Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly to us when you fill out a form on our Site (including the SMS opt-in, contact, discovery flight, and enrollment forms), create an account, schedule a lesson, make a payment, or otherwise communicate with us. This information may include:

• Full name
• Email address
• Mobile telephone number
• Mailing address and emergency contact information
• Training preferences and pilot certificate information
• Payment information (processed by our third-party payment processor)
• Records of your consent choices, including the date, time, IP address, and consent language shown to you when you opted in to SMS messaging

We also automatically collect limited technical information when you visit the Site, such as your IP address, browser type, device identifiers, referring pages, and pages viewed. This information is used to operate the Site, keep it secure, and improve its performance.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide and manage our flight training and discovery flight services.
• Schedule lessons and notify you of schedule changes, weather cancellations, and training updates.
• Send transactional and account messages (such as receipts, reminders, and program notices).
• If you opt in, send SMS text messages for lesson reminders, schedule changes, weather cancellations, training updates, and account notifications.
• Respond to your questions, requests, and support inquiries.
• Detect, prevent, and address fraud, abuse, security incidents, and other harmful activity.
• Comply with our legal and regulatory obligations.

3. SMS Text Messaging Program & Mobile Information

Merlin Flight Training operates an SMS text messaging program (the “SMS Program”) powered by Twilio, a communications platform provider. When you provide your mobile number and check the consent box on our opt-in form, you expressly consent to receive recurring text messages from Merlin Flight Training at the mobile number you provide.

What messages you may receive

Messages sent through the SMS Program may include lesson reminders, schedule changes, weather cancellations, training updates, and account notifications.

Message frequency, rates, and carriers

Message frequency varies based on your activity with the school. Message and data rates may apply according to your mobile carrier’s plan. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. Supported carriers include, but are not limited to, AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, Boost, Cricket, MetroPCS, U.S. Cellular, and their affiliates.

How to opt out (STOP) and get help (HELP)

You can cancel the SMS Program at any time by texting STOP to any message you receive from us. After you send STOP, we will send you a confirmation message, and you will not receive any further messages unless you opt back in. If you need assistance, reply HELP to any of our messages, or contact us at merlinflighttraining@gmail.com or +1 (929) 487-4717.

How we handle mobile information

No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Information sharing to subcontractors in support of our services, such as customer support or message delivery, is permitted. All other use case categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.

Specifically, your mobile phone number, SMS consent, and the contents of messages you exchange with us are used only to operate the SMS Program and deliver the services you requested. Mobile opt-in data and consent records are never sold, rented, or shared with third parties or affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes.

Twilio as our SMS provider

We use Twilio Inc. (“Twilio”) to send and receive text messages on our behalf. When you send or receive a message as part of the SMS Program, your mobile phone number and the content of the message are processed by Twilio as a service provider to Merlin Flight Training. Twilio is contractually required to use this information only to provide messaging services to us and is not permitted to use it for its own marketing purposes. Twilio’s handling of this data is also governed by Twilio’s own privacy notice, available at https://www.twilio.com/legal/privacy.

Consent is optional

Consent to receive marketing or informational SMS messages from Merlin Flight Training is not a condition of purchasing any goods or services. You may still use our Site and services without opting in to the SMS Program.

4. How We Share Information

We share information only in the following limited circumstances:

• Service providers. With trusted vendors that help us operate the Site and deliver our services — for example, Twilio (SMS delivery), our email service provider, our scheduling platform, our payment processor, and our hosting provider. These vendors may only use your information to perform services on our behalf and are bound by contractual confidentiality and security obligations.
• Legal and safety. When required by law, subpoena, or other legal process, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Merlin Flight Training, our students, or others.
• Business transfers. In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, in which case your information may be transferred to the successor entity, subject to this Privacy Policy.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share mobile phone numbers or SMS consent with third parties or affiliates for marketing purposes.

5. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as needed to provide our services, to comply with our legal obligations (including recordkeeping required for SMS consent), to resolve disputes, and to enforce our agreements. When information is no longer needed, we will delete or anonymize it.

6. Your Choices and Rights

You can update or correct the information in your account at any time by contacting us. You can unsubscribe from marketing emails by using the unsubscribe link in any email, and you can opt out of SMS messages at any time by replying STOP. Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under applicable privacy laws, such as the right to access, correct, or delete the personal information we hold about you. To exercise these rights, please contact us at merlinflighttraining@gmail.com.

7. Data Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the information we collect. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Children’s Privacy

Our Site and the SMS Program are not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us and we will delete it. Students under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian consent on their behalf before participating in our services or the SMS Program.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. If the changes are material, we will provide additional notice (such as by email or a prominent notice on the Site) where required by law.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, our SMS Program, or our data practices, please contact us at: