CABAIR not going bust

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Just to damp down the embers of the recent threads regards CABAIR going bust.

I have made some enquiries. Having noted their notice to creditors of a one month delay in payments, having noted the recent expenditure in purchasing ex-SFT assets and having conversed with one of their accountants I have little hesitation in saying that CABAIR are NOT going bust.

I agree that this kind of rumour is very valuable and in the case of SFT I was too cautious in supressing the rumour. I let the CABAIR threads run. I have spent some time researching the allegations and find them to be ill founded albeit well intentioned (note CABAIR - they were not started by a Gloucester based malcontent creditor).

WWW

[Rowley]

This is good news!. :)

But they still remain at the bottom of my list for training providers! <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> and people shouldn't be paying upfront no matter how stable they are supposed to be!

[Murray_NN]

As Rowley says they have a very poor customer service and at the bottom of my list for training.

Even if they offer US prices in UK, I would not touch them.

[crackerjack]

WWW,

You're a brave man, wouldn't want to be in your shoes if you're wrong though.

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Well all I have done is look into it best I can and made an honest post.

I will look a bit of a pillock if they are whitewashing the windows come tomorrow lunchtime. But then again I routinely make myself look a pillock so its Ops Normal.

WWW

[Polar_stereographic]

WWW,

You have larger cajones than me.

Just out of interest, did you run a similar check against SFT last August?

PS

[Rowley]

http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/gren.gif

Sorry WWW, i just couldn't resist this little .GIF <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

[ 21 January 2002: Message edited by: Rowley ]</p>

[Sensible]

WWW, will your statement go down in history along with the statement "Peace in our time" ?????

You der man wid der balls!!!!!!! :)

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Only time will tell.

However. I note that CABAIR as a group is nicely diversified. They do PPL and Commercial training. Helicopter work and Charter with a nice sideline in photography and maintenance. They do air taxi work, buy and sell aircraft as a commodity and have substantial self hire operations. Unlike any other large FTO...

At the risk of sounding like a right crusty old git when CABAIR took over the smoking remains of Trent they were the first FTO to offer students an escrow account. By some years. In addition if you were around at the tiime CABAIR was talking about a downturn back in 1999 when I was at Cranfield training with one of their neighbours. They ran down their fleet of aircraft from about 200 to 150 which some people in the industry took to mean they were throwing the towel in as OATS at the time ran away with expansion.

It now looks extremely like good planning. As I understand it they have now purchased the SFT aircraft at an AMAZINGLY good price. And I mean, amazingly. All in all - pretty shrewd.

CABAIR is notoriously tight. They are run by pilots but managed by accountants. I think that bodes well for their future existence. Personally, as an ex-pro commercial instructor the only company I would have worked for after BAE in Jerez was CABAIR at Cranfield.

In addition I have chatted to a mate of mine who instructs there and I have spoken to two current students.

My investigation leads me to believe that they are not about to go bust ala SFT. I could well be wrong. I could well end up with egg on my face. At the time of the first SFT threads I did speak to some students and an instructor and they did say the place was doing fine. Which I reported.

I have done a slightly more thorough job this time.

I could still be very wrong.

HOWEVER. For Joe Wannabe it should be some comfort that a seasoned Flying Instructor with excellent contacts HAS looked into the CABAIR going bust issue and reckons there is nothing to worry about.

As always, CAVEAT EMPTOR and good luck,

WWW

[ 21 January 2002: Message edited by: Wee Weasley Welshman ]</p>

[Rowley]

Sounds good to me WWW,I believe you pal!

PS, Do you reckon Welshpool would be a good place to do a Night Rating? (Dont be biased)

Rob

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Don't got to Welshpool for a night rating. You need an instructor willing to do it - not many around - and you'll have to do the solo stuff up at Hawarden. The area has lots of high ground and although I did night rating and flying there it was my own backyard and even then it was a risky affair. And the runway ain't exactly huge... Look elsewhere.

WWW

[Rowley]

Thanks for the rapid reply! I'll look elsewhere, might try Multiflight.

Ive only just read the Welshpool thread.Sorry to hear that.

Rob

[Artificial Horizon]

As many of you will know there is a new MD at Cabair. There seems to be a new feeling of optimism here although I dont pretend to know the exact details of the company`s diversification plans.

As WWW says Cabair is more than just CCAT. The largest contracts are in fact not instructional at all but AOC based work which is rumoured to be expanded dramatically in the near future. Steve Read the new MD is nobodys fool, beleive me and he would not have taken over a lame duck. Cranfield may have been plagued by a few bad management decisions in the recent past but Cabair as a whole is a strong company.

[ 22 January 2002: Message edited by: Artificial Horizon ]</p>

[Mr Magoo]

Hiya AH, how's it going mate?

Have any of the guys on our groundschool course actually got proper airline jobs yet or are we still all grubbing about trying to make ends meet?!?

I'm probably going to bite the bullet and do an AFI course this Feb/March so I can at least build some hours over this summer.

Cheers

Magoo