By Najib Mulema
NRM Vice Chairperson for Eastern Region, Capt. Mike Mukula has never applied for an Air Operators Certificate (AOC), Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has said.
Mukula, a seasoned pilot this week revealed that he decided to relocate all his aircrafts to Kenya citing frustration by CAA, saying for three years he has been denied the AOC.
Now CAA has come out to say Capt. Mukula’s Uganda Aviation School has never applied for AOC.
According to the authority, when AOC applications are received, they are reviewed and only those which comply with the stipulated regulations are granted AOC’s on a pass or fail basis.
“Uganda Aviation School applied and was granted an Air Service License (ASL) for Aviation Training and not for an AOC. A copy of this application and license are available,” says CAA management in a statement dated 3 October, 2018. “An AOC is only granted to air operators seeking to conduct commercial air transport operations and not training. The Uganda Aviation School was for an Aviation Training Organisation (ATO) and specifically focusing on cabin crew training with a view of later expanding the scoop to flight training , subject fulfillment of the set regulation.”
The management further notes that Uganda Aviation School did not fulfill the Cabin Crew (ATO) requirements because cabin crew training is air operator-based (practical not just theoretical).
“The Uganda Aviation School application fell short, owing to lack of appropriate aircraft for cabin crew practical demonstrations,” management disclosed.
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