HERO AVIATION blackmailing.
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HERO AVIATION blackmailing.
Hello my name is Ali and I am permanently resident in the UK but I'm not British.
I found Hero Aviation academy, in Kalamata,*Greece for my PPL on intenet, they were cheaper than the other schools and due to weather being more suitable for flight training in Greece than in the UK, I decided to go with them.*So I got in touch with Hero Aviation on the phone and spoke to Mr Dimos Dimitropoulos (the owner of the school). We agreed on a price for the all inclusive*PPL*(Private Pilot Licence)*course for the price of*6500 Euros.*I then enquired about the visa requirements and as I held a valid C-type Schengen visa at the time Mr*Dimitropoulos*ensured me that the visa would be adequate for the course.At this point I was asked to make an initial deposit of 1,000 Euros, which I made via Paypal.I then travelled to Greece. I paid the rest of the fee (EUR5,500) in instalments while I was doing the course.I completed 12 hours of flight training out of the 45 agreed as part of the course and successfully passed 6 exams.*One month into my flight training Mr*Dimitropoulos*informed me that due to me holding a type C Schengen visa I would not be allowed to complete the flight training. To my objection that he told me in the beginning that my visa type was allowed he admitted that the school made a mistake and apologised. He assured me that once I go back to the UK and obtain a type D Schengen visa, I would be able to complete the rest of my course.Therefore, I travelled back to the UK in August 2013 to*apply for type D visa at Greek Embassy in London. To my surprise, the visa application was refused by the Greek Embassy on the basis that I had previously taken the flight lessons *without holding a type D visa. I was informed by the embassy that in order to appeal or reapply Hero Aviation would need to do this on my behalf.I then realized that the flight lessons that Hero Aviation arranged for me to do were illegal as they registered me as a passenger while I was doing the flight training at Kalamata Airport.*I got in touch with Mr*Dimitropoulos*to resolve this situation, however after multiple attempts he failed to either contact the embassy or offer me a solution to my situation.*Due to the above issues, I decided that I would complete the flight lessons in the UK and asked Mr*Dimitropoulos*to refund the remainder of the course. He informed me that he would recalculate what I was due and get back to me.*After a number of attempts on my side to get the refund , Hero Aviation failed to respond with a refund amount. Instead Mr*Dimitropoulos*sent me a blackmail email making various unfounded allegations, especially regarding my private life. It has become clear to me that they will not refund my money and he has also threatened that he would not provide confirmation of legality of my flight training completed with Hero Aviation.*He also wrote the following in his email:
[I]"Before all that I must inform you that we are already sending emails to every single Flight Academy describing your character and asking for you not to be accepted!*
The funny part is that at the end you are going to begging us of sending you a verification of your flight hours!"
I am really disappointed now with them that they are making all these[/I] threats so that they do not refund the fee.This practically means that they have not completed their side of the agreement to provide the course and training for which I have paid the full amount. Hero Aviation are now claiming that I have broken the training contract and they have cancelled the remainder of the course. This is really upsetting for me, as they will not refund my hard earned money and are damaging the prospects of me achieving my dream of becoming a pilot. I believe, their actions are illegal and unfounded.I would therefore like to ask you to advise me what to do and help me obtain a refund for the course.
I found Hero Aviation academy, in Kalamata,*Greece for my PPL on intenet, they were cheaper than the other schools and due to weather being more suitable for flight training in Greece than in the UK, I decided to go with them.*So I got in touch with Hero Aviation on the phone and spoke to Mr Dimos Dimitropoulos (the owner of the school). We agreed on a price for the all inclusive*PPL*(Private Pilot Licence)*course for the price of*6500 Euros.*I then enquired about the visa requirements and as I held a valid C-type Schengen visa at the time Mr*Dimitropoulos*ensured me that the visa would be adequate for the course.At this point I was asked to make an initial deposit of 1,000 Euros, which I made via Paypal.I then travelled to Greece. I paid the rest of the fee (EUR5,500) in instalments while I was doing the course.I completed 12 hours of flight training out of the 45 agreed as part of the course and successfully passed 6 exams.*One month into my flight training Mr*Dimitropoulos*informed me that due to me holding a type C Schengen visa I would not be allowed to complete the flight training. To my objection that he told me in the beginning that my visa type was allowed he admitted that the school made a mistake and apologised. He assured me that once I go back to the UK and obtain a type D Schengen visa, I would be able to complete the rest of my course.Therefore, I travelled back to the UK in August 2013 to*apply for type D visa at Greek Embassy in London. To my surprise, the visa application was refused by the Greek Embassy on the basis that I had previously taken the flight lessons *without holding a type D visa. I was informed by the embassy that in order to appeal or reapply Hero Aviation would need to do this on my behalf.I then realized that the flight lessons that Hero Aviation arranged for me to do were illegal as they registered me as a passenger while I was doing the flight training at Kalamata Airport.*I got in touch with Mr*Dimitropoulos*to resolve this situation, however after multiple attempts he failed to either contact the embassy or offer me a solution to my situation.*Due to the above issues, I decided that I would complete the flight lessons in the UK and asked Mr*Dimitropoulos*to refund the remainder of the course. He informed me that he would recalculate what I was due and get back to me.*After a number of attempts on my side to get the refund , Hero Aviation failed to respond with a refund amount. Instead Mr*Dimitropoulos*sent me a blackmail email making various unfounded allegations, especially regarding my private life. It has become clear to me that they will not refund my money and he has also threatened that he would not provide confirmation of legality of my flight training completed with Hero Aviation.*He also wrote the following in his email:
[I]"Before all that I must inform you that we are already sending emails to every single Flight Academy describing your character and asking for you not to be accepted!*
The funny part is that at the end you are going to begging us of sending you a verification of your flight hours!"
I am really disappointed now with them that they are making all these[/I] threats so that they do not refund the fee.This practically means that they have not completed their side of the agreement to provide the course and training for which I have paid the full amount. Hero Aviation are now claiming that I have broken the training contract and they have cancelled the remainder of the course. This is really upsetting for me, as they will not refund my hard earned money and are damaging the prospects of me achieving my dream of becoming a pilot. I believe, their actions are illegal and unfounded.I would therefore like to ask you to advise me what to do and help me obtain a refund for the course.
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Hindsight is always 20/20, but if a company markets their ATPL programme like this:
I'd probably stay away.
This is probably the best offer around the world.
If you are ready to apply now for a
modular ATPL course and pay
the total in advance we offer
The PPL Absolutely FREE.
Simply apply and sign a contract for
a Modular fATPL
As you can see on our site the cost for the
PPL COURSE IS 8000 €
As a future pilot you must be able to do the maths…
This is a very Limited offer for a small number of students.
Please do not apply if you are not ready to pay.
If you are ready to apply now for a
modular ATPL course and pay
the total in advance we offer
The PPL Absolutely FREE.
Simply apply and sign a contract for
a Modular fATPL
As you can see on our site the cost for the
PPL COURSE IS 8000 €
As a future pilot you must be able to do the maths…
This is a very Limited offer for a small number of students.
Please do not apply if you are not ready to pay.
Join Date: May 2001
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you can try but this is the problem of doing anything in Greece.
The Greek legal system won't help you.
I suspect if you step foot in the country again they will try and get you arrested for immigration violations.
The only thing you can do is spread your story as far and wide as possible and hit them in the pocket that way. But I doubt you will get any cash back.
The Greek legal system won't help you.
I suspect if you step foot in the country again they will try and get you arrested for immigration violations.
The only thing you can do is spread your story as far and wide as possible and hit them in the pocket that way. But I doubt you will get any cash back.
Join Date: Feb 2002
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"Beware of Greeks bearing gifts" comes to mind.
Though you might legally be in the right I suspect the chances of getting your money back are slim. Put it down to experience and don't get caught again particularly if you go down the commercial route. Several sharks are beginning to circle!
Though you might legally be in the right I suspect the chances of getting your money back are slim. Put it down to experience and don't get caught again particularly if you go down the commercial route. Several sharks are beginning to circle!
Ali
If you're careful to sift out the (rare) bad advice on here you'll nearly always get excellent advice.
Your 12 hours would have cost somewhere between £1800 and £2500 in the UK. So your actual loss is around £3000. It would be almost impossible to get any of that back, or at least not without risking throwing away many more thousands and, as Mad Jock says, possible indeterminate time in a Greek Jail.
Cut your losses.
Never pay up front in future.
If you're careful to sift out the (rare) bad advice on here you'll nearly always get excellent advice.
Your 12 hours would have cost somewhere between £1800 and £2500 in the UK. So your actual loss is around £3000. It would be almost impossible to get any of that back, or at least not without risking throwing away many more thousands and, as Mad Jock says, possible indeterminate time in a Greek Jail.
Cut your losses.
Never pay up front in future.
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Join Date: Apr 2012
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I can not believe its so easy to scam someone like that and get away with it.
Thanks guys for advice but this for me personal. Now if I leave this ,Hero aviation could do the same for others I will sue them I I already started I contacted law firm in Greece no win no fee so I don't loss nothing for trying.
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Just be really careful about stepping foot in the country again.
If its no win no fee that's fair enough but don't go chucking good money after bad.
Even if you do win it might not change the fact you will get arrested next time you go there.
If its no win no fee that's fair enough but don't go chucking good money after bad.
Even if you do win it might not change the fact you will get arrested next time you go there.
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First of all, i d like to make clear that as a greek, i am not here to defend greeks or any greek involved in this issue.Every country in the entire world has its crooks,liars but we are not all the same.
I posted on a similar thread about a year ago that there were many complaints about this school.Not a single average smart person could trust them,there are many rumors in Greece regarding their school and training.And is normal to make you suspicious if you consider their prices.Is still in doubt if the school does really have the permission to train pilots.It is also widely known the school used to send its students to a partner school outside Greece for the mep/cpl/ir training. Noone could be sure about it though.
There are many reliable schools in greece like Egnatia,Global e.t.c. but Hero is definately not among them.
I posted on a similar thread about a year ago that there were many complaints about this school.Not a single average smart person could trust them,there are many rumors in Greece regarding their school and training.And is normal to make you suspicious if you consider their prices.Is still in doubt if the school does really have the permission to train pilots.It is also widely known the school used to send its students to a partner school outside Greece for the mep/cpl/ir training. Noone could be sure about it though.
There are many reliable schools in greece like Egnatia,Global e.t.c. but Hero is definately not among them.
Join Date: Aug 2012
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Baaaahhhhh
If only people listened when I spoke!
Hero Aviation is one dangerous academy and always threathens you wen you ask for your money back.
Happened to many people and many are forced there STUCK!
I recommend you contact CAA both in UK and Greece and sought advice with the European authorities because unlikely Greek CAA will help you. They are funded to butt out by this very Dimos bloke!
Spread the word about this academy so people are aware and hopefully the school will close down.
Hero Aviation is one dangerous academy and always threathens you wen you ask for your money back.
Happened to many people and many are forced there STUCK!
I recommend you contact CAA both in UK and Greece and sought advice with the European authorities because unlikely Greek CAA will help you. They are funded to butt out by this very Dimos bloke!
Spread the word about this academy so people are aware and hopefully the school will close down.
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First of all, i d like to make clear that as a greek, i am not here to defend greeks or any greek involved in this issue.Every country in the entire world has its crooks,liars but we are not all the same.
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I'm trying to contact Greek CAA.
Last 3 weeks I'm trying to contact Greek CAA with no luck I found the phone number but nobody answering the phone. Thanks for UK CAA I have not thought about that before.
Shame I didn't know about this website before.
Shame I didn't know about this website before.
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Contact EASA who are compelled to bring it to the attention of the Greek authorities and then make sure you sought legal advice.
EASA is already made aware of this school and the more people who complains, the better for results.
It is unacceptable to blackmail and limit your training especially when it is hero's error!
Meanwhile, the boss is enjoying the high life on your and other unhappy students money!
These kind of greed need to be targetted an stopped!
So try what every angle. It may or may not get you somewhere but no harm in trying every option.
I have inboxed you the details who personally replied to me.
EASA is already made aware of this school and the more people who complains, the better for results.
It is unacceptable to blackmail and limit your training especially when it is hero's error!
Meanwhile, the boss is enjoying the high life on your and other unhappy students money!
These kind of greed need to be targetted an stopped!
So try what every angle. It may or may not get you somewhere but no harm in trying every option.
I have inboxed you the details who personally replied to me.
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One more thing I know 2 students from hero aviation pass the skill test in July but still haven't received they PPL. How long does it take to receive PPL from CAA?