Monday, January 12, 2004

Allison

As you know, two days before Christmas I achieved a long-held ambition (30 years plus!) to get my private pilot's license. This was due, in no small measure, to the patience, skill and experience of the excellent instructors at TAS.

Thanks, especially, to my primary instructor, Rick Poch, who spent many hours wedged into a 152 with me and patiently endured my early ham-fisted attempts at coordinated flight. All credit to him for having faith in my abilities, even when I was far from certain of them myself! Thanks for signing me off on everything from my first solo to the checkride itself.

Thanks also to Troy and Ray for the last few hours of checkride prep, which were absolutely invaluable. I’ll never forget being allowed to get into a spin (4 times in a row!) to demonstrate how poorly coordinated I was in my stall recovery (thanks, Troy!). Nor having the controls taken from me for the first time ever - on the last flight before my checkride! Mind you, I was (unwittingly) committing the potentially fatal error of pulling back on the yoke to extend my final approach glide! Ray undoubtedly felt I was about to remodel the landscaping just ahead of runway 27....

Wayne Lorgus also deserves special mention - his checkride-oral prep was first-class and provided the direction and confidence I badly needed. Thanks for burning the midnight oil with me, Wayne (yes, it took that long).

Finally, thanks to Allison for accommodating all my scheduling needs and being especially flexible with last minute changes or requests for a plane at the drop of a hat. I took forward to many more hours flying with TAS - I plan many rentals over the coming months, then when I'm over-being "studied out" it’ll be time to get started on that instrument rating!

Thanks again to everyone at TAS

Gareth Williams

December 29,2003

To The Staff at TAS,

On October 6, 2003 I completed my PPL flight training by passing my checkride. It's been a long process, between 9/11 and weather and my schedule, but I made it. The reason I made it is the staff at TAS. I began my training with Dave and finished up with Rick. From start to finish, I flew with or was assisted by Brian, Troy, Rob and Wayne. Everyone at TAS was helpful in the process and the program you have in place speaks for itself in the number of students who easily pass their checkride.

I think all that stems from Allison and the system that she runs. Many times she knew the status of my currencies without even having to consult the folder. Her professionalism and friendliness is key to the success of your operation, since she's usually the first face people see when they enter TAS.

In addition to the instruction I received - which was excellent - the staff at TAS is one of the friendliest groups of people I have ever met. Always offering words of encouragement or a point of instruction to any student regardless of who the primary instructor is, TAS is truly a great learning environment for pilots.

I look forward to starting my instrument training and continuing on a long and enjoyable flying career. Once again, thanks to all of you for everything you've done to make me a better pilot.

Steve Mescanti

Dear Ted, Allison, Rick, Wayne and Troy:

I recently received my private pilot certificate as of 8/15/03 and I would like send some thanks out to TAS.

I would first like to start with Ted. I would like to thank him for having some of the best-kept planes I have ever seen. I would also like to thank him for keeping all of the planes within an excellent price range for rent.

I would like to thank Allison for running the show and answering any questions no matter how busy she was.

Rick was my flight instructor and I would like to thank him for teaching me the fine art of flying.

I would like to thank Wayne for helping me get ready for my oral. I really felt prepared after his ground school.

Last but not least I would like to thank Troy for helping me in my final phase check out.

I really feel that TAS has some of the most knowledgeable CFI’s I have ever met.

They are also some of the friendliest people I have ever met. I felt very prepared for my check ride thanks to them. Everyone at TAS was more then willing to answer any questions or deal with any concerns I had.

I am already looking forward to next summer for renting and instrument work. I would like to thank everyone at TAS again.

Sincerely, Lucas Linderman

6/24/03

Dear Allison,

As you know, I successfully completed my PPL check-ride last week so now I'm a real PILOT! What a thrill this has been!

The purpose of this letter is to let you know how pleased I've been with you all at TAS and how much help you've been in my quest. Kudos to Troy, my principal flight instructor, for his patience, relaxed attitude and encouragement, especially in the months before I finally soloed, when I was struggling with my landings. It has been a real pleasure to fly and learn with him over the past year. It was equally good to fly with Brian and Rick as they both were very helpful and easy to learn from. I feel I learned a lot from each of them.

Since each instructor brings different experiences and different perspective to the learning and the flying, I strongly encourage all your students to fly with as many different instructors as possible, especially after they have learned the basic flying skills. It is interesting, and not surprising, I guess, that there are many ways to "skin the cat" and what's most comfortable for one person isn't necessarily what's best for another. When I look at my training over the past fifteen months, I find I have flown with seven different instructors, including two in California, one in Manassas, V A, one in Tatenhill, UK and of course, most of my hours with Troy, Rick and Brian at Brandywine.

While I only spent a couple of hours with Wayne in ground-school prior to my check-ride, he deserves kudo's as well for his excellent review, his thoroughness and very helpful explanations. My time with him was very productive.

What else can I say? You and the team at TAS were very friendly, professional and always willing to be helpful. Thanks, Allison, Troy, Brian, Rick and the entire TAS team!

Very truly yours,

Fred Thompson

March 19, 2003

I recently passed my Private Pilot check ride after eight years of off and on training and a lifetime of desire. Getting my ticket was one of my lifelong goals that kept slipping out of my reach until I found TAS Flight School.

I started and stalled my training at two other schools before TAS was able to help me finally accomplish my dream.

Your instructors are knowledgeable and patient, exacting without being demeaning and seem to really love what they do.

Your equipment is always maintained in good repair and available when promised. You have sufficient inventory to handle the needs of your customers without having to schedule weeks or months in advance. All of these factors are a testament to your management of the school.

I would like to particularly thank Troy Gruner who was my primary instructor as well as Ray Tackett. Troy has the patience of a saint. Without him, I would probably still be a student. Both Troy and Ray fly and instruct with a passion for flying that shows in their work.

I feel fortunate to have been associated with such fine gentlemen and such an outstanding school.

When I am ready to pursue additional certifications, I will definitely return to TAS to secure my training.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Z. Bisazza

3/10/03

Hello Allison,

I wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed my private pilot training at TAS.

Everyone at the school has been extremely friendly and helpful along the road to my PPL.

I owe many thanks especially to Rick. His experience as a pilot and as an instructor was evident during every lesson. Even now that I have earned my license, he continues to be helpful as I venture out into new aircraft and new destinations. If he can teach me to fly in 43 hours, he can probably teach just about anyone ;)

I would be remiss if I didn't also congratulate you on the excellent job you do running the school itself. I never had a single scheduling problem. The planes were always fueled and ready to go come lesson time. I especially liked the fact that I could handle all aspects of my ground schooling on site at T AS, in addition to the air work. Having an on site testing center for the FAA written exams was particularly convenient.

Thanks again, but definitely not goodbye! I'll be back to take advantage of that fleet of aircraft you have (I look particularly good in N991TB!) and, someday soon, to start working on that instrument ticket!

Matt Heere PPL since 1/28/2003

Sept. 10, 2002

Dear Allison, Troy, Dave, And Wayne:

I want to thank you all for helping me achieve my dream of becoming a private pilot.

The training at TAS was professional, yet very relaxed and enjoyable also. The entire staff is very helpful and knowledgeable, with everyone taking an interest in my progress.

I would, again, like to thank Troy Gruner who worked so hard with me throughout my training. He was always extremely patient and encouraging especially through all of the reasons I found to NOT take my checkride !

The entire staff at TAS is very helpful. Just before my checkride it seemed everyone was there to help out. The planes are clean and in good shape (safe!). Scheduling is not usually a problem- but its good to schedule ahead!

Again, thanks to all involved in helping to bring about the most exciting achievement of my life!

With the greatest of appreciation and gratitude-

Earl A. Brown IV

July 17, 2002

Dear Allison:

I want to thank you, and the entire staff at TAS, Inc., for helping me achieve a dream I have had for over thirty years - the dream of becoming a private pilot.

The training I received at TAS was professional and enjoyable. The entire staff is very knowledgeable, friendly and caring. The instructors all took an interest in my training and were always happy to thoroughly answer any of my many questions. Just before my checkride, all of the instructors worked with me in the air and on the ground, preparing me for my test.

I would personally like to thank Dave Adamson who worked so hard with me throughout my training. He was always extremely patient, offering encouragement when I would get stuck on a concept, flight maneuvers, or when I became overly anxious about my progress. Dave even came to work on several occasions on his day off to accommodate my schedule. The practical knowledge and experience he has acquired was shared with me making my learning experience extensive, enjoyable and invaluable.

Thanks to Dave, and the other instructors, I was more than prepared for my checkride. I can now look forward to many years of flying enjoyment and I hope to continue learning more at TAS as I work toward additional ratings and certifications.

With sincere gratitude and appreciation, I am

Respectfully yours,

William J. Daloia

December 30, 2001

Dear Mrs. Laird.

Friday I saw a thirty year old dream come true. I received my Private Pilot’s, License. What a great feeling of accomplishment! I want to thank you for the couple of fireside chats that we had. Your encouragement and understanding meant a lot to me. I also owe a great deal of thanks to Troy Gruner for pushing me out of the nest. Without his push I would be still on the ground wishing and wondering. I want to give special thanks to Mark Weeks for polishing me up. I cannot begin to tell you how much I appreciated his patience and professionalism.

In addition to getting my license I want to give thanks for all the new friends that I have made at the airport....Dave, Jay, George, Bud, Earl, and the whole crew.

Thanks a million to everyone at TAS that helped me get my ticket. Enclosed is a Checkride debriefing that may help someone else.

Sincerely,

Norman Steines

610-431-4127

Mark, Allison, Ted, and all at TAS,

Thank you for helping me to realize a life-long dream of learning to fly. It seems like a very short few months ago that I started the program and I felt like I was drinking from the fire hose, it was all so overwhelming. I thought 'How could anyone possibly get a handle on such a complex machine'? Now, thanks to your instruction, I've begun to master these once foreign skills. My private pilot's license is testament to that.

Your program was well structured with a good mix of lessons. Some were confidence inspiring and others kept me suitably humble. They reminded me that as a pilot, I should never stop learning. At all times I felt the instructors were giving me just enough new challenges to let me grow without feeling like I was in over my head.

I look forward to further instruction and ratings to be earned at TAS. I just wanted to thank you for all you've done because now I can say with pride, 'I AM A PILOT'!

Steve Kreckman

Dear Allison,

I wanted to express my gratitude to you and the terrific staff at TAS Inc. for enabling me to realize my dream of flight. Throughout the entire process, you and your staff at The Brandywine Airport have been extremely helpful. I was impressed with the attention to detail dedicated to meeting my training needs. You have done an excellent job in ensuring that an aircraft was always available and in nothing but perfect working order to accommodate my busy schedule.

I spent most of my time under the careful instruction of Troy Gruner. Troy is absolutely one of the best teacher’s I have come across. He always remained positive, even in the roughest of my landings. The one aspect I found refreshing about Troy was the fact that we flew in many different conditions. I fully appreciate that everyday will not be sunny, visibility will not always be perfect and the sky will not always be devoid of clouds. Troy enabled me to understand the mechanics and physics involved in flying in less than perfect conditions. Throughout the training regimen, I felt that my confidence level continually improved, a direct reflection of Troy’s guidance.

Please express my gratitude to Dave and Ray as well. Their expert guidance allowed me to continue my forward progression in Troy’s absence. Finally, I appreciate the expertise and mentoring provided by your entire staff. Your flight instructors never hesitated to answer my questions or point me in the right direction. Thanks again to a wonderful staff and a truly satisfying experience.

Sincerely,

Nicholas C. Zikas

Patrick J. Byrne

August 19, 2001

Dear Ted:

This letter is written to thank you for your efforts in putting together the wonderful staff of flight training personnel at TAS Inc, at The Brandywine Airport in West Chester. I recently completed your Cessna training program and easily passed the FAA check-ride for private pilot, and so much of the credit goes to your staff!

My first experience with TAS was meeting Allison Laird, Flight School Manager, who was throughout my training a positive and upbeat operations manager, a provider of accurate information regarding any questions on costs, support materials to purchase, and who enjoyed sharing her personal experiences as a pilot. Allison was always willing to work diligently with training and aircraft scheduling to coincide with my busy schedule. All aircraft were in excellent condition and Allison strived to make maintenance "turn-arounds" quick and efficient to insure that planes were properly serviced and ready for flight training.

Primary flight instruction was with Troy Gruner, who was excellent at providing the necessary training at a pace that matched my ability to absorb and retain the information. Troy's approach to instruction was refreshing, well tuned with the Cessna Private Pilot training kit, yet practical knowledge-based to make me a better and safer pilot in the practical world of aviation. I look forward to many years of enjoyable and safe flying based on Troy having been "in the right seat".

All of your TAS instructors, especially Dave, Ray Mike and Mark (all of whom I flew with), are very professional, positive and have a passion for flying and instructing. Without exception, everyone there would take the time to insure that my question(s) were answered completely and fully understood.

As an owner of a service based business, I know how important the staff affects the quality of the product and customer experience, and I want to commend you on your selection of this staff and how well they work at the task of flight training and aircraft rental. I look forward to a continued relationship with T AS as I continue to fly and move on to instrument training!

Very truly yours,

Patrick J. Byrne