American Flyers Investigation

[bobbysamd]

Trib Flyers article and the hazards and politics of 141 self-examining authority

Here's a link to the American Flyers Chicago Tribune article. The article should be old hat to any instructor who has worked in a 141 school with self-examining authority.

The article was deja vu for me. Most anyone who has worked in a Part 141 school with self-examining authority will tell you that it is a can of worms. I worked in two schools that acquired it while I was there, ERAU-Prescott and FSI in Vero. I recall that schools must have an 80% pass rate or better with FAA examiners of its last X number of graduates to obtain self-examining authority.

The prestige and "advantages" of self-examining should be clear, which is why so many 141 schools seek it. And what they go through to get it! They take great pains to ensure that students are trained to the hilt and look for "easier" (or, in Riddle's case, fair - I am not kidding) DEs to send their students.

It gets worse once the school is granted self-examining authority because it can be lost if the 80% pass rate is not maintained. Take it from someone who indeed knows, having been a Riddle self-examining stage check pilot and an FSI pre-stage check pilot. Self-examining authority is riddled (sorry) with politics and manifold opportunities to compromise your integrity and airman certificates if you are a stage check pilot. Stage check pilots can be under great pressure to pass students, so, as alleged in the Trib article, a number of lesser-quality students get certificates. Or else, students who don't quite meet standards are not failed but their paperwork is held while they receive "remedial" training. All to prop up the pass rate.

All this is incorrect. A self-examining authority stage check is supposed to be just like an FAA practical. It is supposed to comprise a proper oral and flight test, to the same standards as in the PTS. If you fail, you fail, receive additional training, and are rechecked.

FSI instituted a pre-stage check program for its students. They would go to an experienced instructor for a mock stage check, which was supposed to be as tough as the real thing. Their strengths and weaknesses would be noted and they would be sent back for remedial training, if needed, before the "real" stage check. The pre-stage check was counted as an instructional period. I don't remember now, but I'm sure they were charged extra for it, unknowingly.

The bottom line is that training quality can suffer as a result of 141 self-examining authority. 141 self-examining authority is indeed a two-edged sword. We had a DE in Vero (who stood to lose business after FSI obtained self-examining authority) who expressed that fear. I did not like this man because he was eccentric, political and unfair, but he might have had a point. Or:

Designated pilot examiners who tested American Flyers students cooperated with the FAA investigation.

"All of us out here have been providing example after example to the FAA investigators," said an examiner who requested anonymity.

"We got into this because the quality of American Flyers applicants has been poor."

An axe to grind.

 

[Vladimir Lenin]

Hey, bob, mind copying and pasting it for us here?
site requires registration, and I don't feel like getting on Chicago Tribune's shlt list of spamming

thnx

 

[bobbysamd]

Trib article

Hey, bob, mind copying and pasting it for us here?

No problem.

FAA report rips DuPage flight school
Records falsified to pass students, investigator finds

By Jon Hilkevitch
Tribune transportation reporter
Published November 2, 2003

A DuPage County-based flight school, one of the largest in the country, has falsified training records and issued pilot licenses to students who failed written exams and final cockpit "check rides," according to a Federal Aviation Administration report.

American Flyers Inc., which is headquartered at DuPage Airport in West Chicago and has 14 other facilities nationwide, "abuses its authority and constitutes an immediate threat to the public health and safety," said the FAA's report.


The report, obtained by the Tribune, was written by a local inspector. The FAA regional office is reviewing the investigation, which is still considered open.

The flight school, which is contesting the FAA's findings, denied any violations that would compromise safety.

The FAA report alleged more than 50 violations involving students awarded private pilot licenses or commercial pilot licenses at American Flyers schools at DuPage and Palwaukee Municipal Airport in Wheeling, as well as in Ft. Worth and Addison, Texas; Morristown, N.J.; and Islip and White Plains in N.Y.

The findings raise questions about the oversight of flight schools, which are producing a growing number of the nation's airline pilots.

Until the downsizing of the military, 70 percent of airline pilots came from the armed forces and 30 percent from general aviation.

The numbers are now reversed. And the FAA, concentrating most of its resources on monitoring safety in the airline industry, has cut back its oversight of general aviation.

The FAA investigation of American Flyers identified former personnel at the school who signed statements saying "they have direct experience in seeing ... the manipulating of scores of those taking and failing knowledge tests."

Donald Harrington, American Flyers chairman, said the company may be responsible for paperwork violations. But he blamed the company's problems on "an overzealous, rogue FAA inspector."

"I am not going to say some of his allegations were not accurate. We are not perfect, and we did not do all of our paperwork perfectly," said Harrington, who is principal owner of the school, established more than 60 years ago.

"But it's totally impossible to change a failing grade to a passing grade," Harrington said.

"It just didn't happen. Our personnel have no vested interest in cheating."

No terrorism links

The investigation did not focus on possible terrorism links and uncovered none, an official said.

The FAA probe alleged American Flyers provided incomplete training to clients, manipulated records and allowed ill-prepared students to pass flight exams.

American Flyers is one of a limited number of schools permitted to give its students exams, an authority granted in the early 1990s.

Allowing a school to train, test and issue pilot licenses, officially called airman certificates, has raised conflict of interest concerns by some.

Students who go to schools without that authority are tested by FAA examiners or independent pilot examiners.

The FAA report gives several detailed descriptions of how the school allegedly advanced unqualified student pilots.

A 40-year-old female flight student from Homewood received a private pilot license from American Flyers on Feb. 17, 2002, even though the school's assistant chief instructor who gave the test found the student's performance unsatisfactory, the FAA report said.

Before the test, David Huser, American Flyers' vice president, instructed the school's assistant chief instructor to pass the student "regardless of the outcome," according to the FAA probe.

The student failed the test. But the instructor did as told and passed her, according to the FAA investigation, which was based on statements of American Flyers employees and students, as well as documents.

A source at the school said American Flyers' officials feared the woman would stop paying for lessons if she failed.

"She was getting frustrated over her lack of progress in getting her private [license] and threatened to pull out of the school," the source said.

Asked about the student's case Friday, Huser said: "I wouldn't have any comment on that. There is no allegation to that effect that has been brought to my attention or the company's attention."

No attendance records

In some cases, American Flyers students were given credit for courses for which no attendance records existed, according to the investigation.

At the American Flyers' facility in Houston, there was no record that 30 students who took written tests attended required courses, the FAA found.

A similar failure to document required coursework for 23 students was found at the school's DuPage center, the report said. "Issuing airmen certificates after incomplete training calls into question the entire educational and evaluation process," the report said. "American Flyers has, essentially, a cash-for-license system."

During the summer of 2002, American Flyers graduated six flight instructor applicants, although their training records show they did not complete course requirements, the FAA report said.

In at least some cases, the students were not aware of the irregularities until being contacted by the FAA.

"My particular class was awesome, though I saw other people who were not as happy," said Scott Lystrup of Altoona, Wis.

Lystrup, 39, a lobster wholesaler, said he is not flying or instructing full time now.

Lystrup said he first learned about problems with his training at American Flyers after he received the second of two instructor ratings from the school and the FAA contacted him asking for a copy of his logbook.

"Obviously I was very concerned because the FAA inspector said he was checking into discrepancies," Lystrup said, adding he didn't hear again from the FAA.

The FAA's flight standards district office at DuPage Airport conducted the investigation. The FAA's regional office is now reviewing it.

"This is an open review, which means final decisions have not been made," said FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory.

Possible action against American Flyers includes fines, elimination of the school's in-house testing authority, or even revocation of its operating licenses.

The inspector general's office in the U.S. Department of Transportation has entered the American Flyers investigation, in part to ensure the FAA probe remains on track, according to a source.

Designated pilot examiners who tested American Flyers students cooperated with the FAA investigation.

"All of us out here have been providing example after example to the FAA investigators," said an examiner who requested anonymity.

"We got into this because the quality of American Flyers applicants has been poor."

Another examiner said school officials summoned examiners to a meeting and "screamed bloody murder about us being unfair. But the reality is that a lot of American Flyers students, who pay premium prices, come out of there thinking, `I am just great.' If you have someone who is bad and doesn't know they are bad--like an inability to deal with wind or poor skills flying instrument [landing] approaches--they generate a whole new series of problems for everyone else."

After learning of the investigation, American Flyers complained to FAA headquarters.

"We went to Washington and asked some friends at the FAA to intervene on our side," Harrington said.

He said he made the request because the FAA inspector overseeing the school was not treating the school fairly and was citing it for unwarranted violations.

At American Flyers' request, the FAA took the inspector, Denis Caravella, off the investigation in August after nine months of work and appointed another inspector.

The move came only weeks after Luanne Wills-Merrell, manager of the FAA's DuPage office, wrote to Harrington on July 25: "This office has received information which leads us to believe that knowledge testing and practical testing conducted by American Flyers Inc. ... may have been compromised."

Integrity concerns cited

David Hanley, who directs the FAA's flight standards offices in the Great Lakes region, wrote to Harrington a week earlier citing "ongoing concerns about the integrity of your written testing process."

Many of the cases the FAA investigated involved people working toward flight instructor ratings that would enable them to teach beginners to fly.

Other American Flyers students were working toward their advanced pilot licenses in the hope of landing jobs with airlines or corporations that operate a fleet of planes.

On July 22, 2002, Senga A. Butts of River Forest received a commercial pilot license from the flight school's Palwaukee facility in Wheeling.

He received the license despite a finding by an assistant chief instructor that his performance was unsatisfactory, the investigation found.

The instructor's logbook contained the comment "no way" in describing Butts' failing performance, according to the report.

The FAA review uncovered the situation and Butts, then 27, received additional instruction.

He eventually earned his commercial pilot license.

"I was eventually found to be proficient, but the FAA wanted me retested because the wrong person signed my logbook," he said.

Butts said the foul-up caused him to undergo unnecessary stress and he blamed American Flyers.

"I thought the training I received from American Flyers was good, but the school really dropped the ball with the paperwork they messed up on," he said.

"When it came for them to find my records, they miraculously disappeared."

(continued next post)

 

[bobbysamd]

Trib Flyers article (continued)

Some independent flight examiners said allowing a flight school to test its own students creates a conflict of interest.

"There is obviously an inside interest when a staff member administers the test," said E. Allan Englehardt, a designated pilot examiner and a Boeing 777 captain for United Airlines.

Harrington said his school is one of the few approved by the FAA to examine its students.

"It's uncommon because you have to earn it by maintaining unbelievable record-keeping systems and impeccable airplanes," he said.

Copyright © 2003, Chicago Tribune

 

[Tim47SIP]

Upset examiners?

Some independent flight examiners said allowing a flight school to test its own students creates a conflict of interest.

I might have missed all of the points, but it sounds like the independent examiners feel that they are not getting enough of the pie here. I have seen this before in Texas at a 61/141 school. The examiners wanted all of the students like the ones that work for All ATPS and complained to the FAA that there were problems with self examination. The charges were dropped, but I can see the resemblance. Who knows though.

 

[bobbysamd]

Upset examiners

Before Riddle pushed for reinstatement of self-examining authority, the school used the three examiners on the field for students' practical exams. These examiners had a monopoly. They probably earned most of their income off ERAU students. They knew it and abused it, as witnessed by an inordinate number of failures.

I say inordinate for two reasons:

(1) In those days there was nothing more unreasonable in the world than an ERAU stage check. These stage checks were tough (and often unrealistic and immature), but the rationale was that if one could pass an ERAU inquisition one could pass an FAA practical, as proven by

(2) the pass rate shooting up dramatically when the school sent students to non-PRC examiners.

Either way, the PRC examiners lost business, first, by the school sending students elsewhere, and, second, when self-examining authority obviated the need for examiners. These DuPage examiners found themselves in the same boat and, in this Flyers investigation, have found something on which to hang their hats.

The point of it all is there's more than meets the eye than allegations of substandard students and phonied-up paperwork. Axes are being ground. I seriously doubt the DEs on the Flyers' field are going on a safety crusade only.

On the other hand, given my experiences, I wouldn't be surprised if there is at least a little truth to the certificate issuance irregularities. I remember at ERAU how it was felt that while some students were marginal no harm was perceved in issuing them a Private. School officials knew the student would continue training at the school under controlled circumstances and rationalized the student might improve by the time he/she was eligible for his/her Commercial. The Flyers situation appears to be similar. In either case, it was absolutely wrong. That puts the certificates of the instructors who trains these individuals and the stage check pilot on the line, and is a safety and deception issue.

 

[flyboy]

I did the instructor course a year and a half ago in ISM and I must say that it was the greatest training I've recieved at any level. The instructors were extremely detailed and cared about what they were doing. The people running the joint seemed to care but were extremely irratable and removed. Even so, there should be no doubt about the quality of training at the instructor level. Keep in mind that it is done under part 61 and you still have to visit the FSDO (or a DE if you go to Pompano Beach).

 

[brew3departure]

A nice piece of pie...

The DE business is EXTREMELY lucrative in Chicago - there is more than enough to go around - plus, each year they get together and raise the going rate of what someone has to pay for checkrides. Last time I signed a student off, which was a while ago, the going rate for an advanced ride was $350. I have no idea what it is now.

I haven't been flying that long, and when I took my private ride, I paid $100, it would have been $90 if the guy didn't have to make a lengthy drive from Sherman County...that's big city/small town, though.

Of the examiners that we used to send students, I know several who do nothing else - as in, that is their one and only job. This was disturbing at the time and, to be honest, it still is - because the Chicago FSDO had stated to people seeking to become DE's that it was not to be their only job. I don't know if other FSDO's feel this way, but there was one examiner in particular who would say that they could do "2 1/2" checkrides per day. Two full checkrides and one re-test. At $350 a pop for each, you do the math.

I know the examiner that I preferred should have a wing in his house named after me for all the business that I gave him, but that's another story altogether!

I don't think it's a slice of pie issue though - if all the examiners got together and said "Wow, people who come out of the AF program are ill-prepared", that's one thing - if those examiners had an axe to grind with AF, that's another altogether. If students are ill-prepared, go to the source, don't call the FAA, for heaven's sake!

Interesting that it made the Tribune, not only that, the FRONT PAGE - must have been a slow news day.

-brew3

 

[antney]

all i can say, is WOW! Hope this gets all straighten out, and Illini, I wouldnt worry to much about us as instructors there at one time we will be involved.

 

[Iceman21]

Take a look here:

http://www.nbc5.com/news/2607890/detail.html

 

[Munga]

I worked for American Flyers for a little over 3 yrs. During that time I got 141 examiner authorty. There are a lot of advatages for the school, b/c no one really fails. If there is a part that is unsat, then the student can get retrained on that and then take the ride over again. This is not much different than many of the major airline school houses. AA, TWA and UAL have train to proficiency. You don't get a check ride until the instructor thinks you are ready, and then I have heard some pass that really shouldn't.

I never passed anyone who did not meet the requirements. Some of the students just couldn't get it, and yes the company was not happy about it, but I could not risk my certificate just to pass someone - no matter how much money they have spent. We had some eternal students that we had to move to part 61, b/c they could not pass w/n the 141 time constraints.

AF has extremely good instructors, and the instruction is top notch. Their materials (books and training aids) could be better, i.e. the on-line CFI refresher is a joke, but so are all the others I have attended.

Mr. Huser has a nick name (smiling knife). He and Mr. Harrington are typical coprorate American A-holes and are totally money driven. I am surprised the instruction hasn't suffered, but they only hire good instructor that seem to have good integrity. I never worked near the headquarters so I never had the day to day pressure from the head honchos. BUT I was laid off on X-mas eve by Harrington himself over the phone, then rehired 2 weeks later when they realized they actually needed someone with experience.

 

[bobbysamd]

Self-examining politics

If there is a part that is unsat, then the student can get retrained on that and then take the ride over again. This is not much different than many of the major airline school houses. AA, TWA and UAL have train to proficiency. You don't get a check ride until the instructor thinks you are ready, and then I have heard some pass that really shouldn't.

On the other hand, the majors can wash out those who don't "get it." It's just not politic to bust someone, or to bust too many, in a 141-self examining school. However,

I never passed anyone who did not meet the requirements. Some of the students just couldn't get it, and yes the company was not happy about it, but I could not risk my certificate just to pass someone - no matter how much money they have spent.

Good for you, my man. I was the same way. Which might explain in part why I was sent back to the line after 1 1/2 years as an ERAU stage check pilot. Do not ever compromise your certificates. Guaranteed, the school won't be there to back you if you ever pass someone who didn't deserve it.

 

[Ty Webb]

I did my Instrument training at AF in DPA, back in the summer of 1989. It was very good training. There was a strong focus on $$, but the training was very standardized, and was as good or better than the training I was getting at the large University I got the rest of my stuff at.

 

[Weasil]

Quote from NBC 5 website

FAA officials also said they would like to know where the Tribune got its report, because they said there is no such FAA report. American Flyers is under open review, they said, and they do not talk about matters under review, Wojciechowski further reported.

"This is all written as if there is fact," said an FAA spokeswoman. "And there is no fact."


___________________________________________________

The students listed in the article in the trib were graduated by the Former Assistant Chief Instructor who is quoted as saying she was made to do it.

Why do you think she doesn't work there anymore if she was doing stuff like that. There are no allegations of those kinds of things happening since she left!

 

[siucavflight]

Media,
Go figure.