The first class for the new Thrust Institute of Maintenance at Addison Airport (KADS) in Texas is set to takeoff Nov. 6, 2023.
Thrust Institute of Maintenance is an affiliate of Thrust Flight, a flight school with locations at KADS and North Texas Regional Airport (KGYI) in Denison, Texas.
The new maintenance school will offer an FAA-approved 12-month program to take students from “no experience to a certified A&P ready to work,” according to company officials.
Thrust Institute officials added they anticipate offering a night class for A&P students starting in early 2024.
For more information: ThrustInstitute.com.
It’s not like they will be signing the release to service(Airworthiness) right out the gate folks. They will be working under supervision for a while no matter where they go.
Lol, Lol !! I have seen newly licenced A&Ps sign of some small ga planes, for 50 bucks without even looking at the plane (the cheap owner did the work). If you spend 2 to 3 years of hard study and maybe an apprenticeship for peanuts for a few more years, you might hold your skills and licence at a little higher standard. The problem is the ga airplane owner is willing to spend 10 to 20 k on the latest electronic toy, but screams robbery when he hears how much he has to pay for maintenance. Also there is not enough oversight! I can count at least 5 airplanes that are maintained (and I use the term loosely) by people without licences, and this is without trying to see them, they openly do this. Again there is no oversight. As others have comented on this, “12 months” , this has to be a come on. If there is really a license in 12 months, i don’t think its even legal.
Interesting…The A&P program at the University of Illinois Institute of Aviation required classes and labs from 8am to 5pm, 5 days a week, for three years straight. Even then, your A&P license as awarded was considered a ‘License to Learn’ (as stated before.) Would love to see the FAA’s program-approval paperwork on this one.
12 months is pretty accelerated but for the last decade or so all the attention has been on a pilot shortage. For some reason technical expertise for the next generation had not been a priority and now the resolution of 12 months isn’t ideal. Would I want an A&P with 12 months time using his license to sign off on my Single engine recip. Probably not. Under the supervision of a repair station or MRO they have processes for safe maintenance compliance. You can Develop mechanical skills over time if you have the ambition and a couple of good mentors. Give them the tools to succeed and the cream rises to the top.
I served a 5 year apprenticeship in Aircraft Engineering in another country, and still didn’t know it all. I came to the US and sat my FAA Maintenance Tech license writtens at the FAA. I applaud a new school, but I don’t see how a qualified aircraft maintenance technician could be produced at the end of 12 months. As an FAA inspector told me, “You now have a license to learn.”
It could be that this 12 month period only gives you one license, like and Airframe. I don’t know. What I do know is I would like to learn more about the program.
I spent almost 2 years getting my A&P. I was already a mechanic but Spartan in Okla doesn’t short cut anything. First of all if a person is not mechanical inclined it’s not a good idea. The Airforce civil service started a program called grow your own mechanic. In my opinion it was a total failure. I had to deal with some of those folks. Rote memorization doesn’t work when you are responsible for your work and put a pilot in the seat..Things have changed a great deal since I joined the Air Force in 1961!!! I completed a total of 40 years working for the US Air Force. I believe the aptitude test should be given to every person to determine if a person is capable of working on aircraft. Too many lives are at stake in the end.
Wow, that’s a lot to learn in a 12 month period!! I hope those who earn their license truly understand the importance and critical nature of their actions.