NorthEast DC8 Angola
NorthEast tried another one recently, aircraft 3D-ETM, a DC8-54F has been agreed to be leased, or leased with purchase option by a Luanda, Angola operater, named Rasheed Mustafa (Lebanese born)... A crew of 3 has positioned the aircraft from Opa Locka to Luanda on 15 May, with offer of permanent job, housing and payment of first month of wages "directly" upon arrival, by the "airline president" Eric F. Paillet...
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The crew is right now awaiting in Luanda, since 2 weeks. We have been unable to receive payment, since all contacts by phone to Eric Paillet or Rasheed Mustafa (both presently trying to rescue the said L-1011 in Burkina Faso) are ending up by "yes, we give you money tomorrow"... but the "tomorrow" never comes.
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For all that the crew can see here on location, they feel that they have ferried the DC8, as a future "Stage 3 DC8 Restaurant" at the Luanda Airport... The crew stays in a hotel in town, the housing facility was far from acceptable... No funds available... This crew has requested to proceed back to the USA, so far no answer from either Eric or Rasheed...
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Suggest the future "replacement" crews to require (in addition to the round trip airline ticket) to receive not ONE but TWO month of salary in advance... P.S. the Jeppesens are in the cockpit, Africa trip kit issued MAR 03, suggest you take revisions... by the way, autopilot is INOP... have fun...