Soar Aviation sells aircraft as it faces loss of registration

Troubled flight training company Soar Aviation is selling off aircraft as it fights to retain its registration.

Soar Aviation chief executive Neel Khokhani is seeking an internal review of the ASQA decision to strip his company of its registered training organisation status.

The Melbourne-based flying school facing the loss of its registration to train pilots has put seven aircraft worth more than $500,000 up for sale.

Soar Aviation was informed last week that its Registered Training Organisation (RTO) status was being revoked following an audit by the Australian Skills Quality Authority.

ASQA is the national regulator for the vocational education and training sector and has oversight of the VET fee student loan program.

An ASQA spokesman said the audit found Soar Aviation was not compliant with the standards for RTOs, and had not supported the needs of individual students, or met the requirements of the aviation training package.

The company, which partnered with Box Hill Institute to deliver flight training, was also found to have inappropriate assessment processes and practices.

Box Hill Institute also lost its authority to deliver aviation courses and a spokeswoman said it would not be able to offer any further study for a diploma of aviation from late February.

“We deeply regret the impact this will have on our students and are committed to helping them navigate through this difficult period,” said the spokeswoman.

But Soar Aviation has rejected ASQA’s findings and applied for an internal review of the decision, due to take effect on February 24.

A spokeswoman said as a result of the ASQA decision, the company was having to realign its fleet and employee numbers.

“The fleet is being trimmed on that basis,” she said, in reference to the seven aircraft advertised for sale on www.planesales.com.au.

“Fifty-one planes are more than enough to meet the needs of the services the business provides.”

Among the aircraft up for sale are three Aeroprakt Vixens and three Aeroprakt Foxbats, and one BRM Aero Bristell, all painted in the distinctive Soar colours.

Prices range from $59,950 to $120,000.

ASQA’s audit of the flight training offered by Soar Aviation and Box Hill Institute followed complaints from students and concerns raised by a former aviation manager at the TAFE college about the partnership.

His report alleged sloppy billing practices that had disadvantaged Box Hill Institute, including a requirement to pay upfront for services from Soar Aviation Flight Training (SAFT) before they had been delivered.

The report also observed that “most students pay in advance to SAFT for the full 200 flying hours and associated training but never finish the course”.

“Only 19 students have graduated from our CPL (commercial pilot licence) course since May 2016 to the current date yet over 950 students have enrolled,” said the report written in April 2019.

“Of these 19 students, only two were ‘novice’ pilots, the rest entering the course with previous flying training qualifications.”

It went on to point out that no student had ever been recorded as “failing” the course.

“All students who are not currently enrolled are recorded as ‘withdrawn’,” the report said.

“This enables SAFT to receive full payment without incurring the expenses associated with delivering training services.”

Melbourne law firm Gordon Legal is now acting for 15 former students of Soar Aviation left with huge debts but no qualifications after undertaking the CPL course.

Principal lawyer James Naughton said in many cases the students had raised concerns and complaints about the course.

“I believe it’s with a sense of frustration they’ve got lawyers involved now and there’s still been no response from Box Hill or Soar in relation to these concerns and that’s a worry,” Mr Naughton said.

The Soar spokeswoman said they had not been contacted by any students’ legal representatives.