Regional Airline Academy Shut Down DED Operation Friday

When it comes to retaining flight schools on site, DeLand Municipal Airport (DED) in central Florida can't seem to catch a break. The full-service GA field, located northwest of Orlando, has seen five schools close their doors in the last five years... and the latest closure spells trouble for the airport's fixed-base operation.

Central Florida News 13 reports Regional Airline Academy closed its operation at DeLand February 6, with employees made aware of the news in an email.

While the school's Web site is still up-and-running, calls by the network to RAA's two other campuses -- in Fort Pierce, FL, and Mesa, AZ -- were either not answered, or had been disconnected. Calls by ANN to RAA's two regional toll-free numbers Monday night were similarly ineffective, with the number for the Western Region office apparently disconnected.

In addition to the impact of the school's closure on employees and students there, it also leaves the DeLand Jet Center in a bind. The school was co-owner of the FBO... and managed the operation's self-serve fuel pumps. Without the needed insurance papers and access to operate those pumps, DeLand Jet Center was left with limited options to supply fuel for its customers.

FBO co-owner Bob Hallett stressed his business remains open, however, and that fuel is there. He just couldn't get to it Monday.

"Right now, we're reorganizing some insurance requirements," he said. "We do have fuel. Everyone should know we do have fuel on the airport. We just can't dispense it until we have all the irons in place, including like the credit card, the self-service aspect of it.

"And the computers that were originally operating out of Regional Airline Academy, well, I don't have immediate access to them," Hallett continued. "I can say that we're working now, and have been all weekend, to get it all back up."

FMI: www.raafligthschools.com