What is the scam? Do they just take your money and tell you to pound sand or what?

 

The scam is these guys are very shady and circumspect. They have a past history (like many flight schools unfortunately) of taking students full deposits ($60,000+) and literally locking the doors and fleeing town the next day with the money. They knew they were going bankrupt. If they can cheat you, they will. I had a 172 that was running a little rough. I took it in to them (not knowing) and 15 minutes later was told I needed a $15000 rebuild. I told them I was going to get another opinion and they did everything they could to keep the plane in their hanger, including blocking it with other aircraft (one of their B90's), claiming they couldn't move the plane. It took me three days to get it out. Turns out the engine just needed one valve reground. It's still going strong six years later.

They are offering to do a good portion of the flight training in B90's for essentially the same cost as fight training in the 152/172/Seneca world. You do the math.

Rumor on the field was they had "New Jersey contacts". I have absolutely no idea if it was true or not, but I could believe it.

 

In a nutshell, YES, that is what they did. They were collecting large sums of Student loan money upfront (up to 2 days before they shut down). They were spending this money not on training but on financing their airline they were trying to start. The Bank (Key bank) got suspicious and stopped sending them more money and the whole (PONZI SCHEME) came crashing down. These guys then tried to blame the bank and claimed to be helping the screwed over students... ABSOLUTLY not true, like I've said I knew a couple of the people screwed and by the way they called me 2 days before they shut the doors to sign my contract , so I know first hand they were out to rip people off to the bitter end. I got very lucky that I didnt make it in due to a work conflict that day. Funny how they tried to pressure me when I said I couldnt make it in that day, they threatened me to lose my loan aproval if I didnt sign, luckily it turned me off enough to think twice about them, and then two days later BAM. I will always consider myself very lucky.

 

Consider yourself so very lucky! Good instincts! I unfortunately, took the bait. 4 years later and many many duckets paid to an attorney who's living the high life on my dime (and the dimes of about 50 other people), I have emerged at the same spot I was 4 years ago. The legal system almost served its purpose but in the end did what it is supposed to do.

 

These guys are correct in describing the scam. Additionally-here's an example. I attended TAB and was led to believe that the level 5 simulator was certified. I was led to believe the aircraft were insured. Well...turns out I once had to go back through my log book and take out all that simulator time. I thank god I never had any in-flight emergency; knock on wood. They shut the doors and didn't refund us the difference. They said the money was gone; without explaination. Um...they have money to reopen the same business scheme. They are "leasing" aircraft from a silent partner. Corporate fraud is the major scam. Banking scams were part of the scheme during the first go around. Mitch Mitchelson is back at it. He was the GM of ATA, a flight school that went down in flames. He was the GM of TAB. He is the GM of this new venture. Connect the dots.

 

I spoke to Mitch the other day trying to figure this scheme out and found it interesting that he kept talking about his kid who did all his training in King Airs, and because of that was now a hawker Captain. I asked how long his son was flying, and he said since 2005. I found it interesting that they made sure his son finished before they shut the doors... Mile High were you one who ended up at Falcon Flight after TAB if so PM me, when you have enough posts...

 

This is so moronic that I can't belive people are actually doing this. It's like they think we are morons. The program says it costs 72k for everything. But you only get 65 hours in an P model 172, onl 65 hours king air, and the rest is all sim time includin the 50 hours you are already supposed to have as a PPL. There's pay for turbine places out there where you can even get 500 hours Kingair SIC for 25k. Do the math.

 

How about one of you guy's contacting the Florida State attorney generals office. Consumer Fraud division I would think.

If they are doing this again, the AGs office probably needs to know about it.

 

While distasteful as heck and moraly bankrupt, I'm not sure what they are doing this time is officially illegal, under Floridas very lax statutes. The AG (Charlie Christ at the time) who is now governor did investigate them in 2005, obviously nothing was able to be done to them or they wouldnt be back for round 3. I fear that unless the laws, or lack there of, that regulate Flight schools down here change, this will keep happening. You always have the ability to not get burned by simply refusing to pay in full upfront for any flight training, a lesson that many of FLA flight students have learned the hard way over the years....It is much simpler to spread the word, alert the media, and hope no one falls into their trap. In a sense its a con game.

 

I did not pursue the train out option after TAB. I went to court instead to resolve the TAB fiasco. I left aviation for 4 years and have just now, because the lawsuit is over, returned to a university to complete my training.