Addu City, Maldives – Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation of Maldives informs that Avid School of Aviation (ASA) does not have an Approve Training Organization (ATO) license.
Responding to multiple questions asked to the Ministry on Avid College acquiring Asian Academy of Aeronautics (AAA) in Addu City, the Ministry noted that training courses for pilot license in Maldives can only be provided under the regulations of Civil Aviation Authority, with an ATO license.
ASA does not have an ATO. Nor does it have the approval to carry out trainings such as ATPL, CPL, IR, MER or PPL.
Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation
While the Avid College justified themselves by saying that they can operate the flying school with the ATO of AAA, Civil Aviation Ministry mentions that an association cannot hold trainings under the approval of another organization.
Although an association buys shares of an approved organization and rightfully receives all the rights and advantages of the approved organization, the Ministry states that if any changes comes due to business relations to the management of an organization that holds the ATO approval, it should be reported to and approved by the Civil Aviation Authority under the Change Management Procedure.
Even though changes are brought to the ATO approved organization due to business relations, the Ministry states that under the ATO issued to the approved organization, courses can be carried out by the approved organization only. The Ministry states that in this situation as well, the ATO approval will only be applicable for the approved organization alone.
Students of AAA recently expressed their concerns that they have received information that ASA s not registered under Civil Aviation or the Higher Education and that ASA does not even have an ATO to operate a flying school. Noting that Avid school does not exist, students raised concerns that the school has been sending enrollment forms to students as well.
Along with this, the students also expressed their concerns that Avid was not cooperating with them. Even in cases where some students who requested a refund from AAA have been instructed to speak to Avid but did not receive corporation.
We enrolled to AAA. Even if the management of AAA changes, students should be officially informed of these changes.
Student of AAA
However, the student highlighted that so far, they have yet to officially release any statements informing of the changes and have only contacted the students verbally.
Authorities inform the Avid School of Aviation will be functional starting September 2021 with the completion of necessary regulatory procedures.
