A Manitoba flight college was banned from coaching pilots “within the curiosity of public security,” Transport Canada says, greater than a 12 months after a former teacher got here ahead with allegations the varsity did not comply with aviation guidelines and put college students in “vital hazard.”
Transport Canada cancelled the flight coaching unit operator certificates of Gimli-based LS Airways Flight Academy on Nov. 19, 2024.
The federal authorities division stated in an electronic mail to CBC Information that the certificates cancellation was a “severe motion,” and is simply taken when oversight and financial penalties don’t result in compliance.
Wayne Liu stated he and several other different college students alerted authorities about security issues on the college. They determined to report the varsity to Transport Canada in September 2023, he stated.
“I actually hope this (would not) occur once more to different college students,” Liu stated about why he spoke up.
WATCH | Gimli flight college put college students at risk, whistleblower claims in lawsuit:
Lawsuits allege Manitoba flight college endangered college students
Transport Canada says it has suspended certification for a Gimli flight college within the curiosity of public security. A number of lawsuits filed by former college students allege LS Airways college exploited college students and did not comply with aviation guidelines.
His lawsuit is one among 4 filed in opposition to the varsity previously 12 months alleging that the Gimli flight college faked logs of flying hours, advised college students to fly with jerry cans of gasoline on board, altered upkeep data and exploited college students.
The varsity’s proprietor, Noura Gharib, declined to be interviewed. She stated in a cellphone name with CBC she intends to combat the revocation.
‘So regretful’: scholar
Liu first enrolled on the college to transform a U.S. flight teacher licence right into a Canadian one, and taught at LS Airways for a few month in 2023 after passing a flight check.
However Liu says he ought to by no means have gotten the trainer ranking, as a result of LS Airways didn’t give him the variety of flight hours wanted to qualify for the certification in Canada.
The proprietor “by no means put me on the flight schedule,” Liu stated.
“I (advised) her … though I’ve some expertise, we nonetheless have to practise and meet necessities for the examination. Till two or three days earlier than the flight check, she nonetheless by no means flew with me and (faked the) hours on the PTR.”
“PTR” stands for pilot coaching file, a logbook required to acquire pilot permits and scores.
I used to be telling myself, ‘Hey, I should not do that.’- Wayne Liu, former LS Airways flight teacher
A pilot should full a minimal of 30 hours of twin flight instruction (coaching the place a licensed teacher is within the plane) for a Class 4 teacher ranking, amongst different necessities. Candidates obtain some credit in the event that they beforehand held that ranking — by means of overseas accreditation, for instance.
In lawsuit paperwork filed on Might 23, 2025, Liu alleges that Gharib instructed him to file false numbers on the coaching file.
He stated he wanted 15 flight hours to qualify for the licence, however bought simply over one hour with a scholar — not a licensed teacher.
“I used to be telling myself, ‘Hey, I should not do that,'” he stated. “I accepted her wrongful instruction.… I used to be so regretful I did these improper issues.”
Firm fined greater than $46K
Liu, from Taiwan, skilled as a pilot within the U.S. and taught at a flight college in Georgia earlier than coming to Canada, planning to ultimately settle within the nation. He was below quite a lot of stress to get his Canadian teacher’s licence as a result of he needed to get a job in aviation after which carry his household to stay with him, he stated.
Liu stated that after he got here ahead, authorities officers advised him his teacher ranking was now not legitimate and that he needed to go to a unique flight college to get it again.
The varsity “took all my financial savings,” he stated. The lawsuit says LS Airways wrongfully accepted $15,495.54 in tuition funds.
Liu skilled as a pilot within the U.S. and taught at a flight college in Georgia earlier than coming to Canada, planning to ultimately settle within the nation. (Submitted by Wayne Liu)
“I used to be anticipating like, hey, simply comply with the principles, go to a flight college, get my teacher ranking … so I can get extra hours, then transferring on to perhaps charters.”
Liu now desires the cash he paid for tuition at LS Airways again, so he can reapply for the coaching he must turn out to be an teacher in Canada.
“Due to this college, I really feel so depressed,” he stated. “It is like I could not full my plan — wasted time and money right here.”
A public submit from Sept. 9 on Transport Canada’s web site reveals the flight college — recognized as 10113158 Manitoba Ltd., its enterprise registry quantity — was fined $28,500 for 3 counts of violating Canada’s aviation laws.
The violations are associated to transporting individuals or cargo with out being licensed to take action, working an plane with out correct registration and failing to fulfill personnel file necessities.
The costs stemmed from incidents between July and August of 2023, in response to a choice issued by Transport Canada final Might, which mentions the varsity did not hold correct data for Liu as an assigned flight teacher.
The fines had been excellent as of Jan. 25, and the varsity had not filed for a evaluate, federal courtroom paperwork say.
The unauthorized transport service violation is said to operations from Gimli to Island Lake and Little Grand Rapids in jap Manitoba on July 24, 2023.
A spokesperson for the provincial authorities stated in an electronic mail the province revoked LS Airways’ designated studying establishment standing on March 18, 2024. The standing permits Canadian faculties to host worldwide college students. (Arturo Chang/CBC)
This month, Transport Canada made two extra violations public. In March 2024, the corporate let an plane take off when it had not been maintained in accordance with an permitted upkeep schedule, or in accordance with “airworthiness limitations,” in response to Transport Canada.
The 2 violations resulted in $18,000 in further fines.
In his lawsuit, Liu alleges the varsity required college students to maintain “incorrect upkeep paperwork” that disregarded operational time used to calculate oil modifications.
Liu’s lawsuit additionally alleges LS Airways directed college students to journey to a flight check in Lindsay, Ont., with 5 20-litre jerry cans of gas within the cabin to keep away from costs on the Lindsay airport. The lawsuit calls {that a} “severe security violation” that uncovered college students to “vital hazard.”
No assertion of defence has been filed, and the allegations have not been examined in courtroom.
Lawsuits filed by 3 different college students
LS Airways marketed itself as a “designated studying institution-registered Canadian flight college” on its now-unavailable web site. The designated studying establishment, or DLI, standing permits Canadian faculties to host worldwide college students.
A spokesperson for the provincial authorities, which manages designated studying establishments in Manitoba, stated in an electronic mail the province revoked LS Airways’ DLI standing on March 18, 2024, following an investigation launched in January of that 12 months.
The spokesperson stated the investigation discovered there had been an unreported change in possession. For the reason that designation is non-transferable between homeowners, the varsity’s DLI standing was revoked.
The possession change had occurred “a number of years earlier,” the provincial spokesperson stated. LS Airways utilized for a brand new DLI standing, however the software is presently paused, in response to the spokesperson.
“The division is ready to renew its evaluate as soon as LS Airways has resolved any and all excellent gadgets with Transport Canada,” the spokesperson stated.
The Canadian Civil Plane Register reveals two Cessnas that when belonged to LS Airways had been now not owned by the varsity as of June.
A lawsuit filed in December by one other former LS Airways scholar claims he entered an settlement with Gharib to show on the college as soon as he bought his teacher ranking there. His go well with alleges that Gharib unilaterally dismissed him after he complained in regards to the providers the varsity supplied.
The assertion of declare additionally alleges, amongst different issues, that Gharib falsified coaching data with one other teacher who was not Liu.
In an announcement of defence, Gharib denied all allegations within the December lawsuit.
Liu holds the assertion of declare he filed in opposition to LS Airways. ‘I actually hope this (would not) occur once more to different college students,’ he stated. (Prabhjot Singh Lotey/CBC)
One other lawsuit was filed on Feb. 20 by a unique scholar, who claims she was employed as a part-time dispatcher on the college and was additionally unjustly dismissed after complaining.
The scholar alleges she was not allowed to fly, regardless of paying $1,600 in charges. She claims she additionally needed to pay for gas out-of-pocket twice and wasn’t reimbursed, and that she did not get her a reimbursement after paying charges for a flight check she did not full.
The scholar additionally stated she was additionally by no means given a pilot coaching file, regardless of quite a few requests.
In one other assertion of defence, Gharib denied all of the allegations within the February lawsuit, saying the scholar was by no means employed by the varsity.
Gharib countersued the scholar for defamation, saying in courtroom paperwork the scholar failed a number of flight exams and disclosed a “historical past of harmful manoeuvres” at a earlier college.
And one other lawsuit, filed by a scholar from Thailand on April 24, stated that flight instructors on the college lacked legitimate educating licences and had obtained them by means of processes “not evidently in compliance with” laws.
The varsity denied the allegation in an announcement of defence. It stated it “meticulously maintained” all required documentation, together with teacher credentials and plane data, and that it performed upkeep “strictly in accordance” with permitted procedures.
Not one of the allegations contained within the 4 lawsuits filed by college students have been examined in courtroom.
In the meantime, Liu stated he would nonetheless prefer to carry his household, together with his four-year-old baby, to Canada, however his future continues to be up within the air.
“I am nonetheless struggling about my plan. I do not know what can I do,” he stated.
“(The) complete college stuff sort of (broke) all the things. If the proprietor … simply (adopted) the principles, this would not occur.”
