Asian Aviation Centre (Pvt) Ltd., (AAC) formerly CDE Aviation, was registered as a private limited liability company in 1985 and its main business was operating a flying training school. In 1990, it commenced a course of studies to train students to sit for the examination conducted by the Director General of Civil Aviation Sri Lanka for the issue of licences in aircraft maintenance without type rating. (LWTR)

Due to the increased demand for higher studies, AAC considered the possibility of offering undergraduate courses in Aeronautical Engineering and embarked on a course development program to offer two other courses, a HND and BSc, through an affiliation to Kingston University London from 1997. A BEng (Hons) degree in Aerospace, Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, BSc degree in computing, a Foundation Degree in Aircraft Engineering and Aviation Studies were subsequently added to the Portfolio.

In 1998, AAC signed an agreement with the department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology of the Government of South Australia, under which, from 1999, AAC offered the Certificate (Level 4) in Aviation Engineering, Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Mechanical Maintenance) course of Regency Institute of TAFE South Australia, in Sri Lanka In 2005, AAC entered into an agreement with Kangan Batman Institute of TAFE (KBIT) in Melbourne, the only organization which posses CASA CAR30 approval for Aircraft Maintenance Training to deliver the Certificate (Level IV) in Aviation Engineering; Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Mechanical Maintenance) course at AAC. This new agreement with KBIT provides the students with an option to transfer to Advanced Diploma of Engineering (Aerospace) program of KBIT.

The Flight Academy of AAC offers flying training Private Pilot Licence (PPL), Commercial Pilot Licence with Instrument Rating (CPL/IR), Multi Engine Rating and the Assistant Flight Instructor Rating. Currently AAC has fleet of Cessna 152 training aircrafts. The Flight Academy has produced over 500 pilots at various levels which includes Sri Lanka and also overseas students from India, Maldives, Iran and Nepal.

What stated as an organization to train pilots and a few technicians in aircraft maintenance has now grown to be an establishment which offers undergraduates courses in several disciplines. The Asian Aviation Centre is committed to ensure the continuing growth of its training arms, as fully fledged teaching establishment dedicated to aviation related training in Sri Lanka.

In 1994, the company launched A domestic scheduled airline under the banner of Lion Air (Pvt) Ltd. This sister companies operations greatly enhanced AAC;s appeal in the market place.

AAC operations are based at the largest hanger complex at Colombo Airport, Ratmalana. And has its marketing office at Bambalapitiya / Colombo 04.