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I have a little problem that I need your peer opinion about.
I am on a contract in the UAE/Kuwait, flying a legacy for a company that has not paid me in 30 days. Tommorow, on the 30th, they will owe me for another month. So, two payments late.
My contract ends in 10 days, so, time is running out for me to be relavent.
What course of action, or recourse do i have as an American in the middle east to get paid? Is Court a realistic option? They owe me about 25k.
Is flying the airplane somewhere and then walking away realistic? I am not a game player. so, please advise.
Not getting paid in the ME is a very common situation. Best course of action if at an impasse is to get out of there and recoup your losses in a country with effective legislation unhindered by race, creed, sex or nationality.
Patience. When you leave, if you haven't been paid as per your agreement, keep an eye on the travel habits of this particular flight operation. When they fly an aeroplane into a country with a legitimate legal system, preferably the U.S.A. or England, have a court order in hand and seize the aircraft. Then the real fun can begin.
As far as having a court order in hand, they have been talking about doing a flight to the USA, and Europe for sure.
How do I go about getting that? How do I "keep an eye on the airplane". Is there a place that I can find landing permits? or flight plans for airplanes?
I really don't want to play the, leave the airplane game, and walk away. I have 10 days left in the contract. So, I'm thinking it's better for me to not leave yet.
Unfortunately during last month it was Ramadan. Due to the holidays and time thereafter it can happen that many bills are not paid. Happened to crew of us where four months of bills and salary was not paid. Also this time I see a substantial lag in payment as well. I hope as it ends today in the next few days payment will come through.
As a precaution to you, get the accounting department phone number and find out who approves the invoice and who pays the invoice, or wires the money. And do not hang up until you have the answer. Be courteous but persistent and make sure they know they are talking to the captain of the boss, so it will instill some respect and fear in them.
Eventually they will pay, but you being adamant about it will certainly expedite things.
For the sake of ten days I would wait it out. For sure keep pressing them for the money, and make a nuisance of yourself in so doing. If they haven't paid before you are due to leave, just slip the AFM into your flight case after your last flight, and ask them where they would like to meet in order to have it returned!
You must never disable the a/c by removing avionics, parts etc. A very serious offence in most countries. Try and get your hands on spare parts, etc., from stores, if they have any and you have the opurtunety and take it out to the desert and bury it. Then from afar you can nicely inform them they can have it back when all moneies, plus interest are paid.
Manuals? Not too sure, at least the a/c would not be disabled technically.
Unfortunately a lot of operators in that region only understand one thing and that is a "gun to the head".
If you happen to be in a civilised part of the world before your contract ends, you could always threaten to write up a whole list of defects on the aircraft, real or not. Threaten, or if you have to, tell the authorities in that country of the defects on said a/c by faxing or scanning a copy of the relevant tech log page. They will probably not allow the aircraft to leave until defects are signed off. This will be very expensive for the operator. Raise a defect concerning a flight control problem or something that may require a test flight, or series of, to have it cleared. That may really screw them up.
Just my 2 cents worth, as I have been there on more than one occasion and I don't like to see this BS continue.
My first line of attack would be as suggested. Tell the office you're the bosses pilot and don't waver.
If it's a more 'difficult' approach you're after wait until down route with no possibility of replacement crew being brought in and announce a financial crisis brought about by your missing salary that necessiatates "...my immediate return home, terribly sorry your Highness....".
Aircraft manual removal is not an effective option, as they really don't care. Or would even notice. The paperwork is so lacking on the airplane, and adherence to any sort of code is laughable. It's basically a part 91 airplane. Owned by a Sheik (32 year old arrogant ass) from Kuwait. But, the company that is managing it is run in Dubai, and the airplane is Registered VP, in Cayman.
So, they kind of feel untouchable by the GCAA (UAE faa)
Thanx for the info on the illegality of removing avionics. I do want to stay out of trouble from the authorities. Not to mention look good in inpending legislation.
So how do I go about getting a court order? What information do I need about the aircraft or from the aircraft before I leave? serial numbers, insurance contracts, etc?
Unfortunately it is the time they wait for the full moon & stuff like that.
Like a poster above, the longest I had to wait for my pay was a day under 4 months & then I only got 3 months pay!
I seriously considered waiting until I was in a civilised part of the world & getting on a commercial flight home and let them sort out the mess. I think that they would have struggled to get someone, especially if they knew the reason I had left.
Are you contracted through the management company or the individual? The sheik may not be aware of the problem & he probably only gets invoiced monthly and then he probably pays it in Arab time... a couple of months later!
I don't think that they will stiff you as their custom is one of honour, etc, it is more than likely they will pay you in their time, not your time & certainly not to the Westerner that they had to call in!
Are you claiming expenses? If so, withdraw the cash you need or are owed from a credit card & charge them the interest & fees...that's what I do & I have never been queried, if they did I would tell them that I did that because they never paid me on time & I have financial commitments!
If you feel like it, as it is on the VP reg, make a thorough note of all the defects, discrepencies and anything else you think that the Bermuda inspector would like to know for his annual inspection, even fax it to the head office where I believe it is head staff are all ex UK CAA surveyors.
To impound the aircraft when it travels to the UK, you have to make a file at a county court, it is generally called a small claims court. Have all your paperwork in order, contracts, when & how you have tried to contact them, who you have spoken too, etc. Obviously you will have to send them details of the trial & I am sure that they wont send somebody from the desert for "only a US $25,000 trial in the UK". Judge awards you the case plus costs. As they probably don't have any assets in the UK, and when their multi million pound toy lands in the UK (even on a refuel), get the bailiffs in & get the aircraft impounded until the bill is settled!
If you look at the Website of the UK government : Directgov website I am sure that there is a link somewhere in there, also look in the law society website as there is some info there too.
I was considering all this as my VP registered aircraft visits Gulfstream LTN bi-annually. I was fed up subsidising billionaires for what amounts to them as less than pocket change!!
As 'Space' indicated the procedure is as stated. A LEON can be applied to an acft as an seized asset, but, and this is a big but, you have to gain access to the asset! Are the FBO staff gonna let you have access?
I have done it twice, but then the owner/operator was in default to many, I just got there first
One was G-IISP, one was a DA900B, sorry forgot the 125-700B also owned by the G-II bloke.
I would suggest that you make it known to the Principle that this situation is as is. If he is an Emiratee, he will have standards. If not be careful.
Check the removal of items thingy - in many countries it is not illegal to remove something from the aircraft, but only illegal to put something on if you are not qualified. There must be an engineer around you can ask. A friend of mine removed a starter motor from a bell 206 under such circumstances and got paid rather quickly!
Do these words resonate with you? "Whatever you ask, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."
Focus, see your payment already made. A satisfactory conclusion. I think you will find the frequency of this energy more accommodating that the more "limited" suggestions.
Will be out of work in the very near future, and so looking at various options, including working in the M.E. From some of the posts on this thread, it would appear the payment can be a common problem in this part of the world.
Anyone care to shed a little light on companies with this sort of history that should be avoided; or indeed reputable companies that pay on time. ? Like original poster also a Legacy driver. Manson 73 check your PM's.
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