Family Airline
 

Anyone know anything about these guys?

Hiring on climbto350. Looks like Southwest model but with 747s:eek:

Saw their add on climb350 seems a little too good to be true. Might be one of those flybynight outfits. tread softly

Basically they are looking for people to work for free until the airline gets off the ground. You won't get the best talent in the industry like that. With the low fares and business plan they are proposing, how well do you think the pilots will get paid? Skybus would have been a luxury airline compared to these guys. No thanks!

there was a very funny thread out here a while back about this dump. notice the pic of the 747-400 is a 747-100 an dhtey phot shor (poorly) their name on the tail. their home page look like a Nigerian scam "name your bank" home page.
one of the bennefits for the employees listed is "toilets". yup,no porta pottys there , an actual toilet....what a luxury!!!.
this dump has been trying to get off the ground for a few years now. if they ask you to pony up some money so can be a "share holders" then it probably is a Nigerian scam.

also notice that the #1 engine is missing in that picture.

Message to Moderators/ Co Founders.
 

In the past, moderators of APC have intervened and have contacted the so called officers starting an airline to prove validity. If there are any moderators/ Co founders reading this, would it be possible to work your magic so we may put this one to bed for good??? Family has been on and off the boards for a long time and I personally do not buy it.

Start-up an ultra low cost carrier...
 

...and, in your spare time, run for Congress. Sure thing...

Oh, and your future "CEO" is a felon. Click on his 'about me' link...

Classy...

MICHAELS

They have been trying to get this one running for at least the last 15 years. Its all B.S.

.....just like Baltia...

does this guy want to get elected?? He might want to revise his "about me" and take out the stuff about felonies, not getting admitted to 2 different law schools, divorces, etc.... just a thought.

Okay, but then you'd click on "About me" and have just a blank page.

At least he stands out. He looks like a cross between Fred Thompson and G. Gordon Liddy. :eek:

Here's A Good Giggle: Family Airlines — Civil Aviation Forum | Airliners.net

/thread

Looks like they are looking for crews... Captains starting pay at bout $160,000 per year. Don't be tempted by their numbers as these people have been quite shady for the past 15 years.

I agree with captjns !!!!!!!

Shady??? I honestly think it is a prank that was pulled many years ago and the folks who started it are LTAO every time it gets brought back up.

If it seems to good to be true, it is

This HAS to be a joke website. www.familyairlines.com

I love how they will fly to 14 cities. I don't know how they'll manage to pay or obtain the slots, or if they know what slots are.

The best part of this website is under the MEAL section. Look at the huge assortment of foods available! Who really wants a "foot long hotdog" on a flight. Maybe at a carnaval, which is what this airline webpage looks like.

I sent in my resume from Climbto350, I recieved an e mail stating I'd need to fill out an application to be considered. Oh, I almost forgot the application fee is $50.00!!! ***..over.

sounds like a nightmare airline to fly with to boot :s

Don't send them $50 before reading this letter!
 

FAMILY AIRLINES, INC



Bertram T. Kaufmann, Esq.
Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs

Mr. Michaels

Although Mr. Michaels’ ownership interest in FAI is presently substantial, it is important to recognize that Mr. Michaels’ interest in FAI will be significantly diluted upon conversion of the preferred shares issued in FAI’s planned capitalization through a stock offering of at least $150 million. Nonetheless, FAI responds to your information requests concerning Mr. Michaels as follows:
According to the application procedures and guidelines published by the DOT, an application for air carrier authority is to describe any charges of fraud, felony, or antitrust violations, or of unfair, anticompetitive or deceptive business practices brought against an applicant or its key personnel within the ten year period preceeding the application. As far as Mr. Michaels is aware, no civil or criminal charges or actions have been filed against him during the last ten years, and there are no outstanding judgements currently pending against him. Accordingly, Mr. Michaels has nothing to disclose, so the application does not contain such disclosures.
Mr. Michaels’ propensity to comply with the law and the requirements of the DOT is further evidenced by the fact that he has fully complied with a family court order for the past ten years.
During six of the last ten years, Mr. Michaels has attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a Master of Arts degree in Public Administration.
Together these facts provide ample evidence of Mr. Michael’s rehabilitation and that he is disposed to comply with the laws, rules, and regulations governing FAI’s operations and will be diligent in maintaining safe operations.
Financial Information

As of September 16, 2008, FAI has paid the following pre-operating expenses:

Automobile Expenses 149
Bank Charges 96
Computer Expenses 64
Interest 266
Office Supplies & Expenses 656
Postage & Delivery 63
Printing & Reproduction 493
Rent 4,125
Meals & Entertainment 449
Trade Shows 478

TOTAL EXPENSE 6839

Prior to commencing operations, FAI expects to incur the following additional expenses:


Advertising & Promotion 250,000
Aircraft 45,000,000
Bank Service Fees 2,000
Crew Training Expenses 200,000
Depreciation of Aircraft 750,000
Employee Development
& Training 50,000
Employee Uniforms 7,500
Employee Relocation 85,000
Equipment Rental 20,000
Insurance 200,000
Legal & Accounting Fees 350,000
Licenses & Permits 10,000
Miscellaneous 175,000
Office Expenses 20,000
Rent 50,000
Salary, Wages & Burdens 816,000
Telephone 30,000
Travel 45,000
Utilities 15,000
Vehicles (Leased) 25,000
Web Site Development 300,000

TOTAL ADDITIONAL
EXPENSE 48,400,500


These expenses are expected to be paid using capital raised through a stock offering of at least $150 million, which will also provide FAI with working capital. A balance sheet for FAI, as of September 16, 2008 is attached hereto.
The projections submitted by FAI as part of its application do not include interest income that FIA will earn on ticket purchases between the time of purchase and the time of the flight. Monthly interest income is projected to be $ 338,661. Assuming that FAI increases the fares projected in its application by 20 percent in response to increased fuel costs, as set forth below, it would still be projected to be profitable at load factors in excess of 76 percent.
Fuel Costs

In its request for information, the DOT informs us that the average fuel cost reported by domestic air carriers during June 2008 was $3.85 per gallon. When it first submitted its application, FAI projected fuel costs to be approximately $3.00 per gallon. FAI recognizes that fuel costs fluctuate and are currently at higher levels than when its application was submitted. Many airlines have increased their fares or imposed additional charges to help defray these increased costs. FAI could also defer all or part of the increased fuel costs by increasing its fares or imposing additional charges above those set forth in its application, while continuing to maintain its fares significantly below those prevailing in the industry. FAI does not anticipate that average load factors would decline as a result of such an increase, since its fares would still be significantly below the fares presently charged by existing air carriers.
On September 29, 2008, World Fuel Services provided us with a quote for fuel of $3.21 per gallon, loaded on board the aircraft at LAS. Regardless of which figure is used for fuel costs, neither of them is expected to adversely affect FAI or its profitability. Assuming that fuel costs are $3.85 per gallon, FAI projects that it would still be profitable within four months of commencing operations.
Although the Boeing 747 that FAI intends to operate is a very large, expensive aircraft, it produces a very low revenue cost per seat-mile due to economies of scale. The 581 passengers that FAI intends to carry on each flight would require 4 or 5 Boeing 737s to do the same job. A Boeing 747 burns less fuel on the same route than five Boeing 737s, and the cost of one pair of pilots (even at Boeing 747 rates) would never approach the cost of 5 pairs of Boeing 737 pilots. There is also economy of one gate departure, one takeoff and one landing and associated costs and fees, instead of five of each to transport the same number of passengers.
Load Factor
FAI’s projected load factor of 100 percent is not unreasonable, even though it exceeds the 75 to 80 percent load factors reported to the DOT by certificated air carriers during the last two years. FAI intends initially to operate one flight per day, with 581 available seats, over each route. On more than half the routes in FAI’s proposed route structure, these 581 seats constitute less than forty percent of the average daily number of passengers traveling over that route. (See chart below.) In compiling this chart, figures for 2007 were used unless it was apparent that changes in air service made the figures for an earlier year more representative of the demand for air travel between city pairs. The chart indicates where figures are from an earlier year. Given the extremely low fares proposed by FAI, its seats should be among the first sold. These low fares should also attract additional air travelers to these routes, further reducing the percentage of the total number of travelers these seats represent. Because of its very low fares, FAI is also anticipating that its tickets will not be refundable. Thus, FAI will still receive fare revenue for tickets when the passenger does not board the plane, making 100 percent load factors possible.
Assuming fuel costs $3.85 per gallon, and a 20% increase in FAI’s projected fares due to increased fuel costs, FAI projects that once it has fully implemented the planned operations specified in its application, it will be profitable with an average load factor of only 76 percent.
Capitalization

FAI intends to raise capital through a stock offering of at least $150 million. It is presently preparing materials to allow it to procure these funds through an investment banker. FAI inadvertently included two versions of Articles of Incorporation with its application. The Articles of Incorporation that are file stamped by the Nevada Secretary of State are the operative version. The other version that was submitted with the application and purports to only permit FAI to issue one class of common stock was never filed and is of no force and effect. Nevada, the state in which FAI is incorporated, does not require the articles to specify what classes of shares will be issued, and the effective Articles for FAI do not limit the classes of shares that FAI can issue.
Aircraft Acquisition

Since FAI submitted its application, the resale market for Boeing 747s has changed considerably. These aircraft are now being offered for sale for $20 million, or less, each. Although FAI has not yet identified the particular planes it intends to purchase, as far as it is aware, the following aircraft are being offered for sale at the prices listed by the sources indicated:
1986 Boeing 747-300 $15MM (UKSAIR, Ltd.)
Boeing 747-300 $17MM (Heinze G. Engles Aircraft Brokerage)
Boeing 747-300 (6) $7-9MM (Japan Air Lines)
Many of these aircraft may currently remain available. Accordingly, FAI now intends to purchase at least three aircraft at these prices prior to commencing operations, and to acquire up to nine additional aircraft during its initial year of operation. Acquisition of these aircraft is now expected to be funded through the stock offering of at least $150 million to capitalize FAI. As a result, it is no longer anticipated that these aircraft will be financed. Three of the additional aircraft are projected to be acquired during the first month of each quarter, measured from when FAI first begins operating.
Additional Updated Information

The following information is submitted to update the Application to reflect what has transpired since FAI filed its application:
A. FAI intends to establish an operations and maintenance base at MIA.

B. The FAA has informed FAI that the MIA FSDO has the personnel with Boeing 747 expertise available to expeditiously process FAI’s application for an air carrier certificate.

PERCENTAGE OF DAILY PASSENGERS REPRESENTED BY 581 SEATS

PERCENTAGE
OF MARKET
ANNUAL AVERAGE DAILY REPRESENTED BY
ROUTES PASSENGERS -- 2007 _ PASSENGERS 581 SEATS

DFW-LAX 865,834 2,372 24%
HNL-LAS 319,387 875 66%
HNL-LAX 1,113,273 3,050 28%
HNL-SAN* 89,421 245 237%
HNL-SFO 578,502 1,585 37%
JFK-LAS 548,613 1,503 39%
JFK-LAX 1,036,558 2,840 20%
JFK-MCO 675,137 1,850 20%
JFK-MIA 414,007 1,134 51%
JFK-0RD 253,011 693 84%
JFK-TPA 433,531 1,188 49%
LAS-HNL 320,508 878 66%
LAS-JFK 540,563 1,481 39%
LAS-LAX 1,164,621 3,191 18%
LAS-MCO 174,296 478 122%
LAS-MIA 134,767 369 157%
LAS-ORD 810,296 2,220 26%
LAS-PHL 427,242 1,171 50%
LAS-PHX 997,759 2,734 21%
LAS-SAN 563,526 1,544 38%
LAS-SJC 390,153 1,069 54%
LAS-TPA 121,084 332 175%
LAX-DFW 864,267 2,368 25%
LAX-HNL 1,096,414 3,004 19%
LAX-JFK 1,053,384 2,886 20%
LAX-LAS 1,129,635 3,095 19%
LAX-PHX 782,236 2,143 27%
LAX-SFO 1,055,488 2,892 20%
LAX-SJC 548,138 1,502 39%
MCO-JFK 661,821 1,813 32%
MCO-LAS 169,865 465 125%
MIA-JFK 418,733 1,147 51%
MIA-LAS 141,699 388 150%
MIA-PHL 267,475 733 79%
ORD-JFK 258,579 708 82%
ORD-LAS 778,455 2,160 27%
PHL-LAS 428,925 1,175 49%
PHL-MIA 267,649 733 79%
PHX-LAS 971,012 2,660 22%
PHX-LAX 790,209 2,165 27%
SAN-HNL* 91,860 252 231%
SAN-LAS 552,097 1,513 38%
SFO-HNL 559,663 1,533 38%
SFO-LAX 1,055,702 2,892 20%
SJC-LAS 397,637 1,089 53%
SJC-LAX 561,193 1,538 38%
TPA-JFK 441,985 1,211 48%
TPA-LAS 118,169 324 179%

*Flights between these city pairs have been limited, and therefore, these figures are not representative of the size of the market.


























FAMILY AIRLINES INC.
Balance Sheet
As of September 16, 2008


ASSETS
Current Assets
Checking/Savings 30

Total Checking/Savings 30

Total Current Assets 30

Fixed Assets
Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment
(Net of Depreciation) 2,948

Total Fixed Assets 2,948

TOTAL ASSETS 2,978
====

LIABILITIES & EQUITY

Liabilities
Current Liabilities
Due Bank of America 3,710
Loans & Exchanges – B. Michaels 7,786
Loans & Exchanges – Other 3,000

Total Current Liabilities 14,496

Total Liabilities 14,496

Stockholder’s Equity

Capital Stock 17,500
Retained Earnings (29,018)

Total Stockholder’s Equity (11,518)

TOTAL LIABILITIES & STOCKHOLDER’S EQUITY 2978
=====

Doesn't sound right to me
 

I don't know, maybe I am missing something, but I see no indication of minimum requirements to be a pilot with them, I see no information that one usually sees when they are thinking of applying with a company. All I see is a link to give them $50. You can't even see the app before paying them? Why do I get the idea that after you pay the $50, there is no link to an application?

Guess I'll just patiently wait in the pool I'm already in. ;)

There seems to be a question of whether or not this is even an airline or some phishing scam to get your money and/or your personal info. Either way, BT I'd give this "job opportunity" a pass.

Absolutely! I would not have even thought of applying. Sorry I guess I was typing too late at night, I was trying to be funny. I'm happy where I am and wouldn't think of changing unless my new employer says no classes for the more than a year, and I don't think we are at that point.

Thirty dollars in the bank is probably more than many airlines have these days! And if you apply, you could more than double the airline's cash on hand! I just wonder what "Mr. Michaels" has been "rehabilitated" from?

Then again - $50 could buy this guy a new hat:

YouTube - Captain Dan of Family Airlines

This thread has some good info, as does a quick Google search and read on many other aviation web sites/forums.

As always, buyer be [very] aware.

I applied 10 times.

I figure that $500 lets them know that I am VERY serious about working there.

I am standing by the phone, eagerly awaiting the call.

Maybe if I send them more money, I can be assistant chief pilot.

keep your fingers crossed....

OMG, after seeing this, there is no doubt that this is a con!

YouTube - Family Airlines Introduction

I can just picture this commercial on cable tv. They seem to be off to a good start!!! lol

everyone should just flag that/those videos to get them off there. What a pos operation

Another prospective advertiser that Climbto350 probably did not qualify.

Me thinks this may be a Ponzi scheme.


Ponzi scheme - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

His hat looks like it was from a kids Halloween costume!

Family has started up about 3 times. Some of my friends, former Pan Am buys (invested) bought seats. They were scammed out of their money. I forget the year but it was back around 1993 I think. Steer clear if it is the same people starting it up.

The CEO is listed as Barry Michaels...click the link with his name on the company website...read paragraph #2...laugh...close the website....continue drinking....use the $50.00 for something useful...like booze or smokes.

Same scam from early 1990's DONT DO IT! I think the first Family Air guy went to jail for running off with all the money.

Thank you for your resume regarding a flight crew position with Family Airlines. In order for you to be considered for an interview a formal application will need to be submitted.

Our application is available on line at:

Thank you for your interest in j

[email protected]
e-mail sent from.

Don't forget about the $50 processing fee.:D:rolleyes:

Not only will that guaranty an interview, but also fifty less buckaroos in the bank... and for what??? nothing.

Rember the movie PORKY'S? They boys from Angel Beach? They shelled out 30 bucks each, and got dumps in the swamp. Only PORKY'S was more fun to watch.

The cheerleader that he takes upstairs in Porkys is/was Kim Cattrall.

YouTube - Family Airlines Introduction

Captain Dan says $18 to SAN, Foot Long Hot Dog $1200

Chief Pilot: Tommy Thompson Jr.
From the FAA:
FAA Registry
Name Inquiry Results

TOMMY CHAMPION THOMPSON JR

Address

Street 1266 BLUE HERON ST
City HITCHCOCK State TX
County GALVESTON Zip Code 77563-2718
Country USA


Medical

No Medical Available



Certificates

1 of 1


DOI: 2/16/2002
Certificate: MECHANIC
Rating(s):
MECHANIC
AIRFRAME
POWERPLANT

31 Tommy Thompsons, checked em all 1 has an ATP with ERJ145 type, doubt that's him. Pretty sure the whole thing is a scam.

"Thank you for your interest in joining Family Airlines flight crew. Family Airlines has been receiving approximately 500 resumes per week from pilots all over the world requesting an opportunity to join its flight crew."

All I have to say is wow....morons. If somone is that dumb that they would send them an app....they should not be flying!!! And I dont even think that they would get 500 resumes per week....unless there are that many morons!