top of page
OUR FIRST STUDENT 26 YEARS AGO
The Man, The Myth....The Legend: Brian Tressler
Stan found this little dude wandering around the Hayward Airport like a pesky stray pup back around 1992, and so put him to work! They became instant friends.
Our First Student: Brian T.: About Us
Little Brian was a real Go-Getter. He's what they call a self-starter. Nobody sought him out. Just a wandering kid sort of in your way and disrupting you among a work day, but that was his charm! You just don't see many ten-year old kids wandering around an airport, putting their foot in the door like pushy salesmen, and talking their way into more flying, opportunity, and jobs than men 20 to 40 years older.
Our First Student: Brian T.: Welcome
By age 12, Brian was still pestering Stan for airplane rides and fannagled up this T-182 as his limo. He began work washing airplanes and later helping Stan maintain a fleet of flight school and private aircraft. From there, Brian volunteered and worked with the U.S.S. Hornet Museum and Oakland Aviation Museum restoring static display aircraft. He also assisted with Young Eagle's events, airshows, and anything he could.
Our First Student: Brian T.: About
By his late teens, Brian secured his first real aviation employment at a Hayward FBO tending and refueling light aircraft, helicopters, turboprops, and corporate jets. He continued working with the U.S.S. Hornet Museum, Oakland Aviation Museum, and others. He also developed into an excellent automotive body & paint man.
Still putting his foot in the door everywhere, Brian called Stan up one day around the year 2000 offering him an A-10 Warthog courtesy of U.S. Government at the whopping price of one dollar. Brian also pocketed a second A-10 for himself!
Sadly, Stan was busy at the time and had no place to park an A-10, nor anything to do with it other than scrap for the Aluminum and spares value which seemed such a sin. So, Stan had to pass but did, technically, own an A-10 Warthog for a day...thanks to Brian.
Brian, however, managed to talk the USAF into chopping the wings off his "Dollar Store" A-10. Whereby, he flatbedded it home out of the Arizona boneyard and donated the aircraft to the Oakland Aviation Museum as a fuselage & cockpit static display.
Not bad for his first aircraft purchase! Since Brian, AMARC has made it far harder to acquire boneyard aircraft!
Our First Student: Brian T.: Welcome
Since then, Brian has been slowed down greatly due to severe health problems but has managed to remain in aviation and find a great wife. However long he remains with us, he will always be that most memorable, little pushy pilot and blessing to have run across.
Like wandering birds of the wild, youth drop in, perch, and fly out at times. We never really make them. God does and just sets them in our path for a time. They often think we have done them a great favor in being kind and mentoring, but, actually -- where they are like Brian -- it is our pride, pleasure, and honor to have just been a helpful friend along their journey.
Such is the magic of aviation.
Our First Student: Brian T.: News
COMING SOON TO A YOUTUBE THEATER NEAR YOU!
Autographs available with sufficient groveling!
The one and only...
The Sultan of the Sky...
The Professor of Aviation...
A-10 Warthog Procurement Specialist...
Destroyer of AMARC Boneyard Freebies...
Custodian of the Holy Aviation Shrines...
San Francisco Bay Area Drone Man....
The Man, The Myth, The Legend...
He who wakes up each morning, gazes around in the world, and truly grows sad and lonely for having no equal, in this life or the next...
Brian! :-)
Our First Student: Brian T.: About
bottom of page