Aerial Messages
I received this in my 99s E-mail list regarding jobs with Aerial Messages, Inc:
"I am writing this to warn all of you about the this scam. The man who owns aerial messages inc is a con man. He scammed me out of 2500.00. I later found out he had done the same to a number of other people. This man presents himself as a religious person out to help young aspiring pilots. His offer sounds great. $2500.00 for banner tow training and an endorsment, and then a job flying for him. He states that flight time is abundant and advertises that many of his pilots get burnt out they fly so much. What he really does is take your $2500.00, put you in the care of one of his two or three real pilots, and you tag along for a few hours until they feel like you pretty much have the basics of banner towing and they sign you off. They are not cfi's, and the far's do not require that a cfi give you a banner towing endorsment.!
Consider this when you read about the accident one of his airplanes was in last summer that killed one of his full time pilots and a young man trying to get his banner tow endorsment. In my case, he provided no training whatsoever and refused me a refund. Legal action is difficult because his company is incorporated. Bottom line, I know low time pilots such as myself are eager to get a job and build time, but this is not how to do it."