Thursday, November 30, 2006
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Fat expat pilot salaries upset carrier budgets
Indian carriers need pilots, preferably Indian ones. That’s because their expat counterparts carry a heavy price tag and airlines are feeling the pinch, reports CNBC-TV18.
For a while Indian carriers were struggling to fill up seats. Now they're desperate to fill their cockpits. That's because India adds almost half-a-dozen aircraft a month, but doesn't have enough pilots.
India's 2,300 pilots fly more than 230 aircrafts. Of these, almost a quarter are expatriates with heavy price tags. So some airlines are considering setting up their own training schools.
An expat pilot gets USD 20,000 average a month on average - almost twice as much as an Indian pilot's salary. Pilots' wages comprise 70% of an airline's wage bill. So getting rid of expats will save airlines 3-5% of their costs each year. But carriers are optimistic.
India needs 400 pilots a year, but produces only about 100.
29/11/06 Moneycontrol.com
To read the news in full |
PermaLink For a while Indian carriers were struggling to fill up seats. Now they're desperate to fill their cockpits. That's because India adds almost half-a-dozen aircraft a month, but doesn't have enough pilots.
India's 2,300 pilots fly more than 230 aircrafts. Of these, almost a quarter are expatriates with heavy price tags. So some airlines are considering setting up their own training schools.
An expat pilot gets USD 20,000 average a month on average - almost twice as much as an Indian pilot's salary. Pilots' wages comprise 70% of an airline's wage bill. So getting rid of expats will save airlines 3-5% of their costs each year. But carriers are optimistic.
India needs 400 pilots a year, but produces only about 100.
29/11/06 Moneycontrol.com
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Aviation management institute on the cards
New Delhi: The government is planning to set up an IIM-like institute exclusively for aviation management. An in-principle approval has been accorded to the proposal for setting up the first aerospace academy in India. The proposed academy will offer a Post-Graduate Diploma in Aviation Management.
International companies like Lufthansa Technical Training and aerospace management schools, such as Cranfield and ENAC may join hands with an Indian management school for setting up the aviation academy. The institute, expected to be operational by ’07, will be estalished near Delhi.
With the Indian aviation industry witnessing an average growth of over 20% per year, the demand for personnel equipped with detailed and specific knowledge has shot up. At present, India has no academy that offers training in the financial and marketing aspects. The proposed academy is expected to fill such managerial talent gap.
27/11/06 Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink International companies like Lufthansa Technical Training and aerospace management schools, such as Cranfield and ENAC may join hands with an Indian management school for setting up the aviation academy. The institute, expected to be operational by ’07, will be estalished near Delhi.
With the Indian aviation industry witnessing an average growth of over 20% per year, the demand for personnel equipped with detailed and specific knowledge has shot up. At present, India has no academy that offers training in the financial and marketing aspects. The proposed academy is expected to fill such managerial talent gap.
27/11/06 Economic Times
Thursday, November 23, 2006
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
More airforce pilots join private airlines
New Delhi: Thanks to fatter pay packets, added perks and higher retirement age offered by commercial carriers, an increasing number of airforce pilots are joining the party of private airlines. And why not, it’s hard to resist an offer where the compensation is 7-8 times higher. After all, money matters!
According to the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), in the next five years commercial airlines will require 2,000-2,500 more pilots. Indian commercial pilot training schools churn out not more than 100 pilots a year and the shortfall is being met by hiring pilots from the Indian Airforce and through recruitment of expats.
While no ready figures are available, industry sources estimate that about 150 fighter pilots are presently working with commercial airlines. According to analysts, average salary of an airforce pilot is around Rs 50,000 as compared to Rs 4,00,000 of a commercial pilot. For most airforce pilots, being a commercial pilot is a second innings of their career. While the average retirement age of a commercial pilot is 65 years, it varies between 40 to 58 years for fighter pilots, depending on their seniority.
21/11/06 Vishakha Talreja & Sunny Verma/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink According to the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), in the next five years commercial airlines will require 2,000-2,500 more pilots. Indian commercial pilot training schools churn out not more than 100 pilots a year and the shortfall is being met by hiring pilots from the Indian Airforce and through recruitment of expats.
While no ready figures are available, industry sources estimate that about 150 fighter pilots are presently working with commercial airlines. According to analysts, average salary of an airforce pilot is around Rs 50,000 as compared to Rs 4,00,000 of a commercial pilot. For most airforce pilots, being a commercial pilot is a second innings of their career. While the average retirement age of a commercial pilot is 65 years, it varies between 40 to 58 years for fighter pilots, depending on their seniority.
21/11/06 Vishakha Talreja & Sunny Verma/Economic Times
Private sector is luring away military officers
New Delhi: The lure of the private sector is leading to an increasing rise in the number of armed forces' officers seeking premature discharge from the services. But faced with a shortage of officers, the Government has been reluctant to relieve officers in larger numbers, said defence sources quoting figures.
Last year, over 1,000 officers wanted to quit the armed forces including over 500 from the Army, about 300 from the Indian Air Force (IAF) and about 200 from the Navy, said defence sources.
In the IAF, 246 pilots were permitted to quit service in the last three years, most apparently attracted by higher pay scales in private airlines. However, the IAF says the majority of pilots released from service have already completed their useful tenure as pilots and their exit does not affect the operational status of squadrons. Against an authorised strength of 3,278 pilots, 3,068 pilots are in position. The vacancy of 210 pilots cannot be termed large as it does not affect operational requirements, it contends.
23/11/06 Sandeep Dikshit/The Hindu
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Last year, over 1,000 officers wanted to quit the armed forces including over 500 from the Army, about 300 from the Indian Air Force (IAF) and about 200 from the Navy, said defence sources.
In the IAF, 246 pilots were permitted to quit service in the last three years, most apparently attracted by higher pay scales in private airlines. However, the IAF says the majority of pilots released from service have already completed their useful tenure as pilots and their exit does not affect the operational status of squadrons. Against an authorised strength of 3,278 pilots, 3,068 pilots are in position. The vacancy of 210 pilots cannot be termed large as it does not affect operational requirements, it contends.
23/11/06 Sandeep Dikshit/The Hindu
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
United Aviation to train SpiceJet pilots
New Delhi: Low cost carrier SpiceJet today said it has entered into an agreement with global pilot training firm United Aviation (UA) for its cadet pilot programme.
As per the agreement, UA will select and train pilots under the SpiceJet Cadet Pilot programme, which was launched earlier this month, the airline said in a statement.
SpiceJet has already recruited more than two batches of cadet pilots from UA under the scheme, it said. The cadet pilots will undergo theoretical training in Gurgaon for a period of two months, prior to proceeding for flight training, it said.
United Aviation's flight training is done in Canada and US and it would be followed by the licence conversion process in India, leading to the attainment of a Commercial Pilots Licence issued by India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
20/11/06 Press Trust of India/Business Standard
To read the news in full |
PermaLink As per the agreement, UA will select and train pilots under the SpiceJet Cadet Pilot programme, which was launched earlier this month, the airline said in a statement.
SpiceJet has already recruited more than two batches of cadet pilots from UA under the scheme, it said. The cadet pilots will undergo theoretical training in Gurgaon for a period of two months, prior to proceeding for flight training, it said.
United Aviation's flight training is done in Canada and US and it would be followed by the licence conversion process in India, leading to the attainment of a Commercial Pilots Licence issued by India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
20/11/06 Press Trust of India/Business Standard
Friday, November 17, 2006
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Alliance to induct regional jets, pilots
New Delhi: Alliance Air is finally cruising forward on plans to turn itself into a low-cost airline. Alliance, the feeder airline subsidiary of Indian Airlines, has floated tenders to induct six regional jets that would operated under this new business model on non-metro routes.
In addition to the aircraft, Alliance Air has sought around 20 pilots and as many engineers to operate and maintain these aircraft in India. "Since it is a totally new aircraft type that will be inducted in to the Alliance Air fleet, we have sought to induct some pilots and engineers for operating these jets," an airline official said.
The airline plans to induct only those aircraft which are less than five years old as part of an effort to reduce the average age of its fleet. Alliance, officials said, will outsource any major maintenance work on these 70-seater aircraft rather than build an engineering capability.
17/11/06 Byas Anand/Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink In addition to the aircraft, Alliance Air has sought around 20 pilots and as many engineers to operate and maintain these aircraft in India. "Since it is a totally new aircraft type that will be inducted in to the Alliance Air fleet, we have sought to induct some pilots and engineers for operating these jets," an airline official said.
The airline plans to induct only those aircraft which are less than five years old as part of an effort to reduce the average age of its fleet. Alliance, officials said, will outsource any major maintenance work on these 70-seater aircraft rather than build an engineering capability.
17/11/06 Byas Anand/Times of India
The giant sucking sound that pilots love
We have written here about the giant sucking sound in India and China. The pilot vacuum in those countries is attracting pilots from as far away as Brazil. Now this - African governments have been challenged to find a way to stem the tide of staff recruited away from the continent’s airlines to work for larger carriers. Members of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) say the continent is losing skilled professionals at an alarming rate to carriers from the Middle East. "Highly skilled manpower is required to operate a safe, sustainable and efficient airline," the association noted during its general assembly in Cairo. "The development of air transport and the continued operation of African carriers will be adversely affected if the flight of skilled and professional manpower is not checked."
16/11/06 IAG Blog, US
To read the news in full |
PermaLink 16/11/06 IAG Blog, US
Asian countries to look for up to 1,000 captains each in the next five years
Demand for airline pilots in the United States traditionally has been concentrated in the major U.S. airlines, which hire about 60 percent of airline pilot, Kit Darby, president of Aviation Information Resources Inc. said. But some new avenues might be opening.
Asian interest, particularly in India and China, is rising because of tourism and business travel in those areas. Because those countries typically do not have large military training systems in place like in the United States, their demand for American pilots could increase, he said.
"They are awakening to the benefits of commercial air travel," he said. "There are regions that are looking for 500 or 1,000 captains each in the next five years."
At the beginning of this month, American Express Business Travel reported a 20 percent increase over last year in sales in Japan, Asia Pacific and Australia.
"It signals the growing maturity of these markets as travel management is being seen and used as a business tool offering a competitive advantage, not just a cost-cutting opportunity," said Libby Roy, general manager and vice president for American Express Global Business Travel, Japan, Asia Pacific and Australia, in a release.
17/11/06 Zachary Zoeller/Memphis Daily News, USA
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Asian interest, particularly in India and China, is rising because of tourism and business travel in those areas. Because those countries typically do not have large military training systems in place like in the United States, their demand for American pilots could increase, he said.
"They are awakening to the benefits of commercial air travel," he said. "There are regions that are looking for 500 or 1,000 captains each in the next five years."
At the beginning of this month, American Express Business Travel reported a 20 percent increase over last year in sales in Japan, Asia Pacific and Australia.
"It signals the growing maturity of these markets as travel management is being seen and used as a business tool offering a competitive advantage, not just a cost-cutting opportunity," said Libby Roy, general manager and vice president for American Express Global Business Travel, Japan, Asia Pacific and Australia, in a release.
17/11/06 Zachary Zoeller/Memphis Daily News, USA
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
US flying school provides course for Punjabis
Chandigarh: Aerostar Aviation, a leading Indian aviation company, in strategic alliance with Flight Safety Academy (FSA), USA, will be organising the seminar in the city to enlighten the students of Punjab about the availability of flying as a career option.
Addressing a press conference in the city today, AVM (Retd) AJS Walia, CEO of Aerostar Aviation, said that flying in India is still not considered as a career option and that his company will change the present concept.
“We have tied up with the world’s largest pilots training academy, the US-based FSA and are working towards providing commercial pilot training to the students of our country from the best in the business,” said Walia. The 40-week course will cost US $ 60,000 apart from boarding and lodging at Vero Beach, Florida, where the FSA is situated. The CEO told that he is receiving tremendous response from the students wherever he has been.
14/11/06 Chandigarh Newsline
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Addressing a press conference in the city today, AVM (Retd) AJS Walia, CEO of Aerostar Aviation, said that flying in India is still not considered as a career option and that his company will change the present concept.
“We have tied up with the world’s largest pilots training academy, the US-based FSA and are working towards providing commercial pilot training to the students of our country from the best in the business,” said Walia. The 40-week course will cost US $ 60,000 apart from boarding and lodging at Vero Beach, Florida, where the FSA is situated. The CEO told that he is receiving tremendous response from the students wherever he has been.
14/11/06 Chandigarh Newsline
Sunday, November 12, 2006
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Retired Delta pilots are finding work in Asia
Waleska, Georgia, US: About a dozen Delta pilots who took early retirement are now working for foreign carriers in Southeast Asia, China, India and the Middle East. Unlike U.S. carriers that require newly hired pilots to start at the bottom of seniority lists, some overseas carriers allow them to join according to their qualifications and experience levels.
U.S. pilots working as captains at foreign carriers typically earn about $80,000 to $100,000 a year, far less than the $180,000 a year they would earn at the top of U.S. pay scales. But most of the money U.S. pilots make overseas is tax-free as long as expatriate pilots stay largely outside the country.
More U.S. pilots could follow them if current industry trends hold.
Aerospace giant Boeing estimates the global airline fleet will more than double to 35,000 by 2024, with the fastest growth in Asia and the Middle East. The boom will require an additional 18,000 trained pilots annually, and countries such as China and India won't be able to train them fast enough.
12/11/06 Dave Hirschman/Cox News Service, Deseret News, US
To read the news in full |
PermaLink U.S. pilots working as captains at foreign carriers typically earn about $80,000 to $100,000 a year, far less than the $180,000 a year they would earn at the top of U.S. pay scales. But most of the money U.S. pilots make overseas is tax-free as long as expatriate pilots stay largely outside the country.
More U.S. pilots could follow them if current industry trends hold.
Aerospace giant Boeing estimates the global airline fleet will more than double to 35,000 by 2024, with the fastest growth in Asia and the Middle East. The boom will require an additional 18,000 trained pilots annually, and countries such as China and India won't be able to train them fast enough.
12/11/06 Dave Hirschman/Cox News Service, Deseret News, US
Delta Connection Academy Flight School Picks Cirrus
Delta Connection Academy will buy 50 Cirrus SR20 aircraft in a fleet modernization program that it says will better equip its graduates to enter the modern world of airline operations. At a news conference at AOPA Expo on Thursday, Delta Connection CEO Capt. Gary Beck said the company researched the market for three years before settling on Cirrus. The company will do its ab initio training on the Cirrus so that students are exposed to the technology from the start. "The SR20 G2 incorporates the latest advancements in flight technology to provide our students a realistic, airline-style flight training environment," he said.
The foreign country that's doing best for Cirrus at the moment is Brazil, but it continues to develop markets in potentially lucrative areas like India and China.
11/11/06 AVweb, US
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The foreign country that's doing best for Cirrus at the moment is Brazil, but it continues to develop markets in potentially lucrative areas like India and China.
11/11/06 AVweb, US
Thursday, November 09, 2006
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
SpiceJet Launches Cadet Pilot Programme
After Air India now it is the turn of SpiceJet. The airlines that fly for everyone have just launched the Cadet Pilot programme ' to identify young people driven by their desire to make a profession out of flying airline jets'.
Interested young men/women can register at the airlines site.
Though age limit is not given there at the registration page, it seems the minimum educational qualification is 10+ Physics & Maths.
Even as the airlines site provides little information beyond the queries given in the registration page, all the details are available at the United Aviation Training's site . It seems the institute and the airline are working together on this.
The United Aviation site says the aptitude tests will be conducted at Mumbai & Kolkata on 22nd of this month and at New Delhi & Bangalore on 26th.
The brochure can be downloaded from here or here.
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Interested young men/women can register at the airlines site.
Though age limit is not given there at the registration page, it seems the minimum educational qualification is 10+ Physics & Maths.
Even as the airlines site provides little information beyond the queries given in the registration page, all the details are available at the United Aviation Training's site . It seems the institute and the airline are working together on this.
The United Aviation site says the aptitude tests will be conducted at Mumbai & Kolkata on 22nd of this month and at New Delhi & Bangalore on 26th.
The brochure can be downloaded from here or here.
Saturday, November 04, 2006
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
DGCA mulls removal of flying time limits to address pilot shortage
New Delhi: With the problem of pilot shortage in the country assuming alarming proportions, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is now mulling allowing pilots to fly five more hours per week on both domestic and international routes. Curiously though, the number of landings a pilot can make in a day on the domestic circuit is being brought down from six to five.
The proposals have been made in a bid to lay down rules for airline operators regarding the flight duty time limitations and flight time limitations (FDTLs & FTLs) for crews. Till now, only an Aeronautical Information Circular, regarded more of an advisory, was in place. Now, DGCA has invited comments from airline operators and professional bodies by November 17 on the proposed changes to be introduced in the FDTLs & FTLs.
In the draft Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs), the DGCA proposes:
• To increase the Flight Duty Time for domestic air operations (including those to neighbouring countries) to 12 hours as against the current 11 hours during a period of 24 consecutive hours.
• To increase the weekly cap on Flight Time from 30 hours to 35 hours for both domestic as well as international operations.
• That no crew member on a domestic flight should make more than five landings in any 24 consecutive hours. Earlier, six landings were permitted.
03/11/06 Raghvendra Rao/Indian Express
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The proposals have been made in a bid to lay down rules for airline operators regarding the flight duty time limitations and flight time limitations (FDTLs & FTLs) for crews. Till now, only an Aeronautical Information Circular, regarded more of an advisory, was in place. Now, DGCA has invited comments from airline operators and professional bodies by November 17 on the proposed changes to be introduced in the FDTLs & FTLs.
In the draft Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs), the DGCA proposes:
• To increase the Flight Duty Time for domestic air operations (including those to neighbouring countries) to 12 hours as against the current 11 hours during a period of 24 consecutive hours.
• To increase the weekly cap on Flight Time from 30 hours to 35 hours for both domestic as well as international operations.
• That no crew member on a domestic flight should make more than five landings in any 24 consecutive hours. Earlier, six landings were permitted.
03/11/06 Raghvendra Rao/Indian Express
Madras Flying Club permitted to offer aviation maintenance course
Chennai: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has permitted the Madras Flying Club (MFC) to offer aviation maintenance engineering (AME) course and set up an engine overhaul workshop.
"We will seek the assistance of District Collectors to help create awareness among students in interior pockets of the State to encourage them to take up flying as a vocation and make it affordable to the economically weaker sections," ays Jacob Selvaraj, Air India pilot and chairman of the Madras Flying Club.
The MFC will make detailed presentations to Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, Union Minister of Communications and Information Technology Dayanidhi Maran, and Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram.
The MFC will approach Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Governments to help refurbish the airstrips at Sholavaram near Chennai and Lawspet on the outskirts of the Union Territory.
Capt. Selvaraj wants the Government to stop quarrying of gravel around the Sholavaram airfield. "The Government can hand over the Sholavaram airfield to the MFC to help kick-start flying activities." At present, trainee pilots have to go to Vellore for their training.
04/11/06 TS Shankar/The Hindu
To read the news in full |
PermaLink "We will seek the assistance of District Collectors to help create awareness among students in interior pockets of the State to encourage them to take up flying as a vocation and make it affordable to the economically weaker sections," ays Jacob Selvaraj, Air India pilot and chairman of the Madras Flying Club.
The MFC will make detailed presentations to Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, Union Minister of Communications and Information Technology Dayanidhi Maran, and Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram.
The MFC will approach Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Governments to help refurbish the airstrips at Sholavaram near Chennai and Lawspet on the outskirts of the Union Territory.
Capt. Selvaraj wants the Government to stop quarrying of gravel around the Sholavaram airfield. "The Government can hand over the Sholavaram airfield to the MFC to help kick-start flying activities." At present, trainee pilots have to go to Vellore for their training.
04/11/06 TS Shankar/The Hindu
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