Serious problem at my FBO, I need help!

Getting involved in a power struggle with a more powerful person is, well, kinda stupid.

You won't change it, and you'll burn bridges not only with the FBO, but with people who stay there.

Unless you know you have sufficient pull -- and your question suggests you don't -- this WILL end with you leaving. The question is whether you'll be bloodied up first or not.

The drama might have been worth it (or so we all thought) in high school. For adults, it's an obstruction. Leave now, maybe say why only if you can do so dispassionately, and don't pick fights.

If YOUR goal is to take over the FBO, then the answer is a bit different. If it's to fly and/or instruct, you really don't need the drama. Go elsewhere.
 
Any answers or suggestions or even legal advice would be of really great help right about now...

Here is my legal advice: It's none of your business. The owner of the company seems to value her role in the company, if he didn't he would have replaced her by now.

Here is my suggestion: If you dont like the way they do business, take your money somewhere else and let the FBO owner know why.
 
Is it worth the headache and hassle? If so, fight on. If not, I'd beat feet and hit the street. There are plenty of other places out there that I am sure are more than willing to help you finish up, and probably even hire you.
 
Thanks for all the help guys! I am taking down a bunch of notes here and I am getting less emotionally stressed now, and I am looking at this situation from a customer/business perspective. I would like to finish up there, get my CFI, and work there, but in case something goes wrong, i have 4 other FBO's at least 45 minutes away from me I could just go up and introduce myself to the head hanchos and see where that takes me... I just really would like to do what I love to do for a living, and I love being surrounded by people who are more experienced then me (CFII, MEI, DPE's etc) but this women has been recently crushing that feeling for me so that is why I have been so stressed about it

It is not effecting me now(except for all the attitude she gives me), but I am looking at the long term of how, if I were employed at the business, what that would do to me.
 
Meek and smart are different. The situation obviously didn't develop over-night, and the owners choose to allow it to continue. The novelty of beating a dead horse wears off quickly, so why start when you can walk?
--> Meek



The guy likes the place, he's settled in, just has this one issue. I say try to fix the issue before you run away to another FBO. Going else where might be more of a drive and will sure cost him a few more bucks, changing flightschools, or even instructors always does.

Presuming there is nothing you can do and retreating, that's text book resignation and not something I would want to see in a potential professional aviator.


Give it your best shot, be non-emotional, get a group of people and have a talk with the woman, then if needed (by phone if necessary) with the boss man.

If that doesnt work, at least you tried and you can move on from there.
 
Hey folks, I have got a problem on my hands that is infesting my flight school and has caused some people to leave the FBO entirely. I need some advice before this gets too far out of hand that the customers or even the employees will have no say and they are powerless and miserable...

Life is a lot more enjoyable when you don't spend it trying to change what can not be changed.
 
... because there is no possible way to change the poor behavior of some secretary, really?!

Folks are so un-confrontational these days, generations of men raised by women, breast fed too long, not enough testosterone, who knows but it's a sad state when grown men runaway from even the smallest confrontation :rolleyes2:

Maybe this why the secretary acts this way, folks are too meek to correct her.
 
Walk away. End of story.

Easiest way to deal with it, for sure. One thing I quickly learned about the aviation business is that aviation is full of Type A people. Learn to deal with it, in some way, or it's going to eat you alive.
 
A voice recorder always helps....


Ask her how she likes her soil..... for the dirt nap she's about to take :) LOL
 
How old is this gal? Is she attractive? Maybe you should take a different approach. Perhaps she just needs to get laid?

Good grief. Man up. Put her in her place or move on down the ramp.
 
Agreed. If someone called me a student, I'd chuckle and agree.
there was a point in my early 20's that I graduated from being a student. But somewhere along the line I've regressed, I don't know nearly as much about flying today as I did then. If you don't believe it, just go back in time and ask the 20-year-old me and I'd tell you.
 
Thanks for all the help guys! I am taking down a bunch of notes here and I am getting less emotionally stressed now, and I am looking at this situation from a customer/business perspective. I would like to finish up there, get my CFI, and work there, but in case something goes wrong, i have 4 other FBO's at least 45 minutes away from me I could just go up and introduce myself to the head hanchos and see where that takes me... I just really would like to do what I love to do for a living, and I love being surrounded by people who are more experienced then me (CFII, MEI, DPE's etc) but this women has been recently crushing that feeling for me so that is why I have been so stressed about it

It is not effecting me now(except for all the attitude she gives me), but I am looking at the long term of how, if I were employed at the business, what that would do to me.

Grow a pair, you are Pilot In Command, take command. Most people that act like that are hiding something, find out what it is; follow the money, follow personal relationships and obvious favoritism. Control freaks want control for two or three of three reasons, one is power, and the other sex and/ or money, usually both. Start building your evidence now for when it does matter.
 
... because there is no possible way to change the poor behavior of some secretary, really?!

Folks are so un-confrontational these days, generations of men raised by women, breast fed too long, not enough testosterone, who knows but it's a sad state when grown men runaway from even the smallest confrontation :rolleyes2:

Maybe this why the secretary acts this way, folks are too meek to correct her.

I can tell you why: because some horrible women claim harassment and/or discrimination whenever a man stands up to them.

I am female, and I am utterly disgusted at the behavior of some women. I know a few men who have been wrongly accused of harassment because they actually tried to get a woman to do her job. This horrible woman got into a fairly high position by threatening harassment and claiming discrimination. It's pathetic and disgusting, and an embarrassment to women.
 
I can tell you why: because some horrible women claim harassment and/or discrimination whenever a man stands up to them.

I am female, and I am utterly disgusted at the behavior of some women. I know a few men who have been wrongly accused of harassment because they actually tried to get a woman to do her job. This horrible woman got into a fairly high position by threatening harassment and claiming discrimination. It's pathetic and disgusting, and an embarrassment to women.

Exactly, which is why you need documented goods on them.
 
Fight the battles that NEED to be won. WALK AWAY from the ones that don't. Forget the attitude.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
 
Fight the battles that NEED to be won. WALK AWAY from the ones that don't. Forget the attitude.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
And a backhoe to hide the bodies

Fixed that for you.
 
Someone suggested writing a letter to the owner. I bet she opens and reads all the mail.
Even if the owner is unaware of her behavior, if he is that much detached from/uninvolved with the business, he is not going to take action if he does find out. You can be sure someone has complained in the past and nothing was done.
As others said, she is not the problem. She is one of the results of the problem. Sounds like she is only the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. The problem is the owner.
 
Someone suggested writing a letter to the owner. I bet she opens and reads all the mail.
Even if the owner is unaware of her behavior, if he is that much detached from/uninvolved with the business, he is not going to take action if he does find out. You can be sure someone has complained in the past and nothing was done.
As others said, she is not the problem. She is one of the results of the problem. Sounds like she is only the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. The problem is the owner.

Exactly, you can't cure the problem, the owner as you say. That means you have to aggressively go after managing the cause of the symptoms and keeping it under control. The other option is go ahead and 'Pay the Rent' and become her favorite lap dog burying your nose in her nether regions. You can even be taking a solid for the team if you can keep her happy and change her 'tude.
 
Exactly, you can't cure the problem, the owner as you say. That means you have to aggressively go after managing the cause of the symptoms and keeping it under control. The other option is go ahead and 'Pay the Rent' and become her favorite lap dog burying your nose in her nether regions. You can even be taking a solid for the team if you can keep her happy and change her 'tude.

Man, there's have to be a lot more benefit than some beat up trainers for rent to stoop that low.

Reiterating my original comment: There are other airplanes to fly. Not enough time in life to spend it on morons.
 
Start spiking her coffee with a healthy amount of Baileys Irish Creme. I used to do that for my mother in law every christmas. Christmases were great after that and she loved me for it.
 
Grow a pair, you are Pilot In Command, take command. Most people that act like that are hiding something, find out what it is; follow the money, follow personal relationships and obvious favoritism. Control freaks want control for two or three of three reasons, one is power, and the other sex and/ or money, usually both. Start building your evidence now for when it does matter.

:yeahthat: And add a sack check to your preflight.
 
Thanks for all the help, guys! I am taking down a bunch of notes here and I am getting less emotionally stressed now, and I am looking at this situation from a customer/business perspective. I would like to finish up there, get my CFI, and work there, but in case something goes wrong, i have 4 other FBO's at least 45 minutes away from me. I could just go up and introduce myself to the head hanchos and see where that takes me... I just really would like to do what I love to do for a living, and I love being surrounded by people who are more experienced then me (CFII, MEI, DPE's etc) but this women has been recently crushing that feeling for me so that is why I have been so stressed about it

It is not effecting me now(except for all the attitude she gives me), but I am looking at the long term of how, if I were employed at the business, what that would do to me.

Written information, expressed to the ownership, has been advised by several, and I concur with the suggestions. Perhaps the owner is unaware of the alleged problems. If calmly addressed by your document there's a good chance he might invite you to a conference to address the issues. But when you write, use proper spelling. CFI'S is not the plural reference to more than one CFI. FBO'S only refers to the company's planes, properties, employees; not more than one FBO; and DPE'S doesn't define several of them. "i" is an insult to yourself if you don't have enough respect for yourself that you are important to be "I."

Your dissertations in this thread are riddled with careless structure and bad spelling; (see above) If I were the owner/manager -- and I've been those for many years -- I'd be unlikely to entertain your complaints; and less inclined to consider employing you in the future.

HR
 
Your dissertations in this thread are riddled with careless structure and bad spelling; (see above) If I were the owner/manager -- and I've been those for many years -- I'd be unlikely to entertain your complaints; and less inclined to consider employing you in the future.

HR

He's a flight instructor, not a English professor. Get off your high horse.
 
always try to get on the good side of people, be politcal, courteous, treat the, well, make them smile, and sooner or larer they will give you what you want.
 
Written information, expressed to the ownership, has been advised by several, and I concur with the suggestions. Perhaps the owner is unaware of the alleged problems. If calmly addressed by your document there's a good chance he might invite you to a conference to address the issues. But when you write, use proper spelling. CFI'S is not the plural reference to more than one CFI. FBO'S only refers to the company's planes, properties, employees; not more than one FBO; and DPE'S doesn't define several of them. "i" is an insult to yourself if you don't have enough respect for yourself that you are important to be "I."

Your dissertations in this thread are riddled with careless structure and bad spelling; (see above) If I were the owner/manager -- and I've been those for many years -- I'd be unlikely to entertain your complaints; and less inclined to consider employing you in the future.

HR

If i wanted a dissertation about my English I would have gone to my English teacher before posting these responses... You really think I am so stupid as to not take my time with a written letter to the owner, then you have no hope in humanity... I am writing quickly and carelessly here because the advice is more important here... not everyone's English... (hoped I used the comma correctly that time)
 
If i wanted a dissertation about my English I would have gone to my English teacher before posting these responses... You really think I am so stupid as to not take my time with a written letter to the owner, then you have no hope in humanity... I am writing quickly and carelessly here because the advice is more important here... not everyone's English... (hoped I used the comma correctly that time)

It can be challenging to write fairly correct english after habitually texting with all its creative abreviations and slang that are commonly used for speed and less characters, simply because of force of habit.

It can even work in reverse with traditional english writers, causing a tendency to not want to capitalize and to use certain abreviations after more and more reading of "texted type" communications these days....
 
It can be challenging to write fairly correct english after habitually texting with all its creative abreviations and slang that are commonly used for speed and less characters, simply because of force of habit.

It can even work in reverse with traditional english writers, causing a tendency to not want to capitalize and to use certain abreviations after more and more reading of "texted type" communications these days....

I understand and respect that, but I was more ****ed about the fact that we are getting away from the subject at hand because of a few commas.... I mean jesus
 
I understand and respect that, but I was more ****ed about the fact that we are getting away from the subject at hand because of a few commas.... I mean jesus

No problem, it's more important that actual, accurate communication occurs, which you do well. The delivery style can sometimes be additional umphh.

You've shown that you've got ammo to use in your particular battle here, and often one just needs to let the offending party know the ammo's there and you're ready to use it -if they're smart enough to recognize it when you point it out.
 
Clock the ***** upside the head and tell her if she f-s with you you will kill her next time.

Getting thrown in jail for assault and battery ought to do wonders for his career. :rolleyes:
 
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