Hi, John!
I posted in another thread that you started and mentioned that Mazzei was one of the schools that I had checked into while searching for my "match." After a lot of consideration and thought, I have committed to Mazzei and will be heading to California in a few weeks. As I said before, I have not started yet and only know what I have seen from the outside, but I'll try to explain what made me choose them over all of the other options out there.
First, I am a BCU certified kayak guide and instructor and a professional photographer who leads tours and workshops. I also spent some time teaching high school English. I am very concious of instruction quality and methods, recognizing that every student is unique and has individual needs. One of my first attractions to Mazzei was their commitment to hiring and producing instructors who know how to fly AND how to teach effectively. As aviation academies and FBOs go, there are many that are equally dedicated to flying, but I didn't find any that were as committed to teaching their instructors how to teach.
Second, when I visited Mazzei, I had free reign to speak with anyone I wanted. Students, instructors, owners, support staff, mechanics . . . they were all available. The recruiter, Jerry, let me walk the grounds and the offices alone so that I could speak candidly with whomever I chose. What impressed me was that, though people mentioned little things that they thought could be changed for the better, everyone was very happy with the program. I even ran into five people in Fresno who had attended MFS in the past and were extremely positive. (They did not attend the Professional Pilot courses - just private instruction.)
I was welcomed into the cockpit of the aircraft, taken on a tour of Mazzei's maintainence facilities, and allowed to backseat during a multi-engine lesson. Though the aircraft are not brand new, they are impeccably cared for and only one person I talked to had ever had an issue with a plane being down for a scheduled lesson.
Fresno Yosemite International is a great airport and provides a mix of traffic. Corperate, light recreational, regional, and military traffic are all present. As for weather, there are a few weeks in the winter when the fog rolls in and the rain falls, but it is usually clear and sunny. Unfortunately, I am a lover of water, forests, and green things, while Fresno is dry, brown, and hot most of the year. Luckily, though Fresno isn't my favorite place, the mountains and coast are both within a few hours' drive and give me easy escapes.
As for the future after Mazzei, I know that one of the instructors I talked to on my visit was just hired by a regional. (Congrats, Ben!) At least a few others have been taken on by the neighboring corperate operation. Though places like Delta Connection Academy sound great to me and might get me into an RJ cockpit faster, I firmly believe that I will be fine going with Mazzei, too. If I am a good pilot, good instructor, and have the qualities that an employer is looking for, I think I'll find a job. As Mazzei is a lot less expensive than many of the bigger academies, I'll also be a lot happier when it comes time to repay the loans . . .
I saw that you've listed the Mazzei web site. I'll assume that you've seen their promises, programs, and prices, so I don't need to tell you about those.
For who I am, how I learn, what my goals are, and what I want from my time at an academy, Mazzei seems as perfect as any school could be. I won't start for another 4 weeks, but I am quite confident that this is the right choice for me. Much like the last road bike that I bought, there were little things that I'll need to change or get used to, but, as a whole, the fit was much better than anything else I looked at. I am sure that they aren't for everyone, but I would encourage you to give them a chance.
Good luck, John!
Best,
PhotoPilot
