Great lakes airlines

chrisreedrules said:
And not to beat a dead horse or anything... But you will easily make at least 5K more as a CFI. I made 25K as a CFI my first year. Not stellar, but way better than GLA.
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I hear ya bud, but im not rich and going further into debt isnt something that i can afford to do at the moment
 
I_Money said:
TT, I am sure when you start flying out of SNA you will meet plenty of people who will be happy to share time with you.
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There is a thread somewhere in here but the reason was they did not inspect the seat rails according to the A.D. on their 152s. Last I heard they were fighting it.
 
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration has proposed a $204,050 civil penalty against an Atwater flight school for allegedly operating airplanes not in compliance with FAA regulations.

The school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, allegedly operated nine Cessna 152 airplanes while not in compliance with the regulations, according to a statement from the FAA.

The FAA alleges Sierra mechanics failed to inspect the planes’ seat locking pins, according to the requirements of an Airworthiness Directive. The FAA issued the Airworthiness Directive after reports of seats slipping when a latch pin was not properly engaged, which could lead to the pilot losing control of the airplane, the statement said.

Sierra allegedly operated the nine aircraft on a total of 358 flights, including instruction and rental flights, when they had not been properly inspected. The statement said the FAA also alleges Sierra improperly recorded a maintenance log entry for one of the aircraft.

The flight school, which is based at Castle Commerce Center, has 30 days from the receipt of the FAA's enforcement letter to respond to the agency.

Officials at the flight school said they don’t agree with the FAA’s contentions. Bob Deklinski, the school’s spokesman, said proper inspections were completed on the nine planes, and they are safe. Deklinski said safety remains the school’s top priority. “If we have any (indication) that anything is wrong with an aircraft, we will ground the entire fleet,” Deklinski said. “We’re very proud of our safety record.”

Robert Hajek, a Del Mar-based private aviation attorney who’s representing Sierra in the matter, said he’ll meet with FAA’s attorney to try and resolve the case. If it cannot be resolved, the issue will go before the National Transportation Safety Board, who will determine whether to affirm or reduce the civil penalty, Hajek said.

Hajek said the claims by FAA regarding the seat locking pins amount to only a “technical issue” which has been addressed.

Deklinski said the school has around 200 students.


Read more here: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/02/07/3483258/faa-proposes-204050-civil-penalty.html#storylink=cpy
 
A Life Aloft said:
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration has proposed a $204,050 civil penalty against an Atwater flight school for allegedly operating airplanes not in compliance with FAA regulations.

The school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, allegedly operated nine Cessna 152 airplanes while not in compliance with the regulations, according to a statement from the FAA.

The FAA alleges Sierra mechanics failed to inspect the planes’ seat locking pins, according to the requirements of an Airworthiness Directive. The FAA issued the Airworthiness Directive after reports of seats slipping when a latch pin was not properly engaged, which could lead to the pilot losing control of the airplane, the statement said.

Sierra allegedly operated the nine aircraft on a total of 358 flights, including instruction and rental flights, when they had not been properly inspected. The statement said the FAA also alleges Sierra improperly recorded a maintenance log entry for one of the aircraft.

The flight school, which is based at Castle Commerce Center, has 30 days from the receipt of the FAA's enforcement letter to respond to the agency.

Officials at the flight school said they don’t agree with the FAA’s contentions. Bob Deklinski, the school’s spokesman, said proper inspections were completed on the nine planes, and they are safe. Deklinski said safety remains the school’s top priority. “If we have any (indication) that anything is wrong with an aircraft, we will ground the entire fleet,” Deklinski said. “We’re very proud of our safety record.”

Robert Hajek, a Del Mar-based private aviation attorney who’s representing Sierra in the matter, said he’ll meet with FAA’s attorney to try and resolve the case. If it cannot be resolved, the issue will go before the National Transportation Safety Board, who will determine whether to affirm or reduce the civil penalty, Hajek said.

Hajek said the claims by FAA regarding the seat locking pins amount to only a “technical issue” which has been addressed.

Deklinski said the school has around 200 students.


Read more here: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/02/07/3483258/faa-proposes-204050-civil-penalty.html#storylink=cpy
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How recent was this?
 
on another note Dec. 2013

Sierra Academy of Aeronautics moves ahead with $30 million project at Castle Airport in Atwater
ATWATER — The owners of the Atwater-based Sierra Academy of Aeronautics are one step closer to their vision of constructing a large aviation project at Castle Airport.
The owners of the flight school have identified 18 acres of land at Castle for the project and are in negotiations with the county to lease it. The proposed site is north of Castle Airport’s terminal building.
The lease agreement might be finalized by the end of this month or early January, said Bob Deklinski, director of airport development for Sierra Air Center Development.

“We’re presently in discussions concerning the lease with the county, and it’s tentatively scheduled for the Dec. 17 agenda,” Deklinski said. “It’s going to bring a lot of employment to the county and have a positive economic impact.”
Sierra Air Center Development is a company formed by the owners of the flight school in 2011, but Deklinski said they’ve been working on this project for 10 years.

If the plan moves forward, it could bring about 879 permanent jobs to Merced County.

The $30 million project would build a one-stop shop at Castle that would provide such services as corporate hangars, a fueling station and maintenance operations. The five-year project would also build a second international flight school.

Funding for the project comes from the EB-5 program, which is sponsored by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. It was passed by lawmakers in 1990 as a tool to help generate job growth.
Foreign investors put $500,000 into businesses at Castle that create or preserve at least 10 full-time jobs in exchange for two-year conditional visas, according to Deklinski.
Deklinski’s company is putting together a marketing team to reach investors in South Korea and China, some of whom have expressed interest in Merced County, he said.

Brian Johnson, Sierra’s vice president and chief flight instructor, said the school has formed relationships with companies in Asia, making it easier to acquire investors.

“I don’t really have a lot of concern about achieving the funding needed because we’ve been working with people in the Chinese market for so long,” Johnson said. “Because Sierra Academy has been working with Chinese government, institutions, airlines – we have all the right contacts to put this program in place.”
The aviation project fits into the master plan for the former air force base, which is to transform Castle’s airport into a hub to ship and receive goods worldwide.

“The fact is, by aircraft you’re only 10 more minutes from San Francisco to Castle,” Johnson said. “Castle has no congestion, no huge fees, and we have the infrastructure like the railroad and freeway to get products out to where they need to go.

“It’s the whole supply-and-demand thing,” he continued, “It has to come here somehow, so why not bring it to Merced County?”

Read more here: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2013/1...es-ahead-with-new-aviation.html#storylink=cpy
 
For anyone looking at Lakes, seriously, you can do better.

One-cries-because-one-is-sad.jpg
 
Travis John said:
So would you say its a good idea to try and get a CFI with them and sign a year long contract?
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I don't know dink about them, myself. They may have settled with the FAA by now or are in the process. Start a thread on them and see if you can find some current or recent info from some guys currently there, or who worked or got their ratings there. They seem worth checking out. They sure seem to be on the move growth wise from the above article, but you need to find some current and recent former guys from there.
 
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A Life Aloft said:
I don't know dink about them, myself. They may have settled with the FAA by now or are in the process. Start a thread on them and see if you can find some current or recent info from some guys currently there, or who worked or got their ratings there. They seem worth checking out. They sure seem to be on the move growth wise from the above article.
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I definately will. Thanks for all the info
 
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A Life Aloft said:
I don't know dink about them, myself. They may have settled with the FAA by now or are in the process. Start a thread on them and see if you can find some current or recent info from some guys currently there, or who worked or got their ratings there. They seem worth checking out. They sure seem to be on the move growth wise from the above article.
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Travis John said:
I definately will. Thanks for all the info
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Or use the search function at the top of your screen.

I also have more info and I have the actual training contract in my email if you would like it. Just PM me your email and I will forward it. They also have free housing for instructors and free "cafeteria" food.

I've done a ton of research and I personally think that it is a great option for low timers with no money to pay for a cfi. I am considering it but I have some things to think about unrelated to the school or contract.
 
jgheggie said:
Or use the search function at the top of your screen.

I also have more info and I have the actual training contract in my email if you would like it. Just PM me your email and I will forward it. They also have free housing for instructors and free "cafeteria" food.

I've done a ton of research and I personally think that it is a great option for low timers with no money to pay for a cfi. I am considering it but I have some things to think about unrelated to the school or contract.
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Have you been there to check them out in person yet? Might be worth a trip. Wouldn't take you that long to drive down there from where you are.
 
A Life Aloft said:
Have you been there to check them out in person yet? Might be worth a trip. Wouldn't take you that long to drive down there from where you are.
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Not yet. My wife is "past due" on our first child. Should be born any day. So I have a lot to consider when deciding to go there. I would not be receiving any pay for the duration of cfi training. That could be a rough few months.
 
jgheggie said:
Not yet. My wife is "past due" on our first child. Should be born any day. So I have a lot to consider when deciding to go there. I would not be receiving any pay for the duration of cfi training. That could be a rough few months.
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Congrats on the soon to be addition! But you realize there is no pay for training at lakes either. After 3 months of training, my first paycheck was $72, which was closer to 4 months in, since I had to work to get that first one rolling! I still have it on my desk at home. Oh and btw, per diem at Lakes is based on block times, which as a line holder while I was there averaged about $300 ish a month. So don't count on that making anything better. If you want, when I get home, I'll post up my paychecks, on what I took home, with no medical insurance and only claiming myself for taxes. Usually was around $450 on the first, and $900 on the 15th. I think I had two paychecks that were over $1000 for the year and a half I was there.
 
bkey79 said:
Congrats on the soon to be addition! But you realize there is no pay for training at lakes either. After 3 months of training, my first paycheck was $72, which was closer to 4 months in, since I had to work to get that first one rolling! I still have it on my desk at home. Oh and btw, per diem at Lakes is based on block times, which as a line holder while I was there averaged about $300 ish a month. So don't count on that making anything better. If you want, when I get home, I'll post up my paychecks, on what I took home, with no medical insurance and only claiming myself for taxes. Usually was around $450 on the first, and $900 on the 15th. I think I had two paychecks that were over $1000 for the year and a half I was there.
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No need to post the checks for me. I'm well aware of the pay and never really wanted to go to lakes. Of course I looked at them...it's a low time gig. But in reality, I couldn't make it work with a young child anyway.

Thanks though!
 
jgheggie said:
Not yet. My wife is "past due" on our first child. Should be born any day. So I have a lot to consider when deciding to go there. I would not be receiving any pay for the duration of cfi training. That could be a rough few months.
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Oh hell, I had no idea! Congrats to you both!!! First babies are often late, sometimes up to a week or more. Boy or girl? Won't matter really, you'll be in deep love after the first 5 minutes. Do you guys have any family nearby?
 
A Life Aloft said:
Oh hell, I had no idea! Congrats to you both!!! First babies are often late, sometimes up to a week or more. Boy or girl? Won't matter really, you'll be in deep love after the first 5 minutes. Do you guys have any family nearby?
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We have a ton of family in sacramento where we live. But not near Sierra flight school. And it's a baby girl!

Thanks!
 
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