Barefoot Bandit wants money for flying lessons...

Thought he had a job? But I see he want 125K ! Guess he didn't learn, once a crook always a crook.
 
I Hope the victims of his crimes are watching his scam, when the money gets close they can hit him with a lawsuit and take it from him. This guy is a clown..
 
Ah, ah, ah!! Don't judge! It makes you less equal.
There is no equal, he is a felon trying to add another yo his rap sheet. I am not and not. I suppose though someone will chime in here calling me a felonphobe and that he is a wonderful person just trying to make himself a future? Sigh.
 
Did he do his time? This is one unforgiving place.
 
Did he do his time? This is one unforgiving place.

Yes, he did and even made paid monetary debts to his victims.

I am a believer is second chances. I would take him as a student. Attitude has a lot to do with it. However, I would let him know that any misconduct while in flight training (while training or away from the airport) would not be tolerated and would probably end any further training with me.

I have met some people that actually learned their lesson in prison, and will not do anything that could send them back.
 
Did you look at his Go Fund Me page?...he is not the crook, his new flight school freakin is!

TOTAL EXPENSES FOR ALL FLIGHT TRAINING:

____________________________________________________________
THE FLIGHT ACADEMY: http://theflightacademy.com

Private Pilot License (The Flight Academy):
70 hours/21 days | $32,995
http://theflightacademy.com/flight-training/private-pilot-training/

Instrument Rating (The Flight Academy):
14 days | $7,995 + 40-45hrs of aircraft rental $400
per hour (plus $16,000 total)
http://theflightacademy.com/flight-training/instrument-rating-course/
 
He took from other people during his crime spree.
Now, he is seeking others to provide for his desires.

One lesson he won't learn (if we don't enable it with crowdsourcing etc) appears to be providing for himself. Working hard, saving, then paying his own way.
 
He took from other people during his crime spree.
Now, he is seeking others to provide for his desires.

One lesson he won't learn (if we don't enable it with crowdsourcing etc) appears to be providing for himself. Working hard, saving, then paying his own way.

Well, that is wide spread, not just one person.
 
I can't even imagine getting quoted 33k for a PPL! :eek2:
 
I am surprised to see this but the guy deserves a chance to make something of his life. Hopefully he is serious and can make it work.
 
I can't even imagine getting quoted 33k for a PPL! :eek2:
You could if you were being quoted for a Cirrus at $400/hour...which, incidentally, is the numbers he's getting (if you read down his gofundme page at the emails he pasted there).
 
I'm just curious to see how good of a pilot he can actually be. Crooked or not, it'd be funny to see him win flying competitions like it was a piece of cake.
 
Well, that is wide spread, not just one person.
Yes but does that mean we should not call folks out for doing it?

The only reason so many in our society have a sense of entitlement is because society allows them to express it without consequence.

I'm all for second chances but he should pay his own way.
 
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Someone must have complained...

Update 16
Posted by Colton Harris Moore
43 mins ago
1
1


Well, I guess I spoke too soon. They requested that I PAUSE donations until they can approve the GoFundMe. So, that's what I have done. It may take a week or two for them to approve this, so please be patient! Remember I am still on probation and still have to jump through the hoops! I'll do whatever it takes!
 
You've read the form for a medical once or twice, I'm sure. Which questions do you think would disqualify the kid?
 
You've read the form for a medical once or twice, I'm sure. Which questions do you think would disqualify the kid?

section 18 sub section M...mental disorders.

Borderline personality disorder I am sure would fit the bill.
 
section 18 sub section M...mental disorders.

Borderline personality disorder I am sure would fit the bill.

If he has never been diagnosed with anything, it doesn't count. I'm all for giving people 2nd chances, but this a-hole is asking for an excessive amount of money for what could be done significantly cheaper. He's scamming people all over again. If he came out of jail and decided he wanted to pursue becoming a pilot, there are appropriate ways to go about that - you know, like WORKING. And any gofundme he starts should be to help the pilots of the planes he crashed.
 
This is a topic I struggle with.
That of forgiveness. Worthy of discussion. I know what our church says about it. I am not to the point where I am able to completely agree.
It is such an important thing. I have benefited from forgiveness so many times myself.
I think offering forgiveness may be as important as it is to withhold it (contrary to my church's teachings). I am not saying withhold it indefinitely, or 'you must do A' to receive it, but to hand it out so freely....
If given too easily, or without proof of true contriteness, or making of amends, or of changing of one's ways...it seems cheapened, and less likely to encourage good behavior in either the offender, or in bystanders. "Go ahead, screw up, all will be forgiven!" Yes, I know the argument that forgiveness should not be a tool to modify behavior - maybe that's my issue with it. I find it difficult to forgive the same person repeatedly for egregiously bad behavior. And from what people tell me, I am not a harsh judge.

Miscreants get forgiveness (and more) at the drop of the hat (sometimes in the form of multi-thousand dollar GoFundMe-s).......but the hard working, Always Do The Right Thing Guy never gets any kudos, breaks, easy rides for following the law, or helping his fellow man, etc. Sometimes it seems a person would be better off by being a jackazz, then sitting back awaiting the prize.
 
So... you steal a car when you're 15... No driver's license for you for life!

Not so sure it works that way. Nor should it.
 
@Cajun_Flyer - if the epilogue of the movie includes "And then I found the error of my ways and achieved the training to fly" it would be a boon to the movie. Those profits going to the victims.

Heck, the production company should make the investment. And if they don't, the victims should sue THEM for mismanaging the rights.
 
I understand the "once a crook always a crook" mentality.... I've known a few people like that and more who just seem to be chronic foolish decision makers who always need someone to bail them out... but...

What are we going to do with this guy or others like him? They still exist in the world so what are you going to do? Do you want to pay to incarcerate them for life with your hard earned tax dollars? I know our society is not cruel enough to just start executing people over theft/mischief. So now what? Do you really want to cut these people off from any path they might take to become productive members of society? Understand that by doing that you're pretty much guaranteeing they'll be a blight on humanity until their death. I don't think that's good for anyone. He paid his debts and he should get a clean slate.

I hope he's serious and I hope he finds some way to pay for the lessons... it's not going to be from me but maybe someone.
 
I am surprised to see this but the guy deserves a chance to make something of his life. Hopefully he is serious and can make it work.

You're right, $135,000.00 for a PPL

images




I understand the "once a crook always a crook" mentality.... I've known a few people like that and more who just seem to be chronic foolish decision makers who always need someone to bail them out... but...

What are we going to do with this guy or others like him? They still exist in the world so what are you going to do? Do you want to pay to incarcerate them for life with your hard earned tax dollars? I know our society is not cruel enough to just start executing people over theft/mischief. So now what? Do you really want to cut these people off from any path they might take to become productive members of society? Understand that by doing that you're pretty much guaranteeing they'll be a blight on humanity until their death. I don't think that's good for anyone. He paid his debts and he should get a clean slate.

I hope he's serious and I hope he finds some way to pay for the lessons... it's not going to be from me but maybe someone.

What this dude did went way past just mischef lol

I say we take a note from Rome, strip trash like him of his citizenship and kick them the F' out.

Like a new type of weapon, just drop them off into countries like North Korea, ISIS land. Hard to build weapons when crack heads steal all the copper wires out of your factory, or steal your millitary vehicles and crash em.

Who knows, Australia turned out well, nothing to loose.

Two birds one stone.
 
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This is a topic I struggle with.
That of forgiveness. Worthy of discussion. I know what our church says about it. I am not to the point where I am able to completely agree.
It is such an important thing. I have benefited from forgiveness so many times myself.
I think offering forgiveness may be as important as it is to withhold it (contrary to my church's teachings). I am not saying withhold it indefinitely, or 'you must do A' to receive it, but to hand it out so freely....
If given too easily, or without proof of true contriteness, or making of amends, or of changing of one's ways...it seems cheapened, and less likely to encourage good behavior in either the offender, or in bystanders. "Go ahead, screw up, all will be forgiven!" Yes, I know the argument that forgiveness should not be a tool to modify behavior - maybe that's my issue with it. I find it difficult to forgive the same person repeatedly for egregiously bad behavior. And from what people tell me, I am not a harsh judge.

Miscreants get forgiveness (and more) at the drop of the hat (sometimes in the form of multi-thousand dollar GoFundMe-s).......but the hard working, Always Do The Right Thing Guy never gets any kudos, breaks, easy rides for following the law, or helping his fellow man, etc. Sometimes it seems a person would be better off by being a jackazz, then sitting back awaiting the prize.

Human forgiveness is for the benefit of the one doing the forgiving at least as much as the one being forgiven.

Rich
 
You're right, $135,000.00 for a PPL
The $135,000 is to get all the way through fixed wing commercial/instrument and CFI, and helicopter commercial/instrument. Then he wants to fly medevac. But he'll be asking for more money soon because no operator is going to let him do that with only a fresh commercial/instrument. I believe in second chances, but this guy seems to be a money and attention seeker, who doesn't exactly express much contrition.
 
@Cajun_Flyer - if the epilogue of the movie includes "And then I found the error of my ways and achieved the training to fly" it would be a boon to the movie. Those profits going to the victims.

Heck, the production company should make the investment. And if they don't, the victims should sue THEM for mismanaging the rights.

Thia article sheds some light - http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle...s-force-stop-to-his-flight-school-fundraiser/

According to this, "Harris-Moore still owes victims of his crimes about $129,000 in restitution. “He is not allowed to have a GoFundMe account to fund his wish to go to flying school when the victims aren’t whole,” said Connie Smith, chief U.S. probation and pretrial officer for Western Washington. “The money in that GoFundMe account will need to go to victims.”"

So, yeah... this kid is just scamming. He hasn't reformed. He still owes his victims money.

Again, I believe in second chances, but this kid is pretty much just ****ing all over that chance.

People talking about forgiveness - it's true that most of the people who opt to forgive someone who wronged them are doing so as an act of self-preservation... it's exhausting and emotionally draining holding onto anger and resentment. The husband/father of the woman and two young girls who died in the Gatlinburg wildfires this month is a great example of forgiving others to heal yourself. He issued a statement the other day saying he forgives the arsonists, but admits he is forgiving for himself, not for the kids who started the fire.

Forgiveness is complicated. As is redeeming oneself. I haven't seen whatever movie was made about this barefoot bandit kid and don't care too. All I see are the facts - he stole, he destroyed and now he is trying to con innocent and/or naive people out of their money.
 
Interesting how the amount he apparently still owes his victims in restitution is only $4K off from how much he is claiming he needs to become a pilot... :rolleyes:
 
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