Stranded trainees hit out at chief of college

A group statement from the 80 Irish trainee pilots left stranded in the US after course chiefs failed to pay $1.2m (€960,000) in bills owed to their partner college has accused the Pilot Training College (PTC) chief executive of “providing false and misleading information”.

They accused Capt Mike Edgeworth of seeking to muzzle the trainees in the days after Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) ended the flying course. They claim he wanted to keep the story out of the media as that was in the company’s best business interests.

“It is now our firm belief that previous statements issued by CEO Mike Edgeworth were designed to stall PTC students and inevitably diminish our chances in salvaging any funds paid to PTC. Thus allowing PTC to be in the best position, regarding the companies financial future at our expense,” the statement reads.