Sometimes, rumors take off faster than a 767 and pilots are left with misinformation or speculation when what they really need are hard facts and documentation.
The AEPS (FL) Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing, as reported May 27, by the Miami Herald seems to have triggered considerable confusion and concern amongst pilots. As I understand it, AEPS agreed to purchase UPAS from ALPA (actually The Software Holding Company, owned by ALPA) for about $1.6 million, plus a limited share of profits or revenue. However, AEPS made only a few payments to ALPA and has been in default for years—not just due to 9/11, as some people might have you believe.
To guarantee the purchase of UPAS, they used the assets of AEPS, related company World Employment Data, and principle owner James N. Dent. Now, ALPA is suing for the assets of UPAS, AEPS, WED, and Mr. Dent to get its money—and all ALPA money is of course pilot money collected from union dues. (ALPA invested at least the sales price in UPAS prior to its sale to AEPS.)
My initial investigation shows that the AEPS that failed in Florida has the same address, owner, and nearly identical company name as that listed in AviationCareer.net magazine, and the same officers as WED/AEPS/AviationCareer.net in Nevada (but are totally separate, of course). To verify what I’m saying, just visit the Secretary of State Web sites for Florida (http://www.sunbiz.org/corpweb/inquiry/corioff.html) and Nevada (http://sos.state.nv.us/ofcsrh3.asp) and search for Dent, James.
Note that in the Florida search of Mr. Dent you also will find his name attached to the bankrupt SkyBus Inc., SkyBus Shuttle, SkyBus Catering, and SkyBus Crew Training, along with several other companies. And for you airline history buffs, I’ve included a pair of 1993 letters from the DOT to Skybus/James Dent that I think you’ll find interesting. Another link showing the specific court information is the actual case summary on the Broward County Clerk of Courts web site.
Keep your airspeed up and your facts straight,
Kit Darby
AIR, Inc. President & Publisher
