I do not recommend Encore Flight Academy for fligh...

I do not recommend Encore Flight Academy for flight training.
On Sept 13, 2017, I put down a $5000 block payment for flight instruction for a multi-engine add-on. I have a commercial instrument rating. Encore's requirement was that any balance left in the account would be refunded back to me if and when I completed the training with them (i.e. passed the check ride). My requirement was that Encore would provide me as much flight instruction by Sept 28, when I was permanently moving from Los Angeles to the Bay Area. Alex A. the owner and I agreed to those terms. His words were "we can do our part; it's all up to you"

At my behest, Alex C, my assigned instructor sat down with me to create a training plan and to schedule a weeks worth of flights on the calendar. Unfortunately, all of the scheduled flights were canceled the day of or the day prior. The first was due to ceilings being too low, the second due to a plane missing in the hands of the mechanic who was supposed to have it ready by my schedule flight, and the remainder due to pop-up checkrides for other trainees. In the end, I was not able to log any flight time.

I asked my instructor Alex C. if it would be reasonable to ask for a refund as I had done my best to proactively schedule as many flights as possible. He instructed me to talk to the owner, Alex A. in-person the very next day. Unfortunately, the admin called me the very next morning to cancel my appointment with Alex A. because of a pop up emergency. When I asked to reschedule, she insisted I call him instead. I was able to reach him by phone on my first try. On this call, I politely requested he consider the possibility of a refund and that he would be in the right to exclude from the refund whatever service charges he might have incurred on those transactions. He said he would look into it and call me back in 2 days. Unfortunately, I have not heard back from him since, and my repeated calls to his admin at the office and his cell now go unanswered. I have asked my instructor Alex C. help in getting a hold of Alex A., but this is to no avail either, as he is slow to respond and claims he has not been able to do so either. I have strong reasons to believe their avoidance is deliberate, considering that for my very first visit, I was able to schedule an in-person visit with Alex A. with an impromptu phone call a mere 30 minutes in advance.

I don't recommend Encore because of their avoidance of customers who no longer present a revenue opportunity for them, and for their lack of values and ethics.

As of now, I have $5000 in an account with them that I am not able to use nor reclaim.