Sea Land Air Flight Centre ZBB

GIMD · Post by **GIMD** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 1:45 pm

Hi,

Just noticed a new flight school on the ZBB website called Sea Land Air Flight Centre. Anybody know anything about them.

Thanks

Airtids · Post by **Airtids** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 8:48 pm

., is this the operation we were discussing? Is it connected to the China Flight School in Nanaimo you were asking about a few weeks back? Man, lots of schools firing up considering the shortage of instructors.

Great to see from an instructor's standpoint, though...

Captain_Canuck · Post by **Captain_Canuck** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 9:46 pm

The information that I have on this school is as follows and this is straight from the horses mouth so to speak:

They will be affiliated with an airline in China. For the moment, they are flying the eclipse and will be taking possession of some katanas as well. I think the magic number I heard was 4 in total. They are also looking at the Diamond Twin star for the Multi component to compliment their fleet.

Their CFI is a British fellow who instructs at Pro IFR. Really knowledgeable bloke and a heck of a good pilot.

RUMOR has it is that they are going to be paying their instructors more than the average in order to attract the best and make it worth the instructors while; but again, that portion is just rumor.

Thats all I have.

Mile High Guy · Post by **Mile High Guy** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 9:14 am

Quote"Their CFI is a British fellow who instructs at Pro IFR. Really knowledgeable bloke and a heck of a good pilot. "

He's had a bunch of crashes that I know about (one on the BBC) and he once worked for me. That ended up in court.

That's all I'll say.

Captain_Canuck · Post by **Captain_Canuck** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 11:12 am

Things happen in aviation right? But he is still alive!

Hedley · Post by **Hedley** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 11:26 am

a bunch of crashes

I've never crashed an airplane in over a third of a century of flying, but apparently these days it doesn't matter much if you do or not.

An instructor in my area had at least three serious accidents in one year that I know about - for all I know, he might have had many more. One of his more memorable crashes (not one of the 3 mentioned above) was when he ran out of gas. He blamed it on the student, whom he claims wanted to do another circuit (!!)

However this instructor is tightly connected to the Tower C power structure, so his accidents never seem to be scrutinized too closely. I know that if I had been responsible for any one of his many crashes, I would have been up on charges.

As usual, it doesn't matter much what you know, or do - it's who you know that counts.

5x5 · Post by **5x5** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 11:34 am

Captain_Canuck - "bunch of crashes" is not "things happen in aviation". We're doing much to serious a job to take on that kind of laissez-faire attitude. It would certainly make me think twice about why one pilot would have numerous accidents on his record. And should they be in a key position like CFI.

That being said, I don't know either the CFI or Mile High Guy so it could all be BS anyway. But your response that "things happen" did make my eyes widen.

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 11:38 am

However this instructor is tightly connected to the Tower C power structure, so his accidents never seem to be scrutinized too closely. I know that if I had been responsible for any one of his many crashes, I would have been up on charges.

As usual, it doesn't matter much what you know, or do - it's who you know that counts.

Exactly Hedley.

In fact if you manage to have a career accident free you are more likely to be targeted by some of TC's power brokers because they them selves have a shady background in the accident area of flying.....in fact the guy who did my company and career in out here in the Pacific Region had a fatal skudrunning in a float plane when he was flying in the commercial end of aviation....that did not seem to stop him from climbing right to the top of the management pile out here.

Maybe you have to wreck a few to get recognized by TC as a natural to get into their top management?

altiplano · Post by **altiplano** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 12:22 pm

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 12:34 pm

Sure the thread is being hijacked.....but do you see this guy complaining?

Their CFI is a British fellow who instructs at Pro IFR. Really knowledgeable bloke and a heck of a good pilot. "

He's had a bunch of crashes that I know about (one on the BBC) and he once worked for me. That ended up in court.

That's all I'll say.

xsbank · Post by **xsbank** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 4:46 pm

$25 an hour is what some Beav drivers are getting on the coast. Beav wages=

Instructor wages=

ZBB118.10 · Post by **ZBB118.10** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 2:29 am

Their CFI is a British fellow who instructs at Pro IFR. Really knowledgeable bloke and a heck of a good pilot.

He's had a bunch of crashes that I know about (one on the BBC) and he once worked for me. That ended up in court

Oh-oh. If its the guy I am thinking of he has posted on here fairly recently. I also read about the crashes. Slightly odd character by all accounts.

This should be interesting..........

Hedley · Post by **Hedley** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 5:57 am

Slightly odd character

Do people get into aviation because they want to meet normal people?

If you've read any of Garth Wallace's books, you may begin to suspect that he didn't make much of it up.

twotter · Post by **twotter** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:41 am

xsbank wrote:$25 an hour is what some Beav drivers are getting on the coast. Beav wages= Instructor wages=

The difference in this is that the -2 drivers get paid for duty time, not just flight time. So, if you have a 12 hour duty day and only fly 2 hours I'd far rather get paid the -2 way.

Widow · Post by **Widow** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 12:34 pm

ZBB118.10 wrote:
Their CFI is a British fellow who instructs at Pro IFR. Really knowledgeable bloke and a heck of a good pilot.

He's had a bunch of crashes that I know about (one on the BBC) and he once worked for me. That ended up in court
Oh-oh. If its the guy I am thinking of he has posted on here fairly recently. I also read about the crashes. Slightly odd character by all accounts.

This should be interesting..........

Nobody else seems to have noticed ZBB. If you check the website, it does name the CFI ... strange that he didn't notice this thread.

MichaelP · Post by **MichaelP** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 10:13 am

He's had a bunch of crashes that I know about (one on the BBC) and he once worked for me. That ended up in court.

That's all I'll say.

Okay you lot, let's set the record straight.

1986: I ended up on my nose in a Sopwith Pup in England. It was broadcast on TVS and not the BBC.

I damaged an aileron on a Piper Super Cub landing in a short strip with a nasty crosswind. I had to mend a dent and refabric it.

I ended up on my nose in a Cessna 120 at Duncan, there are no brakes on my side, and the lady pilot got her shoe stuck on the brakes... What could I do?

I went flying with an old chap in his Seneca... I was there for the ride.
We ran out of fuel and ended up in the mud SE of Delta.
Should I have checked his fuel tanks? I should have, but do we always check another pilots tanks?
He had vastly more experience in twins than me.

Is that a bunch of crashes???
I have logged over 6,000 hours, and flown about 10,000 hours so far, and I think my track record is pretty good for the type of flying I do.

I have had two engine failures with no damage to the aeroplanes.

Arnold K. took me to court for $10,000.
He wanted a cheque made out to him personally by the purchaser of an ATEC Zephyr. The purchaser correctly paid the company and not its president. If he'd paid Arnold, he would still owe the company...
I'd delivered the aircraft and established the money had been paid with Arnold's partner Luc who was the financial controller.
The judge threw the case out of court.
Arnold agreed to pay the $200 it cost me to defend myself, he has not.
That is the only court case I have been involved with, and so the writer of the above quoted defamation could only be him.

Sea Land Air is not associated with mainland China in any way.
We are offering modern aeroplanes against the aging fleet on offer here.
I always treat people well, unless they cross me as above.
I will not suffer BS.
I will ensure that anyone who works for us is treated decently and paid well.
Yes, we will look at the Chinese business, I worked there for PanAm.

I still look after students and instructors at Pro, I will always go the extra mile for people.

justplanecrazy · Post by **justplanecrazy** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 10:33 am

MichaelP wrote: 1986: I ended up on my nose in a Sopwith Pup in England. It was broadcast on TVS and not the BBC.

When I first read this I thought you said you ended up on your nose in a Sopwith Pub in England. Cause I've done that before and although it didn't make it on TV it is undeniably unavoidable.

5x5 · Post by **5x5** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 10:36 am

MichaelP - good on ya for clearing things up.

The best way to clear up falsehoods and innuendo is to provide the facts.

If you read the post on old pilots though, obviously you should have checked the tanks - all old pilots are suspect you know.

Good luck in the new business.

MichaelP · Post by **MichaelP** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 12:37 pm

I once had a student at Pro tell me that he'd been told I'd sent a student off solo and that student had crashed and died.
There is no basis in fact... It was a made up story.

One day the CFI of another school made up a story and as a joke told a Pro engineering that I'd said something bad about them...
I was told not to come to the Pro Christmas Party... It caused me a lot of trouble and heartbreak.
The boss wrote me a stinking letter with slander written throughout it... I could have taken it to a lawyer...
After the Christmas Party there was a meeting at the other school and the CFI there said he was only kidding...

I tend to let people think what they like, if they want to be ignorant let them be ignorant.

But I realise that all this hearsay has damaged my reputation in many places...

If we are aviators we must try to respect each other and not pass around silly gossip.
What do you think anyone from outside this business will think when they read what is sometimes written in this forum?

I never say anything about anyone that I have not said directly to their face.
I try to do positive things for my fellow aviators.

Phlyer · Post by **Phlyer** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 1:51 pm

Good on you Michael for speaking up. I know how rumour and gossip can damage people - there's a good reason we are told not to.
I was working at zbb when you hit the mud in that Seneca and there was a lot of crap floating around - so to speak. It's a good lesson for everyone that even a small mistake can lead to a series of misfortunes that can really affect one's reputation.
Best of luck to you.

Captain_Canuck · Post by **Captain_Canuck** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 9:56 pm

Here here!

Bloody Hell!

2R · Post by 2R » Mon Nov 05, 2007 1:19 pm

Most slander is done by backstabbing cowards who would never be so impolite to say it to your face and give you a chance to refute the slander.

I went through a similar backstabbing out there it must be the coffee they serve

At least you did not suffer Len Perry's fate crashing.Poor bugger.

Hedley · Post by **Hedley** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 2:18 pm

What you've got to learn is ...

If you don't do anything, no one cares about you.

If you do ANYTHING (good or bad) you will be harshly criticized, because it's hard to do ANYTHING without pissing at least one off, or making at least one person jealous.

And all it takes is one determined person to make your life unpleasant.

All sorts of people hate me, and go to incredible lengths to try to harm me. Who knows why? Only their therapists know for sure.

MichaelP · Post by **MichaelP** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 4:34 pm

At least you did not suffer Len Perry's fate crashing.Poor bugger.

I knew Len Perry very well... He flew my aeroplanes a couple of times.
I remember when he'd swapped an IMC rating for an IR and flew a Mooney across the Atlantic... I remember a flight with him in a YAK 52...
A big shame that he died in a Sukhoi 31...

As I wrote above, I don't think my record is that bad considering the type of flying I have done.

This is me flying the Sopwith Pup with its 80Hp Le Rhone engine.
That's the M25 below, between Redhill and Biggin Hill, (Godstone).

My 1986 crash followed a faultless flight... The television people didn't get it... Lunch was being served in the officers mess... There was a hurry, delayed by eight Chipmunks wanting to go flying.
The wingtips were held by two people who had not done it before... One let go the other didn't and I was turned 90 degrees to the light breeze...
All the weight was on the left wheel...
On finals I switched the engine off, and turned the fuel off... I dead-sticked onto the grass as near as possible into the known breeze.
The left wheel gripped the axle, spun it off the centre bolt and the gear collapsed backwards.
The wheel bearing was a bronze bushing and relied on grease, if we'd greased it before flight it might have been a different story.

Never be in a hurry to fly a vintage aeroplane... Check it and prepare it first.

I doubt that many of you will ever fly an aeroplane and engine built in 1916.
I think it's a shame for you, but I am glad for having been fortunate enough to have had that experience.

Commader Stu · Post by **Commader Stu** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 6:17 pm

It is disturbing to see the slings and arrows thrown about by fellow aviators to one of our own! I am a newly mature solo'd pilot and proud to be part of the profession but must say that there are those that use this forum for other purposes.
I will say that slogging through the mire I have and do find some very informative and helpful information for those that post the latter please keep it up!

Sea Land Air Flight Centre ZBB

Sea Land Air Flight Centre ZBB

Well said!