So the dude with the dreadlocks didn't get the 'job' after all...
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 278
Likes: 0
From: USA
'69shelby,
It takes some effort to be successful. A journey begins with the first step. Do some research, sell the Xbox, pull up your socks, and get going.
Aviation Scholarships
It takes some effort to be successful. A journey begins with the first step. Do some research, sell the Xbox, pull up your socks, and get going.
Aviation Scholarships
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 156
Likes: 0
From: F8 and Be There
I don't see how this holds water "they're training up a known quantity over a period of time and in the long term they get exactly the person they need." unless he's never allowed to leave SH and take his qualifications with him...
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: UK
Just found this:
https://m.facebook.com/permalink.php...31820176834862
Not good. I do feel sorry for the victims of this scheme who probably now think the helicopter industry is full of crooks
SD
https://m.facebook.com/permalink.php...31820176834862
Not good. I do feel sorry for the victims of this scheme who probably now think the helicopter industry is full of crooks
SD
Joined: Jul 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL(H)
Posts: 3,054
Likes: 57
From: UK
Just found this:
https://m.facebook.com/permalink.php...31820176834862
Not good. I do feel sorry for the victims of this scheme who probably now think the helicopter industry is full of crooks
SD
https://m.facebook.com/permalink.php...31820176834862
Not good. I do feel sorry for the victims of this scheme who probably now think the helicopter industry is full of crooks
SD
Helicopter Pilot Jobs · 5,474 like this.
25 August at 13:57 ·
An update on the "trainee pilot" position being offered by Senior Helicopters in the UK. We had another concerned person contact us today and they had actually paid the £290 fee they asked. This is her story, which we have permission to publish. Senior Helicopters are now advertising for the same role but in a different part of England. If you are thinking about applying, read this first.
hi,ive just came across an article on here, (be it a little late)
i applied for the senior helicopter pilot job and paid the £290 test fee, to which i attended, then to be told i was unsuccessful, when i messaged for the test results i received no correspondence, i see they are now adversing the same post in Chester, have i been conned ?? do you have any advice on reporting them or to recoup my costs ? any help would be very much appreciated.
We replied
thanks for getting back to me,
it was actually my daughter who went for this, she was 16 at the time of test but is now 17, after 4 years in the ATC (air training corps) she talked me into paying this, although she was there a good 4 hours, so were 10 other people, they had an hour briefing telling them how and what to do and then they all had about 10 minutes flight time, they were told a report would be written up and passed onto the company (senior aviations, the test supposedly an independent party, hence cost involved) who would be in touch, 2 weeks later she had a standard sorry you were unsuccessful email, when she asked for a copy of the report there was no response that was 2 weeks ago.
i feel very stupid right now
We replied
Thanks again for response, that sure put it into perspective, I have now contacted the police and CAA, hopefully they will investigate and save some one else been caught out, I will keep you posted
25 August at 13:57 ·
An update on the "trainee pilot" position being offered by Senior Helicopters in the UK. We had another concerned person contact us today and they had actually paid the £290 fee they asked. This is her story, which we have permission to publish. Senior Helicopters are now advertising for the same role but in a different part of England. If you are thinking about applying, read this first.
hi,ive just came across an article on here, (be it a little late)
i applied for the senior helicopter pilot job and paid the £290 test fee, to which i attended, then to be told i was unsuccessful, when i messaged for the test results i received no correspondence, i see they are now adversing the same post in Chester, have i been conned ?? do you have any advice on reporting them or to recoup my costs ? any help would be very much appreciated.
We replied
thanks for getting back to me,
it was actually my daughter who went for this, she was 16 at the time of test but is now 17, after 4 years in the ATC (air training corps) she talked me into paying this, although she was there a good 4 hours, so were 10 other people, they had an hour briefing telling them how and what to do and then they all had about 10 minutes flight time, they were told a report would be written up and passed onto the company (senior aviations, the test supposedly an independent party, hence cost involved) who would be in touch, 2 weeks later she had a standard sorry you were unsuccessful email, when she asked for a copy of the report there was no response that was 2 weeks ago.
i feel very stupid right now
We replied
Thanks again for response, that sure put it into perspective, I have now contacted the police and CAA, hopefully they will investigate and save some one else been caught out, I will keep you posted
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: UK
So the several hundred "unsuccessful" applicants are paying for the dude's salary and training. Oh dear. 
Thinking about it do Senior Aviation even have an approval to conduct flight training? I don't see them listed on Standards Document 31.
SD
Thinking about it do Senior Aviation even have an approval to conduct flight training? I don't see them listed on Standards Document 31.
SD
Joined: Jul 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL(H)
Posts: 3,054
Likes: 57
From: UK
Thinking about it do Senior Aviation even have an approval to conduct flight training? I don't see them listed on Standards Document 31.
And yes, there are distinct similarities between the Senior Aviation website and the Austin Aviation website.
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: UK
That may be the case but I don't see Austin Aviation in Standards Document 31 either. In fact there is no rotary ATO listed at Halfpenny Green, so not sure how they intend to put the guy through to CPL unless they're going to send him to another school!
SD
SD
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: uk
This is a scam
My son was the lucky one to get the job!.....or as it turned out the very unlucky one to have been selected by an unscrupulous organisation.........
He was given very little actual flight training, or proper coaching, and was even asked to continue signing on for job seekers allowance after starting the job! He was paid just £100 per week after being led to believe it would be £250 per week.......He was recently called in to sit an exam with no prior notice, and then told he had failed the exam and therefore no longer required! he had been told that this was just a basic first test paper, and that he could resit it if necessary. No explanation has been offered despite requesting this in writing!
He has also confirmed that very many prospective trainees being tested on a regular basis and all receive just 10 minutes flight time at a cost of £290 each....despite there supposedly being two trainee positions available, none have since been filled! This is a scam that nets this unscrupulous company an awful lot of money, whilst dashing the hopes of young vulnerable people.
He was given very little actual flight training, or proper coaching, and was even asked to continue signing on for job seekers allowance after starting the job! He was paid just £100 per week after being led to believe it would be £250 per week.......He was recently called in to sit an exam with no prior notice, and then told he had failed the exam and therefore no longer required! he had been told that this was just a basic first test paper, and that he could resit it if necessary. No explanation has been offered despite requesting this in writing!
He has also confirmed that very many prospective trainees being tested on a regular basis and all receive just 10 minutes flight time at a cost of £290 each....despite there supposedly being two trainee positions available, none have since been filled! This is a scam that nets this unscrupulous company an awful lot of money, whilst dashing the hopes of young vulnerable people.
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: UK
My son was the lucky one to get the job!.....or as it turned out the very unlucky one to have been selected by an unscrupulous organisation.........
He was given very little actual flight training, or proper coaching, and was even asked to continue signing on for job seekers allowance after starting the job! He was paid just £100 per week after being led to believe it would be £250 per week.......He was recently called in to sit an exam with no prior notice, and then told he had failed the exam and therefore no longer required! he had been told that this was just a basic first test paper, and that he could resit it if necessary. No explanation has been offered despite requesting this in writing!
He has also confirmed that very many prospective trainees being tested on a regular basis and all receive just 10 minutes flight time at a cost of £290 each....despite there supposedly being two trainee positions available, none have since been filled! This is a scam that nets this unscrupulous company an awful lot of money, whilst dashing the hopes of young vulnerable people.
He was given very little actual flight training, or proper coaching, and was even asked to continue signing on for job seekers allowance after starting the job! He was paid just £100 per week after being led to believe it would be £250 per week.......He was recently called in to sit an exam with no prior notice, and then told he had failed the exam and therefore no longer required! he had been told that this was just a basic first test paper, and that he could resit it if necessary. No explanation has been offered despite requesting this in writing!
He has also confirmed that very many prospective trainees being tested on a regular basis and all receive just 10 minutes flight time at a cost of £290 each....despite there supposedly being two trainee positions available, none have since been filled! This is a scam that nets this unscrupulous company an awful lot of money, whilst dashing the hopes of young vulnerable people.
I wrote on the other thread (entitled 'senior Aviation / Austin Aviation') that this was a very dubious scheme.
I don't know how to link the other thread in this message, but if you scroll down the list of messages in this forum, you'll see the other posting where several comments have been made.
Reminds me of the dubious bogus modelling agencies, telling wannabe girls that they have a shot at modelling, so long as they paid extortionate fees for some photos and never get any work.
May I suggest that you contact the newspaper reporter who covered your son's story and make them aware of these postings on this forum and how they were 'used' by senior helicopters to bring a degree of legitimacy to this scheme by using a patsy reporter.
Perhaps 'trading standards' need to be informed too?
Sorry this happened to your son.
RotorHead
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,085
Likes: 8
From: Canada
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 156
Likes: 0
From: F8 and Be There
Sadly, it's a mirror image of the 'motorsport scholarship' scam. You each pay up several hundred pounds for race track training over several months, the winner getting a 'fully funded' race drive the following season.
Perhaps the newspaper that ran the original article might like to do some investigative journalism on a follow up?
Perhaps the newspaper that ran the original article might like to do some investigative journalism on a follow up?
Joined: Jul 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL(H)
Posts: 3,054
Likes: 57
From: UK
My son was the lucky one to get the job!.....or as it turned out the very unlucky one to have been selected by an unscrupulous organisation.........
He was given very little actual flight training or coaching, and spent most of his time taking other prospective trainees to the helipad watching them take ten minute flight tests at a cost of £290 each! He was also asked to continue signing on for job seekers allowance after starting this job, and was paid just £100 per week when the trainee position is actually advertised at £250 per week!
After one month of watching hundreds of other hopeful trainees paying £290 each, he then questioned Austin Aviation as to why no one else had been appointed, but they offered no explanation. Shortly afterwards he was called in at an hour’s notice to sit an exam, for which he had very little prior coaching, but told not to worry as he could retake it if unsuccessful the first time. He then received an email stating he had failed the exam and was no longer required! No other explanation has been offered and they will not answer any enquiries regarding his position! This is a scam that nets this unscrupulous company an awful lot of money, whilst dashing the hopes of young vulnerable people. My advice to everyone is to not get taken in by this scam as there is no dream job at the end of a very short interview which will cost you £290 for the privilege!
He was given very little actual flight training or coaching, and spent most of his time taking other prospective trainees to the helipad watching them take ten minute flight tests at a cost of £290 each! He was also asked to continue signing on for job seekers allowance after starting this job, and was paid just £100 per week when the trainee position is actually advertised at £250 per week!
After one month of watching hundreds of other hopeful trainees paying £290 each, he then questioned Austin Aviation as to why no one else had been appointed, but they offered no explanation. Shortly afterwards he was called in at an hour’s notice to sit an exam, for which he had very little prior coaching, but told not to worry as he could retake it if unsuccessful the first time. He then received an email stating he had failed the exam and was no longer required! No other explanation has been offered and they will not answer any enquiries regarding his position! This is a scam that nets this unscrupulous company an awful lot of money, whilst dashing the hopes of young vulnerable people. My advice to everyone is to not get taken in by this scam as there is no dream job at the end of a very short interview which will cost you £290 for the privilege!
However, the email for the News Desk is [email protected] and the email for the editor (Keith Harrison) is [email protected]
I also think that it would be worth contacting a national newspaper and BBC Watchdog: https://ssl.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mg74/contact
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 518
Likes: 50
From: London/Atlanta
What a let down!
I do feel sorry for the potential student, high hopes suddenly shot down in flames by a scam! As suggested have this investigated, maybe a real company might want to step in and give him a chance, even if he has to start by cleaning machines!!!
