Business & GA

Rush to open for spring term after Christmas storm destroys bulk of training aircraft

Embry Riddle Aeronautical University is rushing to put its Daytona Beach flight school and campus in order by 16 January for the delayed start of the spring^* semester and the arrival of 4,500 students.

The campus was hit by a tornado on 25 December that destroyed 40 of its 65-aircraft training fleet, damaging 10 other aircraft and key buildings. Aircraft losses are estimated to be about $11 million, primarily for single-engined Cessnas.

Pat Ramsey, vice-president for development at Embry Riddle, says the tornado "touched down at the flight line", destroying parked aircraft and flinging others into nearby buildings (pictured below and bottom of page).

One aircraft was thrown into a hangar, sparking a fire which destroyed aircraft inside the building, says Ramsey. Although the campus's simulation centre exterior was damaged, Ramsey says the training devices are "okay".

Damage was limited to the aviation and engineering college buildings, as well as the student centre. The administrative offices were also hit hard, forcing 120 employees to locate elsewhere just two weeks before the semester was originally due to start on 10 January.

University president John Johnson says the school has acquired 52 of the 57 aircraft needed to start the semester. Along with asking alumni for financial help, the college has turned to Cessna and Piper to see if existing orders can be accelerated.

Ramsey says five of the replacement aircraft will come from Embry Riddle's Prescott, Arizona campus, and the others are being leased "from all over".