Aberdeen Flying Club
Join Date: Dec 2004
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I'm surprised that the local press havent picked up whats happening & that all the people who are buying gift vouchers at best will have to go to cumbernauld to redeem them or at worst . . . . . . . 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Aberdeen
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I have to admit that after having such a terrible time with Flight Academy Scotland (FAS) I took a degree of satisfaction from watching what I expect is their last flight from Aberdeen on Saturday (any new attempts at great Escapes excepted).
Flying with the new club has put the fun and social scene back on the chart with aviating in the NE of Scotland rather than the bungling attempts by FAS at running an "academy". There is such a depth of feeling with the new club that I am sure it will prove that a few
from down south can't keep us down!
Following on from what many have said I do however wish the FI's at FAS the very best of luck.
Flying with the new club has put the fun and social scene back on the chart with aviating in the NE of Scotland rather than the bungling attempts by FAS at running an "academy". There is such a depth of feeling with the new club that I am sure it will prove that a few
from down south can't keep us down!Following on from what many have said I do however wish the FI's at FAS the very best of luck.
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A message to the Regulator
The runway incident in ABZ is a poignant example of how stress in the workplace can affect performance. The individual concerned is a professional Flying Instructor and has an otherwise blemish free record. This incident has so many human factor elements that one could easily use it as a light aircraft CRM case study. I think it would be appropriate for us to leave the specifics of this incident out of the discussion as it is a very unfortunate event currently under investigation. The pilot is certainly not solely to blame.
However, it can be argued that the apparently deteriorating financial situation at FAS in Aberdeen is having safety implications. The Civil Aviation Authority as regulator of Registered Training Facilities can withdraw this status from an operator if it can demonstrate safety shortcomings or lack of financial fitness. It would seem that the financial situation is demonstrably poor with aircraft grounded and airport companies withholding basic services due to non payment of invoices. The safety issue would be much more difficult to prove on the basis of two unrelated incidents. The financial position and lack of any training staff should be sufficient for the regulator to carry out a review of this operator now and I would hope any casual observers from the Authority would take up the points in this thread and at least ‘take a look’ at the situation!
More sinister is that fact that FAS are continuing to sell flying lessons in Aberdeen:
http://www.flightacademyscotland.com...p?id=A01063360
Although illegal to trade when insolvent it is a very different matter trying to prove it after the event. The case may be that the FAS are not insolvent but just experiencing a temporary cash flow problem! A statement on the FAS website would certainly go a long way to allay the fears of existing customers, if any, and allow new customers to be aware that the company is experiencing difficulties, if this is the case. In the absence of a statement, at the very least FAS should stop selling Gift Vouchers to unsuspecting members of the public who are unaware of the fact that if they buy a voucher or lesson today, the company taking the money have no instructors and no serviceable aircraft in Aberdeen.
Fortunately for the existing FAS customers there is an alternative Flying Club on the field. I am told many of the FAS customers have already moved across to Grampian and the two remaining instructors have been offered instructing work. However, the students will need to convert to Warriors which is an inconvenience and no doubt more expensive!
The question now is what happens if FAS are just experiencing temporary cash flow difficulties. How will the loss of consumer confidence affect FAS’s future viability? What will be the impact of the loss of so many customers who presumably will not return to FAS judging by this thread and others? FAS Inverness has already shut down with reports that Cumbernauld is also suffering .With only 10 weeks of the Aberdeen ‘summer’ left, the question has to be how will FAS recover sufficiently to see the company through the winter months as they have already been experiencing difficulties during the best months of the year? Now is the time to be flying not sitting on the ramp with empty fuel tanks, cannibalised and allegedly impounded aircraft.
In the interests of good customer relations and to maintain a professional business ethic, I implore FAS management to make a formal statement on its financial position, plans for its students and what will happen to prepayments already in hand.
A.V.
However, it can be argued that the apparently deteriorating financial situation at FAS in Aberdeen is having safety implications. The Civil Aviation Authority as regulator of Registered Training Facilities can withdraw this status from an operator if it can demonstrate safety shortcomings or lack of financial fitness. It would seem that the financial situation is demonstrably poor with aircraft grounded and airport companies withholding basic services due to non payment of invoices. The safety issue would be much more difficult to prove on the basis of two unrelated incidents. The financial position and lack of any training staff should be sufficient for the regulator to carry out a review of this operator now and I would hope any casual observers from the Authority would take up the points in this thread and at least ‘take a look’ at the situation!
More sinister is that fact that FAS are continuing to sell flying lessons in Aberdeen:
http://www.flightacademyscotland.com...p?id=A01063360
Although illegal to trade when insolvent it is a very different matter trying to prove it after the event. The case may be that the FAS are not insolvent but just experiencing a temporary cash flow problem! A statement on the FAS website would certainly go a long way to allay the fears of existing customers, if any, and allow new customers to be aware that the company is experiencing difficulties, if this is the case. In the absence of a statement, at the very least FAS should stop selling Gift Vouchers to unsuspecting members of the public who are unaware of the fact that if they buy a voucher or lesson today, the company taking the money have no instructors and no serviceable aircraft in Aberdeen.
Fortunately for the existing FAS customers there is an alternative Flying Club on the field. I am told many of the FAS customers have already moved across to Grampian and the two remaining instructors have been offered instructing work. However, the students will need to convert to Warriors which is an inconvenience and no doubt more expensive!
The question now is what happens if FAS are just experiencing temporary cash flow difficulties. How will the loss of consumer confidence affect FAS’s future viability? What will be the impact of the loss of so many customers who presumably will not return to FAS judging by this thread and others? FAS Inverness has already shut down with reports that Cumbernauld is also suffering .With only 10 weeks of the Aberdeen ‘summer’ left, the question has to be how will FAS recover sufficiently to see the company through the winter months as they have already been experiencing difficulties during the best months of the year? Now is the time to be flying not sitting on the ramp with empty fuel tanks, cannibalised and allegedly impounded aircraft.
In the interests of good customer relations and to maintain a professional business ethic, I implore FAS management to make a formal statement on its financial position, plans for its students and what will happen to prepayments already in hand.
A.V.
Moderator
All interesting stuff, some perhaps more suited to the Private Flying forum.
Let's keep this thread for those who are involved in this as instructors, and let's all stick together here! I hope there is a happy outcome for all of you, and your faithful students.
A.Viators post is poignant. How many of us have found that outside stresses have pushed us to the limit and we have just got lucky that it didn't become a safety issue. Sometimes the customers needs for a lesson, or our own need to earn a few more sheckels, can cloud the judgement. I know I have sometimes looked back on a day and thought "I really shouldn't have flown today". Probably worth a thread of its own.
Let's keep this thread for those who are involved in this as instructors, and let's all stick together here! I hope there is a happy outcome for all of you, and your faithful students.
A.Viators post is poignant. How many of us have found that outside stresses have pushed us to the limit and we have just got lucky that it didn't become a safety issue. Sometimes the customers needs for a lesson, or our own need to earn a few more sheckels, can cloud the judgement. I know I have sometimes looked back on a day and thought "I really shouldn't have flown today". Probably worth a thread of its own.
Join Date: Mar 2004
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Recovering Assets
Originally Posted by FORKINELL
By all accounts FAS were quite subdued Yesterday after the bungled "Friday night take away" attempt.
At least there's more room on the apron for Grampian's expansion plans & their already thriving club now that FAS are down to one dry 152 with no-one willing to fly it.Even the newer of the 2 instructors, who hung on as long as they could, is believed to be going back to his previous job.
Just hope everyone gets paid & doesn't have to ask "where's My money?" or resort to litigation although at this stage the signs don't look good
Maybe the baseball bats were on tic too & have been reposessed
At least there's more room on the apron for Grampian's expansion plans & their already thriving club now that FAS are down to one dry 152 with no-one willing to fly it.Even the newer of the 2 instructors, who hung on as long as they could, is believed to be going back to his previous job.Just hope everyone gets paid & doesn't have to ask "where's My money?" or resort to litigation although at this stage the signs don't look good
Maybe the baseball bats were on tic too & have been reposessed
Join Date: Mar 2006
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I was hoping on sitting some PPL exams there on a visit I had planned next month....guess thats a no-no now.
Does anyone know if the other club there does PPL exams, or is it more of a social scene then a training establishment....!
Cheers
Does anyone know if the other club there does PPL exams, or is it more of a social scene then a training establishment....!
Cheers
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: the dark side of the moon . . . & I'm going back real soon
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Seagull,
Grampian are a fully functioning flying training organisation so You will have no problem sitting Your exams when You come over. They'll be more than happy to see You
Grampian are a fully functioning flying training organisation so You will have no problem sitting Your exams when You come over. They'll be more than happy to see You
Join Date: Dec 1999
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I see that FAS have now disabled the online purchase function on the website. Guess it really is all over for them in Aberdeen.
Seagull,
You will enjoy the other club. I am just a visiting pilot but am around quite a bit at the moment. Grampian is really Aberdeen Flying Club with a new name. The CFI is the same guy that Aberdeen Flying Club had for almost 10 years untill last summer, a fantastic instructor Examiner and airline Pilot, and a real people person. I think most of the instructors have been around since the mid late nineties, all airline guys instructing part time for fun. I think there are three examiners including the CFI. I have seen the RT Examiner running courses and met the resident Instrumen Rating Examiner who does PPLs ad IMCs as well I guess, in addition to the CFI. One of the Instructors has just completed his PPL Examiner course too.
I know the social side is run seperately although in the same building, by the commitee, all ex Aberdeen Flying Club with some new talent just joined, BBQ's fly outs and all that good stuff.
I am gonna do a check out in the Saratoga in the next couple of weeks. Just havent managed to get the boss to pay for it yet!!
Here's hoping!!
Seagull,
You will enjoy the other club. I am just a visiting pilot but am around quite a bit at the moment. Grampian is really Aberdeen Flying Club with a new name. The CFI is the same guy that Aberdeen Flying Club had for almost 10 years untill last summer, a fantastic instructor Examiner and airline Pilot, and a real people person. I think most of the instructors have been around since the mid late nineties, all airline guys instructing part time for fun. I think there are three examiners including the CFI. I have seen the RT Examiner running courses and met the resident Instrumen Rating Examiner who does PPLs ad IMCs as well I guess, in addition to the CFI. One of the Instructors has just completed his PPL Examiner course too.
I know the social side is run seperately although in the same building, by the commitee, all ex Aberdeen Flying Club with some new talent just joined, BBQ's fly outs and all that good stuff.
I am gonna do a check out in the Saratoga in the next couple of weeks. Just havent managed to get the boss to pay for it yet!!
Here's hoping!!
Join Date: Dec 2004
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RN was flown to cumbernauld this afternoon & the office was emptied by 18.30 so I guess no idiot came up with £150,000 to buy it as an going concern 
.
Lets hope the creditors can recover their losses & the gift vouchers are refunded
.
someone should have told them You can't polish a turd
.Lets hope the creditors can recover their losses & the gift vouchers are refunded
.someone should have told them You can't polish a turd
Join Date: Apr 2005
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Originally Posted by Capt Dry Tanks
Initial impressions are that General Aviation in ABZ is back on track to hopefully a bright and positive future!
I would call it the Signature rip off, or rather lets sqeeze out GA by BAA, but thats another issue entirely!!
Good to see this new club is making a good go of things up there, long may it continue!
That landing fee is for visiting aircraft and does not include locally based aircraft. It's nothing to do with Signature, that all goes to BAA/NATS. However, I agree that the current landing fee's are high. All good things come with a cost though, great scenery, relativley uncontrolled airspace near by, good social scene and a club building with good facilities and a great viewing area for families and club members. Watch out for the next BBQ, quiz night and pole dancing event...
Fit like min?
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Join Date: Nov 2004
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Did the old Club (pre-FAS!!) get involved in the Granite City Air Rally? (Speaking of BBQs etc )
Will that excellent event ever be brought back or have BAA put paid to it & banished it to memory?
Will that excellent event ever be brought back or have BAA put paid to it & banished it to memory?
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Well well .... what a privelage .... looks like I was the last flying member of RN with FAS .... coming into ABZ Friday night followed by G-BLHJ ..... ops manager slightly bemused by their unannounced arrival with four on board! .... suddenly it all fits into place!
I take it all FAS "members" have gone over to Grampian? Will be delighted to do the same. Whats involved in the conversion to Warrior / Saragota??
I take it all FAS "members" have gone over to Grampian? Will be delighted to do the same. Whats involved in the conversion to Warrior / Saragota??
Join Date: Sep 2004
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GAW,
It's very easy to convert onto & I think You'll be very pleasantly surprised at how nice the warrior is to fly.
Why not come in at the weekend & speak to the staff & instructors (You've probably flown with most of them already
) & we'll get You on track asap
It's very easy to convert onto & I think You'll be very pleasantly surprised at how nice the warrior is to fly.
Why not come in at the weekend & speak to the staff & instructors (You've probably flown with most of them already
) & we'll get You on track asap