California pilot training school shuts shop - Indian trainees stranded

More than 100 Indian students, training to be pilots at an aviation academy in California, have been left in the lurch after their academy shut-down abruptly. The students, who have paid heavy fees for the course, have now been served with an eviction notice by school authorities and asked to vacate the premises by 27 June, Friday.

The students, reportedly, are part of a commercial pilot training programme (CPL), jointly tun by Kingfisher Airlines and American School of Aviation (ASA). According to the students, who have paid up to  $46,000 for the course, they were handed a letter of intent by private carrier, Kingfisher Airlines, offering them jobs as co-pilots on completion of training with the ASA and getting their CPL and subsequent conversion from the DGCA.     

The students say that the school suddenly suspended its flight training programme last month, claiming that the school was being restructured. Students found out later that the school had been shut down for payment defaults over fuel and insurance.

According to reports, students were also told that there was a deal in the works that would see the school bought over. Apparently these stories were passed on to students in order to prevent any trouble. Now, they have been  issued a notice asking them to vacate the academy over the next two days because of non-payment of water and electricity bills.

Students said that they are looking forward to external support from the Indian embassy and the government. They have also been in touch with Kingfisher, which has apparently told them that they are looking into the case and trying to resolve the matter.