I flew with Airborne Aviation.
I paid on the day.
The last time I flew with them, I noted people seemed despondent.
I spoke with Peter after AA was gone. He said that an increase in fixed costs had exceeded the ability of AA to continue to trade. (Or words to that effect.)
They had been there a long time.
They had a run of bad maintenance luck (Wheels damaged on runway lights, etc) which had a number of aircraft offline.
Flying schools have a lot of capital tied up, and I think the margins could be quite thin.
I believe the AA owned aircraft have been sold.
I am sorry they went. :'-(
OzFerret