Sling Pilot Academy Settles Business License Spat With Torrance

Sling Pilot Academy has settled a legal battle with the city of Torrance, California, after the city tried to use a dormant 1977 council resolution to kick the school out of the local airport. In January, California State Court Judge Curtis Kin sided with Sling and issued first a temporary restraining order and then a temporary injunction forcing the city to renew Sling's business license. Without the court actions, the school would have been forced to close, putting 90 employees out of work and interrupting the training of 200 students.

The city tried to cancel the license for 2024 based on a 1977 resolution by the council at the time restricting the number of flight schools at the airport to six. That resolution was never made an ordinance, however, and the judge issued the restraining order in December. In January, the city tried to resurrect the motion and ordinance procedure and the judge sided with Sling again, this time issuing the injunction.

Sometime after the injunction was issued, Sling said that there was then "some movement regarding businesses registered as flight schools" at the airport and the city decided Sling had become one of the six schools allowed. The city approached the school about a deal and on April 12 Sling agreed to drop the court case and a complaint to the FAA as part of a settlement agreement. Sling said it "remains committed to working with the City of Torrance and the residents surrounding the airport" in part by adopting noise reduction measures.