Anyone see this from Denver???

[Goldy]

Wow, I wish crap like this never happened. Students be very very careful and do some research before you write a check.

 

 

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/call7-investigators/popular-heli-flight-school-takes-off-with-tuition-and-donations-from-disabled-vets-and-paraplegics

 

 

 

[eagle5]

Thing is unless you know to come to websites like this and ask the right questions you'll never hear the warnings about not paying upfront! I mean its not like the lesson of Silver State is mandatory teaching in high school or up on billboards everywhere.

[RagMan]

The sad society where money wins people over more so than morals and values anymore. Such people with little disregard for others just need to be publicly executed and done with. Bring back the old western days. Hardcore punishment. Hangings every single week. Want to break the law and be an unjust person? You'll be hanged for it. Then watch the crime rate go down.

[Spike]

Just like anything else, helicopter flight training is a “buyer beware” endeavor. And websites like this only help a few. If anything, the majority if visitors don’t heed the advice provided because it’s either diluted with misinformation from wannabes or lost in translation due to personal agendas. After that, it becomes a “you can lead a horse to water” situation….. These folks aren’t the first and unfortunately, won’t be the last……

[Flying Pig]

Pretty sad deal. I feel for the woman in the story who lost her money. But even more evil was that they sold the young guy the dream that he would be able to fly for a living. Would the "Heli-Leg" even get you a past a medical?

Edited December 30, 2014 by Flying Pig

[iChris]

But even more evil was that they sold the young guy the dream that he would be able to fly for a living.

 

Would the "Heli-Leg" even get you a past a medical?

 

There was a guy some years ago in that position that was U.S. forest Service carded, commercial license and 2^nd class medical. He flew IR mapping and reconnaissance in a Bell 206 configured with aids to accommodate his handicap. Don’t remember his name or the details. I remember him mostly on fires out of California and Oregon.

 

Go Ducks’!

Edited January 1, 2015 by iChris

[zVo]

I went to Rotors of the Rockies back in 2008 where I got my PPL to add as resume fodder for going to the Army via WOFT. I remember one of my instructors telling me that they were under immense financial pressure and that the only thing keeping them afloat was various government training contracts. For that reason, any and all training for these contracts were given priority over other students. My guess is that the contracts went away, money got tight, and they got desperate.

 

It's very sad that some of these students got screwed over the way they did. Like it was mentioned earlier, it's never a good idea to pay up front for flight training because of situations like this. I actually met a young enlisted soldier in the Army that got screwed over by Rotors of the Rockies / TYJ Global and lost over $20,000+ -- thus he enlisted to start servicing the debt.

[Flying Pig]

 

There was a guy some years ago in that position that was U.S. forest Service carded, commercial license and 2^nd class medical. He flew IR mapping and reconnaissance in a Bell 206 configured with aids to accommodate his handicap. Don’t remember his name or the details. I remember him mostly on fires out of California and Oregon.

 

Go Ducks’!

I knew of an LE pilot with a prothetic foot that had been amputated as a result of some type of cancer. But I believe that was in the 70s-80s. It would be interesting how the USFS guy paralyzed from the waist down ended up in the spot he was in. Good for him. But I would venture to guess he had some personal connection to the company. Not that he couldnt fly, but I would find it hard to believe a company would make the accommodations for a wheelchair bound pilot. I don't see how a pilot in that position could work off-site or anywhere that landing in a place other than your home base would be required. But I guess it would be up to that company to decide that based on their needs. Not to mention issues associated with getting passengers in and out, doing walk arounds off site, climbing up on a preflight to check the rotor system. I could go on and on and on.....

[HighCountry]

There was a guy some years ago in that position that was U.S. forest Service carded, commercial license and 2^nd class medical. He flew IR mapping and reconnaissance in a Bell 206 configured with aids to accommodate his handicap. Don’t remember his name or the details. I remember him mostly on fires out of California and Oregon.

 

Go Ducks’!

Sounds like the gentleman who flies for CalAlaska. Injuries required him to modify the pedals in their B206 to accommodate. Their STC'd and he straps himself in to the ship at the start of the day and stays there. Otherwise he gets around helicamp with crutches and a wheelchair. Talk about someone to admire for overcoming. Excellent and experienced pilot who didn't let injuries stop him.

 

I had an ex game warden pilot work for me in Alaska who had been shot and lost an eye. Didn't prevent him from having a first class medical with only one eye.

 

Dont let the presence of a disability dissuade you from a chosen path

[HighCountry]

I knew of an LE pilot with a prothetic foot that had been amputated as a result of some type of cancer. But I believe that was in the 70s-80s. It would be interesting how the USFS guy paralyzed from the waist down ended up in the spot he was in. Good for him. But I would venture to guess he had some personal connection to the company. Not that he couldnt fly, but I would find it hard to believe a company would make the accommodations for a wheelchair bound pilot. I don't see how a pilot in that position could work off-site or anywhere that landing in a place other than your home base would be required. But I guess it would be up to that company to decide that based on their needs. Not to mention issues associated with getting passengers in and out, doing walk arounds off site, climbing up on a preflight to check the rotor system. I could go on and on and on.....

 

Although the guy I'm referring to isn't paralyzed he does require crutches at a minimum and uses a wheelchair a significant part of the time but you're right. Because that one company gave him a chance he has been a faithful employee for decades. No connections with the company that I know of at the start but once he proved his dedication and capabilities he had a seat for life. Wish we could see that kind of loyalty to an employee throughout corporate America.