Anyone heard of mountain air?

[chode1984]

Anyone heard of this company? They have a website www.mountainair.com.au but i'm pretty sure they are a fake. I know of a case where they rang another charter company asking if they could take a passenger as their plane had broken down. They then never paid for the service and credit card supplied didn't work. Plus their fares are suspiciously cheap.

[scrambler]

Extracted from ASIC's database at AEST 17:09:40 on 10/03/2007
Name MOUNTAIN AIR CHARTER SERVICES PTY LTD
ACN 123 443 747
ABN 85 123 443 747
Type Australian Proprietary Company, Limited By Shares
Registration Date 14/01/2007
Next Review Date 14/01/2008
Status Registered
Locality of Registered Office Katoomba NSW 2780
Jurisdiction Australian Securities & Investments Commission
These are the documents that ASIC has most recently received from or in relation to this organisation. Page numbers are shown if processing is complete and the document is available for purchase.
Date Number Pages Description
14/01/2007 1E2829355 3 201C Application For Registration as a Proprietary Company


Also worth noting that a quick search on Airliners.net photo pages for the following "wgk" or "nsn" in Australia will produce some similar pics to the ones used on the website. also check the C210/206 pic.
No suggestions as to the pics being the same as airliners. You can all form your own opinions

[Howard Hughes]

On their website, they don't seem to know the difference between a C-182 and a C-206/210!:uhoh:

More good news, Barons cruise at 235 knots and King airs at 330! Not any of the ones I have flown...:*

PS: I think NSN is based out at Orange.

[SB4200]

This is hilarious.
Lear http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1155504/L/
200 http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1030473/L/
Aerostar http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0435951/L/
Baron http://www.raytheon.com/newsroom/photogal/beech_baron58_l.htm
Couldn't find the 182! So what's the go here???

[aircabbie]

NSN is based at Orange . Brand paint job after RC ran into a bit of hail flying out of Camden , after ferrying it in from the states .

[aircabbie]

:ok: I just rang there toll free number to ask about there service . The number goes to a message bank and then says that there is no room for your message. i think the learjet is based out of Armidale and is often flown by JJ . Im quite good freinds with the owner of that kingair so id be very interested in finding out how for real thay are.

Cheers

[Desert Flower]

NSN goes in & out of YOLD on a fairly regular basis.

DF.

[Howard Hughes]

I suspect what they are doing is working as a booking/travel agent, not a stand alone charter company. If this is the case I could understand why they are using 'file photos'. Still something does seem a bit fishy, they are trying to look like an airline, but when you look for fares what you get is a charter quote, judging by the price, they are working on 1995 quotes.

[greenslopes]

Well I've heard of mountain women,but not mountain air.............know which I'd prefer.......Boom,Boom!

[bentleg]

Appear to be one and the same as Blue Mountains Aviation which has a web page at - http://www.mountainaviation.com.au/index.php so there is also a crowd called Mountain Aviation too?

CASA Register search shows no aircraft owners or aircraft operators containing the word "mountain".

[chimbu warrior]

Is it not an offence to advertise services or fares without an AOC? I'm sure Torres could quote the applicable CAR!

A search of the CASA site reveals only one operator with the word "mountain", and that is a legit company in Tassie. Mountain Aviation show a Helio Courier as part of their fleet. There is only one Helio Courier currently showing on the CASA register (although I actually thought there were a couple around), and it is registered in NSW.

Mysterious indeed.

[cessna340]

ya know i was wondering how long it would take for someone to try and start making nasty comments. Its amazing how some people think.

We have had countless conversations with CASA relating to what we are doing and someone made the correct comment about us being a booking agent. To the person saying something about a credit card, you had better get the facts straight.

Some aircraft we own and others we do not. We did not do the website, it was a website development company and we were not the source of the pictures. Having said that.... the pictures are a bit crappy and outdated as we have other aircraft now.

Mountain Aviation was the original site which is not longer in operation.

If you actually took the time to read the site it does say that "through our partners" we can arrange a flight for you.

Finally there some quite big and more established groups out there doing the same things as us. www.adagold.com.au (http://www.adagold.com.au) is a good one.

Thank you all for the countless traffic you have sent to the site and im sure that all of you budding CPL's out there were to be offered a job flying some of our aircraft on some charters you would change your view about it all.

[Crosshair]

I haven't, but good luck to them -- the Sydney area needs more aviation businesses and if they can offer good rates, then great.

I smell poppy-choppers in this forum, and they're no good for anything.

[chode1984]

These guys could be legit and I'll double check to see if Charter company involved ever got paid. If they did then I don't want to be writing off a genuine company. If not tho then stay away if you ever get a call or ask for payment up front. Watch this space.

[IM-RICK-JAMES!]

moutain air is a well known charter company in new zealand,not sure of any australian connection

[aircabbie]

Im personal friends with the owner of NSN i will find out ... also regarding us Budding CPLs then im curious that if your a BOOKING agent then how are you going to put a budding CPL in a seat . MR of Orange Aviation is not going to put a Buddying CPL holder in his B200 ( BH with 40000 TT had issues finding enough turbine time to meet insurance ) nor BW in his Citation , nor would the company of the American owned Twin , which leaves the C182/C206/ C210 .

How is it if CASA think your just a booking agent and yet to own and operate your own ACFT on Charters , Mate if this is all above board then all the very very best for you . I would just like to know how this works.
PS the Photo of NSN is not that old ...

[Howard Hughes]

Thanks for clearing that up 340!:ok:
Hows business then? I have often thought about doing the same thing myself, lets face it most charter companies cross hire to some extent anyway, it is impossible to keep 20 different types on the one AOC like some advertise.

[chode1984]

Cessna340,

Are you saying you represent Mountain Air? If so please PM me as the charter company involved has still not been paid by you for service supplied some time ago. If I do not here from you I'll just assume my original post was spot on.

[otter300]

I also know of 2 companies that have done charter work for this company and they havent been paid yet!
They are also having trouble trying to contact these people.:(
We dont need these types in the industry.
otter

[R555C]

Working for a charter operator some time ago, we used to pass work on to other guys and act as a "booking agent" if we didnt have the capability or aircraft avalability. Worked well, and the favour was always returned.

Still i do a bit of organising charters for friends and other people i know. I always pay cash up front. helps the cash flow of the operator and the guys usualy give you a bit of a discount for prompt payment, which i dont expect or ask for.

Whats more in the future if you need a flight compleated on an "Account Basis" they are more than willing to help.

I am suprised though the number of operators that dont require any kind of payment upfront. Times are hard and they want the hours in the air, but one or two bad payers can make the difference to being able to keep the company viable.

I think everyone involved has to be careful, just use some good old sound business practice, and some common sense.

[havick]

I wonder what commission the operators are paying to the 'booking agent'.
I remember when I was doing the charter stuff around ayers rock, all the charter companies were getting raped by 'booking agents' and every other b*stard chomping on a slice of the pie.
As far as I remember the operations were there simply to give new CPL's there first run into the industry as they were attached to flight scools in melbourne. Fixed wing and Fling Wing..

[chode1984]

Still waiting for your reply Cessna 340. Prove me wrong about your "company" being a con.

[j3pipercub]

Hey 340,

I'm not a budding CPL but hey if you'll let me fly your super super dooper 330kt B200 give me the address my resume will be on it's way :ugh:

and before you start slagging off other charter brokers, in ALL my dealings with adagold, and they have been numerous, the guys and gals have been friendly, can-do and most importantly ARRANGE PAYMENT ON TIME!!!!!

BTW? I don'y have any jet time but could i fly your lear too? but hang on a sec, it's not even YOURS!!!! I have a friend who's just got his CPL maybe we could fly the lear together, he could be my F/O? Better idea, we'll just fly the 200 on every other day

go back to your desk

[aircabbie]

Can we please start bagging Basair now PLEASE !!! C'mon Please
mountain air may well have ripped off 2-3 operators ( sorry to hear) but Basair do it daily !!! :oh: c'mon bite

R555c i agree mate . money talks bull**** walks ... then if you ever need that line of credit then it is usally available to you, because you have proven yourself .

[chode1984]

Hey everyone!
Sorry to harp on but just letting everyone know that these guys(mountain air) didn't make any attempt to contact about outstanding payment despite their post claiming to be legit. Don't touch this company with a 20ft pole.

[Hailstop3]

Ive heard of central mountain air in canada. And the lear out of Armidale doesnt have tip tanks like that, thats because its a Citation not a Lear. Anyway if they're legit good on them. If not then i hope someone shuts them down.