Many would-be pilots said they gave thousands of dollars to the school’s owner, hoping the training would help their careers take flight.
HOUSTON — A west Houston flight school left students grounded when it abruptly closed earlier this month.
The students told KHOU 11 that they’ve been trying to get answers since learning that the VT-AAA flight school was no longer in business. Many of them said they committed thousands of dollars to the company, and don’t know if or when they’ll get the money back.
Bazil Khawaja and Haley Hartnett are among the would-be pilots who hoped training at the school would help their careers take flight.
“A lot of us have over $3,000 in our account,” Hartnett said.
“And it’s just easy to move on when you have that money, and you just go to another flight school and start your career over there,” Khawaja told us. “But it’s hard to move on when you don’t get your money back.”
Pilot hopeful Matthew Havelka said he was able to reach the flight school, but came away frustrated with their response. He was told they’d work on refunding the money in the next couple of months. Havelka is working full-time and has a family, so with uncertainty about completing his training, that’s not good enough.
Many students took out personal loans to cover the upfront costs for training.
“I’m at the end of my training, so thank goodness I actually got a flying job. But the remainder of the money in my account, I was anticipating using that to keep state instruments current, building more of my multi-engine hours,” Hartnett explained.
KHOU 11 reached out to VT-AAA several times over several days and we haven’t gotten a response.
West Houston Airport said it’s not associated with the flight school, which rented hangar and office space there before closing.
We reached out to the Better Business Bureau for tips on what to look for when choosing a flight school.
- Look for a positive reputation: You can search for a school’s reputation and complaint history on BBB.org. Read any complaints or reviews that may be available.
- Check the flight school’s credentials. The FAA states the following: “Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-certificated pilot schools are regulated in accordance with Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 141. Unlike pilot training conducted under 14 CFR part 61, part 141 pilot schools are required to use a structured training program and syllabus. Part 141 pilot schools may be able to provide a greater variety of training aids and require dedicated training facilities, flight instructor oversight, and FAA-approved course curricula. Colleges and universities, which may offer aviation degrees, often provide pilot training under part 141.”
Check here to search for flight schools on the FAA site.
- Be cautious of red flags: Avoid programs that promise quick and easy diplomas or certifications for a large upfront fee. If it seems too good to be true, it likely is.
