Avgeek7248

I'm a CFI and soon to be CFII looking to move schools. I'm looking to average 100 hours or more a month and have been looking at CAE, Transpac and some other flight schools that can get me that. Was wondering if anyone had recommendations for any flight schools that could fit my needs of getting hours fast. I don't care about location, pay, and QOL can be crap i'm used to it. I've heard transpac has changed a lot but wanted to hear outside opinions/experiences.

PT6 Flyer

I interviewed with them two years ago but I decided not to take the job.

Yes, you will get a lot of hours. Be warned that the Phoenix area is HOT in the summer. But when you give IFR training it will be done at night so the heat won't be a problem.

Here is another thread on them.

Transpac Aviation Academy

One post in that thread really jumps out at me:
05-30-2017
"Once upon a time transpac was the place to be. I have heard the new owners/management is absolutely terrible."

UMDpilot

your mileage will vary but I had a really good time at Transpac! (now aeroguard) I got a lot of hour and was able to move on to a regional after a year (ATP unrestricted). As long as you don't have your MEI you will be fine lol.

PT6 Flyer

Why is it beneficial to not have an MEI?

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Transpac is now called Aeroguard

http://www.flyaeroguard.com/

Why did they change their name?

COKS

With an MEI, at least at Aeroguard, you will spend a lot of time in the sim and you get less flight time than you would with a CFII. They pretty much change their name for reputation/rebranding, they change it every dozen years or so, they used to be Pan Am flight academy, then Transpac, now Aeroguard.

PT6 Flyer

They must have a pretty bad reputation.

BluePAX

The students crash quite a bit unfortunately.

PT6 Flyer

Yikes! Are the students being rushed through the curriculum, causing them to be crash-prone? Is it a communication issue? (I know the students are Chinese and may not speak English well enough.) Is there too much of a culture-clash?

COKS

I worked there up till recently and honestly it isn't as bad as people say, yes they have the accidents that have happened could have all been prevented by the instructor, it almost always involved the instructor not taking controls at the appropriate time.

BluePAX

I'm going to agree that your response is partially true, but there are so many other accidents where other reasons are to blame as well. Inadequate training prior to solo sign offs, loss of SA, poor maintenance/bad luck, high density airspace without ATC separation, etc.

The January 2010 crash was a student on a solo flight who fatally stall/spun into a field. If I remember correctly he was getting forced lower from clouds and got overwhelmed while trying to return to KDVT.

Feb. 2011 crash killed three, two students and an instructor who I knew. CFIT at night into terrain North of Phoenix during an IFR training mission.

May 2013 midair crash which killed 4. The airspace is so crowded in the training areas it's unreal. I remember one FAA Examiner from the local FISDO who refuses to perform checkouts in any of the training areas.

The 17 some odd other accidents involving both maintenance and pilot error are easily found on Google. Not just a bent wingtip or bent prop, but lots of entire hull losses.