AvantAir entire fleet grounded for mx Inspections?

[myrealnameis]

Yea, yea and and they threated to fire me if I didn't make a run with a 1000 keys of Mexican bang bang and a dozen hookers for a party in Vegas for a group of Bishops. That place is off the chain!

Found this little ditty on another forum..interesting read!

Not surprised a bit about the maintenance. They've always had bad maintenance. Most of the pilots there don't know it. I've spent enough time in the shop and dealing with the maintenance side of the house to have seen it, though. I've personally seen falsification of maintenance paperwork on numerous occasions at Avantair, as well as pressure to fly unairworthy aircraft. Improper repairs. A gear door that was falling off. Two occasions of lightening strikes … …

I once picked up one of their airplanes from maintenance, flew it on a short leg, and landed with sixteen major squawks. The company accused me of performing "shirt-pocket maintenance." I asked what that meant, and I was told I'd obviously been flying the airplane for a week, and hiding all the squawks. When I pointed out .………

I found one of electrical tape hiding an annunciator that was illuminated full time, with a bogus MEL sign off. The FAA got hold of that one, threatened to yank the company 135 certificate. The mechanic who signed it off got fired, and the base closed. The Director of Operations quit (reportedly had a nervous br………

I was threatened with termination twice for "flying through thunderstorms" that resulted in "lightening strikes," although neither time did we go near a storm. Turns out that the company had the ........

I was in the shop one day when the police arrived to take away one of the senior mechanics, in handcuffs.

We had an airplane get so hot due to a bleed leak that the passenger, a wealthy owner, took off his clothes and lay on the floor to escape the heat. All of his christmas gifts melted. I grounded the airplane. The company demanded I fly it. That happened twice.

When I went through FSI, the instructor asked if anyone in the class had experienced any emergencies. Every person replied yes, and we took a list of what we'd collectively experienced...every emergency and abnormal in the book, just in that small group, in a one year period. I had an engine failure, rapid depressurization, gear failure, brake failures, total electrical failures, and a host of other issues.

I was fired for trying to bring a union on the property...and I didn't know anything about the union...didn't find out about it until later, when Santo himself offered me my job back...and instructed me to make sure everyone knew it had nothing to do with ............

Their training bond, offered after people had already quit their other jobs and were in class for initial...very poor form. Eighteen grand and not even a type rating?

Blah ....blah......the ********************ing blah!

edit for mind nbing OCD details.

 

[jetmaster727]

Are you condoning the concealment/whitewash of facts, or the shady maintenance/management policies observed here, sir?

When did self-disclosure equate betrayal of one's brethren workers?

*spit*

Just saying, "sir" , no need to post all the ugly details here and dime out the whole pilot group! Let the FAA do their job.

 

[Propilot77]

Just saying, "sir" , no need to post all the ugly details here and dime out the whole pilot group! Let the FAA do their job.

"SIR" there you go again firing eveyone up! *SPIT*

 

[sshrae]

Avantair pilots might consider finding a good aviation attorney while this investigation is going on. If the FAA finds anybody was hiding anything they will surely come after certificates. I know there are no union attorneys but AOPA has a legal team that might be able to help. My understanding is that violations are now permanent on records, if that is the case and some are handed out good luck finding another job. Might cost some dough for an attorney, but would be money well spent i it saves your ticket.

 

[say again]

Just saying, "sir" , no need to post all the ugly details here and dime out the whole pilot group! Let the FAA do their job.

I'm sure the FAA is well aware of what is going on, even without reading these posts.

 

[X-rated]

Nice post you idiot! If they had any hope with the FAA you just screwed it. Way to help your brothers!

Just saying, "sir" , no need to post all the ugly details here and dime out the whole pilot group! Let the FAA do their job.

With all due respect and empathy for the pilot group at Avantair, if even a fraction of what has been alleged is true, the public has a right to know. Many will likely vote with their feet, and send a clear message that there is NO room in this industry for intentionally promoting illegal and unsafe behavior. I'm in utter shock that these practices could occur at a major fractional operator even if it is based in Florida. If true, The D.O., D.M., and CP need to lose their Certificates and possibly even serve jail time. Each and every pilot should take a hard look in the mirror and consider if they in any way contributed to or enabled this outrageous behavior. Again, IF true, it's not nearly okay, and your desire to hush or hide the transgressions is indicative of a severe systemic problem.

You might want to consider if the best way to help one's "brothers" isn't to shine a huge spotlight on these kind of abuses, and make damn sure "your brothers" don't get killed along with those who entrust their lives to them. It's a tough economy, but there are far worse things than losing a flying job.

Best of luck to all those involved. I sincerely hope hope the issues get resolved and the planes get back in the air quickly.

X.

 

[Pervis]

Posts like those outlining the horrors and shoddy practices of any company always come out soon after bad news surfaces. Usually written by those with a huge chip on their shoulders after being terminated themselves for very valid reasons.

Until the Fed releases a specific announcement confirming such allegations, I'll give every Avantair employee the benefit of the doubt. Spreading this kind of unsubstantiated BS is nothing more than salt in the wounds for those confronted with furlough and possible permanent loss of their jobs.

 

[jetmaster727]

Posts like those outlining the horrors and shoddy practices of any company always come out soon after bad news surfaces. Usually written by those with a huge chip on their shoulders after being terminated themselves for very valid reasons.

Until the Fed releases a specific announcement confirming such allegations, I'll give every Avantair employee the benefit of the doubt. Spreading this kind of unsubstantiated BS is nothing more than salt in the wounds for those confronted with furlough and possible permanent loss of their jobs.

What he said!

 

[gunfyter]

What he said!

plus 1

 

[countbat]

With all due respect and empathy for the pilot group at Avantair, if even a fraction of what has been alleged is true, the public has a right to know. Many will likely vote with their feet, and send a clear message that there is NO room in this industry for intentionally promoting illegal and unsafe behavior. I'm in utter shock that these practices could occur at a major fractional operator even if it is based in Florida. If true, The D.O., D.M., and CP need to lose their Certificates and possibly even serve jail time. Each and every pilot should take a hard look in the mirror and consider if they in any way contributed to or enabled this outrageous behavior. Again, IF true, it's not nearly okay, and your desire to hush or hide the transgressions is indicative of a severe systemic problem.

I believe I said earlier the CEO, whatever his name might be, should be arrested.

 

[Luis1576]

my understanding is that this genius had his f/o film a video of his engine-out emergency landing. The f/o was not beyond his control; the f/o was directed to film the event. By "capt. Jd". Want some fodder for the feds? There ya go...

As far as the passengers go, they wouldn't have even given the event a thought if it weren't for "capt. Jd" walking around the fbo, showing off the video to the crowd... in front of the passengers.

310rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[countbat]

believe I said earlier the CEO, whatever his name might be, should be arrested.

Don't get me wrong, I don't know all the facts, but usually the CEO is the one who f5ucks up any company. I think, usually,VP ops and DO are in this too, but CP is a middle man, something between, no pilot and not enough management, so he should be out. Today's CEOs, and that is nation wide, are just bloodsuckers, worth of nothing, society parasites, good to bankrupt companies, good to be jailed, reason why our economy sucks, incompetent pieces of ******************** worthless people.

 

[X-rated]

Fair enough. There is always someone out there with an axe to grind. I have absolutely no issue with anyone being skeptical about the credibility or at least motivation of some posters. That's why I said "If true" three times. However, some of the posts were first person accounts, and instead refuting the allegations or discrediting the poster, jetmaster727 basically said don't talk about it in public because pilots could lose their jobs. While I agree speculating is completely irresponsible, discussing true and factual instances of wrongdoing is fair game when you have firsthand knowledge. I'm not saying it's true. I hope it's not.

 

[glasspilot]

It's a very awkward situation...a 'furlough with a hopefully short duration'.

That puts the furloughed pilots in a difficult situation where we can't really say anything or defend the company. We all want all these posts to go away and bad press to stop as we are motivated by the desire for our company to come out of this intact. Engaging with former employees who do have their axes out and are grinding away only puts the thread right back and the top of the stack and therefore is counterproductive.

So we're in a situation where the ex-employees are coming out swinging and swinging hard while the furloughed employees are standing here with our hands tied behind our backs.

 

[AftCG182]

It's a very awkward situation...a 'furlough with a hopefully short duration'.

That puts the furloughed pilots in a difficult situation where we can't really say anything or defend the company. We all want all these posts to go away and bad press to stop as we are motivated by the desire for our company to come out of this intact. Engaging with former employees who do have their axes out and are grinding away only puts the thread right back and the top of the stack and therefore is counterproductive.

So we're in a situation where the ex-employees are coming out swinging and swinging hard while the furloughed employees are standing here with our hands tied behind our backs.

Valid point. I think I'm done posting here for a while. Even though I want to stick up for our Company, posting and keeping these threads at the top of the page doesn't help our situation.

Have at it, folks. I'm out...