I leaned to fly in Tees-side with Tees-side Flying Club in the early 1980s and my first instructor was Peter Brooks, so I can say that I know him, albeing a good number of years ago. I fould Peter to be a first class instructor and still remember that day when I landed G-AXOZ while still "under the hood" after having done some instrument flying with Peter giving me verbal commands on what to do. His accurancy was uncanny - straight down the centre line.
It totally amazes me the c*** that is being written about the demise of the Highland Flying Club and Peter's involvment. No-one apears to mention anything about the many years that the club ran successfully and the number of pilots who were trained without problems.
If anyone of the "contributors" had any business accumen at all they would know that one NEVER puts all their eggs in one basket. I am actually surprised that the aircraft are actually owned by the HFC and not by a separate company and only leased to HFC. Having the buildings owned by a separate company is good commercial sense as is Peter's house being owned by himself (and his wife - presumably) and totally separate from his business activities.
I just wonder how many of you would be crying foul if you were made redundant from your employment and the administrator ask you to give up YOUR house in order to "balance the books" of your employer's (now defunct) company. So why should Peter's home be so discussed. He will have worked very hard over the years to purchase his house, so is entitled to his "reward", AS IS ALL OF US.
Flying clubs, irrespective how well they are run, are always going to be in a precarious financial position. They are high cost operations and very dependant on the financial stability of the clients and external economic situations, such as financial constraints by banks etc.. It is no wonder then how many fail. I remember one in Aberdeen which went bust in the late 1970s when I was considering learning to fly - again there were a lot of "rumours" going about concerning the way the operation was being run - whether true or untrue - but the flying club, soon after, ceased trading and I saved myself money.
When money is tight in a household, the first thing to be curtailed will be hobbys and as flying is so expensive - it will always be the first to go. Remember it is not just YOUR financial situation - it involves ALL other members of the club who are flying and if their financial situation changes, it wil effect you!!!. Therefore it is crass stupidity to pay "up-front" for (especially) a large number of flying lessons unless you get some sort of financial guarantee in case all goes "pear shaped". I never did, always willing to pay that little bit extra to act as an insurance policy. I never had any trouble with paying for my flying, I paid for what I got - WHEN I GOT IT.
Your watchwords should always be:
CAVEAT EMPTOR
(BUYER BEWARE)