The owner (***) of Aero (ex-Auto) Toy Store is quiet a character. Over 20 years in the making and still not of the face of the earth.
In the beginning there was Auto Toy Store in Fort Lauderdale. Famous for cars with mileage changes, and parts that were made to fit on others. The Ferrari's with timing belts of Fords and many more exotic examples. The further the owner came from the better, as he was less likely to knock on his door. Argentinians and Brazilians got taken for very expensive rides.
The he went into aviation. Aero Toy Store. High (very) time Hawkers and Challengers (old) with brand new paint and interior (sometimes not so working) were sold to foreigners for ransom prices. Promises of range and capabilities told by commission sales people that owners never could duplicate. And as they too came from far away places, recourse was a hassle to settle the arguments.
Pilots were as a revolving door, as long you had a type some kind of history of currency and at least passed a medical, you could sit in it and do a sales demo flight. Under Part 91 legal as long as it was not charter. But there was a charter department in the building, so who were they using ? Yep the planes on their ramp.
So many pilots did some time there but as your recurrent came up, promises never were kept and after your 13th month you were out of a job. paychecks were always kept one in a rear as a ransom to get you back to work. I have seen so many Chief Pilots trying to do the right thing, only to be fired or leave out of frustration and not burning their own career for the future.
The lack of knowledge of owners and desperate pilots has kept this man in business. For those who are willing to work with this man a word of advice.
None of the contracts or papers drawn up are held up and any dispute will be a lengthy battle to get your money so kind of reprieve.
You will end up with pennies/cents on the dollar/pound/euro.
Many pilots I have known have skirted the boundaries of legality or lost their currencies. It is not a place you would even send your enemies to.
I hope our community of watchful and prudent pilot friends gets a really good look at how a man can have his own helicopter, fly around South Florida and "make" his money and yet has impoverished so many families and those who worked in maintenance or completion for this company.
Stansted does not need this operation nor anywhere else in Europe.
Be careful our out there
