same happened where i was at but all the cfi's started to complain to the boss and mx.....long story short stuff flying starting to get better but not before a cfi and a dpe got warning letters from the FAA.

It sucks they can take advantage of you because they feel you will do whatever they need to protect your career. I was pushed more when I was a freight pilot than when I was an instructor. I finally quit my freight job due to the chronic maintenance problems. It took me about a year but I finally found a regional job. That was back in '95. Six years later I got to DAL and I can say without a doubt our mx is outstanding here.

The way I see it.... if your plane crashes whatever the reason... pilot error mx problem... structural failure... either way you're SOL ... nice to know who caused it but whatever the case if you're dead it doesn't matter... don't stack the odds against you. Get out... questionable MX that compromises the integrity of the aircraft or the FARs....

No, I have not experienced this. I would not stand for it. I have been lucky, I guess, from reading some of the other replies. Nobody should have to put up with that crap. Our management is great about it and our mx are awesome too. When I was flying freight, (which was brutle) the company had a reputation for keeping the airplanes up. That's one of the reasons I went there. I flew about 1600 hours in a year and a half and didn't have any problems. A couple small things, but they were fixed immediately.


There are plenty of good flight schools out there, and CFIs are needed.
Get out, before something that you will regret happens.

papa t

I'm going to say this. There are not plenty of good flight schools out there. From my experience, and listening to all of my good friends who have been teaching at other schools, the majority of us have to deal with B.S. bosses who think an airplane that can't climb out of an airport on a hot day should only be used when it's a cool day (now that's kind of a long story, but I won that battle!). I was flying today preparing a student for his private ride, none of the 1977 172N's we fly handle, look, feel or even fly the same profile. The excuse is we have all N models because they all fly the same. No they don't! That was kind of a rant, long story short, I think most of us have dealt with shady mx or more than likely a shady FBO/School owner.

Well, sorry you guys haven't had that much luck. Where are these BAD flight schools at exactly? Just curious. Like I said, I guess I'm pretty lucky.

Where?

Go to Florida. Orient yourself in any direction and spit. You will hit one of these schools. Guaranteed.

To the original poster, my personal solution to the problem when I had it was to leave Florida. I found that while there are bad apples in every bunch, Florida seems to be the low spot toward which bad apples seem to roll. This also applies to charter companies as well as flight schools.

Remember it is your butt and certificate on the line. They threaten you with your job, you need the money and hours, you know they are unworthy airplanes, around and around you go. They know you are expendable and there are 1000 people waiting to fill your slot if you leave. Bottom line is you have to look out for what's best for you, because your employer never will.

I know times are tough and moving isn't an option for most people. But in the case of Florida...you are just in a hole down there for the most part. If you don't mind me asking, what part or Florida are you in?

I suspected it might be Florida. Not really a big fan of that state. I know they do alot of training down there but, it sounds like not the best deal around on many levels. Why stay in Florida anyway?

I encountered that at a school where I was a student. Knowing better now, there was no way I'd stand for it as an instructor. So I teach at a different school.

At my school that bug us for not writing stuff up and cluck disapprovingly about, "that one instructor who flies when no one else would take the plane or go up in that weather."

Deal with your situation as best you can, but remember that if something goes wrong, your best case scenario is that only your certificates are in danger. Take a hard line if you need to.