The doors to Clearwater, Florida-based Avantair are locked to everyone except a court-appointed bankruptcy trustee after a judge this week ordered an involuntary Chapter 7 filing as the first step in liquidating the troubled company.
The bankrupt fractional ownership firm failed to meet a deadline last week to contest the Chapter 7 action as concerns were raised about the whereabouts of Avantair financial records. The FAA, meanwhile, has suspended the airworthiness certificates of many Avantair Piaggio Avantis, some under emergency authorizations, with several airplanes described as missing major components such as engines and propellers.
