Ottawa Aviation Services out of business effective today

[jurassicjockey]

My daughter got an email this morning that Ottawa Aviation Services is done. There is a chance for students who hadn't withdrawn to get some money back. They had been asking for the full $80k plus up front, so I dont know how those people will fare. Lost their head of maintenance last week or so, and lost the CFI in the past couple of days.

[Fishizl]

I highly recommend going to Smiths Falls, they are a solid organization with great instructors, a little further out but you will save money and not have to waste time in a controlled airport.

[photofly]

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-ne ... -shut-down

[RedAndWhiteBaron]

They had been asking for the full $80k plus up front

$80k up front? Say what?

[ReserveTank]

You'd think with people paying $80K up front, there would be adequate cash reserves for staff salary. I'm surprised that instructor let them get over $25K behind. I'd have been making plans to jump after 1 missed pay cycle. Maybe he had no other prospects? “We had some people who started to resign, and I was, ‘OK. Obviously these folks know something I don’t,’”

Ya man, they knew that their refrigerator was empty and their company wasn't going to help them fill it anytime soon.

So, welcome to the quasi-European pay-to-fly schemes (scams). These guys were pioneers in helping to usher in this kind of program to Canada, working on it well over a decade ago. They spent years "consulting" with the feds for training program changes, where the student is paying for copious amounts of ground school in lieu of flight time. They got regional airlines on board to legitimize the advertising. Some students did go to these regionals.

But this organization knows nothing about airlines, they can only "play" airline. You can't run an airline-style training unit based on washed-up consultants, attending Red Bull air races, and watching Ice Pilots episodes. You need competent, ethical people that have been immersed in the industry. For these guys, it's a second thought, a whim, a dream, and a hobby. It was never a primary job for any of them, so they cannot empathize with their students or employees.

I'm hopeful that these failing schemes can somehow promote training at regular FTUs again.

[digits_]

I'm curious as to how mismanaged an always busy FTU needs to be nowadays to go bust. A lot of FTUs have waiting lists. Really weird.

[ReserveTank]

I'm curious as to how mismanaged an always busy FTU needs to be nowadays to go bust. A lot of FTUs have waiting lists. Really weird.

Too many cooks spoil the broth.