WILLEMSTAD/PHILIPSBURG:--- Representatives of the aviation company AVA Airways Curaçao have presented, for the third time, the relevant documents for its economic permit to the Minister of Traffic, Transportation and Urban Planning, Mrs. Suzy Camelia-Romer.
The Minister has also received the Legal Declaration of Invested Capital from Grace Aviation Holding LLC, which is a Private Venture Capital Firm based in the U.S. and Capital Partners, which is also a Private Equity Capital Firm also based in the U.S.
Once again, this will be the third time that the representatives of the aviation company have complied with the petition from the Minister and the Government of Curaçao to give clarity on the groups that will be investing in the aviation company.
AVA Airways applied for an economic permit in December 2013. This request is to operate scheduled and unscheduled air transport of passengers, cargo and mail. This permit is also necessary to start the process for the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC). AVA has already completed all of its manuals, which were cross referenced to Curaçao’s regulations. This means that the aviation company is ready for their AOC process.
Why there is so much delaying of the granting of Ava’s economic permit. One reason could be that Ava’s business plan indicates they will use modern airplanes such as Airbus 319/320 and CS100. This makes the certification process very complicated for the CCAA. The CCAA does not have inspectors who are capable of certifying these types of aircrafts. The Curaçao Civil Aviation Authority (CCAA) headed by Oscar Derby, who was hired by the Minister of Transportation, Earl Balborda, as a consultant who is now working as the Director of CCAA in a Government post job to recover the Category 1 status of the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), the US aviation authority.
AVA Airways hopes that now that they have complied with the government for the third time, the Minister will make the right decision to grant them the economic permit to make it possible for the airline to start its process to receive the Air Operator Certificate (AOC).