ORMOND BEACH - A flight school at the Ormond Beach Municipal Airport that specialized in training European pilots has closed after its license was revoked.
The Euro American School of Aviation closed after its certificate was suspended and then revoked by the European Aviation Safety Agency, the aviation governing body in Europe similar to the Federal Aviation Administration.
A memo published on the school's website from president Adrian Thompson said the school would try to complete flying programs for current customers but had ceased to accept new business and will refund any contracts not fulfilled.
A phone message and email sent to Thompson were not returned.
Michael Justiniano, who recently came from Norway to the U.S. to get a pilot's license, told The News-Journal it wasn't until he arrived in Ormond Beach that he was told the school lost its license to teach European classes as early as April.
"We should have been told this before we applied for visas and the cost of tickets and the school," he said, adding he spent about $4,000 to get to Ormond Beach before flying back to Norway.
In the note on the school's website, Thompson wrote that the European Aviation Safety Agency is "hell bent" on closing down overseas operations in an effort to drive up costs for private and commercial licenses.
"You have been warned," he wrote to competing aviation schools.
An email to the agency was not returned.
Steve Lichliter, manager for Ormond Beach's airport, said the new European safety agency rolled out more stringent regulations, and the Ormond school was having difficulty complying with those standards. He speculated that other flight training programs throughout the state may be having similar issues.
"I imagine they're all dealing with this problem," he said.
Nick Mayhew, general manager for Bristow Academy in Titusville, said officials there are working to meet standards set forth by Europe's safety agency.
"Some of it has been a bit demanding," he said.
It appears the local school's flights are grounded for now, Lichliter said. The company is still a tenant at the airport and is providing fuel and other services in the meantime.
Thompson wrote that the school would be appealing the "unlawful and arbitrary action" by the European Aviation Safety Agency.
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