santan17

I was doing an A320 type rating with them and to cut a very long story short, the whole thing was so suspicious (We had no manuals, no syllabus, no FMGS trainer, no Fixed base sim, and our "instructor" wasn't even rated on the airbus!) that we (myself and the other guy I was doing the rating with) called the police. This led to the arrest of Andrew Alexandre (also known as Gonzague Alexandre) and Olivier Auclerc who is apparently the brains behind the whole thing, yesterday morning in Frankfurt by german undercover police officers.

They are now being questioned by Police and at this time it looks likely they will both be going to jail.
Also of interest is that the police have contacted the relevant english authorities and apparently JAC Academy doesn't actually exist.

What we are tryiong to do now is gather as much informationa as we can about the "company" and anybody else that might be working for them. If anybody has any information they consider might be relevant I would greatly appreciate if you could pm me.


On a personal note, the thing I have the most difficulty understanding though is how they can have got away with this for so long? I have seen their adds in Flight for at least a couple of years now, surely I am not the first person to be scamed by them?





Santan17

flite idol

WOW!!!! Can this be true? Keep us informed!

santan17

Its true all right, we were with the police until 3 in the morning last week. It turns out that there has been a warrant out for Andrew Alexandre's arrest in France since 1994 and Olivier Auclerc has been wanted since December 29th, neither of them are even alowed inside the EU!

The whole thing is completely surreal, and needles to say we will never see our money again.

Santan17

trainer too 2

Unfortunately the search engine is not available to me but this place had FRAUD written on it from day one. I mentioned in a number of postings that you should stay away from brokers for type rating specially when they operate out of a Mayfair mailbox!!

I have been equally wary of places like AGS, Aviation Solutions etc because it was not clear who they worked for etc. Since then we know Aviation Solutions is ok but AGS is best avoided. The TRTO's like Altheon, CAE and GECAT are always a much safer bet!

Might sound hard but it gives me a big: Told you so feeling

Sorry Satan but do use the Pprune forums to figure companies out... a brochure and website are cheap to produce but prove to be expensive!

santan17

Thats a fair point, but I actually did my TR with a company called JCAB-ATP, I checked it out here on pprune, but couldn't find anything about it. The guy who sold me the type rating is called Gonzague Alexandre, who as I mentioned earlier turned out to be none other than Andrew from JAC.

Its always easy to be wise afterwards but the reason I went with them is because I wanted Line training and none of the big players like GECAT or CAE offer that.



Santan

Danny

For information, JAC Academy did advertise on PPRuNe for a short period about a year or so ago but I withdrew their advert after I received numerous complaints from both dissatisfied customers and others claiming to have more detailed knowledge of the legality of some of their dealings. I am currently under threat of legal action by them for withdrawing the advert prematurely. However, I am more than prepared to call their bluff, especially with the breaking news on this thread.

eagerbeaver

I spoke to this olivier charachter last feb about some training but he was illusive and never had any facts. I thought i would research him, i got a contract from him for training via fax but it still had somebody else's details in the various fields.
My father then checked out his office on the Strand which was just a P.O box and the lady on reception used to forward his calls.
Astraeus had some contact with the guy but nothing solid.

Everything about the JAC Academy stank of a con, I even emailed Scroggs about my concerns.

I dont wish to sound smug at all.

I am gutted for those who have lost money, but the guy was (to me) obviously a con-man and i did post my feelings.

Once again, i am not being a smug git.

Although i am delighted he and his fellow shysters are off to the nick.

Khaosai

Sorry to hear about your very unfortunate encounter with these jokers. Hope you can recoup the money lost, and finish the rating with a reputable company. Rgds.

Boss Raptor

Aside of the unfortunate circumstance of yet more conmen in our industry and good people losing money yet again...

I am intrigued as to how these people were/were intending to sign off the type rating, whos' simulator, whos' authority, whos' TRI? They clearly have been doing this one assumes successfully for sometime!

Doesn't say much for the anti-terrorist screening that is now supposed to be in place to counter their use of simulators...anyone who has tried to book a simulator in the UK recently for foreign airlines/personnel will know what I mean...

Headset starter

Very well put,

The US seem to be over eager when it comes to ruining type ratings for legit people so lets hope they can screw this guy for everything they can. Bring on the US Justice Department.

Take it easy 17,

HS

santan17

They never once asked to see a copy of my ID, licence or logbook. Absolutly nothing. Also it was kind of hinted that if we needed more time or got a few too many questions in the exam wrong, it wouldn't be a problem. The list just goes on and on.

What I would be really interested in knowing is if anybody ever succesfully completed a type rating with them? How they managed to open up bank accounts in the UK with names like JAC Academy and Air Palma if they are not a legitimate business? And how come it has taken so long to arrest them?




Santan17

witchdoctor

Oh dear,

And I bet you though Oxford robbed you!

Seriously though, my sympathies and nice work on getting the op closed down if indeed that is what happens, and the rogues behind bars.

MrPilot28

WE GOT HIM!!

The german police have been asking me to take contact with as many as possible "affected" by JAC Academy. Please establish contact ASAP. They have been playing around enough!

Boss Raptor

Santan...I am assuming you were expecting to undergo sim training and certification, which would have been at a third party facility contracted by/to JAC? if so whom did you think/were led to believe would be providing the facilities (should you feel at liberty to disclose of course)

CH4

Mr Pilot 28 & Santan,

Well done for getting them in front of the police. Hopefully, the right and appropriate action will follow. I suggest that you provide the police contact information to ensure that the relevant individuals that have the evidence can contact them and provide the information they are asking for. If you do not wish to post it in the open forum, then send me a PM and I will ensure the right people get the info.

Trainer Too 2, please check your PM's

CH4

Engineer

congrats really please for all concern Feel the world is a safer place

trainer too 2

In response to a request by CH4 I would like to point out that I do not consider Aviation Solutions to be in the same league as JAC. This after some of the moderators where able to back them up on pprune a while back. Also eventually the most important question (who do they train for) was answered in the thread as well

I have however on the appropriate forum been bugging them and all other providers to "come out" regarding who they train for. Ever since the great Govner with big ideas and places like JAC based on the Strand (I beg you pardon not Mayfair, that is probably the location of the JAC Medical department ) I have been wary with regards to any training solution that looks to good to be true. And thus it is all our duty to get the answers for all wannbees out there.

Thus I made a small change in my posting above

MrPilot28

A question to all those making good notices an tips. It seems like you all guys know quite alot regarding JAC-Academy and some of you probably lost money there as well. How come, that nobody got them caught since 1994?

Just a question turning my brain up-side-down...

flying carpet

Well done. Students getting revenge on the rip off trainers. Sounds like a break from the norm.......

santan17

Boss Raptor, the TRTO changed three times over the past two weeks, I am not however at liberty to discuss who they are. The two that I have contacted so far however have both been very professional, and helped wherever they could. In fact one of them played a major part in helping us make the arrest and it is doubtfull we could of done it without their assistance.

CH4 I will check with the police and get back to you about that.


Santan17