Aviation School Plans to Fill Slot in St. Lucie

March 1, 2007
Victor E. Johnson, who operates a flight school at the Sanford airport, plans to open Falcon Airline Academy in the former offices of Pan Am International Flight Academy.

A new flight school to train aircraft pilots, mechanics, dispatchers and flight attendants could open at St. Lucie County International Airport later this year, Airport Director Diana Lewis said Tuesday.

Victor E. Johnson, who operates a flight school at the Sanford airport, plans to open Falcon Airline Academy in the former offices of Pan Am International Flight Academy, which moved to Phoenix after the 2004 hurricanes.

"He will start from scratch here," Lewis said. "He plans to be affiliated with a college so students can get a degree as well as their aviation training."

She said he plans to start with two aircraft he'll bring from Sanford but by the end of the year could have 30 planes.

Johnson did not return a phone call Tuesday seeking comment on his plans.

Lewis and Johnson plan to meet with St. Lucie Village residents who are most affected by airport noise.

They often complained about Pan Am's noisy planes, which sometimes operated at night and outside a set of voluntary noise control measures the commission adopted.

"He's aware of the problem and will train his instructors to comply," Lewis said.

County Commissioner Doug Coward suggested the county take a tougher stance than it did with Pan Am.

"We should put noise limits in Falcon's lease," Coward said.

The voluntary controls commissioners adopted restrict student pilots' "touch and go" landings to daylight hours least likely to disturb residents.

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