MANASSAS, Virginia. – A flight school in Northern Virginia abruptly closed, causing students to lose thousands upon thousands of dollars.
They turned exclusively to FOX 5, desperately asking for help answering questions.
Thida Aung paid the American Aviation Flight School $100,000 in advance for the “Career Pilot Package,” which includes training.
But the store was suddenly closed and now her money is gone, but she wants it back.
“It’s terrible. It’s really terrible. It’s not just about money. It’s not just about money, it’s also about time, isn’t it?! Time is priceless,” Aung said.
She was completely taken aback when she realized her dream of learning to fly was no longer possible. Aung says she spoke to the owner, Kevin Rylich, on the phone and he allegedly told her she would not get her money back.
“They are not taking any responsibility or accountability,” Aung said.
In an email to customers obtained by FOX 5, American Aviation Flight School stated: “After careful consideration and review of all possible scenarios, we have concluded that there is no viable path forward.”
“It’s hard to believe because demand is so high,” Aung said.
The letter continues: “In September 2023, Kevin suffered a severe stroke. Since then, he has had five more strokes/stroke-like episodes. The most recent stroke on July 19 was very severe… Kevin is struggling with several severe symptoms for which there are no clear answers or treatment options.”
“When you do business, you have responsibilities, don’t you? And you need a certain level of integrity to remain trustworthy in business, because of course we all have difficulties and obstacles in life that we have to overcome,” Aung said.
FOX 5 has attempted to call and email the business owner and his attorney for comment. We are still waiting for a response.
The affected students are examining legal options to help them in this financial struggle.
