December 19, 2003
![](//iranian.com/PhotoDay/2003/December/Images/dis.jpg)
Since emigrating from Iran in 1989, Frank Nickman's
(formerly Farzin Nikmanesh) American dream was to be a commercial
airline pilot. It was an expensive dream.
In 2000, he and his wife sold off their
insurance business and house in California to pursue it. In January of 2001,
he entered Phoenix-based Mesa Air Group's intensive two-year pilot training
program, which is at San Juan College in Farmington. By the time
he graduated with honors
in 2002, he had spent $60,000.
By early 2003, he was the only member of his 29-member graduating
class who wasn't offered a first-officer job with Mesa. ... Now,
Nickman has sued Mesa to recover his expenses. He can't seek employment
elsewhere because other airlines require more flight hours than
the Mesa program provides. He also has filed grievances with the
EEOC office in Phoenix and the U.S. Department of Education >>>
See
* Send
this page to your friends
Who's your Iranian of the day?
Send us
photo
|