Students of Silver State Helicopters are worried they may be out tens of thousands of dollars after the flight school abruptly ceased operations at dozens of locations across the country Tuesday, including a school in Helena.

Las Vegas-based Silver State announced on its Web site that the company has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection. A woman answering the phone at the local school referred calls to the regional general manager in Washington state. He didn't return calls for comment by the Independent Record, nor did the company's head office.

"(Monday) morning I went down to the classroom to talk to an instructor, and the classroom was empty," said Casey Hutchinson, who said he started Silver State's 18-month training program last spring. "The secretary said, 'I'm sorry to tell you we're no longer a school.' They were told not to give any more flight instruction or ground instruction."

Hutchinson, 26, said he signed up to get a job as a pilot. He doesn't know if he'll be able to recover any of his tuition money, which he said approached $70,000.

"Nobody from the school has contacted me," he said.

Silver State's first Montana branch was in Butte, but the school moved to Helena about 10 months ago.

Don Stanger said he began classes last February and was close to earning his commercial license. He's concerned that he'll be responsible for the $70,000 loan -- plus interest -- even though the school went out of business.

"I was looking at improving my life, and now my life's just gone down the toilet," he said. "I had no indication any of this was going to happen. My instructors were knowledgeable, and I didn't have a beef with Silver State until this happened."

Reporter John Harrington: 447-4080 or john.harrington@helenair com