COSMOS gets six months licence extension
COSMOS Aviation would be granted a licence extension for a period of six months in the wake of a Supreme Court (SC) directive for the regulator to arrive at a compromise fomula with the flying school operator.
COSMOS Aviation had complained to the SC about two weeks back saying its fundamental rights has been violated.
As a result the SC directed the regulator, Airport and Aviation Services Ltd (AASL) to allow a temporary arrangement for COSMOS Aviation to continue its business in the short term for a period of about six months, AASL Chairman Ananda Wimalasena told the Business Times.
He noted that they had to submit to the SC on March 18 that COSMOS had cleared its arrears and that as a short term measure had agreed with the flying school to continue after entering into a new agreement in accordance with the SC directive.
Under the new agreement, the AASL would be compelled to grant them a hangar during the period, which was temporarily closed due to an overdue payment of Rs.24 million that was paid up recently.
At present COSMOS Aviation was granted an extension on its licence by two weeks by AASL and one week for its licence by Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) pending an audit. This audit by CAA, now complete, requires the provision of a hangar for the flying school to operate. The hangar services are provided by the AASL. The license had expired on March 9, CAA said.
In the meantime, AASL has stated that they would provide a hangar due to the SC directive but would review the terms and conditions during this six month period.
COSMOS Aviation is run by former Monitoring MP Sajin Vaas De Gunawardena under the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa administration whose position on the board of the flying school has been queried.