AvantAir entire fleet grounded for mx Inspections?

[Jim]

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

Maybe the FAA needs to hear stories like his and maybe Avantair needs to be grounded. Maybe Avantair's grounding will keep someone alive. I worked there when they first started up and I know 5 or 6 pilots that have or still do work there. I barely lasted 6 months because I felt Avantair was unsafe and had complete disregard for the FARs, maintenance procedures and safety. When I quit, they were happy to see me go because then they didn't have to explain to their pax why the pilot was refusing to fly. My friends' experiences and mine are all just like fugazi's. I've been waiting for years to read about the Avantair crash that kills everyone on board and I've always felt it was just a matter of time. Especially since many of their pilot have no problem with the company's "shortcuts" with the rules.

So while I feel sorry for the pilots being furloughed and possibly losing their jobs, I think the FAA is doing the right thing by looking closely at Avantair. Their "culture" needs to change.

 

[Paradoxus]

Well said... The aviation industry cannot afford this type of culture!

Agreed, though I would hate to think such statements are colored ex post facto by your recent departure from AAir (where you spent five years, if I recall), whatever the circumstances. Are you prepared to state here, as a matter of record, that you weren't party to carrying writeups, etc during your tenure there?

 

[Capt. JD]

Agreed, though I would hate to think such statements are colored ex post facto by your recent departure from AAir (where you spent five years, if I recall), whatever the circumstances. Are you prepared to state here, as a matter of record, that you weren't party carrying writeups, etc during your tenure there?

I had 4 emergencies seen to a successful conclusion during my 5 years at Avantair: 2 engine failures both un commanded & commanded, hydraulic pump failure, lighting strike... I MEL'ed & wrote stuff up! I care to not comment on carrying write ups at this company... In the end I enjoyed flying the P180 & flying with most of the pilots, but flying a FAR part 25 TurboJet is far more safe!

I got asked to leave because I had a First Officer film my landing with his personal iPad while I was hand flying a visual approach into Sedona, not my idea! They used it as a reason to get rid of me, oh well!

 

[countbat]

WOW....Some stories here. Sorry for the ordinary folks. It seems to me best solution is CEO to step down, or fired and have a fresh start. If only half of stories are true he should be arrested.

 

[hammer2]

I had 4 emergencies seen to a successful conclusion during my 5 years at Avantair: 2 engine failures both un commanded & commanded, hydraulic pump failure, lighting strike... I MEL'ed & wrote stuff up! I care to not comment on carrying write ups at this company... In the end I enjoyed flying the P180 & flying with most of the pilots, but flying a FAR part 25 TurboJet is far more safe!

I got asked to leave because I had a First Officer film my landing with his personal iPad while I was hand flying a visual approach into Sedona, not my idea! They used it as a reason to get rid of me, oh well!

What the hell, did he post in on YouTube or Facebook? Had to be more to it than that when they invited you to leave...what a helluva way to move up the seniority list!

 

[CA1900]

... When handed a 100 hour kit once, with all the seals, filters, and o-rings for one engine, I was told to perform the inspections on the left engine...

Wait, they had a pilot doing inspections? Are you an A&P as well?

 

[BentOver]

I had 4 emergencies seen to a successful conclusion during my 5 years at Avantair: 2 engine failures both un commanded & commanded, hydraulic pump failure,

Over my last 15 years, 6 airline/fractional/135 companies, 8000hrs of mostly Turbine/Jet experience.. I have yet to experience any one of these. Let alone an emergency for that matter... I'm thinking that it is a blessing you are no longer at Avant... Sounds almost like an emergency was a common occurence at that company!!

Amazing the difference between companies that don't cut corners and those that do!!! Sorry for the guys who may lose their jobs, it will get better eventually, trust me I know from experience. But when a companies selling point is offering 40% cheaper service, that money has to come from somewhere, and it ain't the fuel savings .....

 

[Paradoxus]

I care to not comment on carrying write ups at this company...

Shrewd, no question. I'll just go ahead and give you the benefit-of-the-doubt that you were in fact not part of the constellation of problems there (the problems that are presently imploding AAir).

In the end I enjoyed flying the P180 & flying with most of the pilots,

The AAIR regulars to this haunt appear to wish you dead, causing we, the circumstantial audience to salivate at the thought of what story might be behind that...

Care to share?

but flying a FAR part 25 TurboJet is far more safe!

No one extant this side of insanity will deny that.

I got asked to leave because I had a First Officer film my landing with his personal iPad while I was hand flying a visual approach into Sedona, not my idea! They used it as a reason to get rid of me, oh well!

You must have had passenger witnesses to this stunt. This presents two entertaining questions that must be addressed:

1: What passenger/owner/client/etc would be d*ckheaded-enough to turn in a crew for such?

2: Were first officers totally beyond your control on a regular basis?

 

[AftCG182]

You must have had passenger witnesses to this stunt. This presents two entertaining questions that must be addressed:

1: What passenger/owner/client/etc would be d*ckheaded-enough to turn in a crew for such?

2: Were first officers totally beyond your control on a regular basis?

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.

 

[Capt. JD]

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...

Avantair Propaganda! One of Santo's Soldiers to the end sweaty "D" I'll post my statement letter tomorrow that Avantair requested I write...

 

[Club ORD FO]

I got asked to leave because I had a First Officer film my landing with his personal iPad while I was hand flying a visual approach into Sedona, not my idea! They used it as a reason to get rid of me, oh well!

Seems like a valid reason

 

[sshrae]

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




So, wait a minute,,,, the passengers would not have given a second thought about a guy, according to you, making an emergency single engine landing? It was that common over there? Jesus, sounds like they should shut it down.
No place for operators like this. If this is true, it was only a matter of time.

 

[RollandPull]

Does Sterile Cockpit include the use of an iPad as a video recording device? Also, if it was a personal iPad, does 135 allow the use below 10,000' for pax or crew?

Piaggios don't have a cockpit door, likely the passengers witnessed two pilots, as I can't imagine them ever seeing this before, they probably called someone to ask about the practice. They probably wouldn't like their crew playing angry bird or watching a video either.

 

[RollandPull]

The ramblings of the post that fugazi re-posted, I flew with the guy. The time ticked slowly by, if ya know what I mean...

All the Avantair pilots I know are stand up guys, well trained and able to keep their passengers and themselves safe by making good safe decisions. As far as I have seen, there is nothing out there alluding to unsafe pilot practices that are not dealt with, like the sterile cockpit issue. The pilots I have flown with all know when to call BS and they do!

There have been some MX questions that seem to have been building for the past few years. I won't be the guy who speculates the reasons, but trust that the FAA is working with the company to correct these conditions.

Combined with the recent and sudden uncomunicated changes in schedules and benefits, how this recall is handled is being watched closely by us all. Should we survive these unforeseen events, I am sure our pilot group will continue to anticipate and persue whatever is required to continue to be a safe, effective operating group.

 

[rettofly]

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




So, wait a minute,,,, the passengers would not have given a second thought about a guy, according to you, making an emergency single engine landing? It was that common over there? Jesus, sounds like they should shut it down.
No place for operators like this. If this is true, it was only a matter of time.

Capt JD must be the unluckiest guy in the world.

I didn't have even one engine failure in 2500 hours at AAIR.

 

[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.