towhook

I wanted to post up this email to show an example of some unscrupulous behavior. I received this after responding to an ad for some local banner towing here in Central FL. This is an example of what is so wrong with this industry.

"The sales class starts this monday at the orlando office 5pm to 7pm. Also it will run on tuesday and possibly weds. let me know in advance if you will attend!

You need to register with me!

Those attending the class become sales intern paid by commission for their sales until january.
The 2 best interns (most sales or leads provided for the company) will win the flight training course for the banner towing ($2600) and a flight spot for this flying season 2010 starting mid february!
Thanks again and call me if you have any question!

You must register with me to attend!!!

Call
3868989000

Ask for Mr. Colin

Go to Aerial Messages and start looking at the banner types, prices, and routes!

come to class prepared!"

What a joke. This must be the guy in Daytona that everyone is always complaining about.

Rudabega

Wow.......... sad.

clearedirect

unreal, I bet there will be tons of people lining up for this..

slipped

I AM GOING! jk. That looks like the worse job ever.

I dont even get it, you make cold calls or write the banners or what?

ryan1234

what a bunch of flim flam

slipped

Yes....flim flam

USMCFLYR

Is this PFT?

You are hired as an intern (paid on commission)
You COMPETE for paid flight training
Then you are *awarded* a job flying banners for the season.

I thought PFT was when YOU PAID to fly an airplane for someone.

This might be a weird way to get a job but I don't see PFT in it. Let's not dilute the definition of PFT. You might not like the way the company is going about their selection process; but that doesn't make it PFT.

USMCFLYR

supersix-4

You should go to the class and give the guy a big kick in the groin..While your at it give one to each "student"..

Groundhog

I would agree that this is not PFT, however, the definition of PFT has been so diluted on this board since its inception, it's no surprise that someone would quickly attach that label to this position.

Having said that, this looks more like some of the scams that were prevalent in the early 90's. The one that I remember was the guy that posted a multi-engine pilot vacancy in Trade-a-Plane. With the glut of pilots looking for flying at the time, you would have thought that the position would have been filled instantly, without having to advertise nationally. But the position was in every edition for an extended period of time.
Of course, the $20 application fee probably paid the guy's rent every month with quite a bit left over. The only expenses apparently were the cost of the add, the rent on the PO Box, and the stamps to send the rejection letters to inform the applicants that they didn't meet the requirements.
Trade-a-Plane shut him down after a while, with a blurb warning people about hiring scams.

I'm not saying that this particular job posting is a scam, but my first question would be, how much do I have to pay to attend the marketing training?

Regardless of whether or not this is on the up-and-up, it is a sad example of how a company will use a pilot's passion for his trade to reduce the value of a pilot's skills and training. I understand people need jobs, but this looks more like a lottery ticket than a job.

We were screwed the when the first pilot said, "Man, I'd fly that for free. "
Every CEO in the country heard it, and they have been falling all over themselves to accommodate us ever since.

Hog

seafeye

Don't know if i could post the name of the guy that ownes Aerial Messages. But it isn't Mr. Colin. I thought he went out of business after a crash left 2 dead. Maybe this is some Riddle Grad with a business degree that is trying to hose people into gettting some banner business.
My .02 is stay at least 10nm away.