Summit Helicopters in Addison Closes its doors

[ABarnes]

I took a discovery flight with them last year.

 

I think it's total BS that the loan companies get bailed out but still won't give money so students can train. Then the smaller schools go out of business. That's just not right.

 

I was impressed with their operation and with the CFII that took me up (Sean).

 

 

Edited in response to other posts. I can't say one way or another what happened since I wasn't there but the people I dealt with personally were great. Sean who did my flight. Chuck was really helpful too. And the girl that answered the phone up front helped me out a few times. I only talked to Jason on the phone but didn't actually meet him.

 

Well, I believe in karma so people will get what they deserve. Good luck to the good ones!

Edited September 3, 2009 by ABarnes

[rick1128]

I interviewed with them in June. They were hiring at least two more instructors. Maybe it was a good thing I didn't get the job.

 

You might want to take a look at Precision Helicopter in Newberg. A small school using H300's. I did my Commercial add-on and CFI-H there. Overall I was pleased wit the experience.

[Zack]

I also think that it's complete BS that money for student or career loans are still completely frozen. You can thank the current and previous government administrations for further entrenching us in this financial debacle. Saving jobs has, so far, equated to losing more jobs. It's amazing how naive politicians are.

 

I, too, was considering training from Summit. I liked All-American Helicopters and Longhorn, but Summit (in my opinion) had a superior operation. Too bad that won't be happening anymore...

[ADRidge]

Summit had some great equipment and a really nice location. That's too bad.

[helonorth]

I don't know what went on at Summit, but to blame politicians for banks not loaning huge amounts of cash for an average paying job doesn't make sense to me. Maybe the banks are somewhat at fault?

[mrjibbs]

dont blame this one on the financing industry, 100% of the blame is placed squarley on the shoulders of the owner, Jason Hegel. He has no idea how to run a business. He took over for a company that had been in strong business for 7+ years and ran it straight into the ground screwing over every single person possible along the way. He literally stole students money, then admitted it, refused to give refunds for canceled tours and when one student confronted him about his refund, he told the student he spent it, then called the cops to have him escorted off the premisis. He didnt pay the fuel bill with the FBO, last i heard from one of the fuelers was our bill was over 40k. He didnt even have a hangar, all the birds sat outside, and when hail storms came through, he tried to have everyone fly them out of the area. I mean i could go on and on about this A hole. Oh yeah, he doesnt pay his employees either.

 

Be very glad and lucky that you didnt give him your money ABarnes, or take the job rick1128, your much better off having nothing to do with Jason hegel or summit helicopters. It was a huge mess and he screwed over lots of students and 6 CFII's big time.

 

You want more details, just ask. I witnessed it all.

[mrjibbs]

oh yeah and Jason hegels username on here is "jeh." he will try and tell you stories of his EMS and GOM experience but dont believe it, it is all a lie. He quit his EMS job the morning of his first shift so he never even took one flight but has lots of stories to tell. Same with his GOM experience, went through the training and couldnt hack it and quit, but has so many stories to tell hahahahahahahaha. WHAT A FOOL!!!!!!!!

[mrjibbs]

in regards to the JH forum post, its 100% accurate and true. Like i said, i witnessed this all first hand.

Edited September 1, 2009 by mrjibbs

[fry]

Posted on this board by JEHH of Summit Helicopters last Oct 31st/Nov 1st:

 

Two points...

 

First, Airola can use SSH's money as his own, so long as it is properly reported to the IRS as an owner distribution and taxes paid on it. For that matter, he can pay himself as much as he wants, one of the joys of being the owner.

 

Second, EOS and Airola may well just plead the 5th, since they gain nothing out of testifying under oath. The news hype is gone and no one cares about this anymore other than those affected. Notice that no one is posting about it here anymore other than you? We're all sick of hearing about it and have moved on. Sucks for the former students, but that is about as far as it goes.

 

Not defending it, just stating the law. Don't like it, change the law. Bitching about it here won't do anything.

 

(quick accounting lesson: A business owner is allowed to withdraw funds from a company so long as there is still equity on the books. Once that reaches zero, he/she is supposed to book it as an expense and take out self-employment taxes for it, assuming a single member LLC or single shareholder subchapter S corp.)

 

SSH booked that student money as income, since it was non-refundable, so it shows up as owner equity on the balance sheet. The owner can withdraw that equity if he/she wants to.

 

What should have happened was this: If future services must be provided, then the money should be booked as a liability, not income, since there is a future obligation for the company.

 

That is where the real crime was, but it appears they will get away with it this time.

 

That probably was one of those red flag moments for the students of Summit.

[Miloe]

Having no actual knowlege of the FAA/FBI/etc going on, I can't comment on any of that.

 

But I would just like to mention that there were some very good CFIs and mechanics at Summit. That's what kept me around. Best of luck to them and the students.

 

Before anyone jumps to conclusions, I was just a student who spent a lot of time and money there.

 

L8R

Gary

[ADRidge]

Having no actual knowlege of the FAA/FBI/etc going on, I can't comment on any of that.

 

But I would just like to mention that there were some very good CFIs and mechanics at Summit. That's what kept me around. Best of luck to them and the students.

 

Before anyone jumps to conclusions, I was just a student who spent a lot of time and money there.

 

L8R

Gary

 

Ditto. Whatever my feelings about management, the guys and gals over there were top notch.

[fry]

Curious...how come there are no posts from students complaining about their lost advanced loan funds? Maybe there weren't any. Also, there has been no bankruptcy filing for Summit Helicopters...maybe the company didn't owe anybody. Maybe MrJibbs is just a disgruntled former employee?

[Miloe]

Well I've heard reliable second hand info that one former student was out around $3500, but it wasn't me so I can't verify jack. If that student hangs out here, they can speak for themselves on it if they want to.

[ABarnes]

Well, like in my original post, I don't know about any bad dealings. I can only say what my personal experiences were. But one of the reasons I wanted to fly there was 1) the instructor I flew with was experienced and really seemed to know his stuff and 2) They always seemed very honest and straight forward. They never tried to pressure me and always gave me what I deemed to be good advice. Gave me plenty of ways to try to get financing. So if the stuff that was said above is true, that sucks. But I'd take some anonymous posting on the internet with a grain of salt. Fry could be onto something.

[ADRidge]

Who did you fly with over there?

[Hedge36]

Well, crap - that's disappointing. I'd gotten word on the back end that Summit MIGHT be circling the toilet bowl, but I've been on the road for several months and haven't been able to go by and fly in what seems like forever now.

 

Sucks, too, as I live right under the downwind leg of the pattern and really enjoyed watching everybody fly on days when I had to work. I was really liking my time over there.

[yakking]

Unfortunately I have to agree with MrJibbs.

I worked there as a CFII a few years back. The CFII's all worked very hard and Jason talked a very big game (re; offshore and EMS experience). This is why I think new students are generally impressed by the operation. However behind closed doors; we always struggled to get paid on time. There was always issues with getting maintainence done on the helo's. Great things were demanded off the CFII's and expected to be done for free. I choose to leave as I wasn't happy with the situation.

 

It has been discussed for years when Summit would close down and how. The way the business was being run could only lead to one conclusion.

 

To those of you looking for a flight school in the area, you couldn't find better schools that SKY Helicopters in Garland and Longhorn in Denton. Both are very professional, have operated for a long time with proven records.

[mrjibbs]

Fry, yes i am a disgruntled former employee cause i worked my ass off and didnt get paid a dime. And yes everything said was 100% true, just cause you havent found it on the interenet doesnt mean it didnt happen. Take it as you will, grain of salt or not. Whats true is true, i have no reason to lie or make this stuff up. You'll find your answers soon enough....

[flygirl]

I was a student at Summit. Things didn't work out there for me, so I moved on to All American Helicopters as it was more in line with my priorities and what I was looking for in a flight school.

 

The bad thing about Summit closing is that it limits student choices. There are only a few schools in the DFW area and they all offer something different. As a student, more schools equals more choices.

[hmk]

I was too a student there. I had Patrick as my main cfi. We had a good time, the gang there was super nice. I was on a tight schedule, and they all made me finish on time, 26 days to be accurate, 0-55 cpl add on. I had no trubles with Jason. But I know some of the cfi's was not too happy. I think he had a habbit of fiering people quite easy. I once came to school, and got told that jason fired all the mechanics an hour before i got there. A new crew was immediately hired and they seemd just as good.

 

I then went on with my career, but when I returnd six months later all the cfi's I knew was gone, and had been replaced... not voulentary.

[fry]

Fry, yes i am a disgruntled former employee cause i worked my ass off and didnt get paid a dime. And yes everything said was 100% true, just cause you havent found it on the interenet doesnt mean it didnt happen. Take it as you will, grain of salt or not. Whats true is true, i have no reason to lie or make this stuff up. You'll find your answers soon enough....

 

I don't doubt the management of the company was crappy, most small business owners are lousy business and financial managers. That they spend whatever cash comes in the door is no revelation...that is why advance payments to any small business are a bad idea. And based on some of his posts, that he is out of business as soon as a down economy comes around is also no big surprise.

 

But you said, "He literally stole students money..." That's accusing him of more than just the usual poor business judgments and shortsightedness of small business owners. My point was that we are just not seeing posts from students corroborating those statements (and a couple of students losing the realatively small amounts they paid in advance for block time does not equal a Silver State level ripoff).

[hmk]

To get block time price, you only had to be out 3000 dollars when I was there, not much compared to my fix wing school which wanted 10 000 at their bank at all times. I was lucky both places, no trouble..

[mrjibbs]

I understand what your saying and agree. But my last day there, i witnessed Jason get served papers from two different students that he refused to give money back to. And was there when he refused to refund a tour for a guy and called the cops on him because he chose to send his 44 elswhere for more money.

 

All in all it was just a huge mess and I dont mean to be bitter, I just got royally screwed as did alot of students and other CFI's. Im over it now as Jason is going to get what he deserves in due time.

[plt4hire]

these types of situations seem to be popping up more and more. Before long were going to be left with only a handful of flight schools out there, maybe thats a good thing???

[ABarnes]

Who did you fly with over there?

 

Sean was the guy I flew with.