Sajin Vass’ COSMOS flying school gets licence extension

The COSMOS Aviation owned flying school on Wednesday was given an extension of one week for a licence to operate the flying school pending audit by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The controversial aviation school came into the spotlight since it had not made payments amounting to Rs. 24 million to both the Airport and Aviation Services Ltd. for using the hangar and runway at the Ratmalana airport and for obtaining a licence to operate the flying school. Owned by former Monitoring MP Sajin Vass, COSMOS Aviation school was today given an extension of its licence to operate the flying school pending an audit by the CAA, CAA Director General H.M.C. Nimalsiri said on Wednesday. The audit was expected to be completed within two day and will be conducted on Monday with the report due by Wednesday, it was stated. He noted that this was part of a regulatory exercise and that every time renewals take place an audit is carried out. Mr. Nimalsiri also pointed out that since the AASL had given two weeks’ time for the flying school, “we had agreed for one week”. The AASL had allowed COSMOS a period of two weeks on a temporary basis to use the runway and hangar at the Ratmalana airport following which it would be decided if this should continue or not. In the meantime, COSMOS had paid up Rs.24 million to the AASL that was due from them on Monday. The aviation academy was involved in training students to pilot light aircraft for which at the conclusion of their courses they could be issued licences, the Director General said. (SD)