groovinaviator

Just wondering how many Parks College graduates or students read or post on these forums. Leave a post letting me know when you graduated and where you are flying/working now.

As for me, I graduated December 2005 and after doing an internship at Raytheon Aircraft Company in production test I was offered a job at Air Wisconsin.

Hope all are well.

Pilotpip

Graduated in 2005 as well. I was on the 5 year plan and finished flying and with most of the degree-related classes in 2004.

The supersonic slampico is frickin' sweet.

surfer1212

I left there in 1998. I can't believe they still have the Tampicos! those things are great..... I fly the CRJ 200 for Pinnacle now. I was actually there when they still had the campus in Cahokia. I went by there a few weeks ago and was surprised to see that it's still there.

Pilotpip

Surfer,

We've mothballed a few to help utilization and keep operating costs down and I think a couple of the higher time ones are for sale. In the meantime they're repainting them as well. They actually look pretty good.

The first arrow with an Avidyne showed up last week. They didn't put autopilots in them but it's nice to have something in between then tampico and seminole. We're going to use them for CFI and single add-on as of right now but I think we're going to find a way to fit a few flights in them before going into the twin. I was behind that thing for about the first five flights.

Another benefit for the glass is transition to regionals in a couple years. Friends who worked at my former flight school with G-1000 aircraft have commented on how much that time helped them in training at the Regionals.

groovinaviator

It's nice to hear the program is on somewhat of a rebound. When I was there we were all being threatened with flight fees even if we had already completed training... people were pi$$ed! We all really felt like Biondi and former dean Yeigh wanted nothing more than to cancel the program... those were dark days for sure.

tomgoodman

Parks College has a good reputation at Edwards AFB. Quite a few of the test pilots and engineers are alumni, and they speak highly of the school.

groovinaviator

That is great to hear! Hopefully my generation can carry on the tradition and respect of such a historical and great program.

arjmjj

95' grad. Finishing up in the USMC flying Hornets. Trying desperately to get on with Big Brown. Had a great time in St Louis.

Pilotpip

The flight fees were suspended on what was supposed to be a temporary basis when they moved over from the old campus. For some reason, they stayed suspended and were one of the reasons that many people went there (myself included). I guess with fuel and insurance costs going skyhigh the powers that be finally wanted answers as to why the program was loosing more money than any other in the university system. It took a lot of hard work by both the current, and former cheif instructor and others to save the program.

I went to work at another St. Louis flight school because the future of the program was really in question. As soon as the opportunity to go back there was given, I jumped. I haven't started yet, but really can't wait to. The new program is really a strong selling point. Graduating with your CFI, CFII, MEI and experience as an instructor due to the practicum program really will set the graduating students apart from people like me that took over a year after getting my diploma to get their CFI. Most importantly, the staff is behind it, and the instructors are behind it.

Foxcow

I did not attend Parks but I instructed there until July 2006.