I am going to do something that I normally would not bother with, and that is share a problem that I have had with a customer.
My reason is two- fold , it is rather bizzare and I think needs to be shared.
The agreement to repair and ferry this Orange Cat took over a year before the go ahead was given. The estimate that was given a year ago was very close to the actual cost for the mechanical work performed on the airplane. It was clearly outlined that I was to be the Captain and the Edwards Bros would be flying as first officers.
The owner has finally paid Edwards Brothers for their work but has refused to pay my airfare and extra expenses stating that my refusal to follow his orders has resulted in the project being delayed and costing a lot of money, which he holds me responsible for because I misrepresented my qualifications.
Now it gets really bizzare, he wrote a letter outlining his opinion that I am incompetent and may have ruined his engines during the start ups and the taxi and high speed runs on the runway.
That part is subjective to some extent and I of course just ignored it, however in the letter he clearly stated that I was not qualified to fly his PBY due to my not having a valid pilot license because I did not hold a valid medical when I was in North Weald!!!
Several days ago I got a phone call from a friend in the USA, who also is rated on the PBY, he told me that he had received a call from the owner of the orange cat asking him if he could deliver it to Israel...........my friend said he should call Chuck Ellsworth as that is what he does for a business......the owner told my friend that I was the reason for all his problems because when he brought me to England he found out that I did not have a valid medical and that I am guilty of dishonesty by misrepresenting myself.
Sorry for airing my laundry here but this is bizzare beyond beliefe, it is one thing to tell people that I am incompetant but to accuse me of not holding a valid pilot license is truly something that I can not understand as I had faxed my licenses and medical to him and then was asked to scan it and e-mail it to him as the Israelis wanted a better copy of the license than the fax......my medical was and is group 1 valid until Aug. 01/2004 and I hold an ATP endorsed for the PBY among other things.
He claims Boeing Aircraft is involved in paying for the delivery of this aircraft...........
Normally I would just swallow the loss of the money for the airfare ( he authorized it and I paid for it due the fact he wanted me in North Weald on short notice.)
I am wondering if any of my friends on this forum could advise me of how they would react to such a strange problem as this one?
By the way, would any of you try and get the money out of him?
The truth is I refused to follow his orders with regard to flying the airplane due to safety considerations...period.
Chuck Ellsworth.
Last edited by Chuck Ellsworth; 22nd May 2004 at 16:17.