I am adding these posts for all that are thinking of attending their pilot training at EPIC FLIGHT ACADEMY in Florida, USA.
I highly recommend NOT taking the training at EPIC FLIGHT ACADEMY. I have passed with them in a situation that doesnt show honesty from there side and just their main focus is getting your money and nothing else.
I was planning to become a pilot and searched for several schools. I saw Epic website and was impressed with it and their program and submitted a request for more information. A person called RICK MILLER contacted me that have great communication skills and convinced me that EPIC is the right school. He calls me every day and for long durations and when I sent him an email requesting any information, he just called me directly.
Epic package was 54,000$ including accommodation. I was asking for a special price since me and my brother was going for the training.
His initial offer was 50,000$ for each of me and my brother instead of 54,000$ each. I was glad with that price and started to sell my flat which is the budget for our training.
I wasnt able to sell it with a price that satisfies the package fees for me and my brother. I communicated the situation to RICK MILLER and that I can try to sell it at a price 80000$ and that money I attend the training me and my brother.
He mentioned that he will return to his chairman DANNY PERNA and check if he can get me a discount.
He returned to me that his new offer is 45000$ per person. After several calls and that I wont be able, he agreed that each of me and my brother pay 40000$ but under a condition that I submit him 1000$ application fees and he will do for me a special condition that these administration fees will be REFUNDABLE.
I repeated several time are they sure refundable and for how long? He replied that yes and for 90 to 140 days.
I later replied that I wont be able to send even the 1000$ refundable as I had heard several stories about schools that take your money and dont return it back.
He called me again and told me that his chairman told him that the offer wont be in place if I dont send the money and send at least 500$.
At that time I think of sending them and said if they stole that money, it wont be a problem and I will consider them honest. So I sent the money based that its for an application fee and he wont send me any papers now or perform any administration actions and I can refund the money after 90 to 140 days.
Days passed and he calls me at beginning of Feb. I mentioned that I am still trying to sell my flat and dont want to refund the money now, lets wait till beginning of March.
Later on mid of Feb DANNY PERNA call me and told me that RICK MILLER isnt available these days and he will follow-up with me. I explained to him everything and told him also to wait till beginning of March and then REFUND the money and he agreed.
March came and I sent a mail to RICK MILLER requesting the REFUND of my 500$ as per our agreement, BUT NO REPLY TO MY MAIL.
I then sent a mail to DANNY PERNA, RICK MILLER, LANA MAISON and even the email announced on their website and no one replied.
I then called them; most of their numbers are answer machines that require you to record a message. I recorded a message and no one replied.
I then called the DISPATCH and explained to them the situation. They told me that they dont have authority to do anything and gave me a contact for EPIC outsourced accountant RENA HART.
I sent a mail to RENA HART and then she replied that they DONT REFUND application fees.
I explained that it isnt an application fee and their was an agreement for REFUND but she didnt reply.
I kept calling EPIC requesting to talk to anyone responsible but they said they dont know anything. I requested to speak to Danny, they switch me to his extension that always an answer machine replies and say that record your message and when I try to, it says that his mail is full and I cant record a message.
I kept sending emails with no reply from anyone from EPIC, till one day I send them a message mentioning that OK I will have to take an action that might get me my money back and advice anyone I know not to go to EPIC and will contact governmental entities to complain EPIC.
AT LAST DANNY PERNA replied, and mentions that I can take what ever action I want. IMAGINE!
And told me its administration fees! I explained the situation again as I previously did in my previous mails and requested from him to contact RICK MILLER WHICH IS THEIR REPRESENTATIVE. He replied that RICK MILLER AND LANA MAISON no more working in EPIC.
I told him again that I will have to take an action. He replied that he will check with RICK MILLER and anyway will REFUND the money.
Several weeks and he didnt do any action. I resent him mails, and then he replied to me that their contact person in Egypt (AHMED EL-REFAI) will contact me for more clarification.
AHMED EL-REFAI called me and told me that anyway EPIC will REFUND the money but wants to know the situation to punish RICK MILLER!
I explained to him the situation, but he seemed to be a young person that doesnt have experience and EPIC is letting him think that he is their guy and he forgot honesty.
So at the end I didnt get my money back and they are ignoring all type of contact, where at the beginning they contacted me much just to get my money.
AGAIN, may be epic trains well to be a PILOT. I cant answer that question, BUT all I want is to let others thinking of training at EPIC or even any other school to TAKE CARE and try to go to an academy or school that someone they know went their before or recommends it based on a life test.
Based on my experience in life, I dont recommend anyone to train at EPIC. My situation and feelings that they are not HONEST and running behind the money only.
There are hundreds of schools in USA and I think many are perfect.
EPIC might post a reply and say that I sent the money for application fee and application fee isnt refundable, but that was their agreement with me to REFUND within 90 to 140 days from their REPRESENTIVE RICK MILLER and their isnt anything on their website or mails to me that mentions that application fees even are not refundable.
I even didnt receive any application! That I even didnt request.
RICK MILLER mentioned that he has an HOTEL in front of EPIC Flight Academy and that I will stay at his hotel.
Well I was stolen, but thank god that I sent only 500$ and no one learns for free.
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