This Saturday, October 1 2022, the government of the Republic of Benin represented by the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) and the Embassy of Benin to Canada have reached an agreement in principle with the Sherbrooke Airport Development Corporation (CDAS) and the MRC du Haut Saint-François. This concerns the establishment of a flight school, of aviation which will have campuses, at a time, in Cotonou in Benin and in the territory of Haut Saint-François in Canada.
At the end of discussions between all parties involved, the negotiations resulted in a financial and technical cooperation agreement for the establishment and operation of a flight school, of aeronautics and aviation professions which will have “a mandate to offer young Beninese professional and technical training in the aeronautical sectors, traveler management, service on board aircraft and commercial piloting”. The programs offered by the new school according to the press release will all be related to piloting, aeronautics and the travel and aviation professions. “The courses will be given in Cotonou and at Sherbrooke airport. otherwise, the ANAC will be able to benefit from the technical assistance of the CDAS and the Altitude Center de l'Aviation flight school in the development of teaching curricula..
Among the professional and technical degree projects discussed according to our source are the following qualifications : (1) single-engine pilot, (2) pilotage commercial, (3) instrument flight, (4) on-board service and air safety, (5) stopover management, (6) aircraft mechanics. Pilot training will be offered in Cotonou and completed at Altitude Center de l'Aviation located at the Sherbrooke airport facilities, which has the necessary infrastructure and equipment to achieve the number of hours of simulator practice and flight with instructors and solo required to obtain a world-class navigation certificate. Students enrolled in the commercial pilot program, on passing the exams and accumulating the required flight hours, will be awarded a pilot's license from Transport Canada which will be approved by the ANAC which will issue the African license.
“The creation of a national pilot school, of aeronautics and aviation professions is part of the development axes of the PAG 2021-2026, including the strengthening of the national system of vocational and technical training and also supports the vision of His Excellency Patrice Talon to make Benin, the first tourist destination in West Africa. The establishment of bilateral cooperation between Benin and Canada will make it possible to build a school that respects the highest standards of the industry," said Ambassador Jean-Claude Félix do Régo at the end of a working meeting with the stakeholders.
“The establishment of a three-way partnership between ANAC, the CDAS and the Altitude flight school, will help develop the course content of the new school and train Beninese teachers and instructors. This project improves the vocational and technical training sector as desired by the Head of State,” said Coffi Marcel Okambawa., Chairman of the ANAC Board of Directors and Chargé de mission of the President of the Republic of Benin.
Patrice ADJAHO