The losses are in the tens of thousands of dollars for students who wanted to be commerical pilots. Now they have nothing to show for it.

A dozen students who've lost at least thirty five thousand dollars, gathered at a Deland home to demand their money back.

"We have been cheated, and we have been cheated badly," says a student.

Their flight school, AsiaUSA at DeLand Municipal Airport---had suddenly closed its doors and owner Elia Golfin had disappeared.

The students, many 18 and 19 years old, had traveled from India, and each paid 35 to 50 thousand dollars up front----after hearing big promises.

"I could have completed my course and been placed in my country as commerical pilot with some airlines," said Nipum Sharma.

Most students only had several weeks of training before ASIAUSA shut down.

The school aggressively recruited students overseas....and claimed to have more than 120 planes and 70 instructors.

But once here, students found just 3 small planes and 2 instructors, and the school was not approved by the F.A.A. as advertised..

"I was totally shocked," said one student.

Since 9/11, all foreign flight students are cleared by the Transportation Security Administration. That included these students.

But now they question who's keeping track of flight schools that take their money, then fly away in the middle of the night.

Nauka Patel says she is out 54 thousand dollars, and doesn't know where it is.

The F.A.A. and Deland police are investigating. The owner didn't return our calls. Several students enrolled in other flight schools, where they have to start all over.