Going abroad for recruiting pilots could be pass?. With pilot training academies gaining popularity in the country, Indian carriers are upbeat on recruiting pilots from academies within the country. India?s largest pilot training academy, Madhya Pradesh-based Chimes Aviation Academy, recently had Delhi-based carriers visiting its campus at the Dhana airstrip in Madhya Pradesh to recruit students with commercial pilot licences.
Says, YN Sharma, COO, Chimes Aviation Academy, ?The aviation market is facing a huge shortfall of trained and qualified pilots. With an initial investment of Rs 30 crore, we built up a facility at Dhana, which includes exclusive rights to a 3,200 feet long airstrip, 11,000 square feet hangar space and navigation aids with a fleet of over ten Cessna-172 aircraft for training over 100 pilots annually.? Sharma added that recently a Hong Kong-based private equity player met the management of the academy to invest in the academy. ?We are currently evaluating the investment proposal,? he said, adding that the academy will install a simulator at the Dhana airstrip on March 25 to facilitate training.
According to a study by consultancy firm KPMG, India?s airlines will need approximately 13,800 pilots by 2012. Currently, there are 4,500 commercial pilots in the country. Till recently, this was primarily an Indian problem, where the growth of new carriers and fleet had given rise to a situation where even public sector airlines had begun to eye pilots and crew from overseas. Says Jitendra Bharghav, director – PR, Air India, ?We recruit the best pilots from across the globe. If the pilots are from DGCA-approved academies and meet our criteria, we would select them.?
Of the many, there are only 17 flying schools, which are operational. Currently, airlines in India are facing a huge shortage of trained pilots. Many airlines hire pilots from abroad. Others train their pilots abroad and get them certified in India. This is an expensive process for the airlines in India, which are already reeling under huge losses.