AIR TRANSPORT of the CAROLINAS (FLO)

[G-force]

Need some info on this outfit!!!!!! They are seeking a chief pilot also!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[belchfire]

I wonder if it is a resurrection of the old Carolina Air Transport (from Lincoln County, NC) or if the name is a coincidence?

In 1999 & 2000 when I was hauling checks in the Mid-Atlantic there was a nice FBO and a few business type aircraft in Florence. I was waiting for the courier one day when the now long gone "Air Museum" was being dismantled and someone managed to set the grass on fire!

Kind of pissed me off, they were cutting up some kind of righteous old radial powered airplane when they started the fire...

 

[G-force]

Not sure if it is a resurrection of some other company,but I did find out a few things,they have NO ops manual,no mgrs as outlined in PT 119,so no proficiency checks in previous 6 mos,no approved maint program, no training program,violating ALL of PT 135,no oversight by anyone except a guy who works out of Charleston with a title of VP of Air Ops,but he has NO aeronautical experience of any kind,does not hold an FAA airman certificate!!!!!
This is a disaster waiting to happen!!!!!!! Someone will get KILLED in this operation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????

 

[belchfire]

There is a cutout for one man part 135 ops, or at least there was and all of the things you point out may have been purchased and the FAA is nesting on them. Now if they are in the process of trying to move from one classification to another that might explain things. Or maybe they aren't up and running yet and that is why they are looking to fill the CP spot...

There are lot's of CEO's skimming the cream off the top of the gross revenue of many airlines who had no previous aviation experience...

 

[G-force]

There is a cutout for one man part 135 ops, or at least there was and all of the things you point out may have been purchased and the FAA is nesting on them. Now if they are in the process of trying to move from one classification to another that might explain things. Or maybe they aren't up and running yet and that is why they are looking to fill the CP spot...

There are lot's of CEO's skimming the cream off the top of the gross revenue of many airlines who had no previous aviation experience...

According to their website,the company was purchased in 2018,and then moved from CRE to FLO!!! They have a guy listed as Dir.of Maint who is an "avionics tech",unsure if he has a "A&P certificate".They show 2 aircraft,both PA-31 Chieftains that are 1977 models(40yrs old),and they are doing charters as we speak.
PT 119 says they must have a Dir of Ops,Chief Pilot,and Dir.of Maint. that the controlling FSDO(CAE),must approve,however,the CAE FSDO has another "bad operator" in CAE,Bankair, from the 1960's,which has a deadly record of killing 20 plus people,many of them pilots,they also DO NOT rate a PT 135 certificate,but they have had one for all of these years,and the reason was a "political payoff",to the late Sen E. Hollings,who greased the track for them!!!!! One wonders if the same thing is going on currently at Air Transport of the Carolina's at FLO!!!!!!!!

 

[belchfire]

Regardless, more management does not make flying safer. In fact it is frequently the case that FAA mandated management is the problem rather than the solution. I don't know much about Bank Air but I have worked with a couple of guys who had done time at a certain Convair operator and lived to tell about it...

You want to explain to me how a couple of Navahogs can support that much management?

It can't be done and there are a hell of a lot of dead and gone 135 certificates to prove it!

 

[G-force]

Don't know how 2 PA-31's can support all that mgmt,not even if they flew a charter trip everyday 4-5 days/week!!! My guess is they are not supporting things,financially anyway!!!!
The CP position is still open as of 3 days ago!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[G-force]

This outfit needs a Dir of Flt Ops!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[belchfire]

Not if they don't have any flights!

 

[G-force]

Not if they don't have any flights!

PT.119/135 says a Dir of Ops is required!!!! Unless the controlling FSDO will issue a waiver allowing company to deviate from regs!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[belchfire]

Place sounds like a tax write-off to me...

 

[G-force]

Place sounds like a tax write-off to me...

Very possible!!!!!! No one should go near this place,its a ROGUE 135 operation,breaking practically ALL the PT.135 regs,pilots have no flight checks every 6 mos,Dir of Maint does NOT have an A & P certificate,ALL flights and maint is bogus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[G-force]

Waiting to hear that this outfit has been closed down!!!!!! Since they rightfully deserve it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[belchfire]

One would presume at some point they had to be up and running to be closed down...

I'm sure if you asked Adam Schidt it is all President Trump's fault and somehow it is a Ukrainian/Russian operation to subvert free elections in the US.

 

[G-force]

I wonder if it is a resurrection of the old Carolina Air Transport (from Lincoln County, NC) or if the name is a coincidence?

In 1999 & 2000 when I was hauling checks in the Mid-Atlantic there was a nice FBO and a few business type aircraft in Florence. I was waiting for the courier one day when the now long gone "Air Museum" was being dismantled and someone managed to set the grass on fire!

Kind of pissed me off, they were cutting up some kind of righteous old radial powered airplane when they started the fire...

Not sure about this from Lincoln County NC!!! What I do know is that they are recruiting again for Chief pilot,check ad on indeed.com,will see it there if it hasn't been filled already!! They cant seem to get anyone to stay for very long,would believe that tells you something!
They are seeking a candidate with 3 yrs experience in last 5 yrs as chief pilot,with no waivers!!!! The aircraft are 2, 1977 vintage Piper Chieftains,the guy who would supervise the chief pilot works out of Charleston,is NOT an aviator at all,no FAA certificates of any kind,would be substituting his judgement for the chief pilot in aeronautical matters!!!!! Already interviewed there,the salary info was not disclosed to me,and not included on indeed ad either!!!!!!!! Was not offered job and would not accept it if they did make an offer!! One aircraft is NOT equipped with wx radar,both aircraft are NOT equipped with oxygen!!!!!!!!!!
Let the buyer beware of this place!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[belchfire]

No need for an 02 system on the in the Mid-Atlantic, it's not like even a P-hog could climb over a thunderstorm so that isn't even a worthy point. Seriously, if you're dodging storms in the Carolinas (and not in the Western end of the states in the mountains) you're better off down at 4-5000 feet under the bases and flying around the rain shafts!

I honestly don't know how any of the wxr's work in those things anyway, the one's in the J-ball most frequently weren't worth the weight of dragging them around.

I'm not sure about how you know the way the relationship between the CP and the "supervisor" would be run-if accurate that would be a bad situation but there is no evidence provided and I doubt that anyone would be foolish enough to disclose that in an interview...

Still, not looking for that kind of a job but if you like pecans Florence is the place to be!

 

[G-force]

Since June of 2019 this outfit has had 5-6 chief pilots!! Would seem these persons are only staying about 4-6 months then quitting for better jobs,and why not!!! The guy you would be working for with a VP Air Ops title has NO FAA pilot certificates of any kind!! No pilot that is worth 2 cents wants to get violated by the FAA for because the were ordered to by higher mgmt!!!!!!!!!

 

[belchfire]

That's some ugly turn over. And a lesson about the organization itself to be perfectly honest...

 

[G-force]

That's some ugly turn over. And a lesson about the organization itself to be perfectly honest...

This outfit had ANOTHER job ad on indeed.com 2 weeks ago wanting to hire a line pilot/Ass't Dir of Ops!! A revolving door is going on at this place since any pilot that goes there quickly finds our that he/she doesn't want to stay,for very good reason.You're being managed by a VP of airborne Ops person that has NO FAA certificates of any kind,no aviation education,knowledge,training,or experience,but he runs a PT.135 on-demand charter operation.FAA regs/airsafety does not matter much to these guys at all,since a pilot could face legal action against their certificates if they don't knuckle under,and follow unsafe instructions from their ignorant upper mgmt.

 

[G-force]

This outfit has ANOTHER ad for a LINE pilot on jsfirm.com,they require absurd qualifications,refuse to say what the job pays,another example of the revolving door at this place!!!!! All pilots should avoid this place!! There are far better places to work than Air Transport of the Carolinas at FLO!!!!!!!