Silver State Helicopters lawsuit Witnesses

Damien Steele Sgt USMC · February 5, 2008

Why don't you just sign up with SSH, pay over your $70k and get on with it. You are their target market...uninformed and too lazy to do the research for yourself. It's your "lifelong dream" and you don't know how many hours are required or the cost involved? Have you ever flown anything...maybe you're prone to airsickness. And an "accredited" flight school, what's that?

Go ahead, listen to all the sales hype and believe you are going to be able to earn a paycheck as a pilot...right there in your own hometown no less...after just two hundred hours of flight training and a few classroom exams. Really, it is as easy as that (wink wink).

FRY,

There you go, you show him, Tiger. That lazy, good-for-nothing, potential pilot doesn't deserve a civil answer from a veteran of the SSH blogs, like you. BZ on your tact.

DS

runarouhd · February 6, 2008

Tomlinson Aviation in Ormond Beach would be well worth the drive or move. Call and ask for Brian.
I train there and thing I am very luck to have them in my own backyard. Exceptional training atmosphere and a friendly expert staff. Just ask anyone that has trained there.

Bristol

runaround

I can winess to all referances to law suite against siverstate. It has taken me over a year yoget an agreement o get 5900.00 of te 7900.00 I paid them. They agreed to pay me in november and I have been given the runaround since then waiting to get check sighned and was told I would have check before end of month and find out today they filed bankrupcy. They sure wanted there money up front and I never even got a class. If you are interested in haveing me as a witness email me at sspradlin@comcast.net

skiddz · February 6, 2008

runaround
I can winess to all referances to law suite against siverstate. It has taken me over a year yoget an agreement o get 5900.00 of te 7900.00 I paid them. They agreed to pay me in november and I have been given the runaround since then waiting to get check sighned and was told I would have check before end of month and find out today they filed bankrupcy. They sure wanted there money up front and I never even got a class. If you are interested in haveing me as a witness email me at sspradlin@comcast.net

Similar issue here too. Took me 7 months to get a refund when I left SSH in April of '05. I have months of e-mail trail with Chastity Maley (even a voice mail from her lying mouth!) telling me checks would be sent on such and such a date or the refund is being processed blah blah blah - even an E-mail from the munchkin himself telling me (and this is a direct quote from the e-mail)

"We have always made it our practice to process refund credit to coincide with the next scheduled funding of the students class." This E-mail is from May 20 - over a month from my leaving SSH. Another group of students had just started at the local SSH location.

My refund amount was supposed to be around $38000. Both sides had signed the agreement and it wasn't until October of '05 I got a refund in the amount of $29000. Did I mention BOTH sides had signed the agreement regarding the refund amount? I've been fighting with SSH since then to get the remaining $9000.

rabbit · February 6, 2008

According to the news, SSH has closed their doors as of Feb 3, 2008.

chopperdan · February 7, 2008

I can witness to most of that . The deal no deal part happened to me , not once but twice. once on the first contract. I asked if I could take a copy to a lawyer before signing. I was told if I did, I would not be offered the same deal again. ( should have known then.) And again when I was forced to sign a 4 month contract after I wasnt done in 18 months because the school was slow due to lack of helicopters and CFIs. I say forced because when I said I didnt want to sign, I was told if I didnt I would be taken of the flight list. I was so into it, there was no backing out at that point, so I signed.

Sneakyfeet · February 8, 2008

I saw 12 people were reading this.

I have to admit - - No disrespect to the senior members of this board - but-------

Telling the people who got duped it is entirely their fault is neither productive nor professional.

Yes I am one of those people. I am not asking for sympathy, my class was full of guys just like me.

Hey Jerry is a Hell of a salesman! Can you admit you've never made a mistake? Ours was just larger than others.

Let's just make this right.

If I want to buy snake oil that's my business - but I just don't want to buy snake oil and get an empty bottle!

There is power in numbers and the pen is mightier than the sword.

SNEAKYFEET@WALLA.COM

enoch · February 8, 2008

To anyone who has witnessed the following statements (or variation of) during Silver State Helicopters employment opportunity seminars or anywhere else, please personal message me or email thesilverstatetruth@gmail.com with your contact information. If you know of ANY persons who can witness ANY of the following statements or actions, please inform them of this request immediately. Please specify exactly which statements, when, and where you witnessed them; any additional information is not needed at this time:

1. Airola: "Silver State Helicopters doesn't accept people into the program they can't hire” 2002-2006

2. Airola: “We do not train pilots to work for other companies” 2002-2006

3. Airola: “We have more work available than pilots to do the work” 2002-2006

4. Airola: “We have hired all but one of our graduates, that one wrecked a helicopter of ours” 2004-2006

5. Airola: “Our students are trained to become commercial pilots, through CFI, in 12-18 months.” 2002-2006

6. Anyone from SSH: "We will be a part 141 school soon"

7. Anyone from SSH: "We are a part 141 school"

8. Witnesses who vouch that SSH could not train a student within the advertised 12-18 months, extrapolation is relevant whether or not having stayed in the program the full 18 months.

9. Witnesses who vouch that SSH wrongfully accused a student of not attending class or scheduled flights. In accordance with their attendance policy, SSH should be able to provide a disciplinary statement signed by any student who misses a class or scheduled flight.

10. Witnesses who vouch that SSH alleged a students work schedule was prohibitive for their flight training progression, especially when this student's work-schedule was typical. SSH advertises: "nearly everyone enrolled in our program is a working adult...the sessions are designed to accommodate most every schedule"

11. Witnesses who vouch that SSH would, at times, impliment the infamous "deal-today, or no-deal at all" tactic on enrollees.

12. Witnesses who vouch that Silver State claimed it would transform training centers into commercial operations centers within a relatively short time-frame, while hiring the majority of its students as pilots in order to handle the excess of local helicopter work Silver State had supposedly acquired.

enoch · February 8, 2008

If you had any intelligence at all, you might realize that the term "LLC" means that you are wasting your time pursuing a lawsuit against Airola or SSH. Maybe you should have spent that pilot school tuition money on a law degree and then you might have learned what the term "hearsay" means and the validity that it holds in the court of law. So Cody Vernon keep up the fight. You are doing a great job, bro.

enoch · February 8, 2008

It has come to my attention that many people responding to this request do not want to provide their contact information in spite of various forms of potential retaliation by Silver State Helicopters and/or Jerry Airola.

I assure all witnesses who are currently in Silver States program that their contact information can and will be kept confidential between the Courts and I. If others not in the program do not want their identity divulged I can only provide assured protection if that person can give the Court a reason of how they would be threatened if their contact information is revealed to Silver State Helicopters and Jerry Airola.

You must provide at least your full name and working telephone number. I am forced to verify everyones contact information.

XXXXXXXXX: The name is Cody Vernon and it sounds to me like he must be a backwoods redneck. I guarantee that Mr. Vernon's only hope of an upper-level education was SSH, so I guess its back to work at McDonald's for him.

Spierman · February 8, 2008

XXXXXXXXX: The name is Cody Vernon and it sounds to me like he must be a backwoods redneck. I guarantee that Mr. Vernon's only hope of an upper-level education was SSH, so I guess its back to work at McDonald's for him.

"LLC" does not exclude business from tort claims/contracural obligations.

Buckethats · February 9, 2008

If you had any intelligence at all, you might realize that the term "LLC" means that you are wasting your time pursuing a lawsuit against Airola or SSH. Maybe you should have spent that pilot school tuition money on a law degree and then you might have learned what the term "hearsay" means and the validity that it holds in the court of law. So Cody Vernon keep up the fight. You are doing a great job, bro.

I doubt it would be considered hearsay when many of us could attest to hearing the same lies multiple times. Or the fact that 90% of the students "accepted" came through the seminars. We all heard the same lies, we were all sold the same false bill of goods. I don't think it could be called "hearsay" when it can be corraborated by 3000 plus students.

Ozark33 · February 9, 2008

So it would appear...because of the dropouts prior to 12 months...that of all those who sign up and pay money to SSH the percentage that actually achieve a CFI ticket would be significantly less than 15%...maybe 10% or even 5%.

Maybe "xxxxxx" you're fighting a losing battle. Maybe there are just too many gullible folks out there willing to borrow $70k and hand it over to a salesman.

I would bet it even surprises the guy at SSH. He's got to be feeling like he's won the lottery. He rolls out some helicopters, makes an impassioned pitch about "living your dream"...maybe even sheds a tear...and they put themselves in debt so they can throw money at him. And they just keep coming; 9 out of 10 just throwing the money down a hole. Amazing.

And maybe he's not to blame. I mean, is it his fault the students don't do any research before signing up and paying over their cash? Do they consider that they are paying...at a premium price...for 200 flight hours but in addition they will still need 4 times that many hours to get a real flying job? Or that the flying jobs are in Louisiana or Alaska? Or that the career advancement for a pilot is pretty much limited and the pay tops out at about $60k?

The sad fact is, these folks are adults and it is their God-given right to make stupid decisions. You can't save 'em all.

Hey...if it's any consolation, Jerry got taken for a ride by his political consultants in his bid for Sheriff of LV. He never had a chance but they kept telling him he could win and he kept writing the checks. The first consultant felt so bad about taking advantage of the guy he took his money and went to Turkey after the primary. The second string came in to ride the gravy train through the November vote. Can't ya just hear 'em, "You've got him on the ropes Jerry, the people love ya. You can just make that out to cash".

Those who think they are immune from a con job are actually the most susceptible.

I am not sure this site is being used for it's intended purpose when we have people who are starting to insult other people by calling them gullible and pretty much stupid. I did my research and can assure you that if you think top end jobs are only $60K a year then you are probably the same type of person who dreams of living in a trailer park. Oil Riggs down south will start at about $70K a year and that is only working 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off. Not onlly do I know this from looking on line for work but my uncle is a big wig with Chevron and verified this for me. Fire fighters can make up to $300K a year. Life Flight is about $150 a year. Regarding gullible, all research indicated that SSH was a stable company being in the 500 INC forum. There were no indications that this would have happenned so next time you decide to call somebody stupid do your research first.

tedoliphant · February 9, 2008

I worked for SSH from late December 2006 to Spring 2007 doing video camera work at all the seminars from Gig Harbor, Washington to Jacksonville & Orlando, Florida and New Braunfels, Texas as well as all the seminars here in Las Vegas. The guy who hired me was David Hamilton, an old Union Camerman (formerly Merv Griffin's camerman) who lives here in town. A lot of these semnars and safety meetings were videotaped so there is video of all the claims you posted on your email message. You should subpoena David Hamilton & SSH for the videos of these seminars.

Charlie Oliphant

Las Vegas, NV

(702) 353 9482

tedoliphant@hotmail.com

Fiasco · February 9, 2008

I worked for SSH from late December 2006 to Spring 2007 doing video camera work at all the seminars from Gig Harbor, Washington to Jacksonville & Orlando, Florida and New Braunfels, Texas as well as all the seminars here in Las Vegas. The guy who hired me was David Hamilton, an old Union Camerman (formerly Merv Griffin's camerman) who lives here in town. A lot of these semnars and safety meetings were videotaped so there is video of all the claims you posted on your email message. You should subpoena David Hamilton & SSH for the videos of these seminars.

Charlie Oliphant
Las Vegas, NV
(702) 353 9482
tedoliphant@hotmail.com

Any relation to timothy oliphant? He's my favorite actor.

helonorth · February 9, 2008

I am not sure this site is being used for it's intended purpose when we have people who are starting to insult other people by calling them gullible and pretty much stupid. I did my research and can assure you that if you think top end jobs are only $60K a year then you are probably the same type of person who dreams of living in a trailer park. Oil Riggs down south will start at about $70K a year and that is only working 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off. Not onlly do I know this from looking on line for work but my uncle is a big wig with Chevron and verified this for me. Fire fighters can make up to $300K a year. Life Flight is about $150 a year. Regarding gullible, all research indicated that SSH was a stable company being in the 500 INC forum. There were no indications that this would have happenned so next time you decide to call somebody stupid do your research first.

Sorry guy, your "big wig uncle" has been giving you bad information. "Oil Riggs" (what?), I guess

you mean offshore, starts in the low fifties. How do I know this? I am sitting on an "oil rigg" at

this very moment that I flew out to. $150,000 "Life Flight" ( I guess you mean EMS) pilots?

$300,000 fire pilots? You can't be serious. No indication that SSH was a house of cards?

Read back on this very thread! I know you're upset by the SSH implosion, but you obviously

did NOT do your research.

Investigate Silver State · February 10, 2008

To anyone who has witnessed the following statements (or variation of) during Silver State Helicopters employment opportunity seminars or anywhere else, please personal message me or email thesilverstatetruth@gmail.com with your contact information. If you know of ANY persons who can witness ANY of the following statements or actions, please inform them of this request immediately. Please specify exactly which statements, when, and where you witnessed them; any additional information is not needed at this time:

1. Airola: "Silver State Helicopters doesn't accept people into the program they can't hire” 2002-2006

2. Airola: “We do not train pilots to work for other companies” 2002-2006

3. Airola: “We have more work available than pilots to do the work” 2002-2006

4. Airola: “We have hired all but one of our graduates, that one wrecked a helicopter of ours” 2004-2006

5. Airola: “Our students are trained to become commercial pilots, through CFI, in 12-18 months.” 2002-2006

6. Anyone from SSH: "We will be a part 141 school soon"

7. Anyone from SSH: "We are a part 141 school"

8. Witnesses who vouch that SSH could not train a student within the advertised 12-18 months, extrapolation is relevant whether or not having stayed in the program the full 18 months.

9. Witnesses who vouch that SSH wrongfully accused a student of not attending class or scheduled flights. In accordance with their attendance policy, SSH should be able to provide a disciplinary statement signed by any student who misses a class or scheduled flight.

10. Witnesses who vouch that SSH alleged a students work schedule was prohibitive for their flight training progression, especially when this student's work-schedule was typical. SSH advertises: "nearly everyone enrolled in our program is a working adult...the sessions are designed to accommodate most every schedule"

11. Witnesses who vouch that SSH would, at times, impliment the infamous "deal-today, or no-deal at all" tactic on enrollees.

12. Witnesses who vouch that Silver State claimed it would transform training centers into commercial operations centers within a relatively short time-frame, while hiring the majority of its students as pilots in order to handle the excess of local helicopter work Silver State had supposedly acquired.

Last Friday the Bankruptcy Trustee and a group of creditors were threatened with a gun at SSH offices in Vegas. There are over 6000 creditors and reports of theft, vandalism and burglary are starting to come in. There is a company working on getting to hidden assets so unsecured creditors like students have a chance of recovery. They are worried about retaliation but will give full credentials on the first contact.

www.investigatesilverstate.com