The bankruptcy filing of flight training company Mazzei Flying Service at Fresno’s Yosemite International Airport at the end of March halted nearly all of the Part 141 school’s flight training activities. The shutdown affected about 60 fledgling pilots particularly hard — most of them Taiwanese students— because they’d paid for the entirety of their professional pilot training in advance, a Mazzei requirement. All had hoped for a professional pilot career back in Asia at the completion of their training.
California Flight School Shutdown Leaves Dozens of International Students Without Options
Key Takeaways:
- Mazzei Flying Service, a flight training company, filed for bankruptcy, abruptly halting operations and leaving about 60 students, mostly Taiwanese, grounded.
- Students are collectively owed an estimated $800,000, having paid for their entire professional pilot training and living expenses in advance, and face uncertainty regarding their education and housing.
- No official reason for the shutdown has been provided, but students reported a deteriorating environment including instructor shortages, old aircraft, and significant delays in flight hours prior to the closure.
- The situation highlights the risks of flight schools requiring full advance payment, a practice that left students vulnerable and is reminiscent of previous devastating flight school closures in California.
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