Keetmans aviation academy grounded

TRAINING at the Namibia Aviation Training Academy (NATA) at Keetmanshoop has ground to halt following the closure of the town’s Engen depot, which had supplied aircraft fuel, almost a year ago.

General Manager of NATA Norbert Bartels admitted that training at the academy had come to a standstill. However, he denied allegations that a lack of sponsorships to financially assist trainees to acquire commercial flight licences contributed to the suspension of training at the academy.The sponsorships were continuing and those trainees who had secured sponsorships were being trained at Windhoek’s Eros Airport, Bartels said.Bartels urged the Government and Engen to look into reopening the depot, which had been closed because of its non-viability.”We at NATA are trying our best to prevent the academy of becoming a white elephant, therefore we continue to present ground classes at the academy despite the fuel scarcity at the town,” he said.However, The Namibian was reliably informed that no training at all is taking place at the academy.According to a source, there is only a secretary on duty at the academy.The flight academy is rated as the best in the country because of the favourable weather conditions at the town.It uses the runway of the Keetmanshoop airport, which is also rated among the best in the country.However, he denied allegations that a lack of sponsorships to financially assist trainees to acquire commercial flight licences contributed to the suspension of training at the academy.The sponsorships were continuing and those trainees who had secured sponsorships were being trained at Windhoek’s Eros Airport, Bartels said.Bartels urged the Government and Engen to look into reopening the depot, which had been closed because of its non-viability.”We at NATA are trying our best to prevent the academy of becoming a white elephant, therefore we continue to present ground classes at the academy despite the fuel scarcity at the town,” he said.However, The Namibian was reliably informed that no training at all is taking place at the academy.According to a source, there is only a secretary on duty at the academy.The flight academy is rated as the best in the country because of the favourable weather conditions at the town.It uses the runway of the Keetmanshoop airport, which is also rated among the best in the country.