Sri Lanka to allow recreational flying

Sri Lanka has decided to lift restrictions on private flying and open up her skies for recreational aviation to lure tourists after the end of a 30-year war, a senior official said.

Director-general of civil aviation Parakrama Dissanayake said the decision was taken at a meeting between civil aviation authorities and the air force last week.

Dissanayake said the authorities had been getting inquiries from tourists keen on bringing their own equipment for use in the island.

"Tourists have been asking whether they can bring hot air balloons and hang gliders," he said. "Till now the answer has been 'No'. But now we want to allow it."

The country needs to promote recreational aviation activities, Dissanayake told LBO.

"With the end of the war we need to come in line with other countries and let people use the air space for recreational activities."

These include hot-air ballooning, use of hang-gliders and powered-gliders, and flying micro-light aircraft and model aircraft.

Hot-air ballooning was allowed a few years ago but restricted to certain parts of the island.

Dissanayake said they want to revive an 'open skies' scheme started in November 2006 in the island's south and extend it to the entire island, although some airspaces over certain areas like defence installations and ports would still be restricted.

Restrictions on recreational aviation were imposed as the threat posed by Tamil Tiger rebels in the ethnic war intensified.

Private flying was banned and even commercial pilot training suspended for some years after the Tigers acquired their own light aircraft which were used for bombing on a few occasions.

The Tigers were defeated by government forces in May 2009, ending the 30-year war, and leading to a marked revival in tourist arrivals.

"The relaxation should happen very soon - in the next couple of months," Dissanayake said.