Powerful rice merchants preparing to buy aircraft have reportedly not obtained official civil aviation approval.

Although there have been rumors that Dudley Sirisena and Mitrapala Lankeshwara, prominent rice businessmen in the country, are preparing to purchase aircraft, the 'Daily Mirror' newspaper reports that they have not yet requested any official permission from the Civil Aviation Authority regarding this.

Although they have publicly stated their intention to purchase helicopters for personal and commercial purposes, any aircraft flying within Sri Lankan airspace is mandatorily subject to the full regulation of the Civil Aviation Authority. Clarifying matters in this regard, the Director General of that authority, Mr. Daminda Rambukwella, stated that although an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) is mandatory to purchase an aircraft or helicopter and commence operations, these two businessmen have not yet made any notification to them regarding this. He further confirmed that there is a specific five-step legal process to start a new airline, and the relevant parties have not yet entered even one step of it.

To complete the process of legally obtaining an Air Operator Certificate, it is a mandatory requirement to appoint a responsible manager, a quality control officer, licensed engineers, and qualified pilots capable of operating the specific aircraft type. Additionally, submitting operational and engineering manuals to the authorities, registering the aircraft in Sri Lanka, and obtaining its airworthiness certificate are also considered essential steps. During this entire process, which takes approximately six months, conducting special test flights that practically observe emergency management and passenger handling is also mandatory.

Meanwhile, responding to the relevant news, prominent businessman Mitrapala Lankeshwara stated that he is preparing to depart for the United States next month with the aim of purchasing an aircraft. He further mentioned that the process of purchasing these aircraft was slightly delayed due to several other foreign business trips, but he will definitely implement those plans properly in the future.