Emergency summit call for threatened Perth air training facility
A call was made this week for an emergency summit to save jobs and courses at Perth's Air Service Training (AST) facility.
It comes as the administrator, appointed early April, said no suitable offer had been made for the business - despite interest from 51 parties.
Assets are to be sold and it is understood staff have been laid off.
The wholly-owned subsidiary of UHI Perth based at the city's airport employed 28 people and had trained 190,000 engineers and pilots from around 150 countries since it was set up in 1931.
When AST courses ceased immediately last month – with the exception of the BSc in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering and Management programme set to continue until the end of the academic year – the situation was described as devastating by Perth MP Pete Wishart.
Last week, UHI Perth principal and chief executive Dr Margaret Cook resigned amid what was said to be 'an extremely challenging financial landscape.'
Perthshire Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser had suggested that £8.1m earmarked in 2020 for a Perth College Aviation Academy for Scotland (AAS) plan, under Tay Cities regional UK and Scottish government funding, could be used to restore cancelled courses.
The plans envisaged 540 training places over the first four years of operation.
Mr Fraser wrote to Scottish Government Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes this week to call for an emergency summit on how money can best be used to save AST jobs and training courses.
Recent developments, like the resignation of UHI principal, he said, meant the future of aviation training in Tayside is more uncertain than ever.
Mr Fraser added: 'I believe an emergency summit on how this money can be best used to save both the jobs and training courses which previously existed at AST, must be urgently arranged.
'The summit, which would include senior figures from both the Scottish and UK Governments, Perth and Kinross Council, UHI Perth and key stakeholders from Scotland's aviation sector, would discuss options on the best way forward on this issue.
'Holding a summit would see us working together to ensure that Tayside can continue providing world-class aviation engineering training for young people across Scotland.'
AST administrator Shona Campbell of Henderson Loggie said this week: 'Despite interest from 51 parties, no suitable offer was received for the purchase of the business as a whole.
'As a result, an online auction of Air Service Training (Engineering) Limited's physical assets is now live and will close at 11am on Wednesday May 28, 2025.
'We remain committed to supporting students, ensuring they can complete their courses and receive certification for completed exams.'
A Scottish Government spokesperson said yesterday (Thursday): 'Air Service Training was a partner in a wider investment proposal for an Aviation Academy which secured £8.1 million of capital funding from the Tay Cities Region Deal.
'We have been clear this funding will not be lost to the region and we will continue to work with regional partners and the UK Government to explore other viable delivery options.
'It is welcome that UHI Perth has provided funding to ensure that current Aircraft Maintenance Engineering and Management students can complete this academic year, and that work is continuing with alternative providers to identify longer term options for existing students to complete their qualifications.'
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