I had posted here a long time ago under another name about how S***Stain screwed me out of 4 buddy passes I "GAVE" him for his girlfriend and 3 kids. Ill get to that later....
He was my primary CFI, seemed like a nice enough guy then. But he went to MEsa (westair) and evetually became their DoT. I was told stories(by him)about how fun it was to rattle guys in their interviews, bragging about one guy who even barfed cuz he was so upset.
BS isn't an all bad guy, he has helped alot of people out, including myself, he helped me land my first ME job at a company he was a DoT&S. This was in Billings,MT. While there he lived in a motel, and got to know the desk help very well. They would even let him go pick up flight crews at the airport in the airport van. Mostly Great Lakes guys flying 1900 C's in from DEN full of boxes. For fun he would ask the crews questions about airplanes, playing the roll of dumb van driver guy. If he thought any of the crew members were too arrogant he would then bury them by telling them about how many type ratings he had. It was all a setup, he enjoyed reeling in a guy then put him down. I think his behavior in interviews was toned down a bit by the chief pilots who were there at the time.
While in Billings he worked along side a guy named Paul Soderland ( deceased about 2-3 years ago). This is the guy who is responsibe for the "Bug System" that you guys will soon be thoroughly familiar with. Paul used to be the head Tech and Performance guy for NWA way back when. He was a great guy, he would sit down and explain his philosophy of the Bug system in a straight talking way. The idea was to simplify the speeds we bug and fly in order to fly any airplane more efficiently. It was much slower, but it saved gas, and wear and tear on the aircraft. The idea that flaps were LIFT devices NOT DRAG devices is why your flap speeds are being lowered. Its a long process to go thru the Aircraft manuals and derive the numbers but this guy taught B.S. how to do it.
The problem with the bug system is that you now have the most anal, detail obsessed, trivial aircraft systems minded, condesending guy out there trying to teach a simpler way to do something! The bug system was implemented for the Caravan fleet at the company he worked at prior to PSA, the VAST majority of the pilots there detested it. About 2.5 years ago, after Soderland had died, BS was called by the Billings operator to be an EXPERT WITNESS in court. I dont know the outcome but I know the case dealt with a fatal Caravan crash, possibly 2. The "BUG SYSTEM" was defended by BS. I was long gone from that company by then so I dont know any details.
In NOV 01, BS called and asked if I had any buddy passes that his Girlfriend and 3 kids could use to get up to MKE to have Thanksgiving with his family. I said sure, I had a bunch left over for the year. He worked for a WO USAIR carrier, that means buddy passes on them but they didn't have anything out of IAH. So I figured what the heck. I set up the passes online and they evertually got there and back. When asked how much, I told him about 100 or so/ ticket with taxes, but it would be a few months till I saw it payroll deducted from my check (quarterly). I was told to let him know when I got deducted....well 2-3 months later I got the bill, it was $400 and change for the 4 passes. I called him and he was gonna get the check in the mail. A few weeks later I was told the check was in the mail. A few weeks later, for some reason Brad wouldn't answer his phone or return my calls. I called his Cell and his office in DAY, even leaving messages with the Secretary. I knew he was avoiding me, 10 calls or so/ week!!!!!! and not one was returned! Consider my wife and I just had a baby and she wasn't working that $400 was important. I had his parents number in MKE, I started calling there looking for him, no luck. I borrowed a flight attendants Cell phone one day, she was from Albuquerque, he knew a few people from there from MEsa. He answered, and when he heard it was me he just about choked. I was told the check would be in the mail. a few more months no check. I even sent self addressed stamped envelopes to his parents house! I finally gave up and my wife, who also knows him started calling his parents house. His DAD finally sent a check for $100, upon which my wife made several more calls, a few months later his DAD sent another $200. At that point we gave up, it took over a year to get some sort of payment. So we ate $100 for him. And BS still hasn't called back, its been over a year since I have heard from him.
In looking back at my experience with S***Stain I used to be intimidated by him, but my advice is dont let him play games with your head. He can be a good guy sometimes, he is a workaholic, but he can turn on you in a heartbeat. He may help you out at times ( take advantage of that) but dont go out of your way for the guy.
Done VENTING!