More Proof Its a Small World, Darren Smith, Flight Instructor, CFI Homepage

When I get an email from a pilot, I always do my best to give honest frank advice. Advice that's not only based on industry experience, but also as someone with has been teaching since 1990. I've spent my whole professional career trying to help people get to where they are trying to get. The name and particulars have been removed to protect the guilty and certain words are obviously censored. Consider this email thread that I received in October 2005.

--- CFI Darren wrote:
> Date: Wed, 12 Oct 2005 20:33:45 -0700 (PDT)
> From: CFI Darren
> Subject: Re: what a f***ing loser you are
> To: [NAME REMOVED] <fly[REMOVED]777@hotmail.com>
>
> Extremely unprofessional. And glad that we haven't done business with each other. Aviation is a very small world,
> and this kind of attitude is going to catch up with you. Good luck [NAME REMOVED]. ds

--- [NAME REMOVED] <fly[REMOVED]777@hotmail.com wrote:
From: "[NAME REMOVED]" <fly[REMOVED]777@hotmail.com
To: CFI Darren
Subject: what a f***ing loser you are
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2005 03:18:39 +0000

Hey listen to me Mr. Professional Pilot Trainer before you get too rediculous and talk garbage about other places and
just talk highly about your training program, let me explain to you that this is not a pay me to fly me program, It is 135 Cargo operation based here in texas operates well kept and well maintained 401 and 402 equiptment and you get better deal because you volunteer your time to work for the company as a dispatcher and before they even let you fly the equiptment you have to go through the ground school and checkride with the check airman before you qualify, And what the hell do you offer ? you are talking s**t like you are offering a guaranteed pilot job with an airline what kind of f***ing equiptment do you have a cessna 310 or an old dying travel air. let me tell you a cargo operations experience will look much better on your resume then flying a travel air by your self with no payload and pencil in time, but I think you are not too smart to understand that so f*** off and dont write me back, you are simply a stupid dumb ass jerk. wonder you made you a CFI. I would suggest you change your e-mail address to dumbassdarren@yahoo.com.

You cant write me back anyways I blocked your stinky dumb ass, and to tell you the truth I dont need your s**tty advise I already told you I got a job offer already to fly 737 and all I need is 100 hours multi time and 402 time is million times better then your dying twin you just repaired. what do you fly by the way ? I bet a donky cart since you are so stupid.

--- CFI Darren wrote:
From: CFI Darren
To: [NAME REMOVED] <fly[REMOVED]777@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: Multi Engine Time
Date: Wed, 12 Oct 2005 09:01:22 -0700 (PDT)

50/hour in a 401 sounds like a "pay me to fly me" scheme which has dubious value in your logbook.

Depending on your total time, and where you interview, you may have a hard time with that in your logbook.

We've seen a few applicants come into my airline with this kind of thing in their logbook. They show up with 250 hours of BE1900 time, or 50 hours of Cessna 421 time, or 100 hours of King Air time and they couldn't show evidence of training on the aircraft. When we find that the applicant isn't really qualified in the aircraft we consider the entries to be misleading and send the applicant on their way.

My program is different as you are not only paying the real cost of the program, but you are given evidence of a training program, become qualified in the aircraft, and its really meant to mentor folks looking for airline/professional flying prep.

As you already know its $110/hour + fuel which cost the last gentleman about $140 an hour. But it was real experience. And folks know all they need to know to pass a hiring board when it comes to how that experience got into your logbook. As the note at the bottom of the page states:
"This program is meant to mentor upcoming professional pilots specifically in the area of multi-crew cockpits and precision flight to ATP standards. I don't make money on this program as you can see from the rates above, but I also don't accept every student either. Those I do fly with are motivated, ready to learn, and ready to grow their careers."

So, its always a choice. Sounds like a cheap deal, and good luck with it. ds

--- [NAME REMOVED] <fly[REMOVED]777@hotmail.com wrote:

Hello Daren, thanks for your mail, I did find a place in texas where I live for 5k per/100 hours on cessna 401-402, starting in november after my ground school, what is your rate for 100 hours ? let me know

> --- CFI Darren wrote:
> From: CFI Darren
> To: [NAME REMOVED] <fly[REMOVED]777@hotmail.com
> Subject: RE: Multi Engine Time
> Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2005 22:52:42 -0700 (PDT)
>
> Hi [NAME REMOVED]. I returned yesterday. I am currently in STL until last week of october. I've got a > customer starting his 7 day instrument rating and should be finished by first week of November. When
> would you like to get started. The aircraft has finished its annual and the panel has been rearranged,
> and is flying. I dont know the current status of the radios   because the Garmin 480 is back ordered
> until mid December. So if you want to get started you'll beat the price increase (from the GPS install)
> and fuel isn't getting any cheaper.
>
> We use the cheapest gas in florida sold by one of the local city govt's at .30 above cost. The aircraft
> has 120 gal onboard fuel burning at 15 gal/hr which gives quite a good range.   ds

   --- [NAME REMOVED] <fly[REMOVED]777@hotmail.com wrote:

     Hello Darren, thanks for your reply and now know you are not in town

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