Airline Training Academy out of business

[ceo_of_the_sofa]

wow, this is terrible, sorry guys...60K up-front? I hope all these poor souls didn't pay cash...and to think, that a few years back I actually considered one of these 90 days/all ratings schools...well, let me remind everyone else then...pay with a credit card, do it at an FBO and do it in $1000 increments...or go to FS

 

[Bouyer]

I WILL HAVE TO ADMIT I DID PAY 50+ THOUSAND DOLLARS
AND WAS SCREWED

 

[JohnDoe]

Lesson learned....

So now get together with your fellow students and DO something about it. Take other people's advice in this thread. Call the attorney general, class action, etc.

Good luck.

 

[Bouyer]

what?

john doe why dont you tell me what kind of lesson was supposed to be learned from this

the ag has already been contacted

 

[Timebuilder]

I know what lesson I would learn:

"Pay as you go".

 

[JohnDoe]

Well.....guess I was echoing some of "ceo of the sofa's" comments about not paying cash, using a credit card, not paying all 60k at once, doing it at an fbo, etc. If my comment offended you, all I can say is "sorry".


Glad to hear the ag has been contacted.

 

[ceo_of_the_sofa]

Re: what?

what kind of lesson was supposed to be learned from this

don't buy in bulk, this isn't Purina

 

[172driver]

Originally posted by Bouyer about a week ago:

CHECK OUT AIRLINE TRAINING ACADEMY (WWW.FLYHERE.COM) IN ORLANDO GREAT TRAINING AND A GREAT MANAGEMENT TEAM. THEY HAVE SEVERAL TRAINING ROUTES TO CHOOSE FROM. I AM A STUDENT THERE AND I AM COMPLETELY SATISFIED WITH ALL SO FAR. I CHECKED OUT ABOUT 10 SCHOOLS BEFORE MAKING MY DECISION.

A great example of why you shouldn't believe everything you read. I've consistently said ATA was a shady operation. Got that impression from one talk with the owner years ago.

I feel terrible for the students and employees and hope they get it all back and more. Let's see if the lawyers can do something productive for once. Amazing... they can get you millions for a hot cup of coffee at McDonalds but I bet ya this will be dragged out for years with no results.

 

[rptrain]

www.flyhere.com used to have a letter on there from an ACA chief pilot praising the program (unfortunately the website is blank now). If someone has a copy of that letter please post it.

 

[SDF2BUF2MCO]

Talked to my friend who goes (went) there. He got a loan through some bank/loan company to pay ATA. I speculate he is still morally/legally obligated to pay the bank but does anyone know what else he can do to give him some leverage?
He also said the rumor is ATA was still taking new students money on Wednesday. So it was probably a sneak attack and ATA didn't realize they were broke until yesterday (sarcasm).
He went to the prosecutor's office today.
ATA the Enron of PFT. Perhaps they can get into politics.

 

[jetpilotjay]

I was there in sept 01'. I saw the writing on the wall then and pulled out of AS II. I've been trying to get the rest of my money out of them ever since. THey are real crooked bastards, and treat you like s$$t while you are there. You're were always afraid to speak out. They made examples of those who did. You just kept going in the hopes there would be something. After 9/11, there was no point in staying. I wish the best for all the other students who will probably be screwed by this. Good Luck.

 

[flyboy]

Yeah, they dropped the bomb on anyone who crossed them. I'll bet ole Seesholtz is laughing his *** off now.

 

[jetpilotjay]

I don't know how long you were there but i was at pilot talk the day Pat questioned capt. Jim about the mesa lie. they kicked him out that day. they went to his apartment and told him he had one hour to pack and leave. Wendy Leonard(Jim's Daugnter) said that he shouldn't have embarrassed her father in front of everyone like that. THat taught everyone a lesson that day, BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY! If anyone out there remembers, Pat was in the Feb 01' class

 

[azpilot]

www.flyhere.com used to have a letter on there from an ACA chief pilot praising the program (unfortunately the website is blank now). If someone has a copy of that letter please post it.

Google caches page. You might do a search on there and see if you can find the cached page.

 

[Chunk]

*NOT* Ambulance chasing

For those of you stuck, FSI in Vero Beach has offered a week's stay in their dorms for free if you need it.

Sorry to hear about this scummy operation...I'm no fan of trial lawyers, but SUE SUE SUE. Get and injunction NOW!

Good luck to all out there taken for a ride by this "family owned" business.

Chunk

 

[surfnole]

What was the name of the guy who started this school? No doubt he will pop up again somewhere to rip everyone off. He needs to be blacklisted. He sold Comair the Comair Aviation Academy.

 

[172driver]

Don't know his name but I think he runs a school in Deland...maybe Regional Airline Academy?

 

[Chunk]

The guy's name is Williams. I think he flies for ATA (the airline) and also own Discover Air, a BE99 outfit on the side.

This guy is scum. There are students being told they have one day to move out of the apartments the school leased for them because the students pay the school for the rent (in some cases months in advance) and the school didn't pay the rent for the students.

Pilots are literally going to be homeless because of this scumbag.


HE SHOULD BE SHUNNED AND BLACKLISTED!

That's okay.....the students (from what I hear) have sworn out a warrant for his arrest.

Chunk

 

[SDF2BUF2MCO]

Chunk, that is the correct last name but from what I understand the old man is a retired airline captain from a major (or that's what he told his students). He has sons helping "run" the business. Not sure any of them are in the airline biz.
I also think he started the original Comair at Sanford (SFB) and then sold it to the present owners.
I need to be careful though since I'm only repeating gossip and don't know first hand.
Channel 9 in Orlando did a piece about this on the news earlier today. Sure it will get some more press.

 

[ShawnC]

Didn't ATA have a crash in Daytona last month on the 18th? I'm not sure because the NTSB site is down.

Retracted got access to the NTSB site the crash was from Comair