Angry families to meet fraud squad, minister and aviation authority

The families of students on a pilot training course which folded earlier this month are to meet the Garda fraud squad tomorrow.

Representatives of the Pilot Training College Action Group, formed in the aftermath of the termination of the courses at the Florida Institute of Technology which left students deep in debt and their studies incomplete, will also meet with the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) and Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar in a bid to get the students back in the air.

Yesterday as many as 60 members of the group, comprising students and their families, held a demonstration outside Leinster House to highlight their plight, with Minister for Public Works Brian Hayes claiming the situation was “an outrage”.

Martina Kealy, from Castleknock in Dublin, whose son Richard is still in Florida hoping for the resumption of his training, said representatives of the group would meet the IAA and minister in the morning and the fraud squad in the afternoon.

As many as 80 trainee pilots have been affected by the termination of the courses at the Florida Institute of Technology, which had an agreement with the Waterford-based Pilot Training College for more than 30 Irish students.

The protest group has claimed that under existing rules the IAA must, in accordance with the Joint Aviation Requirements for Flight Crew Licensing, satisfy itself that flight schools have sufficient funding to conduct training to approved standards. Last October the IAA audited the Pilot Training College and gave them the go-ahead to continue for another year.

“There were no warning signs,” said Ms Kealy. “We are looking for the finishing money so every single student can finish their education.”

Ms Kealy said her family had taken out a €100,000 loan so Richard could take the training course.

‘We want to stay positive about the fiasco’

John Jennings from Leap in West Cork wants to “stay positive” about the fiasco which has enveloped his son Thomas and the other trainee pilots, but accepts it is difficult.

Thomas returned from Florida last Thursday and had been in the US since November pursuing his dream.

“We are out of pocket about €60,000,” said John, who runs his own precast concrete business. “That is our savings. He really had it in his head to be a pilot.”

Thomas, 19, was among those dressed in his pilot’s uniform yesterday at the demonstration in Dublin, joined by other members of his family. His brother Richard admitted the family cannot afford to plough more money into completing the training and John said: “We would prefer [alternative training placements] than to get the money back.”

It all spells uncertainty for them and the other families affected, but he said: “It’s only the early stages.”

Jason Sheehan, 26, from Kenmare in Co Kerry, said: “I had saved quite a large chunk of the money and my parents helped me out.”

The fact that years of toil in engineering firms, in construction and working in hotels went into saving the fee, makes it harder to swallow. Some €80,000 was paid, plus living expenses.

Niamh Lawlor from Templeogue was a few flights away from completing her Private Pilots Licence in Florida when the plug was pulled on her training.

Her father Frank said the family had paid more than €70,000 and had been due to make another payment days after the course was cancelled — a small mercy in a situation where they have paid over life savings.

He would like to see alternative training provided so the students can complete their studies, particularly when the hours they have flown only remain valid for a specific time.