All Aircraft, Equipment Moving To Phoenix
Pan Am International
Flight Academy (PAIFA) announced today that it is closing its
Career Pilot Development (CPD) training campus located in Ft.
Pierce, FL. All training equipment and aircraft will be relocated
to the Academy's CPD campus based in Phoenix, AZ. The transition
will be completed by mid-summer 2005.
The decision to close the campus was spurred primarily by the
devastation caused by last year's hurricane season and the strong
likelihood of future hurricanes. Destruction still abounds in the
area and continues to create enormous hurdles that significantly
hamper the Academy's ability to operate. With another (potentially)
active hurricane season on the horizon, further disruption to
customer training may be inevitable.
"We must be proactive in our efforts to provide our customers
with a training environment that will allow them to complete their
training process expeditiously. Our mission is to provide students
with a training experience that enables them to secure employment
at a faster rate, with a higher degree of assurance, and in a
flexible fashion that meets their specific needs. The very
real threat of hurricanes in Florida does not allow us to achieve
our mission with the certainty we desire. Hence we made the
decision to transfer all of the Ft. Pierce CPD operations to
Phoenix," said Wally David, President and Chief Executive
Officer.
Marilyn Ladner, Senior Vice President, Career Pilot Development,
adds, "Last summer, we temporarily moved some of our training to
Phoenix in the wake of the devastation caused by the hurricane
season. We did so successfully, but to make that same move again
would create unacceptable training delays, burdens and
inconveniences for our customers."
She continues, "Our airline customers rely upon us to ensure
they meet their training requirements on time and within their
budgets. Therefore, we cannot allow the current conditions of
our campus and the surrounding area plus the threat of another
storm season to erode the high caliber of training we have
promised. We are committed to providing our customers professional,
high-quality training in an environment that's safe and free from
hurried evacuations and unnecessary interruptions. Moving our
operation to Phoenix will enable us to fulfill that commitment. We
greatly appreciate the support we've received from the airport
management throughout the rebuilding process, but we feel strongly
that making this move is in the best interest of the Academy and of
our customers." Ladner goes on to explain that while a loss of jobs
is inevitable, there will be opportunities for many employees to
relocate to Phoenix.
In September 1999, PAIFA expanded its portfolio of services to
include Career Pilot Development training. It did so with two
significant acquisitions - Westwind Aviation Academy in Phoenix, AZ
and Air Safety International in Vero Beach, FL. Aggressive growth
of the division continued over the years. In 2003, PAIFA purchased
Beaver Aviation Services, and in 2004, the Academy acquired the
training assets of Sierra Aviation Academy located in Livermore,
CA. Today, Pan Am International Flight Academy is recognized
as a premiere training provider to the world's airlines. It
utilizes one of the industry's largest fleets of New Piper training
aircraft, including the Archer, Arrow, and Seminole, as well as a
number of Level 5 Flight Training Devices (FTDs), including the
Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) and Frasca TruFlite.
Pan Am International Flight Academy is a privately-owned,
comprehensive learning institution that, in addition to its CPD
division, provides advanced aviation training services to
professional pilots, flight engineers, flight attendants and
maintenance personnel operating in commercial, regional, business,
military, government and cargo operations around the world. The
Academy also offers a comprehensive, FAA-approved Career Pilot
training program. Pan Am International Flight Academy is the only
flight-training center that provides extensive Air Traffic Control
(ATC) training to Civil Aviation Agencies worldwide.
The Academy operates training facilities in Miami, Orlando and
Vero Beach, FL; Cincinnati, OH; Memphis, TN; Dulles, VA; St. Louis,
MO; Minneapolis, MN; Phoenix and Scottsdale, AZ; and Beaver Falls,
PA.
Its Commercial and Regional airline simulator "fleet" includes
B767, B757, B747-200, B747-400, B737-200/300/400/500, B727-200,
B707, DC8-70, DC9-30/50, DC10, A300, A320, A330, MD80, 328JET,
Caravan, Saab 340, CRJ 200, J31/32, J41, AVRO RJ and BAe146.