First and foremost, let's get the facts correct! The instructor was fired not because of his refusal to fly! He was supposed to fly with his student on the DA40 that day but he told the company that he can't do so because he hurt his hand. That evening he went flying on the DA42 with his fellow instructor. I would have fired him myself!
About the flying condition here in China? Yes, we do not have the best weather, we do not have the best ATC and airspace granted to us is very much limited by the military for obvious reason but Pan Am is not that bad. We are given decent accomodation
our taxes are paid for, and don't go believing about instructors working extremely long hours! In fact, there are quite a handful who practically beat the system by not showing up for work because the weather is bad. If the company so demand that you show up to the academy regardless of whether you are flying or not, (so that you can help the students with the ground studies), is that being UNREASONABLE? afterall, you are collecting USD2000 every month!
About instructor being fired for no apparent reason! Anybody in the right frame of mind would know that this is so untrue. Some instructors are fired because they failed the CAAC exam and the retake as well! I think that is absolutely justifiable! Some are fired for gross misconduct in public places (e.g. fighting in pubs)! Some are fired for unprofessional behavior (e.g. not showing up for lessons that they supposed to be presenting and having the students sat there not having a single clue of what is happening!). Frankly, so far, all the people who were fired are people that I would have personally fired too if I were to be put in the management position.
As for paying a fine if you are leaving and the school holding your passports? We have contracts that we have read, understood and signed on the dotted lines. If you break the contract, shouldn't you have the decency to honour what you have agreed upon? I have known of some decent and fine young man who have the decency to tell the company that they do not see much prospect here and decided to leave and is willing to pay the one month penalty or giving the company ample notification. I have seen our management responded by letting the person go without the fine or any further notification. I guess it speaks volume about people like that and the company too!
As for the accident in Baotou, instead of CRITICIZING the academy and hoping to HANG US OUT TO DRY! If you have even a grain of decency in yourself Mr Mexicano, GIVE US OUR DUE CREDITS! We often heard about midair collision and more often than not, it always ended with some serious casualty or fatality. The student may have make mistakes (anyone of you aviators dare claimed you have never?) for the simple fact that he is a STUDENT! What the student did was commendable, he did not break under stress, he was competent enough to carry out the emergency procedures and put an almost uncontrollable aircraft down and not hurt anyone on the ground or destroying any properties. To me, that takes lots of balls and courage! The instructor handling of the collision was even commended by CAAC. Would you have LIVE TO TELL THIS STORY Mr Mexicano? I beg to differ! I guess that is also the reason you are no longer with the academy! The DA42 lost its rudder and right landing gear and the instructor managed to control the aircraft using differential thrust and put the aircraft on the ground. Yes, we lost both aircrafts, but we are competent to save what matters most... our LIVES!
So Mr Mexicano, with all due respect, I fully understand the resentment you have towards the academy... you are afterall, just human. But until you changed your perspective and way of looking at the world (the world REALLY DO NOT owed you a living!), you will not last long anywhere else either. Instead of spending all your times and energy attacking our academy, why not spending it on something more worthwhiles like improving yourself first? It is true, Pan Am is not perfect, but it is sad to see you having such narrow view of the aviation world. There is no one single school that is perfect! but we will get there eventually! Trust me, you will see us at the top and hopefully one day you have the gracefullness to tell others that you were once part of this excellent training institution! I wished you all the best in your aviation career. No hard feelings eh? I feel I have the responsibility to protect my institution!
