answer from Jerry

airborneben · February 5, 2008

As a former employee of SSH and having a brother that was in the program he emailed Jerry and this was his reply.

Take as you may,

and for all the SSH employees we were keep in the dark just as much as everyone else. I think that there are way too many good people at SSH for this not to have come out if there was any idea that this was going to happen

The company filed chapter 7 bankruptcy today. I voted against the filing and refused to sign the chapter 7 petition. I have not had control of the company for the past several months and could not stop the actions of the board today. I will be meeting with the trustee over the next few days to see if there is a solution to continue training without the former ownerships involvement. If that is not possible the court will liquidate the assets and refund money to you as an unsecured creditor. The company does have many assets that can be liquidated to satisfy debts.

I will be glad to keep you posted and I am working to get a web site up that will keep you informed. Things are a bit crazy right now so give me some time and I will explore every option.

Jerry M. Airola

From: Curtis Justesen [mailto:hockeycopter@gmail.com]

Sent: Monday, February 04, 2008 6:44 PM

To: Mark Fojtek; Jerry Airola; Perry Eaton

Subject: STUDENT DESERVE ANSWERS !!!!!!

I am sending this email as a very concerned student of Silver State Helicopters. Today I arrived to attend a ground school session and found a parking lot empty with the exception of a security guard. I was told by a stranger that the company that I have trusted my future with suddenly closed its doors and that no one is allowed into the building. After returning home I found scattered information on the Internet about the company filing for bankruptcy. I was able to get a hold of two CFI's who informed me that they were suddenly let go in an email that mentioned the company is trying to restructure.

As a student, I am very concerned for a variety of reasons. I am thirteen months into the program, so accordingly, Silver State has been paid in full for the entire cost of my training. I have had no contact about the plans of the company to honor the promise that was made to me to, at the bare minimum, provide 200 hours of logged flight time. I feel that I deserve at least some information regarding the plans of the company to either refund me the unused portion of my tuition or plans to continue my education. As you can imagine, I am scared right now about the fact that my dream has been ripped from me, and my financial future is now in jeopardy because of actions of others beyond my control. The loan agreement that I signed on with comes due in several months, and those loans continue to accrue interest as my training and money is on hold.

I don't expect immediate action, but as somebody whose money you are currently holding, I demand to at least know there is a plan to remedy this problem. I understand that you are most likely very busy with the recent events, but a few minutes of your time will help us all.

Thank You.

Curtis Justesen

stratispho · February 6, 2008

Sounds like he's full of crap and just stalling.

Teflon · February 6, 2008

Sounds like he's full of crap and just stalling.

To qualify myself as a new member here, Im not affiliated with SSH nor do I have any affiliation with the CEO or former CEO of SSH, Jerry A. dood the board of directors of any company have executive privilege over any former or current CEO. Unless you have a license to practice law, or have more information you failed to report in your post, frankly dont post your negative crap on an internet forum. I think the guy sounds sincere in saying he will report anything he legally can to the student he replied to. He didnt have to by all rights.

I for one hope that SSH can liquidate enough assets and maybe, in the least, "centralize" their flight training for all current students that have outstanding loans. My best wishes to you all, in getting this resolved. I can't imagine what you are going through.

Gomer Pylot · February 7, 2008

Just remember, 'unsecured creditors' are the last to get paid, on the absolute bottom of the list of people who get paid. The banks and other secured creditors get everything first, and whatever might be left after that is divided among the unsecured creditors. Typically, they get nothing. That's the way the laws were written, mostly to protect large businesses and political contributors. If you've given SSH money, you can kiss it goodbye.

Clay.Conyers · February 7, 2008

To qualify myself as a new member here, Im not affiliated with SSH nor do I have any affiliation with the CEO or former CEO of SSH, Jerry A. dood the board of directors of any company have executive privilege over any former or current CEO. Unless you have a license to practice law, or have more information you failed to report in your post, frankly dont post your negative crap on an internet forum. I think the guy sounds sincere in saying he will report anything he legally can to the student he replied to. He didnt have to by all rights.

I for one hope that SSH can liquidate enough assets and maybe, in the least, "centralize" their flight training for all current students that have outstanding loans. My best wishes to you all, in getting this resolved. I can't imagine what you are going through.

HERE IS SOME INFORMATION FOR YOU! WILL THIS HELP YOU BETTER UNDERSTAND THE BITTERNESS! HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT HIS WATER COMPANY HE HAD BEFORE SILVER STATE? OR THE NEW COMPANY HE RECENTLY ESTABLISNED? YOU SURE SOUND LIKE YOU ARE AFFILIATED. WHAT ABOUT THE THOUSANDS OF OTHER STUDENTS HE HAS NOT REPLIED TO.

However, I am a student that started July 16, 2007. The student loan company just paid my last of 3 payments to his company less than 30 days ago. We have 26 students that have each paid him $69,900.00 for a helicopter education that he guaranteed. I was expected to graduate in January of 2009. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT! YOU CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT I AM GOING THROUGH OR HOW I FEEL. As far as I'm concerned he is a crook! Lets do the math for just my location may we $69,900 x 26 is $1.8 million. Of course that does not include what he has collected from students that have dropped out which is about 10 students. OH! These numbers do not include the other 2,700 students+ in his many other schools across the country. Oh, not to mention the hundreds of employee's he left high and dry with no jobs at the last minute. I would not trust him, Jerry Airola, to do anything. We are finding out as time goes by he has other issues as well, not just with Silver State Helicopter Training Academy. For a man who had to file Chapter 7, where did the money come from to start his NEW company???

Edited February 7, 2008 by 67november

fry · February 7, 2008

HERE IS SOME INFORMATION FOR YOU! WILL THIS HELP YOU BETTER UNDERSTAND THE BITTERNESS! HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT HIS WATER COMPANY HE HAD BEFORE SILVER STATE? We are finding out as time goes by he has other issues as well, not just with Silver State Helicopter Training Academy.

Everyone (almost) heard about his water filter business, his shady business practices and his lying about his credentials and his past when he was running for Sheriff of LV in 2006. It was in all the LV newspapers and it has been all over these forum boards for the past three years.

However, I am a student that started July 16, 2007. The student loan company just paid my last of 3 payments to his company less than 30 days ago.

Did your contract include the infamous 10%-of-the-contract-price-per-month clause? If so then 7/10ths of the $69.9k you paid ($48.3k) is non-refundable.

Try this, join with the other students and try to get the bankruptcy trustee to appoint an attorney to represent all students as a creditor class. Then get the attorney to argue that your refund should be based on the flight time you used as a percentage of the 200 hours in the contract. Of course, there probably will not be any money to refund...the bankruptcy filing shows only $50k of assets...but in the slim chance the trustee can shake some cash out of Jerry this might give you a shot a getting a little more back.

grutland · February 8, 2008

In response to the genius that suggested we were liable for the hours logged, that is a crock! Apparently you just wanted to voice your opinion somewhere where you felt it mattered and somebody would notice you. Apparently you aren't involved in the "SSH Scandal", and don't know what you are talking about.

Here are some facts for you to review- The students signed a contract stating they would obtain a private, commercial, instrument, CFI, CFII, and external load training. Were told they would be in a position to obtain employment after completing the course, which was scheduled to last 18 months. The students went through a student loan company to pay the tuition, which has all been paid out to SSH.

So genius, nobody in Columbia has obtained any type of rating, some students lost their instructor in the middle of training, with no replacement available, and were advised to sit and wait. So if you have any actual knowledge of aviation, you should understand that for one- what in the heck is 25 hours going to do for a man that has been sold short of even obtaining one of the certificates he was trying to get. So lets see- they should be liable for thousands of dollars because they flew around a few hours???

For that price, they could have hired a pilot, rented a top notch helicopter and had a heck of a time. Even if these guys HAD obtained a private license, it is still breach of contract. We were not looking to be recreational pilots to go out and have joy rides on the weekends. We were pursuing a career as a professional helicopter pilot. If that were the original idea, we would have gone to the local helicopter school or airport to get a private license. What you are suggesting we should be liable for is pointless to us. The Columbia school started in July of 2007, there were over 30 students, at $70,000 each, that comes to $2,100,000- and the doors close after 6 months for only one of the locations. Bottom line is, these students should not be in debt one dime, should not have to go through the trouble of having to fight for what is fair. Nobody is asking for pity, a lawsuit to get rich off of, just to rid them of the debt they have incurred by a crook.

They received books in the beginning that would cover the entire program- you think they should have to pay for that also????

What are you Jerry's brother???

Next time you talk to him, tell him I got a few hours from his top notch training academy and for him to let me know where to report to work Monday morning...

Just tell him to call the guy trained by the back woods farmer!

grutland · February 8, 2008

http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/turks/turk...;category_id=37

Check this out!!!!!!!!

grutland · February 8, 2008

To qualify myself as a new member here, Im not affiliated with SSH nor do I have any affiliation with the CEO or former CEO of SSH, Jerry A. dood the board of directors of any company have executive privilege over any former or current CEO. Unless you have a license to practice law, or have more information you failed to report in your post, frankly dont post your negative crap on an internet forum. I think the guy sounds sincere in saying he will report anything he legally can to the student he replied to. He didnt have to by all rights.

I for one hope that SSH can liquidate enough assets and maybe, in the least, "centralize" their flight training for all current students that have outstanding loans. My best wishes to you all, in getting this resolved. I can't imagine what you are going through.

Take a minute, or a few days, and read ALL the blogs about this man. Read all about his imaginary career as a police officer, his water purification plant scandal that his friend is still serving time over. Read the blogs that are informing his employees on how to return his company equipment to him, but find me just one, one blog that is addressed to his thousands of students, apologizing, his plan to get his students out of debt, the amount of severance pay he offered his employees, anything remotely close to being respectable about it. So since you are not an affiliate, employee, or student of SSH, do your research before you go barking demands on people not to put their negative remarks on an internet forum. Find me one TRUE positive posting about this jackass on the internet. He filed bankrupt weeks before he informed anyone in the company of what was going on. SSH is not the only scam his name has been all over.

By all rights, he didn't have to take over $2 million dollars from hard working Americans to fill his pockets and then hang all the students AND EMPLOYEES out to dry.

He may report anything he can legally, but look at the money he has taken from people, the lives he has ruined, the divorces he has caused, the lies and load of BS he has promised to everyone. You think he sounds sincere about his plans now, you should have heard how sincere he was during all his seminars across the country. How would you like to get up on a Monday morning to go to school to find locked doors guarded by a security guard.

As naive as you are, I hope you never get involved with a scandal like this!!!

Thanks for the best wishes preceded by your sarcasm and insults.

Do give Jerry our best wishes, I hope Bubba doesn't get a hold of him in the pokie!

grutland · February 8, 2008

To qualify myself as a new member here, Im not affiliated with SSH nor do I have any affiliation with the CEO or former CEO of SSH, Jerry A. dood the board of directors of any company have executive privilege over any former or current CEO. Unless you have a license to practice law, or have more information you failed to report in your post, frankly dont post your negative crap on an internet forum. I think the guy sounds sincere in saying he will report anything he legally can to the student he replied to. He didnt have to by all rights.

I for one hope that SSH can liquidate enough assets and maybe, in the least, "centralize" their flight training for all current students that have outstanding loans. My best wishes to you all, in getting this resolved. I can't imagine what you are going through.

And you still aren't qualified as a new member