody here from the San Antonio (TX) area who can give me any information about Alpha Tango Flying Service? Thanks and any info is appreciated!

Happy Landings :)
Click to expand...

hi, i studied there what kind of info. do you want, prices, planes intructions. etc.?

prices.
C-152 66.00
C-172 90.00
C-172RG 110.00
C-182 145.00
C-310 225.00
INSTRUCTOR 40.00

planes. old but very well maintened, never had any problem.

instructors. like everyplace there's good and bad instructors, if you study hard you'll pass.

etc. what else would you like to know.?

david. b737 pilot:)
 
Red-Baron said:
I was wondering if there is anybody here from the San Antonio (TX) area who can give me any information about Alpha Tango Flying Service?
Click to expand...

I taught there for a year and a half. Ultimately left for several reasons.

Maintence was horrible. I know for a fact that thier C-310 flew for 3 months without one of it's generators even installed, day, night, IFR, and at least two checkrides. Most of the other planes were in poor shape. 100 hr inspections were flown over routniely I saw an examiner scrub two checkrides in one day because of maintence issues.

I was asked several times to fly illeagle charter flights. On one ocasion I didn't reallize my "student" had never landed before untill we reached the destination.

Pay was mediocre, only 15/hr.

Facilites were poor, the building is shared by the airport fuelers, and another maintence shop.

Most of the planes only had portable intercoms, sometimes none at all. I had to spend several flights shouting instructions to my student over the engine noise. I realize that it was done this way in the past, but that is a poor excuse.

Yes, the prices are the lowest in the area, but you get what you pay for.


I am told that they have since hired a much better mechanic, and the maintence has improved siginifcantly. But my experiances showed me that the owner did only what was nessacery to keep the place running, nothing more.

I honestly wouldn't recomend it to anyone, I moved from there to a school at Stinson airport (SSF) on the south side of San Antonio that was much better.

I would recomend Skysafety over the other schools in the San Antonio area. I taught there for 8 months, and only left because my wife got a job in Dallas. www.skysafety.com They are located at SSF where you are 5 minutes from the practice area, and you have the option of staying in the pattern on bad weather days. Maintence was good, and they have a nice mix of aircraft.

San Antonio Areo Club would be my second choice, They are a quality operation, but since they are based at SAT you will spend a lot of airplane time dealing with traffic at SAT, and flying to SSF to practice your landings.

I would recomend Wrightflyers only with several reservations. They had a reputation of milking students with extra flights, and thier costs were very high. The former Chief Pilot fired a friend of mine for not signing off a student to fly solo because of weather, and did so in a screaming tantrum in front of several students and customers. They have a new CP now that has a good reputation, but I still would look elsewhere.
 
USMCmech said:
I taught there for a year and a half. Ultimately left for several reasons.

Maintence was horrible. I know for a fact that thier C-310 flew for 3 months without one of it's generators even installed, day, night, IFR, and at least two checkrides. Most of the other planes were in poor shape. 100 hr inspections were flown over routniely I saw an examiner scrub two checkrides in one day because of maintence issues.

I was asked several times to fly illeagle charter flights. On one ocasion I didn't reallize my "student" had never landed before untill we reached the destination.

Pay was mediocre, only 15/hr.

Facilites were poor, the building is shared by the airport fuelers, and another maintence shop.

Most of the planes only had portable intercoms, sometimes none at all. I had to spend several flights shouting instructions to my student over the engine noise. I realize that it was done this way in the past, but that is a poor excuse.

Yes, the prices are the lowest in the area, but you get what you pay for.


I am told that they have since hired a much better mechanic, and the maintence has improved siginifcantly. But my experiances showed me that the owner did only what was nessacery to keep the place running, nothing more.

I honestly wouldn't recomend it to anyone, I moved from there to a school at Stinson airport (SSF) on the south side of San Antonio that was much better.

I would recomend Skysafety over the other schools in the San Antonio area. I taught there for 8 months, and only left because my wife got a job in Dallas. www.skysafety.com They are located at SSF where you are 5 minutes from the practice area, and you have the option of staying in the pattern on bad weather days. Maintence was good, and they have a nice mix of aircraft.

San Antonio Areo Club would be my second choice, They are a quality operation, but since they are based at SAT you will spend a lot of airplane time dealing with traffic at SAT, and flying to SSF to practice your landings.

I would recomend Wrightflyers only with several reservations. They had a reputation of milking students with extra flights, and thier costs were very high. The former Chief Pilot fired a friend of mine for not signing off a student to fly solo because of weather, and did so in a screaming tantrum in front of several students and customers. They have a new CP now that has a good reputation, but I still would look elsewhere.
Click to expand...

HEY, SCOTT HOW YOU DOING MEN, I HOPE YOU REMENBER ME, IT'S ME DAVID, I GOT MY FIRST FLYING JOB DOWN HERE IN MEX. B-737.
 
USMCmech said:
I taught there for a year and a half. Ultimately left for several reasons.

Maintence was horrible. I know for a fact that thier C-310 flew for 3 months without one of it's generators even installed, day, night, IFR, and at least two checkrides. Most of the other planes were in poor shape. 100 hr inspections were flown over routniely I saw an examiner scrub two checkrides in one day because of maintence issues.

I was asked several times to fly illeagle charter flights. On one ocasion I didn't reallize my "student" had never landed before untill we reached the destination.

Pay was mediocre, only 15/hr.

Facilites were poor, the building is shared by the airport fuelers, and another maintence shop.

Most of the planes only had portable intercoms, sometimes none at all. I had to spend several flights shouting instructions to my student over the engine noise. I realize that it was done this way in the past, but that is a poor excuse.

Yes, the prices are the lowest in the area, but you get what you pay for.


I am told that they have since hired a much better mechanic, and the maintence has improved siginifcantly. But my experiances showed me that the owner did only what was nessacery to keep the place running, nothing more.

I honestly wouldn't recomend it to anyone, I moved from there to a school at Stinson airport (SSF) on the south side of San Antonio that was much better.

I would recomend Skysafety over the other schools in the San Antonio area. I taught there for 8 months, and only left because my wife got a job in Dallas. www.skysafety.com They are located at SSF where you are 5 minutes from the practice area, and you have the option of staying in the pattern on bad weather days. Maintence was good, and they have a nice mix of aircraft.

San Antonio Areo Club would be my second choice, They are a quality operation, but since they are based at SAT you will spend a lot of airplane time dealing with traffic at SAT, and flying to SSF to practice your landings.

I would recomend Wrightflyers only with several reservations. They had a reputation of milking students with extra flights, and thier costs were very high. The former Chief Pilot fired a friend of mine for not signing off a student to fly solo because of weather, and did so in a screaming tantrum in front of several students and customers. They have a new CP now that has a good reputation, but I still would look elsewhere.
Click to expand...

HEY, SCOTT, HOW YOU DOING MEN IT'S ME DAVID, REMEMBER ME, I GOT MY FIRST FLYING JOB, A B-737 IN MEX.:hiya::):D:):D:hiya:
 
Up Front Disclaimer: I work at Alpha Tango.

Maintenance: The aircraft are quite well maintained where it counts, most have newer engines (or overhauled ones) and most of the 152s have brand new props on them. The tires are always replaced prior to them getting bald and the airframe itself is kept up. The avionics, however, and electronics on the 152s are limited (basic 6 pack with a single VOR, on one or two 152s the VOR is inop), while all of the 172s have atleast basic IFR + glideslope while most have that plus something like DME, a VFR GPS, LORAN, etc. Many of the 152s do have a portable intercom, but the actual circuitry is not that much different from an installed intercom so as long as it works properly it is only a cosmetic difference that it is not integrated into your panel. You still hear your student and the radio in your headsets like normal.

Pay is $25/hr for ground and flight instruction. (Looking for a job?)

As for the facilities, it is sufficient. It's an old building and the front part of what a maintenance shop/hangar next to Nayak Aviation. The classroom area is kept clean.

I've never been asked to do anything illegal.

We teach a lot of foreign students and are quite busy presently.

I would agree that Skysafety (formerly Check Six Aviation) is a quality and professional outfit also. They have newer aircraft with fancier instrumentation (such as a couple of Diamonds, a couple of Symphonies, some cessnas I think) but they cost more also. Neither would be a bad choice in my estimation.
 
I would rather not post "details" here, but i will say I would NEVER Fly one of their planes! They are an accident looking for a place to happen! I can give some details if you wish, but PM me for them!
Also, I'm in San Antonio so if you need some help, or have any more Q's just ask!
 
Twheelflyer said:
I have flown worse and they got the job done just fine.
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It's stuff like this that makes me shudder.

Why do we pilots accept poor maintaince, just to save a few bucks?

For 5$ more per hour, you can fly a C-172 without an persistant oil leak on a 5000 hour engine. Has he ever fixed the front seal on N98873?
 
i heard somebody, just crash, that plane, my N98873, wounderful plane good times on it, night cross-counties.
 
Hi,

New member here. I was looking at reviews for a flight school in San Antonio and I found this thread.

Is this school operate the same way, or have things changed?

Thanks in advance.
 
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