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Welcome to MFS Grad Track
This new feature of the Mazzei website is designed to provide our visitors with “first hand” accounts by students & graduates of the MFS program of their Mazzei training experience of where/what they are flying now and to track their career progress as we receive updates.
It is our hope that these unedited comments will give you some real insight into how our students/graduates feel about the training they received at Mazzei Flying Service and how they feel about the impact of MFS training on achieving their career objectives.
From Scott Clancy
At the beginning of the year I was just like every other prospective helicopter student. I knew what I wanted as far as training but had had no idea how to find it, especially when you try and find some honest information about a certain school. You have a hard time trusting websites because you know that part of their objective is to earn money and some will go far to get it. You also have a hard time trusting what students say about the school because the school they know about is the one they went to.
I had visited a few schools in my area and wasn't very impressed, one seemed like a decent place to get a private license, but not commercial. I looked at others but there was always something lacking. Fortunately Mazzei was on my list of schools to look into. My first actual visit to Mazzei's was unannounced; I did that because I wanted to avoid the red carpet tour if there was one. If there was anything questionable, I had the best chance of finding it this way. When I arrived I was very impressed, everything is organized and well orchestrated. A key thing I noticed was the upbeat atmosphere; I felt this was a Good indication. I spoke with the admissions guy, Jerry who filled me in with factual objective information, and if I had a question he had a real answer.
I hold an ASE certification so naturally one of the things I needed to see was their equipment and their maintenance operation. I was very pleased to see with what I saw; the majority of the school’s Helicopters are very well kept Beta and Beta II R-22’s. The maintenance floor is very professional. It is quickly evident that the school knows how to keep is equipment in good shape over time, and if there is a problem, they can usually fix it quickly.
As far as staff and instructors go, I don't know how you could do better; this is the nicest group of people I have ever encountered. I know all of the helicopter instructors and several of the fixed wing instructors on a first name basis. They are of course very knowledgeable. What really sets them apart, is in their teaching method. As a result of this training method, they produce great pilots and do it in a reasonable amount of time. Mazzei seems concentrate of the quality of training, and that quality reputation brings the students that fill their roster, including students who have come half way around the world just to attend Mazzei, one of my roommates was from Scotland and I play poker on Friday night with a guy from Seychelles. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Another perk is the free housing they offer with the program. It’s close to the airport but not too close. The apartments themselves are nice, they are good sized, clean, well furnished quite and safe.
So in my book Mazzei is a winner if you are looking for a package which offers the highest quality of training at a price that is hard to beat.
Thank you very much,
Scott Clancy, Student of MFS
From Christoph Scholz
To fly planes was all I could ever dream of when I was young. "Perhaps in my next life I will be a pilot", that was what I had thought and became an Astrophysicist instead. I had already started my PhD when one day I realized that science would not make me happy. So I quit my job and decided to fulfil my dream, you only life once!
Mazzei Flying Service was recommended to me by a friend who had completed pilot training in Fresno about 10 years ago and was since then flying for a mayor Austrian air carrier. Having had no idea how to select a suitable flight school I wrote emails to several schools, including Mazzei, some of which never even cared to answer. One school though replied within half a day providing not only stockpiles of information about the course, housing and costs but also called me personally to address and answer all my questions. I think it was due to Jerry Personeus's, spokesman of Mazzei Flying Service, engagement why I finally chose the school he was representing even though it was not the cheapest option to learn to fly. There are cheaper schools all over the country but excellent training has its price and each and every Dollar spent at that school was an investment for my future as I found out only a few months later!
Fresno turned out to be an excellent training location, good weather conditions for most of the year, no hurricanes, tornadoes, coastal fog, just clear skies. The Airport itself is a quite busy place served by lots of regional airlines and is home base to F-16s of the US National Guard. From the very beginning you get prepared how to cope with bigger airports, the traffic in the air and on the ground, clearances, and proper radio phraseology. You would not have that kind of experience when training at a small local airfield.
I started to fly the Tomahawk (PA 38), moved ahead to fly the Arrow (PA 28RT), my first complex airplane (retractable landing gear, constant speed propeller, and fuel injection) and did my multi engine and instrument rating on the Seminole (PA 44). Due to the school's large number of very well maintained planes I have never experienced any delay in my training due to availability of the planes. Only five and a half months after I had been airborne for the first time I passed my commercial pilot check ride on the first attempt. I could not have made it without the excellent training received from my instructor Nathan Brunelle and the help of all other personnel and students at Mazzei. The good spirit of everyone at the school created a climate where I almost felt like home.
Back in Austria I converted my American license into an Austrian license, got my frozen ATPL and started to write applications. Believe it or not, about 3 months later I was offered a job to fly a CJ2 (Citation Jet 2, C525A) for a charter operator based in Cannes, southern France . I did my type rating at Flight Safety International in Farnborough, England. I was their least experienced pilot they'd ever trained (200 hours prop. time only) and they somehow let me feel it until the first simulator session in the Level D, full motion simulator. The instructor was truly impressed about my overall performance and instrument skills. From that day on I was treated like any other pilot at the training facility which did fill me with pride.
Where would I be today without the excellent training I have received at Mazzei Flying Service? I do not want to know, all I know is that it was the best choice of my life having attended one of their courses which has made me a responsible, well trained, and sought-after pilot.
Thank you very much,
Christoph Scholz!
MFS Graduate Japji Kaur Cheema is perhaps the first Indian woman to earn her commercial pilot's license at the age of 18.
Read the Hindustan Times story here.
From Sam Hsun
I am from Taiwan, and graduated from Mazzei in May 2006. For the coming 2006 Christmas, I want to express my special regards and thanks to Mazzei's, especially my instructor Nathan, our good friend Jerry, and Jim's families. With those good friends' help, I can successfully earn my PPL, IR, CPL and 300 hours flight time in 8 months and have very good memory of those training days. In August 2006, three months after coming home, I was hired by a major airline in Taiwan (EVA AIRWAYS) and provided with 10 months' FO training for transport aircraft. I, an airline-pilot-to-be, am happy to say my dream is fulfilled day by day.
I believe the overall high standards at Mazzei Flying Service do help pilots set up their own high standards in the very beginning of career. I think this is the main reason why MFS is always proud of her graduates' performance in aviation.
Sam Hsun
Taiwan
From Pat R.
I started at Mazzei Flying Service not really knowing anything about aviation, just that I wanted to fly, I wanted to be a pilot. When I began the program I was a bit overwhelmed at the amount of studying I had to do. I did not know there was so much ground training behind all of this! I quickly caught up to the pace and the training from then on went very smoothly. I soon realized that, out of all the flight schools out there, Mazzei was truly a gem. I had stumbled upon the needle in the haystack. The training was intense, the instructors were dedicated to perfection, and the staff was like a family. After completing all of my ratings in six and a half months, I was offered an instructor position at MFS and stayed for two and a half more years before moving on to the airlines. It was at the airline level that I found confirmation that what we were teaching at Mazzei was not only producing outstanding pilots, but was also exactly what the airlines were looking for, which is: 1.) A Comprehensive and detailed knowledge and understanding of the aircraft, applicable regulations, cockpit procedures etc..., 2.) Precise aircraft (attitude) control, 3.) Professionalism. There is no doubt about it, the standards here at Mazzei are high, the curriculum is tough, but that is what sets MFS apart from all of the other flight schools out there...and that is the difference between producing just any pilot and a professional pilot.
Thank you Jim,
Pat R., Continental Airlines First Officer, ERJ-145XR, June 2005
From Steve Walker
Becoming a professional helicopter pilot was a lifelong dream for me. I grew up in Zimbabwe, Africa, in the midst of a civil war and witnessed helicopters landing on the edge of our school yard field to fuel up. From the time I was a boy I knew I wanted to fly helicopters. Out of college, I joined the British Army Air Corps. However, my military flying career ended as a result of a serious back injury due to a kayaking accident. But I didn’t give up my dream of flying. It took about a year to recover from my injury and once I had, I began researching flight schools all over the world. I narrowed my choice down to Mazzei Flying Service (MFS) and began my training in October 1993.
I chose MFS for several reasons. They offered accommodation (included in the course price) at an apartment community located just across the runways from the school. Many other flight schools were located in large metropolitan areas, so the cost of apartment rentals in addition to course tuition, was beyond what my shoestring budget would allow. I also felt that Fresno did not provide the distractions that other large cities did. It was the ideal study and flying environment and I completed the professional course in the minimum completion time of 6 months and became a certified helicopter flight instructor.
The atmosphere at MFS is friendly and the instructors are both helpful and very professional. Jim Brannan, the school’s owner, insures that each instructor is standardized to a high level and is a good fit with the Mazzei philosophy of attitude flying and customer service. My experience at MFS benefited me both personally and professionally. Teaching “attitude flying” and learning on the R-22 helped me mature as a pilot. It also gave me the skills and techniques that I later employed when flying other aircraft, including airplanes.
After instructing at MFS I obtained a job flying the A-Star (AS350) in Alaska on a seasonal tour job. It was an awesome experience flying in all types of weather and situations. My training/flying experience at MFS helped me immensely during my time in Alaska. I knew and understood such hazards of flying as pushing weather and mountain operations, which made me confident in my ability to safely fly tour passengers.
Once the season was over, I returned to MFS as Assistant Chief Instructor. I also became a Designated Pilot Examiner for the FAA, performing check-rides for pilots seeking certifications. I then launched a career flying Emergency Medical Service for a few years, first for a children’s hospital flying the Bell 407 then 9-1-1 response in the BK 117. Once again, my situational awareness training at MFS did wonders for me in my career as an EMS pilot. I was often faced with situations where I needed to land in a confined or rugged area, and I always felt comfortable doing so.
I recently returned to MFS to add airplane ratings to my pilot’s certificate. I was able to complete the commercial airplane certifications in 6 months and I now fly a Brasilia EMB-120 for a large regional airline. I owe my successful career in aviation to Mazzei Flying Service: From learning to fly using Jim’s own pioneered theory of “attitude flying”, to the skilled and professional instructors and staff, Mazzei made me the professional pilot I am today. Thank you MFS!
Sincerely,
Steve Walker
From Dominic Wallace
In the spring of 1998 I was faced with a big decision. I had obtained my PPL in England and had decided to continue my flight training in the USA. Having checked all of the local publications, I decided on a flying school based out of Los Angeles. Speaking to the fast talking rep. in the UK, I was just about to make my deposit, when they declared bankruptcy; Pheww.
Having learnt my lesson, I looked for a flight school that had been around a while, reasonable in cost and produced great pilots. Fresno, you’ve got to be kidding, but I kept an open mind, and went up for a visit. I met Jim Brannon and his fleet of Pipers and Cessna’s, great instructors and signed up to begin my career.
It was pretty hard work at the beginning, especially learning about “Attitude Flying,” the bedrock to my future career. But I completed all my certificates and was fortunately offered a job as a flight instructor at MFS. Mazzei’s is where you really harness your skills and deal with situations that can never be found in a simulator, solo flying or on the line. I believe that there is a real difference between pilots who have been instructors and those that have not. With the supervision and advice given to me by Mr. Brannon, I was in a good position to continue my career.
In the spring of 2000 I had another big decision. Should I accept an entry level position at Comair or become a corporate pilot, flying a Citation. Thought went into this decision, but the important part in my opinion, is that I had choices thanks to MFS.
Well, long story short, six years after leaving Mazzei Flying Service, I am Chief Pilot for Howe/Tolladay Aviation, flying a Hawker 700. And I am flying with a good friend and the very competent Captain Steve Walker, another MFS graduate. So if this inspires you to come take a look at the facilities, and we’re on the ramp; Jerry will point us out, and you can come and check out the cockpit.
Dominic Wallace
Chief pilot
From Fred Greer
After a career in law enforcement, I came to helicopter flying. After searching schools all over the USA a friend recommended Mazzei Flying in Fresno. I was a bit hesitant about 'Fresno, CA.' and needn't have been. The living conditions were fine and the flying location superb. At a class C airport the training was just right of busy and calm to give a new pilot experience.
The personal approach to training paid off big time. I was fortunate enough to have the same CFII from Private pilot through my CFII rating. I got ALL the required information, but Mazzei went FAR beyond that and made sure I was exposed to a variety of flying with focus on safety and real world flying. The helicopters are top notch and maintained on site.
The owner, Jim Brannan, has so much flying experience in.. well... anything that it is second nature to him and he always makes himself available to the students.
The helicopter CFI staff is enthusiastic and knowledgeable. One of the toughest things in learning such a technical skill is if you can't relate to an instructor. I always thought the staff at Mazzei (on both the helicopter and fixed wing side) was the friendliest folks I had ever met. So many skilled technicians can be selfish with their expertise, but not at Mazzei. Everybody is encouraged to share their information and enjoys doing so! They have specialized teaching techniques that really assist a person in learning to fly a helicopter. When you get to the level of CFI training, Jim even holds a week long CFI adult education seminar that should be patented.
I travel a lot, and have been to three other schools since finishing my training at Mazzei, to stay current. I ALWAYS walk away thanking my lucky stars that I chose Mazzei for my entire training regiment. I now hold a rotor CFII and fixed wing ASEL with complex and advanced ground instructor, all for a price that was very reasonable (reality check: ALL professional pilot programs are very expensive, but if your schools isn't really committed to motivating you to advance through the program in a timely manner, you will spend MUCH more... thank goodness wasting a student's time is against Mazzei's policy and philosophy).
I couldn't recommend it more.
Thank you very much,
Fred Greer
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