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2 new flying schools in Gujarat, MP get aviation regulator DGCA nod
The Tata-owned Air India last year finalised a $70-billion deal to acquire 470 aircraft from Boeing and Airbus while IndiGo has announced a 500-plane order from Airbus.
NEW DELHI: India’s aviation regulator on Tuesday announced that it had approved two new flying training organisations (FTOs), one each in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, a move that comes against the backdrop of airlines in the country ordering 1,000 new planes.
“The DGCA has granted approvals to two FTOs, Dunes Aviation Academy, Bhavnagar and Indian Flying Academy, Khajuraho, taking the total number of FTOs in India to 36, giving a fillip to enhancing capacity for training more ab-initio pilots within India,” a statement by the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) said.
The Tata-owned Air India last year finalised its $70-billion deal to acquire 470 aircraft from Boeing and Airbus while IndiGo has announced a 500-plane order from Airbus.
Of the 34 approved flying schools, only one, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA) at Amethi is under the central government. There are eight more institutions under the state government while 25 are owned by the private sector.
A recent estimate by the aviation consultancy, Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, said Indian scheduled airlines are likely to operate a fleet of 1,400 aircraft by 2030 and will require 10,900 more pilots, up from the existing strength of 8,500 pilots
The Tata-owned Air India last year finalised its $70-billion deal to acquire 470 aircraft from Boeing and Airbus while IndiGo has announced a 500-plane order from Airbus.
“The primary concern is the availability of pilots. India has been facing a shortage of trained and experienced pilots for several years. Airlines in India have traditionally relied on expatriate pilots to fill this gap, but the goal has been to develop a strong pipeline of Indian pilots. This is why FTOs have been introduced and are being focused on by the government,” a former ministry official said.
“The growth of the Indian aviation industry is promising and it comes with the challenge of sourcing and training adequate personnel, particularly pilots,” the official added.
