Grand Aire Owner Killed

[pilotyip]

A fellow worked has seen in the Toledo Blade that (Ty Chema) (sp.) was killed in Hansa Jet crash in St Louis and reported it to me. Any confirmations?

 

[ChadCRJ]

I was told the same from someone that use to work there.

 

[Brett Hull]

Here's a link to the story from the STL NBC afilliate. No names mentioned.

http://ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=70867

 

[captdawg]

Hansa Crash near St. Louis

Tahir Cheema died last night at 9:05 pm in the crash of a Hansa Jet. He was in the right seat, I don't have the other individuals name that was in the left seat. There was a failure on take off, they tried to land on some island in the Missouri river visually, my understanding is they hit a tree trying to land. Tahir was a friend of mine, I worked for him for many years, even though he was tough to work for, if you gained his respect he respect you. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, he has a son in Iraq right now, and one in flight training in Colorado Springs, CO. I'll try to keep this information updated as I recieve it.
Stephen Zalewski

 

[Bandit60]

I had a friend who flew for Grand Air in the early 90's. He flew the Hansa jet and told me it was the scariest thing he has ever done. He couldnt get out of there fast enough.

I hate to see any accident and my prayers go out to the families.
It seems to me they have their share of accidents.

 

[captdawg]

Grand Aire & the Hansa

There are several pilots here at Spirit that worked for GAE and flew the Hansa, I don't know anyone who liked it. All I've ever heard was that it was scarey. TC was the only one who liked them because they were cheap to operate and he make a lot of money on them. I still don't know why he was ferrying the **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** thing back to Toledo anyway. I don't know that there is anyone who can run the company now, he didn't share operations with too many people.
Time will tell.

 

[GoSpurs]

Here is a link to a news artical. Sad to see this.



http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041201/BREAKINGNEWS/41201015

 

[captdawg]

Grand Aire

Yes, I just read it. The Grand Aire website acknowledged the accident along with the identity of the first officer.

 

[T-REX]

Sorry to you guys at GA.

If all turns out how one must anticipate I think both Ameristar and Cherry are hiring pilots right now. Dont quote me but Ameristar may be hiring street captains.

Prayers to the families and friends of these pilots.

 

[ultrarunner]

Given their recent track record of late, maybe the FAA with shut them down until such time as they get their poop together.

 

[T-REX]

FAA action aside, Grand Aire just received a loan to keep them going. I dont know the mgmt. structure at GA but when the owner/guarantor (sp?/grammar) of a loan passes--thats pretty much it. Complete specualtion of course, but again i wish the GA guys the best.

 

[EX_CV580FR8Dawg]

Well I just got a call from a former co-worker and found out the other pilot was a friend of mine that I flew with at my old job in FWA. He was a part time pilot and wrench. He was a very good man and would give you the shirt off his back. Please pray for him and his family as well TCs. My buddy had I believe 3 or 4 children and lived back in the FWA area. Thank You.

 

[100-1/2]

Quote from article in link above:


"The FAA alleged that on November 4, 1999, Grand Aire failed to properly conduct four required maintenance tasks. Grand Aire allegedly made maintenance logbook entries referencing repair manuals that were either incorrect or nonexistent. Grand Aire then continued to operate the aircraft for 20 days and 41 landings without repairing the rocker switch for the intercom, which was identified as needing repair on November 4."

WTF?

41-times...

"Ladies and Boxes. Hello, again from the flight deck. This is Captain Tird. As we prepare for landing, I have illuminated the Fasten Seat Belt and No Smoking signs. Please, bring your cargo nets and tie downs to their upright and locked position and fasten them securely about your waist, extinguish any fires and the flight attendant will be along to help wipe up any Haz-Mat spills you may have. We would like to express our gratitude and welcome you aboard GA on your next journey where ever the cardboard may take you."

Granted it likely took over a year of telling someone about a pain in the arse switch, that finally one would feel compelled to put it in writing. But, puleez! What are the chances the same airplane with the switch was written up during the period that the airplane was unairworthy without signoffs on engine work? That would be Brilliant! Seems to me, I would carefully choose my battles in a situation like this or quit to preserve my sanity or even my life.

Just like the student you signed off 5 years ago. An innocent squawk rooted in frustration erupts in the media like a mushroom cloud of pettiness.

100-1/2

 

[T-REX]

deleted

 

[ACT700]

Hi guys,

today has been a very stressfull and depressing day, possibly of my career.
After what I witnessed today, along with a few other coworkers, I felt sick to my stomach-unbelivable!!!
Unfortunately everybody at GA is saddened and shocked by the passing of T.C. However, nobody gives a $hit about the F/O, E.P.

He became a very good friend of ours in the short time we worked there. He never asked for anything, but always gave.

I'm not a religious man, but I will say a prayer for E.P. in my own way.

I'm truly sorry, as are my fellow workers, to have lost such a fine pal. We are at a loss of words.

HERE'S TO YOU, FALLEN COMRADE!!!

Oh yeah, and I just resigned today. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you guys who tried to warn me of this place-I should have taken your advice and never gone there.

But I am glad to have survived Grand Aire. If my aviation career ends today, I have nothing to complain about.

Godspeed E.P.

ACT700.

 

[EX_CV580FR8Dawg]

Thank You ACT700....EP always had a smile on his face and I really cant believe that he has been taken from us. God must have needed him more than us.

Godspeed E.P.

You will be missed!

 

[vikaero]

I think all of us should just say a prayer for both men and their families. Let time decide what happens to G.Aire and so let us not speculate and voice our own opinions as we dont really KNOW what will happen. Besides does it really Fuc@!ng matter.... the crew will not come back from the beyond.

It is truly sad..... my prayers are with both men and their families.

God speed.............E.P. and T.C.

 

[othello]

" Grand Aire Express of Toledo Ohio is no stranger to the Federal Aviation Administration. According the FAA website, Grand Aire Express has been fined three times since 2000."

Sounds like a great place to work. If you like shady operations.

It is only a job guys.

There are lots of them out there.

 

[Oakum_Boy]

What a dump. Plenty of regionals hiring now, most with good safety records and maintenance for those so motivated. RIP...

 

[captdawg]

Grand Aire

100 1/2??
What does a PTT switch have to do with the death of Tahir or his first officer??
Wasthe statement about sighning off a student aimed at me? I don't think so. Whether or not you liked him or not ( did you even know him? ) or disapprove of the way he ran his business. Even I argued with him on a daily basis, but I never changed the way I flew or did my business, Tahir respected that, and he was my friend. Who the hell are you to wish anyone who dies in this business ill will??


As for the first officer, I didn't know him, but my prayers go out to his family as well.

Stephen Zalewski

 

[Nick5600]

If only we could get Noel Rude, and Bud Rude at ATI to crew their own airplanes. At least the Owner of G.A. had enough gonads to get in his own planes.

 

[Nick5600]

In other news G.A. is advertising on www.skyjobs.net for falcon 20 pilots. They are doing this a day after the owner is killed. That seems pretty cold to me. I wonder how many resumes they will get for that posistion.

 

[Rhoid]

In other news G.A. is advertising on www.skyjobs.net for falcon 20 pilots. They are doing this a day after the owner is killed. That seems pretty cold to me. I wonder how many resumes they will get for that posistion.

I'm sending them one, seems like an OK place to hang out and build some more jet time, while I decide which major to get on with.

 

[jbDC9]

...build some more jet time, while I decide which major to get on with.

I want a job at a major

working my way towards a major

Dude, are you serious? Do you even know what's happening in the industry? I hate to say it, but other than Southwest, FDX, or UPS, the majors ain't hiring and won't be for quite a few more years. You make it sound so easy... first, decide which major you want to be at. Then, just get on there. Whoa, that was easy! Don't know why all those thousands of other furloughed, outta work pilots can't just "get on" at a major of their choice.

I really don't mean to rag on ya, but with comments and a profile like yours, it just comes across as either being incredibly naiive or incredibly arrogant. Not sure which direction you're coming from, although from reading some of your previous posts, I'd say you're both naiive and arrogant... if you "get on" at Grand Aire, I hope you're ready to be there for a very, very long time.

 

[ACT700]

I don't know about the Falcon 20 ad-I mean they could have submitted the ad with skyjobs before the crash, and it just happened to post today? I don't know.
But, on the other hand, about half the pilots won't be back to work for quite a while-could be quite a looong while!
But for those of you who think about going there beware; you feelin' lucky?!

What a crappy way to start December and Xmas.

 

[100-1/2]

dude, you just told on yourself.

100 1/2??
What does a PTT switch have to do with the death of Tahir or his first officer??
Wasthe statement about sighning off a student aimed at me? I don't think so. Whether or not you liked him or not ( did you even know him? ) or disapprove of the way he ran his business. Even I argued with him on a daily basis, but I never changed the way I flew or did my business, Tahir respected that, and he was my friend. Who the hell are you to wish anyone who dies in this business ill will??


As for the first officer, I didn't know him, but my prayers go out to his family as well.

Stephen Zalewski

I was making a generalized statement about the media and you jumped right in there to defend your rocker switch write-up.

As for ill-will? Where did you come up with that?

I was also ragging on the media and the company's procedures for dispatching aircraft. How many PIC's signed off on these aircraft as airworthy prior to flight in the time periods cited by the FAA and the media? Prior to your outburst, this was the only entertaining part of the whole mess.

BTW - I am pained with every death in our industry, not just my friends' or those I might know or have communed with at one time. You sound like the kind of joe that pulls the trigger on those you don't know because you think you have some clue as to their unfortunate demise.

I feel for your loss and wish this on no one. It is easy to subscribe to the premise that, "you reap what you sow." I would prefer to wait for the NTSB final report and hope for Tahir's family/estate's sake that the accident was not a result of any wrongdoing. The FO's family would easily have a neglegence/wrongful death case with GA's history if there is a correlation.

100-1/2

 

[KPTPK]

GA's Hansa Jet.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/304033/M/

 

[Citationkid]

Any truth to this?

I saw this on another website today, any one know if it's true? Sorry if it's been discussed in a different section, I didn't notice it...

Both men on board were killed. Now this afternoon, authorities report that several witnesses on the ground reported the pilot was having engine problems prior to takeoff. On top of that, tower records show that the plane made two aborted takeoff runs, with the pilot reporting loss of power. They actually took off on the third try, only to disappear from radar two minutes later.

 

[Jamis81]

I hadn't heard that part yet, about the loss of power. what website did you read that on?

 

[Bandit60]

I have a friend who works at SUS and he said that it made took fuel, then made a high speed taxi, then went to some type of maint. Another high speed taxi was tried and then they went to the end of the runway and took off.

I don't know how accurate these accounts are.