Lombok Institute of Flight Technology - LIFT
I was an instructor at LIFT until recently.
We suffered numerous power loss problems in all three of the aircraft over the last 6 months. At first, the power loss incidents were only once a week until November when we were experiencing problems almost everyday. At that point, we had no choice but to stop flying the aircraft. Unfortunately, management did not appreciate the safety issues involved and we were all told that if we did not continue to flythe aircraft we would all be fired from our jobs.
Management were advised back in August 2012 that the problem was caused by the fuel they were using and that they needed to import fuel from somewhere else such as Australia. Unfortunately they did not act on that advice and fuel from Australia never came.
I have never met Denis as he had already left by the time I joined the company, but he is right to say that LIFT is an unsafe operation.
The chief mechanic wrote an email to the owner Mr Edmond Fung on 2nd September 2012 and said...
“Honestly, we (maintenance department) are a lack of experience to maintain piston engine”
Paul Everitt (Liberty Expert and Consultant to Mr Edmond Fung) wrote to Mr Fung on 20th August 2012 and said.....
“Lives are directly at risk because of this situation. If we continue to use bad fuel and then have an accident as a result of this, LIFT will have no way out in any legal case, as it will be entirely our fault”.
He also wrote ......
“So there is no doubt that they (BP Australia) can supply good 100LL Avgas at less cost that what we are paying now, although shipping etc will add to it”
There is also photographic evidence of the ‘contamination of the fuel’ and a audio clip of the owner (Edmond Fung) admitting there is a ‘problem with the fuel’ from a meeting I had with him on 7th December 2012.
The purpose of my post is to give you information and not simply rumours.
If you are thinking of going to LIFT as an instructor, you will be flying aircraft that suffer from ‘power loss’ on an almost daliy basis with a management team that will force you to fly the aircraft regardless of how unsafe it is. You will also find yourself unable to leave the country without first paying between $3000 - $4000 back to LIFT to cover the cost of your flight, work permit and medical. There is a Russian instructor there now who is having this problem and he is still unable to leave after 1 month of trying to get out of Indonesia.
If you are thinking of going to a LIFT as a student, you will be joining a flight school with more than 40 students who need in excess of 8000 instructional hours with no flight instructors in an unsafe training environment. Even if the aircraft were airworthy and they imported fuel today;and they found 6 instructors overnight, it would still take the company almost 1 year to clear the backlog of students before you started your flight training.
Myself and the other instructors are currently suing LIFT for wrongful dismissal. This is not abuse or rumour. Our case is based on fact and I certainly would not employ a lawyer if I did not have a strong case to take to a court of law.
If you would like to see the emails, photos and recordings concerning the operation there, send me a PM and I will forward the documentation to you.
Last edited by Gold Seal; 11th Feb 2013 at 02:47.