The East African Civil Aviation Academy which is better known as the Soroti Flying School held its second graduation ceremony on the 31st of March, 2023. A total of 57 students who successfully completed their training in various courses from the academic year 2019-2022 graduated at the ceremony that was presided over by the Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Katumba Wamala.
The graduands included 29 Pilots, 14 Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, 12 Flight Operation Officers, and 2 Airline Transport Pilot License (Ground) Officers.
The East African Civil Aviation Academy was established in 1971 under the Directorate of Civil Aviation under the then, East African Community and was later merged with the Ministry of Works and Transport as a Department in 1985.
The Academy has been in existence for the past 51 years providing superbly educated and trained Aviators to the Aviation Industry. The Academy’s courses include Flight Training, Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Training, Flight Operations and other short support courses.
The Chief Guest, Gen. Katumba Wamala noted that the Government of Uganda attaches great importance to the management of the Academy as a center of excellence for Aviation training in the region. He cited that with the revival of the National Courier, Uganda Airlines, it is in the government’s best interest to continue to fund the Academy’s operations.
The Academy is certified and a full member of the African Association of Training Organizations (AATO) since 2019, an Approved Maintenance Organization (AMO), and an Approved Training Organization (ATO) since 2018.
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The EACAA is however faced with a funding challenge arising from its yet to be defined legal status, as a department under the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Academy survives on a meager funding allocation from the Ministry’s constrained budget.
The funding challenge has resulted in shortages of spare parts and serviceability of the training equipment causing delays in the completion of courses by many students.
The Ministry is however addressing this challenge by undertaking an infrastructure development project which is already in its feasibility studies phase. The project is intended to improve the Academy to state of the art as a center of excellence, stated the Minister.
While addressing the congregation, the Minister of Works and Transport remarked that the government is aware of the challenges facing the Academy and efforts are underway to make major improvements.
According to Gen. Katumba Wamala, with the improvements, the academy will broaden the number of courses offered to meet today’s aviation demands and shall be able to carry out simulator trainings that were often done abroad at a very high cost.
While addressing the congregation, the Director of the East African Civil Aviation Academy, Lt Col Ronald Turyamubona congratulated and urged the graduands to innovatively and creatively apply their knowledge and skills to whatever they did in pursuance of their success.
“Congratulations to you all! As graduates of the EACAA- Soroti, please make sure that you make yourself relevant and useful outside thereby making Aviation a safe mode of transport the world over”, urged the Director.