Silver State mess still felt by flight training industry
As the economy continues to founder, the financial ripples are reaching all aspects of the aviation industry, including flight schools.

As the economy continues to founder, the financial ripples are reaching all aspects of the aviation industry, including flight schools. Helicopter flight schools, in particular, are beginning to feel the pinch as many have noted a drop in enrollment levels amid the double burden of a tight credit market combined with suspicion about students’ abilities to pay off loans in the wake of the Silver State Helicopters collapse.

After the training school giant–which operated around 200 helicopters at 33 locations in 14 states–shut its doors last February 3 and declared bankruptcy a day later, more than 2,400 students were left in debt with their professional pilot training incomplete. In many cases, student accounts were emptied by Silver State’s management just before the announcement, and lawsuits are still raging.

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