Alpha-Tech Aviation Services acquires South Florida flight school Dragon Flight Training Academy

Dragon Flight Training Academy in Pembroke Pines has been acquired by Alpha-Tech Aviation Services, a move meant to preserve the school’s local presence and continue pilot training in Broward County. The deal also carries emotional weight after co-founder Anh-Thu Nguyen’s death in 2025, while keeping her legacy tied to the academy’s next phase.

Why it matters: - The acquisition keeps a South Florida flight school operating in Pembroke Pines and helps preserve a training pipeline for aspiring pilots in Broward County. - The deal also protects the legacy of co-founder Anh-Thu Nguyen, whose work shaped the academy’s culture and student support model. - Alpha-Tech Aviation Services adds a flight-training business to its aviation maintenance and technical portfolio, creating a broader aviation platform.

What happened: - Dragon Flight Training Academy, based at North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines, was acquired by Alpha-Tech Aviation Services. - The transaction was completed in 2026, with the academy staying in the Broward County aviation community. - Dragon Flight Training Academy was founded in 2021 by Raphael Schütz and the late Anh-Thu Nguyen. - The academy operated at 7201 South Airport Road at North Perry Airport.

The details: - Dragon Flight Training Academy offered discovery flights, private pilot instruction, instrument training, commercial pilot preparation, certified flight instructor training, multi-engine instruction, ground school and flight-time-building opportunities. - The acquisition included the academy’s brand, training resources, operating infrastructure and aircraft. - The fleet included a Liberty XL2, a Cessna 172P and a Twin Comanche. - Those aircraft supported private, instrument and multi-engine training. - Alpha-Tech Aviation Services is FAA- and EASA-certified and dates to 1991. - Alpha-Tech provides line and base maintenance, aircraft inspections, structural repairs, engine support, component replacement and aircraft-on-ground support. - Alpha-Tech describes itself as one of the longest-established line-maintenance providers at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. - The company also maintains operations serving Miami, Orlando and Dallas–Fort Worth. - Daniel Pichardo, a Certified Flight Instructor, adds flight-training experience to the new ownership group. - Guillermo, president and chief inspector of Alpha-Tech Aviation Services, said the company’s maintenance experience and Pichardo’s instructional background create a strong foundation for the academy’s next phase.

Between the lines: - The sale reflects a strategy of pairing aviation instruction with technical aviation expertise, rather than leaving the school in the hands of a purely financial buyer. - The transaction was framed as a continuation of Nguyen’s student-centered culture, not just a change in ownership. - Nguyen’s broader aviation influence included founding Asian Women in Aerospace and Aviation in 2018 and earning recognition as a mentor and advocate for women in aviation. - Her death in July 2025, while attempting to circumnavigate the globe in her Lancair IV-P named Amelia, gives the deal added emotional significance. - Asian Women in Aerospace and Aviation has continued her mission through an aviation scholarship established in her memory. - North Perry Airport’s active training environment and access to the Miami–Fort Lauderdale market make the academy’s location strategically important.

What's next: - Alpha-Tech Aviation Services is positioned to continue pilot training at the Pembroke Pines site under new ownership. - The academy is expected to keep serving students from Broward and Miami-Dade counties. - Transworld Business Advisors of South Florida said it confidentially marketed the business, qualified buyers, handled negotiations and guided due diligence and closing. - The Transworld aviation team on the transaction included Thomas R. Milana and Jake Tobin.

The bottom line: - The acquisition preserves a local aviation training institution while linking it to a larger aviation services company with deeper operational resources.