Maldivian Aviation Academy is set to begin flight training on 10th January 2022 bringing an end to the months-long misery of hundreds of student pilots enrolled in the Asian Academy Of Aeronautics (AAA).
As aviation grew significantly over the recent years the number of students enrolled in pilot training increased rapidly specially in the later years with many student loans provided from Education Ministry along with students loans from Banks.
Before the establishment majority of the students went abroad for pilot training however following the establishment of AAA in Gan many resort to studying in the Maldives.
During the first few years after launch, AAA had a fairly good run and soon the number of students enrolled in AAA grew rapidly.
However, training conditions started to weaken at the school during the recent years as many of the training airplanes were faced long periods of maintenances and the school had very limited instructors available for the high number of students enrolled.
It was first in September 2020 that 86 students signed a petition and raising concerns over AAA management's incompetence in operating the school.
The AAA’s management continued to deny accusations blaming every available option besides themselves including the weather while the school went through periods with zero airplanes available to train more than 100 students.
The AAA’s management went as far as taking strict actions against students in the frontline speaking about the school even terminating some of the students.
As the news made national headlines the national airline Maldivian and Villa Air Flyme both announced plans to launch flying schools of their own.
Nearly a year and 3 months since the petition Maldivian carried out the opening ceremony of their academy which would be operated with the partnership of Maldives National Univerity and Czechs Flying Academy.
On 5th January 2022, the academy announced the grand of approval by the Maldives Civil Aviation Authority to conduct refresher training for students whose flight training was discontinued at other training organizations (ATOs.)
The first classes are scheduled to begin on 10th January 2022 which will finally bring an end to the very long wait of 100’s of students but the next most important question remains, Is AAA ever going to be held accountable?