PFT banner tow ripoff

[Captain Happy]

I worked for Tim with no endorsement in my logbook for almost 2 years parttime. As for the waiver he says he has/needs it may be something his insurance needs but I never saw it, nor did any of the other guys flying at the time96-98. Tim is a friggin used carsalesman. Anything that comes out of his mouth is pure crap. Please, please go somewhere else for your flight time.

Captain Happy

 

[citabriapilot]

I towed banners for an operator in Jacksonville and also had to have an endorsement, although I technically didn't pay for it. The pay to play scam was never mentioned to me until after I started doing some training with the other pilot. He told me if I knew I would be charged 2,000 bucks for the endoresment. I said I hadn't heard anything about it and that I would go elsewhere. I had tailwheel time already and I was an asset to the company, so if he was desperate enough, he'd train me for the sake of having another qualified pilot.

I eventually asked the bossman about paying and he said that most places charge to cover the training. BULLHOCKY! All the training I did was on revenue flights and I flew ONE solo flight for about a half hour picking up ropes. No out of pocket expenses for the operator, its all a scam to make profit off of unsuspecting and naive pilots.

Anyways, my "deal" with the operator was that I'd have to fly traffic watch for 200 hours at a 10 dollar an hour credit to pay for the endorsement. I accepted only because it was extra flying that I didn't expect to have, and I don't think I actually even flew that time off.

Stay away from any operator trying to rip you off with an endorsement. It is a requirement by the FSDO, but it shouldn't cost you money.

 

[FR8mastr]

I also flew banners in FL and had to demonstrate picking up and dropping banners, and emergency drops in front of a FED. The fed then signed my logbook for the waiver. Also the size of the banner is noted IE how many letters. this amount of letters singed off on becomes your official limit on how big a banner you can tow. This was all back in 89

 

[citabriapilot]

Come to think of it... I was supposed to have a FED come out and observe my pickups and drops, as well as look over the banner endorsement paperwork/waiver stuff. He came late and decided he just needed to see the paperwork and didn't watch any operations. This was in 2004.

 

[handlesaregay]

I can't believe after all these years that s-o-b is still running this scam and someone hasn't beat the crap out of him (yet). I guess most pilots are just too law abiding or too smart to risk getting arrested over a piece of scum like that. I fantasized about several revenge scenarios like ******************User Edited************************ but I figured the cops would have a pretty short list of suspects and a scumbag like that just wasn't worth the jail time.

Seriously though I think Tim's honed this scam to a science. I think the whole game is not to get the $2500 but the initial $1000 deposit. After you fight with him over the refund eventually he'll give in and let you have your $1500 back while keeping the so called "deposit" (geez man you're breakin my balls here) lol You feel like you've won by getting a partial refund while he is laughing all the way to the bank with the thousand bucks he just scammed from you. I am floored by the fact that he's been running this scam right out in the open for years and no one seems to be able to do much to stop him.

To the guy who used to work there: you're coming on like an unwitting victim when in reality you were sort of an accomplice weren't you? Not slamming you or anything I don't know what you did when you were there, maybe all you did was tow banners, but if you had anything to do with the training program than you were an accomplice. If you didn't fly with the "trainees" I apologize, but if you were one of the cfi's he had working for him you were as much a part of the fraud as Tim was. That said the couple of instructors I met there during that time period of the mid 90s seemed like decent enough guys who were caught in the middle, but that still doesn't excuse enabling someone to commit fraud against hundreds (if not thousands) of fellow pilots. Everyone I met who worked there knew what the score was, Tim doesn't do any of the flying he's just a salesman, without the CFIs he has working for him he is nothing. Maybe that's what we need to do is focus on the CFI/accomplices he has instead of focusing entirely on Tim which has never worked. Just my humble opinion. Maybe we can shame the guys he has helping him into not participating in this scam?

 

[nikoz1200]

The company I towed for in St Pete was nothing like this tool. Training was 60 bucks an hour wet, instructor included. When you and the instructor were happy with your performance, the training was over, and you started flying. I think it took me like 3 hours max since I had tailwheel experience already. That's how it should be and I wouldn't want to work for someone who tries to milk you dry like that.

Another guy to stay away from in the Tampa area is FAA-Florida Aerial Advertising...

 

[ms6073]

Maybe that's what we need to do is focus on the CFI/accomplices he has instead of focusing entirely on Tim which has never worked. Just my humble opinion.

Probably a good idea as I have gotten the impression that due to past litigation, Tim's wife's name is the one on the company's operating certificate which typically keeps Tim out of hot water. You know a quick search of the Airman database returned one hit for the name Pacini in the state of Florida and I don't think the data returned is for our guy as the data indicates an ATP issued in 2002 with G-1129, G-V, and LRJT types! So I would conclude that either he maintains a mailing address residence outside the state of Florida which seems kind of peculiar since he both lives and works in state or that Tim is not a licensed pilot.

 

[SiuDude]

From public records:

Tim Pacini, born in '64 was arrested for 2 felonies in 1999 and 2000.
One was for [SIZE=-1]Criminal use of personal identification information.The other was for a scheme to defraud (under $20,000).

Both where either "[/SIZE]Nolle Prosequi" or dismissed.

 

[joe_pilot]

Unfortunately, that is not true:

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20041123X01861&key=1

Yup, the pilot was a good friend of mine. Stay away from Aerial Messages.

 

[Big Dog]

http://www.clerk.org/

Go down to Public Records & then Case Inquiry. Type in a name and accept. Type in Pacini in the Litigant last name and search. Look at all the cases he, his wife and his brother have had against them. You've gotta love the internet.

You also have to know the Volusia County is one of the shadiest on God's green Earth when it owns the address www.clerk.org