Planes up for sale as trainee pilots lose fees

A fleet of planes used by Waterford’s Pilot Training College have been put up for sale, as the company tries to save a cash-strapped business which has left hundreds of families seriously out of pocket.

Due to PTC’s perilous financial situation, the Irish Aviation Authority yesterday called its senior management to a meeting and told them they were stripping it of its training accreditation. This means the total number of trainee pilots, who could face losing up to €85,000 each in fees paid to PCT, now stands at 210. They were obliged to pay course fees up front.

More than 180 of these trainees are currently based in Florida, while another 37 have completed the Florida leg of their training and are based out of Ireland. Some of those fees were paid by commercial airline companies.