Cemair, any info on new company?

[Icarus208]

Does anybody have any info on a new company started in Lanseria. They operate as Cemair? Living conditions, where are their contracts? And what about pay?

What type of aeroplanes do they operate? :ok:

[LittleMo]

I stand to be corrected but isn't that the infamous Miles van der Mollen under a new guise? I believe they are B1900's owned by Cemcrete. Apparently the chief pilot there is old 'T-Bone' if any of you guys remember him...

[pyote]

Miles is the man over there... Dont know much about them...

[Avi8tor]

Is he out of jail? Thought he was put away over the last little mess he had?

[Icarus208]

What kinda mess? Please tell!

[Avi8tor]

Seem to remember a story a few yrs back where he sent a bright young newbe off over gross etc, ppl were killed out of Rand. Seem to remember it being a chieftain with 9 pax and fuel to go far. Also remember a court case and homicide charges. Think he was found guilty.

Dont quote me, but think i am right.

Wish the CAA would go after all the companys that send young guys off outside the limits, sadly its only when ppl get killed.

[Icarus208]

Oh yes...I remember that one. Yes it was a Chieftain with lots of corporate clients on board and the one engine packed up and couldnt maintain and apparantly went inverted...so it was said in the accident findings..

Thanks for that...Will keep on digging deeper on that one

[LittleMo]

He also was involved with that C425 / C441 (can't remember) that crashed taking off on 21R at FAJS a few years ago. Again it was an overloaded a/c with a low hr jock and engine failure after t/o.I seem to remember something being said about timex engine/engines too. You'd think CAA would do something about this guy, like have him shot if he came within 500m of an airport.

[mach decimal 83]

Little Mo,also under correction, but I understood that it was a twin van. He was also the owner of Fleetair, who was based out of JIA and who the TWIN Van belonged to, also use to operate C208s and a PC12 at some stage. They did the JNB Eros Cape Town Freight Runs. Lots of horror stories that i've heard from that operation, real fly-by-nights and someone that you should stay FAR and i mean FAR away from. :ugh:

[LittleMo]

Correct it was a twin van. Somebody PM'd me and said that the mother of the pilot had Miles charged with Culpable Homicide. Anyone know anything about that or what the outcome was?

[forkingfishing]

Those accidents were all very very tragic, I remember Hein Janick was on board that 406 when it went down that night he was catching a ride with the guys back to WHK. sad memories. I am not too sure though about the outcome regarding the court cases with the operating crew of that flight. Would be very interesting to know though.

[Contains Nuts]

Icarus208

I know nothing of Miles' past, but for Cemair I know that they operate:

1xC404, 2xC208, 4xB1900C.

Charters out of Lanseria, have some aircraft on contract where Cemair pilots are supplied and others with local pilots.

[cforty7]

Hi all.

I've done some freelance flying for that man a couple of years ago. Always a fight. If you can't fly over gross, you're out. The old charter motto.....

Unfortunately he killed 2 pilots and lots of other pax.

The Chieftan out of Rand was JD Heyns. 2nd failure in an overgross plane. :ugh: First time was luckily in a C404. Didn't maintain - water in fuel, but with heaps of luck got the donkey back just before impact and landed safely.

The C406 at Smuts was Eduard Davey. Brilliant pilot, but the old thing, fly overgross or piss off. Engines was way over timex - something like 1000 hrs. :yuk:

Can't complain though. We all did it to get hours.:\

Some people just keep on getting away with killing people while better ones like Nelair gets stopped.:D Well done CAA:ok:

Wonder about that ICAO inspection then............

[sslut]

Go check if all the A/C are on an AOC, I know some of them aren't. If you don't like illegal stuff then stay away.

[WhinerLiner]

Dunno about that. Their machine got a ramp inspection at LA on Wednesday and departed shortly thereafter, so the paperwork must have been okay.

Difficult to operate out of a place like FALA if you don't have your ducks in a row. Operators take great pleasure in stiffing each other in that place.

[Foxyflyer]

No AOC eh :eek: Interesting

[sslut]

What about OLG? Would be nice to know who's AOC its on

[Cradock]

Interesting how experiences vary. Also did some work there about 5 years ago. Tripkit paperwork and compliance rigorous and no problem re sorting out problems. Its also interesting how people who are trained and paid as decision makers are also able to act like such victims - "can't complain though, we all did it to get hours".
Have your cake and eat it fella!!
Just checked CAA accident report re the 406 at FAJS and the pilot was ATP, 1000 hours and probable cause was unsecured cargo compounded by 16% overgross. Engines 185 hrs, not 1000 over.

[TermightJim]

Sslut you raise an interesting point. Whos AOC is it on anyway? And also heard it is operating illegally in Sudan if thats correct? Something to do with no anti or deice equipment.:=

[WhinerLiner]

It flies out of FALA about 5 times a week.

Ice in Sudan? Ever been there?!?
Hang on to yer kilt! Blizards a comin', AAARRRGGGGGGG...........!!!

[NFMS]

Not sure how accurate all of the above is - this is a rumour network afterall - have to give the oke credit though, must have some balls to come back and turn things around.

Have worked with Miles a fair bit recently and had no problem with his work ethic. Was very impressed with both him and CemAir.

[FatFlaps]

NFMS Agree completely.

Have dealt with van der Molen on and off over the past 1/2 years and CemAir is very well run and efficient.

Excellent customer service - great team there with Wynand. I'd recommend them.

[TermightJim]

WhinerLiner the fact still remains that you need icing equipment for it to be certified. Funny what you said though! Ha Ha!

[DHC]

NFMS and FatFlaps, both happy with Cemair, both register today to PPRUNE and both send emails around 6:20 :E looks strange for me !
By the way they must have an AOC, either you take big risk to operate from South Africa.
"Was very impressed with both him and CemAir."
And their crew's salary too ???? :hmm:
OLG is not in Sudan ? then it's on Blue Bird AOC, no ?
Cheers boys and girls :p

[sslut]

Believe Miles was flying his own :mad: today - hmmmmmm!!!!!
:ugh:

[LittleMo]

Ya looks like Miles is now doing his own PR on prune...

[Foxyflyer]

OLG is on Star Lift Cargo AOC and has fully functional deice equipment. Also has tcas2 and all other necessary nav equipment. Sadly no autopilot but then how many 1900cs do have them. By the way ice occurs above the zero degree isotherm inside instability cloud in Sudan just like anywhere else. Got a bit of a build up myself a couple of weeks ago. :ooh:

[Flamingos]

I flew in Sudan for 5 years and had my worst ice ever between Malakal and El Obeid in my 35 years of flying which included places like Kosovo and Afghanistan in the winter months

[CALCULATOR]

Foxyflyer, zs-OLG was not on star air cargo licence a week ago?
Maybe has just been put on, ps does anybody know if Miles was at the world cup about a month ago?


PS-seems like lots of aircraft being put on star airs license , im sure CAA will paying them another visit or 6. :=

[Foxyflyer]

Well calculator, it was just a rumour after all :} And you are right about Miles at the world cup. He opened the batting for England, which may explain their woeful performance. :eek:

[dr27]

funny, no comments for 9 years and now "Cemair run by fear. Lots of out of the ordinary stuff. Hate resignations....no more control. Don't pay last salaries .... all about illegal stuff .... be careful to join", details please

[Propellerpilot]

CemAir is a good career stepping stone- have to give them credit for that. Things work really fine as long as you play their game along with them and kiss some ass... you will get paid on time at the end of each month, but as one of their "minions" don't dare to challenge anything or expect anything else in your personal favour - they will use you as it suits them and do what they want. And yes, if you quit or get laid off, you will probably have to fight for that last check to land in your bank account.

When taking off 03L at FAOR I always take a peek out of the window down at their hangar: It is amazing to see how far they have come and how they have constantly grown - hats off to that.

[Nicolaas900816]

So you comment that people should watch out for Cemair, then in another thread you ask what the working conditions at Cemair is like, then in a 3rd thread you bash them again?! Wow...

[Highflyersa]

I've heard a lot of dodgy stories coming out of current and ex CemAir pilots, sounds best to stay clear of a crashing train.

[diegrootwitbeen]

CemAir has just celebrated 10 years in business, and has grown from a Cessna 208 B, to a fleet of 10 x 1900's, 10 x CRJ's, 2 x Dash 8's with a third Dash on the way.

IOSA accreditation should be done by late October, IATA for those that do not know accreditations, really dodgy if you pass that, forum fact.

So make up your own mind, and look who was in business a decade ago, and still standing ?

Pilots who decide work is too much trouble will allways be experts on the airline's going on, and yes, a lot of 'people' dont get last salaries, hell, they even get a lawyers letter, because CemAir does not make you pay for a rating, they lend you the money, and you sign a training bond.

If you leave, then you pay what you owe, period, and if you get n job with Fly Dubai, and you dont bother with your contractural obligations, like a CALENDAR month notice, or over $10'000 in training bond debt, why would any employer lie about your conduct ?

If you do use it as a stepping stone, by all means, when you depart, do it the right way, and pay what you owe.

Yes, call it what you will, but its called business, and this one is growing, ever so slowly, with or without anonymous has beens on soap boxes, crying fowl.

M.J.B.

[Propellerpilot]

M.J.B. - that basically reflects what I said - you guys have done well in the business and you can be proud of that.

Your post however also reflects your attitude and judgement towards those having left your company and it is kind of negativly biased to generalize them being lazy, unfair or not being able to truthfully comment to their past experience with CemAir. I am sure it can not be the general applicable rule so I do not understand the defensiveness in your reaction unless it may trigger an issue...

Generally I think the ongoing key question is always: what does it take to fit into a particular company and vice versa ? There must always be a fair balance of give and take for all parties involved for it to work and things can always change for either side over time, especially after the socalled "honeymoon phase" - it is natural and so the "stepping stone" attribute is justified equally in any case.

A M.J.B. quote that kind of stuck with me: "With pilots it is like shaking a tree - once you shake it, another one will fall out." This may be very true for the industry, however starting from minding your staff with such phrases amongst others, displaying certain behaviours up to making critical operational decisions - can indicate how much (or little) you value them, influencing longterm motivations in people. Also this can pose a threat to the balance of give and take, that I spoke about earlier and can disrupt the individuals ability to fit in - it is also undeniably part of managements responsibilty to maintain a certain level of communication and "corporate hygiene".

The same goes for any pilot - if the company no longer fulfills your expectations, realize the fact, be fair to them and move on.

girly1 - your childish ranting has absolutly no value to anyone in the way you have presented it here in public.

[LittleMo]

Been, from your own facebook page, it looks like a fantastic place to work, what with respect to all the rest they give you before sim etc. Seems they really care about how their pilots perform in the sim by resting them adequately before they renew their licence or do recurrent training.
Perhaps said sodomy is part and parcel of the deal and your above post is indicative of the regard given to the pilots by management? Perhaps that's why people show the same regard to the company when leaving as the company apparently shows them whilst they are employed?