South Coast Aviation
 

Just heard about the CFI leaving. Two rumours, one sacked and the other said he left on his merit. . .Does anyone know anything about it?

Maybe something to do with the accident they had in training a little while ago.

I beleived he was releived of his duties after agreeing not to resign only days before and being offered a new one year contract, not sure of all the in's and out's but sounds like there is some problems with the owners not knowing much about aviation. Why would you sack someone without an immediate replacement as it puts you out of business, makes no sense to me?

Agreed. Can't understand it. They must have had a major disagreement. Feel sorry for all the customers involved as this is the 3rd time for them.

I guess this is another one for Windy's regular column now. CFI/CP posi available. Unless they just shut the doors.

Big, biiiig trouble down there apparently. Flyers and instructors seem to be at odds with management at times and situations are becoming quite threatening. Not a nice place to be. The sacked CFI is a good fella and plays it by the book. Obviously management didn't agree at times. The recent incident involving their Tomahawk was clear evidence of a worsening situation and possibly the last straw.

This is one case that realllllly does bear watching and following - lot's of issues at play here that should be ringing alarm bells for the regulator!

Anyone have any more news to add without being sued? <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

Well.......I heard that the CFI/CP threatened to close the business down unless he got a long term contract. <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> (isn't that blackmail)

Sprout,. .The truth is you heard wrong! The CFI/CP was sighting SAFETY and MANAGEMENT INTERFERRENCE WITH FLYING OPERATIONS as the major reasons for his resignation and they threw in all the bits about long-term contracts etc trying to get him to withdraw his resignation..........he took it hook, line and sinker and 5 days later they fired him....if you're looking for a job; think long and hard before heading this way!!!!!!!!!! <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

Where is "this way" ? <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

PLOPSWINGA,. .Do you think he should have stuck to his guns if he had any REAL safety concerns?? I think it just shows poor character.

"this way" is WOLLONGONG!

CASA are on there way sprout, now that's character.

Well I hope they don't take too long 'cause I just want to finish my training. <img src="frown.gif" border="0"> <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

I heard that Captain Bligh was a nasty old fellow who was betrayed by his best friend and left to drift in a very small boat.. .It's no good scooping water from one end of the boat to the other end. It needs to be tipped over the side so you can get where your going without getting too wet. <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

Sprout,

Start looking elsewhere! I know where I WOULDN'T be spending my hard-earned money! <img src="mad.gif" border="0">

Now now PLOPSWILLA...........Do I sense some sort of hostility.. .All of the other students I've talked to say that it's the best thing that could happen "down here".

A wise person once said to me "a new broom sweeps much cleaner". :) :) :)

Sprout,. .No hostility at all; and I couldn't agree with you more - closing down that operation is definately the best thing that could happen 'down here'. And on the issue of students; which of the remaining two were you actually talking to? Rumor has it that they have all moved 200' north!. . <img src="mad.gif" border="0">

Can't blame the students for moving, I wouldn't be suprised if the Aeroclub changes affiliations as well. Real shame as the last owner ran a really good flying school. It is a worry when some PPL's think they know everything, the ops manager appears to knows nothing and a junior instructor has better access to the owners than the then CFI, mutany is such a bad thing. Hope the AOC holders are brought to task by the bogey men at Bankstown.

Shaablamm and tb. I have been away for a while doing ATPL. I have kind of got the idea of what is going on down at SCA from the other posts on this subject, but what happend with their T/hawk and the training "incident".. .Regards. .RWY 16R

I cannot say for sure what happened as I only hear rumours but a junior instructor and student did a rather heavy landing and redesigned parts of the under-carriage, or so I hear. The instructor was grounded by the CFI causing some disturbance in the company and the CFI was fired before the instructor could be checked back to flying ops, or so I hear. Talking to guys at Bankstown who said it was going to be an expensive fix and the aircraft must of dropped from some height.

Hey SPROUT, maybe you can give us some insight on the "incident"? What did you do? Flare at 100ft? <img src="eek.gif" border="0">