AZ Flight School Fined $330,000

At a 141 school I am familiar with, a. 141 check instructor did a few(think nearly triple digits) stage checks with an expired CFI rating. This invalidated all their certificates, and they had to return to be re-examined. All expenses covered by the school. The check instructor kept their job.
 
I've always had a bad impression of 141 schools. I don't know how I got that since I've never attended one. Only 61.
 
stensonb said:
Everybody say it together:

C L A S S * A C T I O N
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And an echo in the hallway responds: "ONLY THE LAWYERS WILL MAKE MONEY WITH A CLASS ACTION!" That's IF there's anything left of the company AFTER the FAA fine. Can't plunder pockets with nothing in them...
 
That's interesting. James did my flight instructor ratings years ago, part 61. I had a great experience and didn't suspect any misleading or dishonesty. I did hear about his certificate getting revoked though. Crazy.
 
I finished there in March of 2007. What happened to James? Haven't spoken to anyone from that place since my last flight instructor over there died in a plane crash.

Never thought NorthAire was shady, rather I thought Riddle was shady.
 
bdhugh said:
I finished there in March of 2007. What happened to James? Haven't spoken to anyone from that place since my last flight instructor over there died in a plane crash.

Never thought NorthAire was shady, rather I thought Riddle was shady.
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The FAA took his examiner ticket away because he was essentially passing everybody and was doing too many rides in a year, he eventually sold the biz. I did my PPL there in 03' and once I got my Commercial at another flight school I realize what a pilot mill NorthAire was.
 
Did you have a bad experience there? I did my PPL checkride with James just before he lost it and it was no cake walk. The commercial multi add-on checkride I did with Brunhilde Bradley just before I left was more difficult than any other checkride I have done thus far. Including my CFI checkride with the FAA.

It sounds like most of the problems that were responsible for the fine being placed happened after James sold the business.

My only complaint about NorthAire is that at the time it was more expensive than Riddle with airplane and instructor costs. Completion time for ratings was done alot faster though.
 
bdhugh said:
Did you have a bad experience there? I did my PPL checkride with James just before he lost it and it was no cake walk. The commercial multi add-on checkride I did with Brunhilde Bradley just before I left was more difficult than any other checkride I have done thus far. Including my CFI checkride with the FAA.

It sounds like most of the problems that were responsible for the fine being placed happened after James sold the business.

My only complaint about NorthAire is that at the time it was more expensive than Riddle with airplane and instructor costs. Completion time for ratings was done alot faster though.
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I did my PPL there in 2003. My check ride with James was a joke, he mostly walked me through it. I realized a few years later when I continued my training that I had no business having my PPL, I'm man enough to admit it. I took my check ride with 40 hours and couldn't tell you what was required equipment for VFR flight none the less what reg it was at the time. I just went through the Ceesna Training CDs, flew through the check flights and studied the cheat sheet for the Oral. I'm glad I continued my training else where (even though that place turned out to owned by Napoleon himself.)
 
I got my ME rating there back in 1980. It was part 61 and I had no complaints. The local DE that did a lot of Riddle rides owned the place and it had a good rep back then.
 
DE727UPS said:
I got my ME rating there back in 1980. It was part 61 and I had no complaints. The local DE that did a lot of Riddle rides owned the place and it had a good rep back then.
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It had a good rep in '89, when all the Air Studies peeps at Riddle would go train there, as I remember.
 
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