Fairway Holdings launches aviation academy

30 June 2015 02:36 am

Amphibian aircraft and helicopter pilot training will be available in the near future in Sri Lanka with the launch of Fairway Holdings (Pvt.) Ltd’s Fairway Aviation Academy, which represents a recent trend in increasing investments into the local aviation sector.

“Private helicopter training will be possible for the first time in this country. We will also be setting up operations in Koggala for amphibian training,” Fairway Aviation Academy Chief Flight Instructor Kosala Fernando said at the institute’s launch yesterday.

While accepting that Fairway Holdings is entering into a saturated aviation education market in Sri Lanka, Fernando noted that Fairway Aviation Academy is set apart due to its higher investment.

He said that Fairway Aviation Academy already possesses three aircraft -- a Cessna 152 and 172, as well as an amphibian aircraft -- while another three aircraft have already been ordered from the United States.

“Now the aviation sector is getting broader in Sri Lanka. Earlier, investment wasn’t coming in, but now the confidence in the sector is getting better,” Fernando claimed.

Located adjacent to Ratmalana Airport, Fairway Aviation Academy will provide every facility a pilot cadet needs, following the installation of the flight simulator in the coming months.

Four pilot cadets have already enrolled the academy. Students can acquire a Private Pilot License in six months and a Commercial Pilot License along with the Airline Transport Pilot License in another year at a cost of Rs.1.4 million and Rs.5.9 million, respectively.

Fernando said that setting up aviation academies with international recognized standards would cut down the foreign exchange outflow caused by Sri Lankans who travel abroad seeking aviation training. (CW)