Training Contract

Training Contract

"Bravo8500"	12/27/2004 4:13:57 PM
I signed a training contract with a small airline as first officer (co-pilot). I left just before training was finished because the job was too stressful for me to accomplish safely. They want to sue me now for breach of contract, saying I left voluntarily. When I left, I told four people there about feeling too much stress in the position. I'm thinking it's a conflict of interest for a company to create financial pressure on a pilot to remain in a position against his best judgment. What if I couldn't afford to pay the money, stayed, and caused an accident? Do you have any advice for me?



"Christopher Green"	12/27/2004 4:59:36 PM
Pay-for-training contracts are a fact of life among smaller airlines and inexperienced pilots. AFAIK, they are enforceable just as any other contract is; there are no special rules governing this kind of contract. They can range from arrangements where you pay for training sufficient to qualify for a pilot's job but have no promise of employment to arrangements where you are hired and trained then work off your training expenses. Get a lawyer and read your contract over with him. If there is an out (but be prepared for the possibility that there is none), then he will be able to help you find it. To me, it sounds like what you did was praiseworthy, but it may not get you out of a contract. -- Not a lawyer, Chris Green



"Bravo8500"	12/27/2004 5:04:19 PM
I forgot to add - they can sue for legal fees if they take me to court. How much would you guess those would be if I were to lose?



"Christopher Green"	12/27/2004 5:13:59 PM
Good idea to get a lawyer and discuss that. You can get into the high four figures or five figures pretty quickly in a contested case. Thus the need to get your own lawyer and see whether you really have an out. If you don't, then settling quickly may save a lot of money and aggravation. -- Not a lawyer, Chris Green



"Messalina"	12/27/2004 5:16:41 PM
Bravo8500 wrote: I signed a training contract with a small airline as first officer (co-pilot). I left just before training was finished because the job was too stressful for me to accomplish safely. They want to sue me now for breach of contract, saying I left voluntarily. When I left, I told four people there about feeling too much stress in the position. I'm thinking it's a conflict of interest for a company to create financial pressure on a pilot to remain in a position against his best judgment. What if I couldn't afford to pay the money, stayed, and caused an accident? Do you have any advice for me? Alert the media. Mez



"Bravo8500"	12/27/2004 5:39:40 PM
What about this twist .. the company in fact did have a tragic accident a month after I left. The co-pilot on board had been in my class, and had said things to me that let me know he too was under a lot of stress. And, he had signed the contract. How would you think this would play into the matter?



"Christopher Green"	12/27/2004 6:27:58 PM
Ouch. It would be a good idea to bring this out. Now you have some evidence pointing to an environment that made your quit something other than voluntary, especially if you or he also discussed this with other pilots. It's still really important to get a lawyer on your side, because your argument that the situation was so hazardous that quitting was the only thing to do is going to be a complex and probably technical one. You may also want to get in touch with the NTSB team investigating the accident. Or they may come to you. -- Not a lawyer, Chris Green



"Bravo8500"	12/28/2004 6:37:47 AM
Thanks for in input. Maybe I'll just admit to owing the money, and ask for some consideration, like I left for their benefit, and I can't afford to pay the money. I didn't have a job when I left, and am only making $1000 a month part time now. Could I let them sue me and tell the judge this? Judge, I agree I owe, but...



"Richard"	12/28/2004 10:24:15 AM
Bravo8500 wrote: I signed a training contract with a small airline as first officer (co-pilot). I left just before training was finished because the job was too stressful for me to accomplish safely. They want to sue me now for breach of contract, saying I left voluntarily. When I left, I told four people there about feeling too much stress in the position. I'm thinking it's a conflict of interest for a company to create financial pressure on a pilot to remain in a position against his best judgment. What if I couldn't afford to pay the money, stayed, and caused an accident? Do you have any advice for me? Hell, you should try becoming a truck driver. You pay out the ass for a 3 week course. In the mean time, you decide you don't like it, but you're stuck with the bill to pay. Many of these types of contracts will have a clause in it about early termination. After a certain date, you must pay it all regardless. See if you can work out a deal that you would agree to pay for the time you were there.

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