silver state helicopters

[aquaman2000]

Sheriff candidate Jerry Airola is attempting to sue the current sheriff and the head of the police union for defamation but it appears that Airola has done plenty to muddy the waters himself.

 

There is only one period in Jerry Airola's life when he served full time as a police officer. He became a patrol officer in 1991 in the small farming town of Los Banos, California. In 1993, he was fired.

 

In 2004, after moving to Las Vegas and forming a helicopter business, he convinced the sheriff of Merced County, California to swear him in as a part-time, reserve deputy.

 

Click here to see the letter the I-Team received from Merced County.

 

Airola told the Eyewitness News I-Team that he flew from Las Vegas to Merced on weekends when he had the time and worked 10 to 15 hours per month, flying his helicopters.

 

Why did he want a law enforcement credential? In an interview with Eyewitness News in July 2006, Airola said he did talk with the sheriff of Merced County. "I told him I'm going to run for sheriff in Clark County and he knew that. I need to get my foot back in the door of law enforcement," Airola said.

 

Read part 1 of George Knapp's interview with Jerry Airola in July 2006.

 

Ten months later, in September 2005, the sheriff terminated Airola for a simple reason -- it's against the law to be a peace officer in California while being a resident of another state.

 

The sheriff confirmed this in a letter to Eyewitness News. But this did not stop Airola from telling people that he is still a sworn officer. In December 2005, months after he was let go by Merced, Airola appeared before the Boulder City council. He asked the council to trust him.

 

"I've never been told I can't be trusted. I've been a police officer since 1985 and still today am a sworn full time police officer. It's a personal insult to me to tell me I can't be trusted," Airola told the council.

 

However, Airola was not a police officer in 1985. He didn't begin in Los Banos until 1991. His claim to the council that he was still a full time officer was simply untrue. He'd been canned months before.

 

When Airola began his campaign for sheriff earlier this year, his TV ads made the claim again. "I'm a cop, a businessman, and a father." Businessman yes, cop no. His company and campaign websites continued to claim that Airola was still a sworn officer more than a year after he was let go from his part-time job.

 

In media appearances this summer, he told reporters that he still serves in Merced. On Face to Face with Jon Ralston, he whipped out a police identification. "It say's Jerry Airola, Deputy Sheriff."

 

Read part 2 of George Knapp's interview with Jerry Airola in July 2006.

 

When questioned by the Eyewitness News I-Team, Airola continued the claim.

 

George Knapp: "If I call the department, they will tell me you are a cop there?

 

Jerry Airola, sheriff candidate: "Absolutely. Matter of fact, you can call the sheriff there."

 

Eyewitness News did call, and the sheriff confirmed to us that Airola was asked to leave the department nearly a year before. Airola was also inaccurate when he told us he had taken a leave of absence from Merced. It was not a leave, according to the sheriff. It was a permanent separation since Airola could not legally serve there.

 

There are other cloudy claims in Airola's background. In the 1990's, Airola owned a company that sold water purification systems in Las Vegas. He gave himself a title as director of engineering, even though he is not an engineer.

 

In two separate newspaper articles, Airola is identified as an engineer. One of those articles listed the colleges he supposedly attended, including earning a masters degree in chemical engineering from San Jose State. That university told Eyewitness News that Airola was never a student there.

 

Airola told Jon Ralston he has no idea how two different reporters got the idea he had college degrees in engineering. "It doesn't make sense. I certainly didn't say it."

 

This is a full-page newspaper ad from 1999, paid for by Airola, written by Airola, describing himself as Jerry Airola, chemical engineer. The article states that Airola has been a chemical engineer since 1984, which is one year after he graduated from high school, and a year before he supposedly became a cop. Attorneys for Sheriff Bill Young and head of the police union, Dave Kallas say it's Airola who's been lying about his background, and they intend to prove it if the case ever gets to court.

[BOATFIXERGUY]

 

"I've never been told I can't be trusted. I've been a police officer since 1985 and still today am a sworn full time police officer. It's a personal insult to me to tell me I can't be trusted," Airola told the council.

 

However, Airola was not a police officer in 1985. He didn't begin in Los Banos until 1991. His claim to the council that he was still a full time officer was simply untrue. He'd been canned months before.

 

When Airola began his campaign for sheriff earlier this year, his TV ads made the claim again. "I'm a cop, a businessman, and a father." Businessman yes, cop no. His company and campaign websites continued to claim that Airola was still a sworn officer more than a year after he was let go from his part-time job.

 

/quote]

 

First off, to be a "full time" cop, you actually have to be commissioned and work (key words here) FULL TIME. Second, he's lucky he wasn't in Colorado saying he's a cop when he's not...It is a FELONY to claim your a cop and not really be one.

 

-john - Retired DPD

[BOATFIXERGUY]

And another thing...It makes me sick when I see him in his ads wearing a badge! That's an insult to all of the men and women who protect us everyday! I know most departments would NEVER let you wear the uniform, its likeness, or the badge promoting your own business.

[xnvyflyer]

Silver State Helicopters was an obvious scam and the students got royally screwed with some serious debt. I'll give it a few years before he opens another school under another name and tries it all over again.

 

Do your research folks. Ask around. The Silver State helicopter school that was in El Cajon, CA was just down the runway from San Diego Sheriff's aviation...a great source of info if anybody took the time to ask.

 

The San Diego Sheriff's Department sends their guys to Civic Helicopters at Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, CA and Western Helicopters in Rialto, CA. I wonder why...

[BOATFIXERGUY]

What ever happened to the motorcycles he had built from OCC? The news articles say he spent $1,000,000 for the two of them. If I remember from the OCC show, they were going to be auctioned off for charity. Anyone know if they were and were the money went?

[LFGuard10]

What ever happened to the motorcycles he had built from OCC? The news articles say he spent $1,000,000 for the two of them. If I remember from the OCC show, they were going to be auctioned off for charity. Anyone know if they were and were the money went?

 

 

I've wondered the same thing. It seemed like after the show aired, that was the end and I never heard anything else about it.

[RotorWeed]

Silver State Helicopters was an obvious scam and the students got royally screwed with some serious debt. I'll give it a few years before he opens another school under another name and tries it all over again.

 

Jerry will not open another flight school. He made his money on the student load harvest, now he will move on to a different industry just like he did when he left the water filter investors high and dry. I'm sure he is laying the ground work for the next big scam.

[Ace]

Sad. Really Sad.

 

Jerry, if you read this, just be assured that you'll get your just deserts sooner or later. If not in this life, it will be in the next!

[500E]

Silver State Helicopters

Also on KVBC.com

Insider talks about situation at Silver State Helicopters

Well known helicopter training academy abruptly shuts down

 

 

 

There's more controversy for former high-flying sheriff candidate and Silver State Helicopter founder Jerry Airola.

 

Last week, we brought you an exclusive insider's look into the financial situation at Silver State Helicopters leading up to the company filing for bankruptcy. Now, Jesse Corona has the latest developments in the strange case.

 

Helicopters, a $40-million line of credit, and a handgun? According to documents filed in U.S. bankruptcy court, it's all part of the unraveling financial situation at Silver State Helicopters that has creditors looking for answers and property.

 

"It went to so many places it shouldn't have gone instead of putting the money into graduating the students," our Silver State Helicopter insider "Sam" told us.

 

Sam spoke to us exclusively last week about what she calls mismanagement of company funds by Jerry Airola. Mismanagement she says led to the company's downfall.

 

Now, a creditor wants to know where major Silver State assets are being kept. According to documents filed in U.S. bankruptcy court, Orix Financials issued Silver State Helicopters a $40-million revolving line of credit for business expenses back in August. According to those documents, the loan was secured by 195 helicopters and four airplanes.

 

When Silver State filed for bankruptcy last Monday, Orix attempted to collect on its collateral at 41 locations across the U.S. But according to court documents, when Orix representatives went to the company's headquarters in North Las Vegas on Friday, an employee named Mr. Shaw allegedly went to his truck, loaded a pistol, waved it at the bankruptcy trustees and told them to leave.

 

Orix filed and was granted a motion for a U.S. Marshall escort back onto the property Monday. According to court documents, Orix wanted to check out those aircraft because they had received reports they were being vandalized and removed from the property.

 

There's no word yet on what condition they found the helicopters in, but Jerry Airola has been ordered to appear before a bankruptcy court later this week to be questioned on the location and condition of helicopters, vehicles and other company property.

 

Our insider, Sam, says a lot more will come out about Jerry Airola's business practices in the coming months.

 

Jesse Corona: What do you think Jerry's reputation is now among people who know him?

 

Sam: Mud

 

According to court documents filed by Orix Financials, over $33 million of that original $40 million line of revolving line of credit was used by Silver State Helicopters since they were granted the money last August.

 

The Chapter 7 Bankruptcy lists Silver State's assets as being valued at less than $50,000. The company has an estimated 5,000 creditors and up to $50 million in liabilities.

[Crusty Old Dude]

First off, to be a "full time" cop, you actually have to be commissioned and work (key words here) FULL TIME. Second, he's lucky he wasn't in Colorado saying he's a cop when he's not...It is a FELONY to claim your a cop and not really be one.

 

-john - Retired DPD

John:

Good...then it just isn't me who thinks that. (former military, not PD)

 

I'm one of those guys who will TELL you myself that even though I was in an SF GUARD unit, that I was in the intel detachment as a 98-series and was *not*, I repeat *not* an 18-series. Same thing.

 

It's an insult to anyone wearing a uniform that signifies some degree of personal sacrifice to see some clown making claims to find out that they are not who they say they are. I'm with you 100%.

 

(this is responding to your 2nd post above about Jerry wearing the uniform in ads)

Edited February 12, 2008 by Crusty Old Dude

[BOATFIXERGUY]

John:

Good...then it just isn't me who thinks that. (former military, not PD)

 

I'm one of those guys who will TELL you myself that even though I was in an SF GUARD unit, that I was in the intel detachment as a 98-series and was *not*, I repeat *not* an 18-series. Same thing.

 

It's an insult to anyone wearing a uniform that signifies some degree of personal sacrifice to see some clown making claims to find out that they are not who they say they are. I'm with you 100%.

 

(this is responding to your 2nd post above about Jerry wearing the uniform in ads)

 

Totally agree with you!

 

I think it dishonors not only the people that have earned the right to wear it, but also the individual. Pretending to be something your not is a serious character flaw, let alone disrespectful.

 

-john

[NWPDK9]

Totally agree with you!

 

I think it dishonors not only the people that have earned the right to wear it, but also the individual. Pretending to be something your not is a serious character flaw, let alone disrespectful.

 

-john

 

It makes me sick that Jerry pawns himself off as a cop. He is less of a cop than he is a pilot, which isn'y saying much. The brief time he was paid as an officer in CA, he was a dissident and was fired. He sued the municipality for wrongful termination and was awarded a sum of money. Total scam job. Good cops don't get caught up in petty anty bullshit and get fired, they just go out and do the job. Then he latches on to a Sheriff's Dept years later(for free I might add!) because he gives them a helicopter. The only he thing that he did during his brief police career was take, the wrong reason to get into the profession. Looks like he carried over the same mentality to his aviation business.

[RotorWeed]

Here is where your $70k student loans went. Hummer trucks, Mustangs, campaign for Sherriff.

It's a shame so many people fell for his scam. And people will fall for his next one too.

 

 

http://www.kvbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=7839745&nav=15MV