FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Students and parents are demanding answers after the sudden shutdown of Aviator College of Aeronautical Science and Technology in Fort Pierce. Many say they had little warning, leaving them out thousands of dollars in tuition and flight costs.
Aviation students Matthew Williamson and John Paul Lages received an email on April 9 notifying them that the school would close just nine days later.
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"I heard that news, I was like I don’t believe that, like I don’t think that’s possible," Williamson said.
"It was probably the most shocked I’ve ever felt," John Paul Lages said.
John Paul Lages' mother, Eliane Lages, said the reality was difficult to accept.
"What now? What are we going to do? How’s it going to be?" Eliane Lages said.
She said they are left searching for answers.
"Next day I went there and there was no one to talk to us. There was no one to say anything to us," Eliane Lages said.
Williamson and his mother, Jeannie Ford, say they were outraged by how the closure was handled. They say they are out $40,000 and are simply trying to move forward.
"It really is hard because now we’re running around, going to different schools, trying to figure it out," Ford said.
The Lages family took out a loan for over $100,000 to cover flight school and dorm costs. It is unclear how much they will lose following the closure.
"We don’t know how much they charged to the loan. We need—what is missing is someone at the school to tell us," Eliane Lages said.
A WARN notice sent to the state and obtained by our newsroom shows that an Aviator College human resources representative attributed the closure to a recent student lawsuit, failed attempts to sell the company and potential bankruptcy.
Our Cassandra Garcia reached out to the owner of Aviator College, Ari Cohen, who responded in a statement on Friday.
The Fort Pierce Campus of Aviator College of Aeronautical Science & Technology will remain open through May 15, with staff available during this period to answer any questions from students and parents regarding the closure. The College is committed to assisting all students in obtaining their transcripts promptly so they may continue their flight training and educational pursuits without interruption.
We have been working closely with several schools to identify opportunities for students to continue their education, and we will continue to support students in evaluating those options. Students have been advised that we are here to assist them and will make every effort to ensure a smooth and efficient transition.
For students who have requested refunds, the College has processed those requests within 24 hours and will continue to process all refund requests in a timely manner.
We are deeply saddened by the decision to close the Fort Pierce Campus of Aviator College. Every effort was made to explore alternatives to remain operational; however, those efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.
Aviator College remains committed to supporting its students and their families throughout this transition.
Williamson has received his transcripts, but John Paul Lages said he is still fighting to get his. Both now face a tough road ahead as they try to enroll in another flight program.
"The worst feeling ever because you don’t know what to do," Eliane Lages said.
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