Avid College has inaugurated the Avid School of Aviation, after buying stakes of the Addu flying school from the Asian Academy of Aeronautics (AAA).
The agreement for the purchase of the flying school was signed between Avid College and AAA on June 24. The flying school will be renamed as the Avid School of Aviation, becoming the first flying school to be operated by a local company.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Chairman of Avid College Abdulla Musthaq Rashad said the purpose of buying all stakes of the school, including all equipment and property, was to resolve the issues faced by students of AAA and help them to complete their courses. Musthaq said the Avid School of Aviation would not only be a pilot-training facility, noting the school will also conduct courses for aircraft engineers, cabin crews and other professions in the aviation industry. As such, he noted discussions are underway with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to introduce several new training programmes for professionals in the aviation industry.
However, Musthaq said the immediate focus of the new school would be to assist the 170 students enrolled in AAA to complete their courses. Musthaq said Avid College is working to acquire its own license for the operation of the flying school, although the process is expected to take about six months. He said in the meantime, the necessary services will be provided under the license issued to AAA.
Musthaq further revealed flights of the school are expected to be in operation by September this year. He said Avid will begin preparing students for examinations while working on bringing the flights into operation.
Avid College states a new plane will be purchased by the college for the operations of the flying school. Avid College states 25% advance payment for the purchase of the plane will be completed this week.
Avid College has bought the stakes of the Addu flying school from AAA, after after the majority of AAA students raised concerns on operations of the school, including its failure to complete its programmes for students as scheduled, overcharging fees, and challenges in logging their flight time due to the lack of teachers and planes for the over 170 students studying at the school. The complaints led to a parliament inquiry which found that AAA does not have sufficient resources and facilities to conduct its programmes.