Reaching the skies

By Nilika de Silva

"Our office, our job is high up in the clouds, travelling at speeds from 100 knots to twice the speed of sound," says Director Training of the Asian Aerospace College, Captain Romesh Mendis. 

"On land or on water you are built to function in a two-dimensional world. The way you react, the way you take decisions up in the air is totally different. Your reactions have to be immediate, instantaneous," Captain Mendis stressed. 

The Asian Aerospace College provides flying instruction from the basics up to advanced training to prospective airline pilots and youngsters straight out of school, keen on flying as a hobby. 

Housed at the Asian Aviation Centre complex at Colombo Airport Road, Ratmalana, the College is also the designated training school for Air Maldives. 

Flight training is conducted at the Air Force training airfield at Katukurunda some 30km south of the Ratmalana complex. The ground school is equipped with air-conditioned facilities and transport is provided from Ratmalana to Katukurunda and back. 

His 20 years experience in flying and over 6,000 hours in the air is mirrored in the mature way in which Capt. Mendis guides his team. 

The high point in an aspiring pilot's life comes when, after 13 hours of starting training, he takes the plane up on his own. The 'first solo' is bound to be stored among his most treasured memories. 

The Asian Aerospace College also works to assist students to gain employment as commercial pilots after a course of professional training.

"This is the time to get in," stressed Captain Mendis adding that worldwide there is a shortage of pilots and therefore a huge demand for pilots. He points out the February 01, 2001 issue of "Orient Aviation" which reports that of the 220 pilots employed by Sri Lankan Airlines, half are expatriates. "This clearly shows that there is space to accommodate many more local pilots on the airline," he says. 

"When another three aircraft join the fleet, probably in 18 months to two years, around 50 more pilots will be required," the report said. 

"It's a misconception that Sri Lankan Airlines is looking for pilots trained in foreign countries," said Captain Mendis. "If you meet the standard they will take you. Out of six who applied from this college, four were taken." 

To be employed in an airline of another country will require studying the Air Law as this can differ from country to country, Captain Mendis explained. "You need to sit an Air Law examination and do a flying test, that's all." 

Meanwhile, the Air Force too, has space to accommodate more pilots. One in the making is 17-year-old Pramod Malinda of Kiribathgoda who, having trained for three months at the college, wants to join the Sri Lankan Air Force. 

The Private Pilot's Licence and Commercial Pilot's Licence become achievable goals for students entering the portals of this flying school. "From schoolboy or school girl status, we give them training to become commercial pilots," Captain Mendis said. 

Among the planes used for training are the Cessna 152 single engine, the PA 34-200 T multi-engine, and the Piper Seneca. 

A new batch is taken in every two months and once equipped with a student pilot's licence they will start their training, Captain Mendis said, adding, "It is not always necessary that you do it full time. The Private Pilot's Licence is tailormade for those who would like to fly as a hobby."

A final year student from Moratuwa University Sanjay Mohottala is following a course in Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering while also doing his PPL. 

"This is something I liked from childhood. I used to accompany my father who was Director of the Meteorology Department," Sanjay said. "Besides the career prospects are also good." 

The Private Pilot's Licence referred to as PPL takes approximately four months and provides the student with 100 hours of ground school and 46 hours flying, while the Commercial Pilot's Licence (CPL) involves a further six months training, 500 hours ground school and 200 hours flying including 10 hours night flying and five hours solo. 

At the end of these 10 months, with instrument training, the pilot has obtained the basic qualifications required to join Sri Lankan Airlines.

The courses available are PPL, CPL, Instrument Rating, Multi Engine Rating, Flight Instructor Rating and Airline Transport pilot's licence.

A special scheme is available to accommodate those who have already done partial flying training and want to complete any of the courses available.

Asian Aerospace College are the pioneers in Flight Instructor training in Sri Lanka. Earlier you had to go abroad to get that training, Captain Mendis said. 

At the Asian Aerospace College one can gain the equivalent flying qualification to that which one gains in the US, while being spared the excessive expenditure incurred there. With affiliation to two schools in the US, the US qualification can be obtained through a system of doing the FAA ground school training here and completing the course in the States. 

If following this course abroad, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) awarded by Britain costs around £ 40,000 (Rs. 5,080,000) plus expenses of accommodation etc, while the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from America costs about $ 20,000 - 25,000 (Rs. 1,800,000 - Rs. 2,250,000) plus accommodation etc. However at the Asian Aerospace College in Sri Lanka, the Commercial Pilot's training based on the CAA costs only $ 12, 460 (Rs. 1,121,400) while the Private Pilot's Licence can be obtained for $ 2478 (Rs. 223,020). As the College has affiliations with overseas aviation establishments, students can train for the FAA- USA Licence, seaplane ratings, Line Oriented Flight Training (LOFT) and Jet transitions. 

Chief Flying Instructor Viren Molamure has been on the job for 10 years. "Most of the students are straight out of school," he said. "They come for the initial licence and when they get their PPL, the older ones come on holidays, for pleasure flying. 

"According to their requiremenst, we try to accommodate them," he said. 

" I wanted to fly from my small days," said Thilanka Kiriporuwa, (21), from Anuradhapura who also has dreams of joining Sri Lankan Airlines. "My uncle was at Air Lanka and so I became fascinated this career." 

Flight Instructor Chintaka Rajapakse said the excitement lay in the split second decision making. "The decision has to be made faster than the speed of the aircraft, because you can't let the aircraft control you," he said. 

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