Wyotech airplane school

[O.P.]

I'm thinking of going to the Wyotech aircraft maintenance school in Oakland.

Newly unemployed. Almost exactly the amount of severance money needed burning a hole in my pocket. The unemployment dude said that california would pay unemployment while I was in school. I got the name off of the california employment website, so they're approved.

I called wyotech up, and the lady said they would take care of all of the getting unemployment while going to school stuff. She said that I would have all of the hours needed to test out at the end. Sounds good to me.

I guess what I'm asking is, Has anyone ever heard of anyone who has went to this chain school and what do they think of it? And, in the long run, does it matter much what school you went to as long as as you got the A&P certificate?

Thanks in advance,
Orvis

[Cvairwerks]

If you watch Xtreme 4x4, I think Jessie came out of one of their auto programs. I know that they have provided stuff for a couple of other shows and Trucks! used to run numerous short segments from one of their labs.

Your tickets will be licenses to learn just about anywhere you end up. I would also plan to be moving to get a decent job situation. Figure eating rice and beans for the next few years until you get some experience under your belt. If you don't mind moving right now, I know of a job with our company that is based in Mississippi working in an engine test program. It would require 2-3 months in the UK for training. I'd have jumped on it, but there wouldn't be any pay increase for me. It's definately more than you would make for the first couple of years as an A&P. If you are interested, pm me and I'll get the data from work.

[O.P.]

Hi Cvairwerks!

Thanks for the offer, but I can't move right now.

I figure you're right. Rice and beans for the next few years. The girfriend has her geek job and wants to stay in the bay area. She has agreed to check out South Carolina though. Thats cool. Just gotta convince her to look at Austin now.

[bdk]

The A&P school probably only matters if that's where your future boss went.

I suppose if you had a law degree from Harvard or Yale that might be a different story, but that wouldn't help you for an A&P job anyhow...

[Cvairwerks]

Orvis: Austin is a hotbed of geekdom type jobs. Dell is close by. Going north a little is Waco, and TSTC....both a flight and A&P programs there. L3, a big aircraft mod center for military stuff is right on the field. Fort Hood is nearby in Killeen, and there are some civvie jobs working on helos. Go south, and San Antonio has numerous jobs at the old Kelly AFB, working on military stuff. UT Austin is there and it has lots to offer if you want to do a BS or higher.

One thing that will blow her mind is the cheap cost of living compared to the Bay area. What you guys would pay for a tiny apartment/condo will get you between 2500 and 4000 sqft, depending on just where you want to land. Go outward a little more and you would be looking at acreage for decent prices...under 10k per, down to hundreds per. Georgetown, Round Rock, San Marcos, Temple all have good airports and with a little looking and willing to hunt, airpark property is also available.

Might be worth taking a long weekend and coming over and cheacking it out. If I had know about your needs a week or two ago, I would have suggested coming last weekend, as it was South By Southwest Musaic festival there in Austin. I haven't seen any numbers yet, but most years, it's hundreds of bands and thousands of people for several days.

If this piques the interest, let me know and I'll get you hooked up with some definative info for you.

[O.P.]

Hi Cvairwerks!

Thats way cool. I have some friends down there and I have been going down there once a year. I wanted to get a place in San Marcos and try to get a job at the airport there. With an A&P I might have a better chance at it.

The house prices are great there. I can actually own a house with a big back yard and a big garage and not have to make 250k between the two of us. Just be a regular dude with a regular job. I've been waiting for that time for many years.

I'm done with geekery, but she loves it still. I'm trying to convince her to go with me visit down there soon, while I still have a lot of free time. When I'm getting ready to go I'll PM you. Maybe we can link up over at the CAF hangar and check out the P-39.

Orvis

[Cvairwerks]

Give me as much notice as you can. I live about three hours from Austin. Also, sometime between now and June, I've got a 30 year reunion to go to, and two trips to retreive Fairchild parts from the east coast. We generally know on Thursday nights if we are going to work weekends, so keep that in mind. The earlier you let me know, the better chance I have of hard scheduling the weekend off and maybe arranging something for the wife and kids to do down there while we play airplanes.

[bax101]

If you have not decided to go there yet i would try and contact other students who have previously attended. Coming from Wyotech Boston I can tell you that there school there was pretty pathetic more or less. Basically they took in many inner city kids who barely had money and shook all of there pennies from them and kicked them out the door before they could ever finish. THe teachers to didn't get paid squat and one actually walked out during his teachings. I myself had a hard time there and went to OKC to take my finals which was a great experience. So I myself wished I looked into it alot harder before diving straight into the abyss of loans.

[Django]

I can't speak for the Aircraft side, but we have had 4 kids from Wyotech's Hot Rod program and only 1 out of 4 has lasted more than 90 days. The three were all pretty clueless and thought they could coast through life. They managed to get their "dream job" in a hot rod shop and worked like gangbusters the first month. Second month they slowed down. By month three, they were collecting their paycheck and itching to leave at 5 to go party and their work suffered. Their work ethic sucked. So at the end of the 90 day trial period, we let them go.

Now in contrast our one that we kept works very hard. So I would suggest you don't just accept what they teach you. Seek out all that you can and work work work. It will be noticed by your future employer and appreciated.

[O.P.]

Thanks for the replies Bax101 and Django!

The school is in Oakland so I definately am going to take a hard look at their teachers and students.

I guess it is mixed news, but, if they were able to work at all I guess it means they knew the basics.

I'm 43. Done coasting.

I have a great opportunity to start over and my girlfriend, family and friends are very supportive. I am very motivated, and this is the second time in life doing the big career change thing. If I can get out of there with an A&P, I'll be ahead of the curve.

Hopefully in a couple of years I'll be restoring warbirds in someplace warm with good BBQ.

[Pat]

The A&P school probably only matters if that's where your future boss went.

I suppose if you had a law degree from Harvard or Yale that might be a different story, but that wouldn't help you for an A&P job anyhow...

+1
What Brandon says is right; regardless of where you go to school, you'll have to pass the same FAA tests to get your tickets.

That reminds me of a story from my days working as a mechanic for Delta Air Lines... one of my co-workers was telling me that his A&P school (Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma) was better than mine...I went to a community college in Fort Worth, Texas to get my A&P training. I asked him how much money he spent attending Spartan...his chest swelled with pride as he told me "about $12,000". I chuckled and told him that I spent "between $1k and $2k, and we both ended up with the same job and same pay!" He uttered a few expletives and walked off.

So, my advice to you would be to look for a community college with an A&P program...the cost will be much less. The school I attended had much better equipment than any of the local privately owned (and more expensive) A&P schools.

-Pat

[Second Air Force]

Pat,

I started out at Spartan and then was fortunate enough to move to the Vo-Tech community college system about halfway through. I saved a huge sum of money and had a much better experience at the community college.

Follow Pat's advice, Orvis--look into the community college/technical school programs in your area. I don't think you will be disappointed. Whatever you do--DO NOT PURSUE AN AIRLINE MECHANIC JOB!!!!--like I did.

[Pat]

Second Air Force-
Are you employed with American Airlines in Tulsa, by chance?

-Pat

[krlang]

Pat,
Whatever you do--DO NOT PURSUE AN AIRLINE MECHANIC JOB!!!!--like I did.

We now have 4 ex-airline guys with us, most walked away with nothing.

[O.P.]

You guys freakin RAWK!!

Thanks! I found a school almost within walking distance. Its also at night. So I can get somemore flying in during the day with the money I didn't give to Wyotech. By the time I finish I should have an A&P and a commercial ticket.

Far Effin Out BayBay!!!!

Thanks again Dudes!

Here is the school,
http://www.paadultschool.org/html/career_technical.html