About Turbine Training Center

In 1988, GATTS, Inc. founder, Dale M. Wolcott, was actively engaged in the aerial application of agricultural chemicals. As the crop-dusting industry began to modernize, more and more agricultural aircraft were being equipped with turbine power plants. The tried and true radial engines were rapidly being replaced with more reliable and efficient Pratt and Whitney and Garrett turbines.

The transition from radial to turbo-prop, while not overly complicated, does require some formal training. Due to the large investment of capital required for such transitions, most operators sought out training for their pilots. Those who did not often found themselves with burned out hot sections and broken aircraft.

Hundreds trained to operate safely and efficiently

Due to his national reputation as an aviation instructor and experience with high performance, turbine powered aircraft, many new turbine operators turned to Dale for training. That was the beginning of the Turbine Training Center. Since 1988 hundreds of pilots have been trained to safely and efficiently operate many types of turbo-prop aircraft. Although training for turbine powered agricultural aircraft continues, Turbine Training Center now concentrates on training pilots and operators of the Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft.