Flying classes packed as city yearns to soar

Entrepreneur Amit Biswas had always wanted to learn to fly. Now 59, he has fulfilled this lifelong dream, in less than 10 weeks.

Entrepreneur Amit Biswas had always wanted to learn to fly. Now 59, he has fulfilled this lifelong dream, in less than 10 weeks.

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In February, the Lokhandwala resident completed his private pilot licence (PPL) training course at Bombay Flying Club, Juhu. "Getting the licence could be the beginning of a new dream - that of owning a private jet someday," said Biswas.

A growing number of aviation enthusiasts from across different age groups and walks of life have been using their weekends to graduate from simulator games to the real cockpit.

"Our hobby flying course has been packed for the past two batches. We are receiving several queries for the summer vacation classes too," said BL Bijlani, honorary secretary of the BFC.

The club can train only 15 PPL aspirants per batch, so there is a long waiting list, he added.

Among the recent graduates is homemaker Radhika Mukherjee, 34, who says she has wanted to fly a plane since her days as an airhostess. Last year, her husband surprised her by driving her to the BFC airfield for her first lesson.

Radhika's first sortie after earning her PPL was over the city, with her husband and two sons as passengers. "My mother was furious when she heard that I took the entire family on the flight," she said, laughing.