The posts over "there" that have stated factual progress and position are not pumping; however, there have been many posts that repeat previous posts, and they seem to have only been around as a response to one repetitive basher . . . and would you rather that there was NO response, and a total imbalance? Not me.
You state that the company has been leaking information. I take exception with this, as I don't believe the company has been proactive at all in putting out information, publicly or otherwise. I have found that when I call Baltia, I get answers to my questions - not always what I want to hear, but answers, nonetheless - and answers wherein I have no doubt the speaker believes what he states.
This is a highly regulated industry - one that has had significant changes made recently in the certification process - it took two years for Atlas to get passenger certification alone, even though the were a certificated 121 airline operating the very same type of equipment for years - why did it take so long? Because the newly developed procedures for certification had not been tested, and Baltia is now the first FAR 121 scheduled international airline to be started from scratch within the new arduous, burdensome process. Yes, yes, you've heard all this many times . . . . nonetheless, it is TRUE, and Baltia IS in the process - a verifiable fact that anyone can check at the Dept. of Transportation.
I believe that the investors here have much, much less to lose that those dedicated professionals at Baltia who have invested YEARS of their lives into this without any employee benefits (medical insurance, et al), and without a normal salary - only the belief that their hard work will pay off and this company will get off the ground. This is no scam, and it is not for the light hearted - it is serious business, and it IS moving forward.
I have the pleasure of knowing some of the people involved, and whereas I have not always agreed with every one of their actions along the way, I have complete faith in their integrity and resolve to make this happen. My 35 years in the airline industry, including working on certifications and modifying ops specs with FAR 121 and 135 International Air Carriers, has never seen a more difficult task than that which Baltia has been facing with the new certification procedures - and I have believed numerous times along this long path, that Baltia was close to getting certified, based upon many years of personal experience and observation of other company's experiences in working with the FAA in certification -
I find it very easy to understand the frustrations of those who do not have experience in dealing with the FAA in this kind of endeavor - because those of us who do have certification experience are dumbfounded by much of what has happened with Baltia, and the resultant delays. That being said, I still have every reason to believe that Baltia will get up and operating - albeit with a long history of having to "slug it out in the trenches" - trenches like no company to date has had to endure.
Good luck to you. Good luck to all here.
(please feel free to quote all or any part of the above, and post elsewhere - just don't use my name at the hub)
