Sunday, September 30, 2007
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
India's decision disrupts career plans of retired US pilots
India's civil aviation authority last month stopped certifying U.S. pilots over the age of 60, disrupting the plans of pilots who'd been recruited to fly the dozens of jets ordered by Indian carriers.
Mumbai-based Jet Airways, which had hired Noonan to fly Boeing 777s on international routes, sent him home to California last month. About 30 Jet pilots have petitioned the FAA to intervene on their behalf, Marty Noonan, 61, who retired from Continental Airlines last year and who also is pursuing a Canadian license, said. They've also applied for Canadian licenses, a process than usually takes between 20 and 40 days for qualified American airline pilots.
"We are in the process of responding to the Indian government," said FAA spokeswoman Alison Duquette. She adds that the FAA's position is that "it's fine with us" if the Indian government accepts U.S. pilots with a current license and medical certificate.
Meanwhile, Mike Ballard who is about to retire from United Airlines after a service of 29 years spends his days rehabbing a bathroom in his Colorado home and preparing to take the written exam prepared by Transport Canada, that country's civil aviation authority.
Ballard said he needs a Canadian license to land a job with Air India that would help offset the pension he lost during United's bankruptcy.
That's a big change after six years as the captain flying Boeing 777s. But Ballard says he became resigned to a rocky retirement after United eliminated its employee pension plans in 2005, a move that cost him about 75 percent of his retirement pay.
30/09/07 Julie Johnsson/Chicago Tribune, United States
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Mumbai-based Jet Airways, which had hired Noonan to fly Boeing 777s on international routes, sent him home to California last month. About 30 Jet pilots have petitioned the FAA to intervene on their behalf, Marty Noonan, 61, who retired from Continental Airlines last year and who also is pursuing a Canadian license, said. They've also applied for Canadian licenses, a process than usually takes between 20 and 40 days for qualified American airline pilots.
"We are in the process of responding to the Indian government," said FAA spokeswoman Alison Duquette. She adds that the FAA's position is that "it's fine with us" if the Indian government accepts U.S. pilots with a current license and medical certificate.
Meanwhile, Mike Ballard who is about to retire from United Airlines after a service of 29 years spends his days rehabbing a bathroom in his Colorado home and preparing to take the written exam prepared by Transport Canada, that country's civil aviation authority.
Ballard said he needs a Canadian license to land a job with Air India that would help offset the pension he lost during United's bankruptcy.
That's a big change after six years as the captain flying Boeing 777s. But Ballard says he became resigned to a rocky retirement after United eliminated its employee pension plans in 2005, a move that cost him about 75 percent of his retirement pay.
30/09/07 Julie Johnsson/Chicago Tribune, United States
The place for general discussion, feedback and questions Readers Forum
Now, small town girls fly high
Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government has tied up with India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) for providing free training to SC graduates in air-hostess, travel and hospitality management course. Currently 98 girls are taking part in the programme.
Among them are Taruna Barot from Sami in Patan, Nita Rathod of Khedbrahma in Sabarkantha, Darshana Jadav from Diyodar in Banaskantha, Hetal Dafda from Timbavadi in Junagadh and Saroj Pungera, Maliya, Jamnagar. "For middle-class, SC girls like us, this is one chance to prove that those who come from the challenged sections of society can come up in life, given an opportunity," says Nikita.
"My father could not afford the money charged by private training institutes, so this government advertisement was a godsend," said Rekha Makwana of Dhanduka.
Their sheer enthusiasm and determination, has helped them tide over the obvious culture shocks and challenges that have come their way.
"We have been running a similar programme successfully in Bangalore for the last two years. From the first batch that we trained there, thirteen girls were hired by Indian," said Kuldeep Verma, general manager, ITDC.
30/09/07 Rahul Mangaonkar/Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Among them are Taruna Barot from Sami in Patan, Nita Rathod of Khedbrahma in Sabarkantha, Darshana Jadav from Diyodar in Banaskantha, Hetal Dafda from Timbavadi in Junagadh and Saroj Pungera, Maliya, Jamnagar. "For middle-class, SC girls like us, this is one chance to prove that those who come from the challenged sections of society can come up in life, given an opportunity," says Nikita.
"My father could not afford the money charged by private training institutes, so this government advertisement was a godsend," said Rekha Makwana of Dhanduka.
Their sheer enthusiasm and determination, has helped them tide over the obvious culture shocks and challenges that have come their way.
"We have been running a similar programme successfully in Bangalore for the last two years. From the first batch that we trained there, thirteen girls were hired by Indian," said Kuldeep Verma, general manager, ITDC.
30/09/07 Rahul Mangaonkar/Times of India
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Saturday, September 29, 2007
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Pilot courses in US work out cheaper than in India
New Delhi: Even while 37 applications for setting up flying academies are pending for government clearance, the inexpensive fees of commercial pilot training courses in the US, South-east Asia and Australia, compared to India, are forcing aspiring pilots to go abroad.
While the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uraan Academy (IGRUA) — an autonomous flying institute under the central government — charges around Rs 19 lakh for its training course for a commercial pilot licence, a flying institute in the US charges around Rs 16 lakh for the same course.
What is more, the training period in the US academies is six months, while it can take up to two and a half years in India.
Even South-east Asia works out cheaper than India. Malaysian flying academies offer courses that take about a year but cost between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 12 lakh. The Philippines, which is one of the cheapest countries in the world for getting a pilot’s licence, charges Rs 9-10 lakh.
Australia offers a range of academies giving training for Rs 16-18 lakh.
While there are 42 training institutes in the country, of which only 25 are operational (14 are state-operated and 11 are run by private entrepreneurs), they have the capacity to churn out 300- 400 pilots annually, leaving a yawning gap of 600-700 pilots.
The private flying schools in India charge about Rs 16 lakh, which is at par with what is charged in the US.
But most of them do not offer multi-engine aircraft training, unlike in foreign academies. This training is necessary to get entry into any premier airline company in the country or the globe.
State-owned flying institutes charge a little lower, in the range of Rs 10 lakh.
29/09/07 Anirban Chowdhury/Business Standard
To read the news in full |
PermaLink While the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uraan Academy (IGRUA) — an autonomous flying institute under the central government — charges around Rs 19 lakh for its training course for a commercial pilot licence, a flying institute in the US charges around Rs 16 lakh for the same course.
What is more, the training period in the US academies is six months, while it can take up to two and a half years in India.
Even South-east Asia works out cheaper than India. Malaysian flying academies offer courses that take about a year but cost between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 12 lakh. The Philippines, which is one of the cheapest countries in the world for getting a pilot’s licence, charges Rs 9-10 lakh.
Australia offers a range of academies giving training for Rs 16-18 lakh.
While there are 42 training institutes in the country, of which only 25 are operational (14 are state-operated and 11 are run by private entrepreneurs), they have the capacity to churn out 300- 400 pilots annually, leaving a yawning gap of 600-700 pilots.
The private flying schools in India charge about Rs 16 lakh, which is at par with what is charged in the US.
But most of them do not offer multi-engine aircraft training, unlike in foreign academies. This training is necessary to get entry into any premier airline company in the country or the globe.
State-owned flying institutes charge a little lower, in the range of Rs 10 lakh.
29/09/07 Anirban Chowdhury/Business Standard
The place for general discussion, feedback and questions Readers Forum
Mysore girls fly high
Mysore: The Centre Head of Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training, Mysore, Mamta Arun, felicitated Ahana Nanda, a student of Frankfinn who got selected by Indigo Airlines as cabin crew, in a campus interview organised by Frankfinn recently.
Ahana had to go through seven rounds of interview before receiving the offer letter from Indigo Airlines. Ahana will now under-go training at Indigo Airlines, Delhi, for two months and then start flying.
Ahana was the first student to join Frankfinn and she was the first student to get placed also. Apart from her, there are other students who have cleared interviews, but they are yet to receive their appointment letters.
28/09/07 Star of Mysore
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Ahana had to go through seven rounds of interview before receiving the offer letter from Indigo Airlines. Ahana will now under-go training at Indigo Airlines, Delhi, for two months and then start flying.
Ahana was the first student to join Frankfinn and she was the first student to get placed also. Apart from her, there are other students who have cleared interviews, but they are yet to receive their appointment letters.
28/09/07 Star of Mysore
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Friday, September 28, 2007
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
AME Examination candidate list revised
DGCA has revised the list of admitted candidates for AME License Examination October 2007.
DGCA dirtects the candidates to check their particulars for correctness of allotted
papers / centres etc. In case of any discrepancy, it should be IMMEDIATELY
brought to the notice of the Central Examination Organization, East Block-III,
R.K.Puram, and New Delhi-110 066, through Speed-post or Fax (No. 26196307)
Candidates MUST bring DGCA PHOTO-ID card for entry in to the examination Hall.
See this and other announcements here
To read the news in full |
PermaLink DGCA dirtects the candidates to check their particulars for correctness of allotted
papers / centres etc. In case of any discrepancy, it should be IMMEDIATELY
brought to the notice of the Central Examination Organization, East Block-III,
R.K.Puram, and New Delhi-110 066, through Speed-post or Fax (No. 26196307)
Candidates MUST bring DGCA PHOTO-ID card for entry in to the examination Hall.
See this and other announcements here
The place for general discussion, feedback and questions Readers Forum
Airlines hire expat pilots to fly smaller aircraft
New Delhi: Indian pilots’ penchant for flying bigger aircraft and their disinclination to sit in cockpits of smaller aircraft, such as ATRs (40-70 seats), may force some airlines to rejig the delivery schedules for smaller aircraft into their fleet.
To tide over the issue, airlines are being forced to hire expat pilots to keep their ATR flying. Already around 80% of all ATRs in the country are being flown by expat pilots. For instance, Kingfisher’s ATR fleet of 12 aircraft is managed by 60-odd expat pilots. In case of Air Deccan, which has 23 aircraft, over 50% of ATR pilots are of foreign-origin.
To overcome the shortage, airlines are also seeking relaxation of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) norms for pilots to fly different types of ATR aircraft. As per current regulations, pilots trained on ATR-42 must clock at least 100 hours of flying time in the co-pilot’s seat in an ATR-72 before they qualify as an captain.
With airlines such as Kingfisher and Deccan set to take delivery of 20-odd ATRs over the next 12 months, the problem may become acute.
In a recent meeting with DGCA officials, senior executives from ATR have suggested changes in Indian regulations, namely doing away with the 100-hour flying requirement. They have also proposed that Indian and French aviation regulators should work together over the issue.
Foreign pilots too have been complaining of non-standard visa procedures in the country, which essentially depend on the origin country of the pilot.
28/09/07 Sudipto Dey/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink To tide over the issue, airlines are being forced to hire expat pilots to keep their ATR flying. Already around 80% of all ATRs in the country are being flown by expat pilots. For instance, Kingfisher’s ATR fleet of 12 aircraft is managed by 60-odd expat pilots. In case of Air Deccan, which has 23 aircraft, over 50% of ATR pilots are of foreign-origin.
To overcome the shortage, airlines are also seeking relaxation of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) norms for pilots to fly different types of ATR aircraft. As per current regulations, pilots trained on ATR-42 must clock at least 100 hours of flying time in the co-pilot’s seat in an ATR-72 before they qualify as an captain.
With airlines such as Kingfisher and Deccan set to take delivery of 20-odd ATRs over the next 12 months, the problem may become acute.
In a recent meeting with DGCA officials, senior executives from ATR have suggested changes in Indian regulations, namely doing away with the 100-hour flying requirement. They have also proposed that Indian and French aviation regulators should work together over the issue.
Foreign pilots too have been complaining of non-standard visa procedures in the country, which essentially depend on the origin country of the pilot.
28/09/07 Sudipto Dey/Economic Times
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Thursday, September 27, 2007
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Airlines prefer women cabin crew
When Vijay Mallya launched Kingfisher Airlines, he brought a new look to the Indian skies. And one of the highlights of the facelift was the introduction of 'flying models'- the young, glamorous and all-female cabin crew handpicked by Mallya himself.
But now two years later the increasing number of male flight attendants find themselves deprived of the opportunity to be a part of the cabin staff of one of the country's best paying airlines.
While Kingfisher pays a salary of Rs 30,000 per month, Jet pays Rs 28,000 and Deccan pays Rs 25,000.
Kingfisher argues that it has perfectly good reason to hire an all-women staff.
''Women are traditionally associated with warmth, hospitality and symbolise a welcoming attitude. Add to that a glamour quotient and the traveler takes home a near perfect flying
experience,'' said Rajesh Verma, Exec VP, Kingfisher.
While other airlines like Deccan and Jet hire male attendants, the ratio is still 1 man to every 7 women.
27/09/07 Kajori Sen/New Delhi
To read the news in full |
PermaLink But now two years later the increasing number of male flight attendants find themselves deprived of the opportunity to be a part of the cabin staff of one of the country's best paying airlines.
While Kingfisher pays a salary of Rs 30,000 per month, Jet pays Rs 28,000 and Deccan pays Rs 25,000.
Kingfisher argues that it has perfectly good reason to hire an all-women staff.
''Women are traditionally associated with warmth, hospitality and symbolise a welcoming attitude. Add to that a glamour quotient and the traveler takes home a near perfect flying
experience,'' said Rajesh Verma, Exec VP, Kingfisher.
While other airlines like Deccan and Jet hire male attendants, the ratio is still 1 man to every 7 women.
27/09/07 Kajori Sen/New Delhi
The place for general discussion, feedback and questions Readers Forum
Instructor shortage bites
Tomorrow's pilots are finding fewer instructors to train them as airlines whisk up new employees with fewer and fewer flight hours, warned NBAA exhibitors at the show this morning.
Exhibitors representing schools from coast to coast report sending graduates to airlines without first hiring them as instructors, which is the traditional path to gaining experience and educating the next class.
“They can go straight from graduation into right-seat jobs, and that was not the case even two years ago,” said Jon Merwin, who assists Embry-Riddle (booth 3231) graduates with job placement.
Schools used to have a surplus of instructors and wish they still did as the mass migration of students from China and India is increasing demand. As demand overwhelms supply, many schools bump up salary and add benefits for the first time, and some report they are forced to increase tuition to do it.
A new program will link bonuses to time spent with trainees, and the weekend's dress code has been extended to week-long. That helps instructors enjoy themselves, and people who enjoy training are the ideal candidates, he says.
Globally, the new multi-crew pilot licenses are putting non-pilots into airliners within a year, helping ease the severe worldwide pilot shortages. Simulation plays a bigger role with MPL, but not in the USA, where the Federal Aviation Administration is not exploring this possibility.
“Pilots entrusted to fly the public should have a broad background of coming up through the ranks of general aviation - student, private, commercial, instrument - or through the military,” the FAA says.
26/09/07 Jeffrey Decker/Flight Daily News/Flight International
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Exhibitors representing schools from coast to coast report sending graduates to airlines without first hiring them as instructors, which is the traditional path to gaining experience and educating the next class.
“They can go straight from graduation into right-seat jobs, and that was not the case even two years ago,” said Jon Merwin, who assists Embry-Riddle (booth 3231) graduates with job placement.
Schools used to have a surplus of instructors and wish they still did as the mass migration of students from China and India is increasing demand. As demand overwhelms supply, many schools bump up salary and add benefits for the first time, and some report they are forced to increase tuition to do it.
A new program will link bonuses to time spent with trainees, and the weekend's dress code has been extended to week-long. That helps instructors enjoy themselves, and people who enjoy training are the ideal candidates, he says.
Globally, the new multi-crew pilot licenses are putting non-pilots into airliners within a year, helping ease the severe worldwide pilot shortages. Simulation plays a bigger role with MPL, but not in the USA, where the Federal Aviation Administration is not exploring this possibility.
“Pilots entrusted to fly the public should have a broad background of coming up through the ranks of general aviation - student, private, commercial, instrument - or through the military,” the FAA says.
26/09/07 Jeffrey Decker/Flight Daily News/Flight International
The place for general discussion, feedback and questions Readers Forum
HAL-CAE pact to set up academy
Bangalore: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and CAE, a Canadian firm, today signed an agreement here to set up a joint venture company that will open a helicopter simulator training centre in the city, the first of its kind in India devoted specifically to serve civil and military helicopter customers in the region
Helicopter Academy to Train by Simulation of Flying (HATSOFF), the new unit, would be owned equally by HAL and CAE and it is expected to begin operation in late 2008, providing both civil and military helicopter pilot and maintenance training services.
As part of the joint venture, CAE would design and manufacture one full-mission simulator featuring CAE's revolutionary roll-on and roll-off cockpit design, which enables cockpits representing various helicopter types to be used in the simulator.
26/09/07 The Statesman
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Helicopter Academy to Train by Simulation of Flying (HATSOFF), the new unit, would be owned equally by HAL and CAE and it is expected to begin operation in late 2008, providing both civil and military helicopter pilot and maintenance training services.
As part of the joint venture, CAE would design and manufacture one full-mission simulator featuring CAE's revolutionary roll-on and roll-off cockpit design, which enables cockpits representing various helicopter types to be used in the simulator.
26/09/07 The Statesman
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Wednesday, September 26, 2007
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Pilot shortage easing?
Pilots are probably one the highest paid professionals in India with salaries ranging from five lakh rupees a month to over Rs 10 lakh depending on the aircraft they fly and their experience. Over the past 3 years poaching had sent remunerations spiraling. But in the past 12 months salaries have begun to stabilise.
"Salaries have stabilised because pilots now must give 6 months notice to quit,” adds Ajay Singh, Director, SpiceJet.
Experts say that in the next few years there could actually be a dip in salaries as it happened in the US and Britain. Most airlines have introduced their own training programs, the govt has increased the retirement age and eased the norms of getting in, and airlines are in a consolidation mode. All this has eased the pilot shortage in India.
Still, some say the relief is temporary. Once airlines have consolidated and are set to take on the skies again, pilots could become a precious resource once again.
25/09/07 Moneycontrol.com
To read the news in full |
PermaLink "Salaries have stabilised because pilots now must give 6 months notice to quit,” adds Ajay Singh, Director, SpiceJet.
Experts say that in the next few years there could actually be a dip in salaries as it happened in the US and Britain. Most airlines have introduced their own training programs, the govt has increased the retirement age and eased the norms of getting in, and airlines are in a consolidation mode. All this has eased the pilot shortage in India.
Still, some say the relief is temporary. Once airlines have consolidated and are set to take on the skies again, pilots could become a precious resource once again.
25/09/07 Moneycontrol.com
The place for general discussion, feedback and questions Readers Forum
Safety fears over flight simulator training
Fatal plane crashes this year in Indonesia and Thailand have put the issue of pilot competency in the spotlight, and in Australia there are warnings that our own commercial air safety could be compromised by a proposed new licensing system for copilots.
By any standard, 2007 has been a horror year for commercial air safety. It started on New Year's Day when an Indonesian 737 crashed, killing everyone on board.
Two months later in Yogyakarta, another Indonesian airliner exploded after careering off the end of a runway. Twenty-two people, including five Australians, died.
Earlier this month, 89 people were killed when a Thai plane crashed in bad weather on the resort island of Phuket.
Australia's air safety watchdog is overseeing a trial in Brisbane of a new system that involves a greater emphasis on flight simulators than on actual air time.
The trial is being carried out by the Airline Academy of Australia, in conjunction with Boeing, and involves one of the most advanced flight simulators in the world.
Its supporters say it gives budding pilots a better idea of extreme conditions behind the controls.
But critics say it means trainees with just 10 hours' actual flying time could receive what is called a multi-crew pilot's licence, or MPL.
Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) spokesman Peter Gibson says human error can be reduced by the scheme.
"Now if we can train our crews from day one in their pilot training to look for those errors that they're making, to look for the mistakes they can make, to look for the threats to safety and to identify those accurately and take actions to avoid them, then we can avoid accidents."
If the new regime is implemented in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) guidelines, trainees could qualify for a commercial copilot's licence after just 10 hours solo flying in an actual plane.
The news editor of Travel Weekly, Justin Wastnage, says the new scheme "spits out" copilots.
With the economies of China and India booming, and more people flying than ever before, there is a huge shortage of pilots, meaning the pressure is on to train more.
"If we look at what the national civil aviation organisation is telling us, for the next 18 years or thereabouts we're looking at a deficit of about 80,000-odd pilots," Former RAAF commander Stewart Cameron said.
Richard Chen from Taiwan hopes to graduate from the Airline Academy of Australia in six months and then head home to fulfil his passion for flying while also landing a lucrative job.
"ICAO has introduced this new class of licence called a multi-crew pilot's licence, which really is a speeded-up version of the commercial pilot's licence, essentially spitting out some copilots rather than fully-trained captains with a lot of work done in simulators rather than flying small aircraft," he said.
This sounds like a great plan to turn out a lot of pilots rapidly, but some observers are concerned it may compromise safety.
Former RAAF commander Stewart Cameron is the chief executive officer of the Airline Academy of Australia and is the man in charge of the trial.
"This is the first time in nearly 50 years we've actually looked at a way of changing the training," he said.
The academy simulator can certainly test would-be pilots by replicating some of the most challenging flying conditions.
Pilots can do battle with blinding rain and severe cross-winds, but old hands like Mr Somerville warn that nothing beats the real thing.
But CASA's Peter Gibson says modern simulators are incredibly sophisticated.
"You can do things in them that you simply can't do in an aircraft," he said.
"You can pretend you've got an engine failure in a 737 by shutting down the engine and making the pilots go through that drill. You can't do that in a real aircraft."
But Mr Gibson argues that under the current system, many would-be commercial pilots spend too much time flying irrelevant, single-engine aircraft.
"It's a mix of flying in aircraft. You've still got to do your basic flying training, but then you'll move more quickly into simulator where you can learn to fly in the environment that you're going to be operating in, in other words in 737s, 747s and most importantly, with two pilots, learn to work as a crew," he said.
The trial of the multi-crew pilots licensing system will wrap up next year, and CASA will then invite the community to comment on it. Mr Gibson says after that, the decision will be made whether or not to implement it.
25/09/07 Mark Willacy/ABC Online, Australia
To read the news in full |
PermaLink By any standard, 2007 has been a horror year for commercial air safety. It started on New Year's Day when an Indonesian 737 crashed, killing everyone on board.
Two months later in Yogyakarta, another Indonesian airliner exploded after careering off the end of a runway. Twenty-two people, including five Australians, died.
Earlier this month, 89 people were killed when a Thai plane crashed in bad weather on the resort island of Phuket.
Australia's air safety watchdog is overseeing a trial in Brisbane of a new system that involves a greater emphasis on flight simulators than on actual air time.
The trial is being carried out by the Airline Academy of Australia, in conjunction with Boeing, and involves one of the most advanced flight simulators in the world.
Its supporters say it gives budding pilots a better idea of extreme conditions behind the controls.
But critics say it means trainees with just 10 hours' actual flying time could receive what is called a multi-crew pilot's licence, or MPL.
Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) spokesman Peter Gibson says human error can be reduced by the scheme.
"Now if we can train our crews from day one in their pilot training to look for those errors that they're making, to look for the mistakes they can make, to look for the threats to safety and to identify those accurately and take actions to avoid them, then we can avoid accidents."
If the new regime is implemented in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) guidelines, trainees could qualify for a commercial copilot's licence after just 10 hours solo flying in an actual plane.
The news editor of Travel Weekly, Justin Wastnage, says the new scheme "spits out" copilots.
With the economies of China and India booming, and more people flying than ever before, there is a huge shortage of pilots, meaning the pressure is on to train more.
"If we look at what the national civil aviation organisation is telling us, for the next 18 years or thereabouts we're looking at a deficit of about 80,000-odd pilots," Former RAAF commander Stewart Cameron said.
Richard Chen from Taiwan hopes to graduate from the Airline Academy of Australia in six months and then head home to fulfil his passion for flying while also landing a lucrative job.
"ICAO has introduced this new class of licence called a multi-crew pilot's licence, which really is a speeded-up version of the commercial pilot's licence, essentially spitting out some copilots rather than fully-trained captains with a lot of work done in simulators rather than flying small aircraft," he said.
This sounds like a great plan to turn out a lot of pilots rapidly, but some observers are concerned it may compromise safety.
Former RAAF commander Stewart Cameron is the chief executive officer of the Airline Academy of Australia and is the man in charge of the trial.
"This is the first time in nearly 50 years we've actually looked at a way of changing the training," he said.
The academy simulator can certainly test would-be pilots by replicating some of the most challenging flying conditions.
Pilots can do battle with blinding rain and severe cross-winds, but old hands like Mr Somerville warn that nothing beats the real thing.
But CASA's Peter Gibson says modern simulators are incredibly sophisticated.
"You can do things in them that you simply can't do in an aircraft," he said.
"You can pretend you've got an engine failure in a 737 by shutting down the engine and making the pilots go through that drill. You can't do that in a real aircraft."
But Mr Gibson argues that under the current system, many would-be commercial pilots spend too much time flying irrelevant, single-engine aircraft.
"It's a mix of flying in aircraft. You've still got to do your basic flying training, but then you'll move more quickly into simulator where you can learn to fly in the environment that you're going to be operating in, in other words in 737s, 747s and most importantly, with two pilots, learn to work as a crew," he said.
The trial of the multi-crew pilots licensing system will wrap up next year, and CASA will then invite the community to comment on it. Mr Gibson says after that, the decision will be made whether or not to implement it.
25/09/07 Mark Willacy/ABC Online, Australia
The place for general discussion, feedback and questions Readers Forum
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Now, airlines to go slow on expat pilots
New Delhi: Indian airline companies are getting ambitious; they not only want to bridge the supply gap in the domestic market but also want to train manpower in huge numbers so that the surplus is recruited by foreign airlines.
For instance, India’s largest private airline Jet Airways is in the process of creating a large pool of pilots to serve the domestic as well as international markets. Other airlines like SpiceJet plans to stop hiring expat pilots from 2008-end while Deccan is already taking steps to reduce their intake of foreign pilots.
Says Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal: “We want to create a large pool of pilots to meet our needs and those of foreign airlines such as British Airways or Lufthansa. If our bankers and computer engineers can be hired by foreign companies, why not our pilots?”
Jet Airways has tied up with Brussels-based pilot training school, Sabena Flight Academy, to train 200 pilots every year. Mr Goyal says his company will bear the entire cost of training pilots.
In view of the booming aviation sector and consequent rise in the demand for pilots, several training schools have come up in India. Most of these schools send trainees to the US, Europe or South East Asia for training.
Most Indian airlines, such as Deccan and Kingfisher, are entering into strategic tie ups with international training schools, part financing some part of the training programme of pilot aspirants.
Matters will ease as airlines start getting their own training simulators in the country from 2008 onwards. Both SpiceJet and Deccan have already started programmes for reducing dependence on expat pilots.
The ministry of civil aviation has already set the ball rolling for an aviation sector Manpower Plan for the next 20 years. The plan-of-action is to create an aviation manpower pool within the country to meet the growing needs of the domestic industry and also position India as an HR sourcing hub globally.
25/09/07 Sudipto Dey & Sanjeev Choudhary/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink For instance, India’s largest private airline Jet Airways is in the process of creating a large pool of pilots to serve the domestic as well as international markets. Other airlines like SpiceJet plans to stop hiring expat pilots from 2008-end while Deccan is already taking steps to reduce their intake of foreign pilots.
Says Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal: “We want to create a large pool of pilots to meet our needs and those of foreign airlines such as British Airways or Lufthansa. If our bankers and computer engineers can be hired by foreign companies, why not our pilots?”
Jet Airways has tied up with Brussels-based pilot training school, Sabena Flight Academy, to train 200 pilots every year. Mr Goyal says his company will bear the entire cost of training pilots.
In view of the booming aviation sector and consequent rise in the demand for pilots, several training schools have come up in India. Most of these schools send trainees to the US, Europe or South East Asia for training.
Most Indian airlines, such as Deccan and Kingfisher, are entering into strategic tie ups with international training schools, part financing some part of the training programme of pilot aspirants.
Matters will ease as airlines start getting their own training simulators in the country from 2008 onwards. Both SpiceJet and Deccan have already started programmes for reducing dependence on expat pilots.
The ministry of civil aviation has already set the ball rolling for an aviation sector Manpower Plan for the next 20 years. The plan-of-action is to create an aviation manpower pool within the country to meet the growing needs of the domestic industry and also position India as an HR sourcing hub globally.
25/09/07 Sudipto Dey & Sanjeev Choudhary/Economic Times
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1,500 get jobs at Air Force fair
New Delhi: About 1,500 appointment letters are expected to be issued by various corporate organisations to ex-IAF personnel within the next one month after the "placement fair" held in the capital over the weekend, the IAF announced on Monday.
In fact, such was the extent of interaction that the schedule of interviews conducted by corporate bodies would extend till Tuesday despite the fact that the fair was meant to be just a two-day event on Saturday and Sunday, IAF officials said.
A large number of ex-IAF personnel expected to be offered appointment letters were those who had served in the IAF’s technical branches, IAF officials said.
An estimated 3,000 ex-IAF personnel participated in the placement fair, hoping to be recruited in the corporate sector. "There were more than 20,000 CVs circulated to corporate organisations during the fair," an IAF official said. An estimated 48 corporate organisations were associated with the fair. ‘According to the IAF, these included ICICI, Kalinga Commercial, Ahmedabad Aviation and Aeronautics Ltd., Godrej and Boyce, Tata Steel, Wipro, Bajaj Capital, Vishal Retail, Bhaskar Power Project, Relcom Group, HCL Infinet and the state-owned Pawan Hans Helicopters.
The ex-IAF personnel participating in the fair included those who had 15 to 20 years experience in Flying, Navigation, Air Traffic Control (ATC), aeronautical engineering, technology management and engineering work experience, education management, finance and logistics management and security. Civil aviation organisations like the state-owned Pawan Hans helicopters are among those who participated in the fair. Pawan Hans is looking to recruit ex-IAF helicopter pilots for its expanding helicopter operations.
The rapidly-growing civil aviation sector is ever on the lookout to recruit pilots and technicians. State-owned carrier Air India had earlier entered into an agreement with the IAF for absorption of pilots.
24/09/07 The Asian Age
To read the news in full |
PermaLink In fact, such was the extent of interaction that the schedule of interviews conducted by corporate bodies would extend till Tuesday despite the fact that the fair was meant to be just a two-day event on Saturday and Sunday, IAF officials said.
A large number of ex-IAF personnel expected to be offered appointment letters were those who had served in the IAF’s technical branches, IAF officials said.
An estimated 3,000 ex-IAF personnel participated in the placement fair, hoping to be recruited in the corporate sector. "There were more than 20,000 CVs circulated to corporate organisations during the fair," an IAF official said. An estimated 48 corporate organisations were associated with the fair. ‘According to the IAF, these included ICICI, Kalinga Commercial, Ahmedabad Aviation and Aeronautics Ltd., Godrej and Boyce, Tata Steel, Wipro, Bajaj Capital, Vishal Retail, Bhaskar Power Project, Relcom Group, HCL Infinet and the state-owned Pawan Hans Helicopters.
The ex-IAF personnel participating in the fair included those who had 15 to 20 years experience in Flying, Navigation, Air Traffic Control (ATC), aeronautical engineering, technology management and engineering work experience, education management, finance and logistics management and security. Civil aviation organisations like the state-owned Pawan Hans helicopters are among those who participated in the fair. Pawan Hans is looking to recruit ex-IAF helicopter pilots for its expanding helicopter operations.
The rapidly-growing civil aviation sector is ever on the lookout to recruit pilots and technicians. State-owned carrier Air India had earlier entered into an agreement with the IAF for absorption of pilots.
24/09/07 The Asian Age
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Monday, September 24, 2007
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City of Tulsa (US) offers pilot training for aerospace ind
Addressing IACC’s 4th Indo-US Economic Summit today in New Delhi, Ms Kathryn Taylor, Mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma, US said that the US and India can have strong partnership in the field of aerospace, aviation training and maintenance.
The Mayor said that the City of Tulsa is a major hub for aerospace in the US and over 300 aerospace firms are functioning in the city. The Indian aerospace industry would grow exponentially in the coming years in view of the increasing passenger and cargo traffic. The passenger traffic is increasing by 25 per cent every year. Cargo traffic growth is not far behind. India needs help in terms of resources and expertise for consolidating this growth, particularly for acquiring more aircrafts and maintaining them.
Significantly, Mayor is leading a delegation of businessmen from Tulsa, who are actively taking part in the deliberations of the Indo-US Economic Summit.
Referring to the training needs of the aerospace industry, Ms Taylor said that India needs 4000 pilots in the next few years to man the aircrafts that she is going to acquire in the next few years. By 2020, India might need more than 20,000 pilots. Specialized institutions based in the US for training pilots can meet these huge manpower requirements, she added.
24/09/07 Moneycontrol.com
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The Mayor said that the City of Tulsa is a major hub for aerospace in the US and over 300 aerospace firms are functioning in the city. The Indian aerospace industry would grow exponentially in the coming years in view of the increasing passenger and cargo traffic. The passenger traffic is increasing by 25 per cent every year. Cargo traffic growth is not far behind. India needs help in terms of resources and expertise for consolidating this growth, particularly for acquiring more aircrafts and maintaining them.
Significantly, Mayor is leading a delegation of businessmen from Tulsa, who are actively taking part in the deliberations of the Indo-US Economic Summit.
Referring to the training needs of the aerospace industry, Ms Taylor said that India needs 4000 pilots in the next few years to man the aircrafts that she is going to acquire in the next few years. By 2020, India might need more than 20,000 pilots. Specialized institutions based in the US for training pilots can meet these huge manpower requirements, she added.
24/09/07 Moneycontrol.com
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Older US pilots not ready to have wings clipped
Washington: Jack Norman has interviewed for a job with Air India and has sent applications to corporate jet companies. Neither option pays nearly as well as his senior position at Continental. Fortunately, his children are out of college.
''It all boils down to being told you can't [work] anymore for no other reason than a birthday,'' he said. ''I view myself at the top of my game.''
Norman wants to keep flying for his airline, but only an act of Congress can keep him in the cockpit.
Like thousands of his colleagues, Norman, a commercial airline pilot, is about to be forced out of the industry by a decades-old rule that says commercial pilots must retire when they turn 60. Norman has five months to go before he gets his marching orders from Continental Airlines, where he flies Boeing 777s around the globe out of Newark Liberty International Airport.
''Any way you slice it, we are being discriminated against,'' said Norman, a 59-year-old Bethlehem resident, as he trekked across Capitol Hill on a trip here last week to lobby lawmakers to change the rule. ''It is about fairness.''
For years, older pilots have pushed to change the rules only to watch legislation fall agonizingly short in Congress.
This year could be different. The International Civil Aviation Organization -- the international regulator for the industry -- upped its age limit for captains to 65 last year, the Federal Aviation Administration came out in favor of an age change and the Air Line Pilots Association followed suit.
Momentum is on the pilots' side: Measures to change the rule are moving through Congress with broad bipartisan support. But the process is slow and time, for some, is running out -- 200 pilots a month turn 60.
The FAA issued the age 60 rule in 1959 out of what it said were safety concerns after a labor dispute between American Airlines and its older pilots. For decades, challenges to the rule were swept aside by the courts.
''We really hadn't seen any evidence that changing the rule would enhance safety,'' FAA spokeswoman Alison Duquette said Friday.
But with increasing support for a new age limit in recent years, pressure has mounted on Congress and the FAA to act.
''The opposition has melted away,'' said 58-year-old Paul Emens, president of the Airline Pilots Against Age Discrimination, who has been fighting the issue for years, just as his father did before him.
In January, a few months after the International Civil Aviation Organization upped its retirement age, the head of the FAA announced its intention to follow suit through a rule-making change that would take at least a couple of years to complete. Four months later, the Air Line Pilots Association, which had long opposed the move, came out in favor.
One group that remains opposed is the union for American Airlines' 12,000 pilots, the Allied Pilots Association. Gregg Overman, association spokesman, said internal polls show that American Airlines pilots are against the change by a 7-to-1 margin. Upping the age limit to 65, he said, is as arbitrary as 60.
23/09/07 Josh Drobnyk/Allentown Morning Call, US
To read the news in full |
PermaLink ''It all boils down to being told you can't [work] anymore for no other reason than a birthday,'' he said. ''I view myself at the top of my game.''
Norman wants to keep flying for his airline, but only an act of Congress can keep him in the cockpit.
Like thousands of his colleagues, Norman, a commercial airline pilot, is about to be forced out of the industry by a decades-old rule that says commercial pilots must retire when they turn 60. Norman has five months to go before he gets his marching orders from Continental Airlines, where he flies Boeing 777s around the globe out of Newark Liberty International Airport.
''Any way you slice it, we are being discriminated against,'' said Norman, a 59-year-old Bethlehem resident, as he trekked across Capitol Hill on a trip here last week to lobby lawmakers to change the rule. ''It is about fairness.''
For years, older pilots have pushed to change the rules only to watch legislation fall agonizingly short in Congress.
This year could be different. The International Civil Aviation Organization -- the international regulator for the industry -- upped its age limit for captains to 65 last year, the Federal Aviation Administration came out in favor of an age change and the Air Line Pilots Association followed suit.
Momentum is on the pilots' side: Measures to change the rule are moving through Congress with broad bipartisan support. But the process is slow and time, for some, is running out -- 200 pilots a month turn 60.
The FAA issued the age 60 rule in 1959 out of what it said were safety concerns after a labor dispute between American Airlines and its older pilots. For decades, challenges to the rule were swept aside by the courts.
''We really hadn't seen any evidence that changing the rule would enhance safety,'' FAA spokeswoman Alison Duquette said Friday.
But with increasing support for a new age limit in recent years, pressure has mounted on Congress and the FAA to act.
''The opposition has melted away,'' said 58-year-old Paul Emens, president of the Airline Pilots Against Age Discrimination, who has been fighting the issue for years, just as his father did before him.
In January, a few months after the International Civil Aviation Organization upped its retirement age, the head of the FAA announced its intention to follow suit through a rule-making change that would take at least a couple of years to complete. Four months later, the Air Line Pilots Association, which had long opposed the move, came out in favor.
One group that remains opposed is the union for American Airlines' 12,000 pilots, the Allied Pilots Association. Gregg Overman, association spokesman, said internal polls show that American Airlines pilots are against the change by a 7-to-1 margin. Upping the age limit to 65, he said, is as arbitrary as 60.
23/09/07 Josh Drobnyk/Allentown Morning Call, US
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IAF organises job fair for its retire officials
New Delhi: The Indian Air Force has organised "a placement fair" for its retiring "air warriors" in New Delhi on September 22 and 23, Sahara Samay sources said.
"Close to 40 companies have already registered for the fair so far," said an officer.
"Every year, a large number of highly-trained, disciplined and multi-skilled personnel retire from service at a relatively younger age of 35 to 54," he said.
"The corporate world can benefit from hiring such personnel, who have at least 15-20 years experience in flying, navigation, air traffic control, aeronautical engineering, technology management and the like," he added.
The problem of a second career for armed forces personnel — over 60,000 of them retire every year — is of course quite acute.
Indian Air Force pilots, of course, face no problem in getting jobs in the booming civil aviation arena. In fact, Air Force authorities had to tighten controls to prevent pilots from leaving the force in large numbers. But job opportunities for personnel from other streams still remains a problem.
23/09/07 Sahara Samay
To read the news in full |
PermaLink "Close to 40 companies have already registered for the fair so far," said an officer.
"Every year, a large number of highly-trained, disciplined and multi-skilled personnel retire from service at a relatively younger age of 35 to 54," he said.
"The corporate world can benefit from hiring such personnel, who have at least 15-20 years experience in flying, navigation, air traffic control, aeronautical engineering, technology management and the like," he added.
The problem of a second career for armed forces personnel — over 60,000 of them retire every year — is of course quite acute.
Indian Air Force pilots, of course, face no problem in getting jobs in the booming civil aviation arena. In fact, Air Force authorities had to tighten controls to prevent pilots from leaving the force in large numbers. But job opportunities for personnel from other streams still remains a problem.
23/09/07 Sahara Samay
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Sunday, September 23, 2007
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Behala Flying Club to get new lease of life
Kolkata: The Behala Flying Club will get a fresh lease of life after a decade and half when Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel lays the foundation for an airport there on Sunday.
The airport on the southern fringe of Kolkata will develop into a modern facility for regional flights within a year and also train pilots, S P S Bakshi, Regional Executive Director (East) of the Airports Authority of India said.
An agreement has been signed between Behala Flying Club and Camelia Flying Training Institute, which has taken it over with an investment of about Rs 35 crore to train pilots.
The AAI has sanctioned Rs 10 crore for upgrading the runway, installing ground lights and building a boundary wall, Bakshi said.
The air traffic control tower has been equipped with a VHF set to provide navigational support, while steps are being taken to strengthen the runway.
Tenders have been floated by the AAI for installing approach lights on either side of the 3,500-foot runway and to build a boundary wall to facilitate operations by ATR aircraft. The work is in progress, Bakshi said.
In the second phase of the project, the runway will be extended to 4,500 feet and a passenger terminal building will be built the West Bengal government allots land and develops infrastructure for easy access to the airport.
22/09/07 PTI/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The airport on the southern fringe of Kolkata will develop into a modern facility for regional flights within a year and also train pilots, S P S Bakshi, Regional Executive Director (East) of the Airports Authority of India said.
An agreement has been signed between Behala Flying Club and Camelia Flying Training Institute, which has taken it over with an investment of about Rs 35 crore to train pilots.
The AAI has sanctioned Rs 10 crore for upgrading the runway, installing ground lights and building a boundary wall, Bakshi said.
The air traffic control tower has been equipped with a VHF set to provide navigational support, while steps are being taken to strengthen the runway.
Tenders have been floated by the AAI for installing approach lights on either side of the 3,500-foot runway and to build a boundary wall to facilitate operations by ATR aircraft. The work is in progress, Bakshi said.
In the second phase of the project, the runway will be extended to 4,500 feet and a passenger terminal building will be built the West Bengal government allots land and develops infrastructure for easy access to the airport.
22/09/07 PTI/Economic Times
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Infighting clips wings of flying clubs
Kolkata: Even as the Behala Flying Training Institute (BFTI) is all set for a partial re-opening on Sunday after a gap of two decades, a high voltage drama is going on behind the scenes. Two corporate groups — Pailan Group and Camellia Group — are fighting a pitched battle, with both sides trying to vest control of the institute.
Both the groups enjoy the support of CPM bigwigs. While Pailan chief Apurva Saha is close to state Transport Minister Subhash Chakrabarty, Camellia has Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee as the Chairman of the Advisory Committee of one of its institutes — the Bengal Institute of Technology and Management.
While the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had leased Hangar 2 (H2) to Camellia Group, there is a dispute between the Pailan and Camellia groups over Hangar 1 (H1).
The story dates back to 1963, when in an agreement with the Civil Aviation department, the AAI had leased out H1 to the state Transport department for Re 1. No time period was specified in the agreement. This year, the state government decided to sub-lease HI, and after a tender was floated, it was offered to Pailan Group. In a letter dated January 5, 2007, the state Transport department informed the Pailan Group that it had emerged as the highest bidder and it should seek the necessary clearances from the AAI and the director general of civil aviation for starting operations.
Even after so many months, Pailan Group is still awaiting the mandatory clearance from the AAI. It was learnt that the AAI did not kindly take to the state Government sub-leasing HI.
According to AAI sources, the state Government had not consulted it before floating the tender for BFTI.
During this period, AAI let out H2 to Camellia Group for a one-year period, which comes to an end this December. And even as the Camellia Group began its courses in H2 and the Pailan Group insisted that it had been leased out H1 by the state Government, in an advertisement published in a leading daily on March 16 this year, the AAI once again invited a tender for setting up a flying training institute.
Now, Pailan Group has appealed to the Calcutta High Court to ensure that the BFTI deal is a transparent one, and also look into the reasons for Pailan being refused AAI clearance even though it had been sub-leased H1 by the state government.
Meanwhile, both the groups are ready with their aircraft. Camellia Group has already began its courses with the first batch of 25 students for ground operations and technical training having enrolled in June this year. On the other hand Pailan Group also claims to be ready with one Cessna aircraft and another helicopter for its flying training operations.
23/09/07 Suchetana Haldar/Expressindia.com
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Both the groups enjoy the support of CPM bigwigs. While Pailan chief Apurva Saha is close to state Transport Minister Subhash Chakrabarty, Camellia has Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee as the Chairman of the Advisory Committee of one of its institutes — the Bengal Institute of Technology and Management.
While the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had leased Hangar 2 (H2) to Camellia Group, there is a dispute between the Pailan and Camellia groups over Hangar 1 (H1).
The story dates back to 1963, when in an agreement with the Civil Aviation department, the AAI had leased out H1 to the state Transport department for Re 1. No time period was specified in the agreement. This year, the state government decided to sub-lease HI, and after a tender was floated, it was offered to Pailan Group. In a letter dated January 5, 2007, the state Transport department informed the Pailan Group that it had emerged as the highest bidder and it should seek the necessary clearances from the AAI and the director general of civil aviation for starting operations.
Even after so many months, Pailan Group is still awaiting the mandatory clearance from the AAI. It was learnt that the AAI did not kindly take to the state Government sub-leasing HI.
According to AAI sources, the state Government had not consulted it before floating the tender for BFTI.
During this period, AAI let out H2 to Camellia Group for a one-year period, which comes to an end this December. And even as the Camellia Group began its courses in H2 and the Pailan Group insisted that it had been leased out H1 by the state Government, in an advertisement published in a leading daily on March 16 this year, the AAI once again invited a tender for setting up a flying training institute.
Now, Pailan Group has appealed to the Calcutta High Court to ensure that the BFTI deal is a transparent one, and also look into the reasons for Pailan being refused AAI clearance even though it had been sub-leased H1 by the state government.
Meanwhile, both the groups are ready with their aircraft. Camellia Group has already began its courses with the first batch of 25 students for ground operations and technical training having enrolled in June this year. On the other hand Pailan Group also claims to be ready with one Cessna aircraft and another helicopter for its flying training operations.
23/09/07 Suchetana Haldar/Expressindia.com
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Saturday, September 22, 2007
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Jet mulls pilot training academy at Brussels
Brussels: Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal is in talks with Belgian companies for setting up a hotel; running a pilot training academy and starting an MRO facility in India.
Brussels Airport has been under-utilised since 2001. Though it has a capacity to handle nearly 30 million passengers annually, the airport (now run by an Australian company) gets a traffic of just about 17 million.
On the other hand, Indian carriers face a problem of getting slots in choked Indian Metro airports. So in a mutually beneficial move, Belgium laid out the red carpet once Jet decided to make Brussels its European hub. Apart from major job creations, it also hopes to get more Indian tourists now. Goyal wants to extend this partnership to solve other infrastructure woes too.
''The Sabena Flying Academy at Brussels Airport will be used to train pilots. Every year we will select 200 science students/engineering graduates and send them for training here,'' he said at the Brussels Airport earlier this week.
In addition, Jet is also talking to SN Technik of Sabena for setting up an MRO. The airline has tied up with Sabena's successor, Brussels Airlines, for providing connectivity to 54 European cities to Jet passengers flying in from north America or India into Brussels.
22/09/07 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Brussels Airport has been under-utilised since 2001. Though it has a capacity to handle nearly 30 million passengers annually, the airport (now run by an Australian company) gets a traffic of just about 17 million.
On the other hand, Indian carriers face a problem of getting slots in choked Indian Metro airports. So in a mutually beneficial move, Belgium laid out the red carpet once Jet decided to make Brussels its European hub. Apart from major job creations, it also hopes to get more Indian tourists now. Goyal wants to extend this partnership to solve other infrastructure woes too.
''The Sabena Flying Academy at Brussels Airport will be used to train pilots. Every year we will select 200 science students/engineering graduates and send them for training here,'' he said at the Brussels Airport earlier this week.
In addition, Jet is also talking to SN Technik of Sabena for setting up an MRO. The airline has tied up with Sabena's successor, Brussels Airlines, for providing connectivity to 54 European cities to Jet passengers flying in from north America or India into Brussels.
22/09/07 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
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U.S. House of Representatives votes to raise pilot retirement to 65
Airline pilots in USA fighting to keep flying into their 60s won a key victory Thursday when the U.S. House of Representatives voted to raise the mandatory retirement age for commercial pilots to age 65 from 60.
The proposal is part of a sweeping bill that would authorize $68 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration over the next four years, funding that would be used to revamp the nation's aging air-traffic-control system and overhaul airports.
A provision that would raise pilots' retirement age is also in the FAA reauthorization bill pending before the U.S. Senate.
However, the measure is a long ways from becoming law.
The new retirement age could be stripped out of the bills as they wind through the lawmaking process. And the White House has threatened for other reasons to veto the version that the House approved 267-151. That vote total is less than the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto.
"We're over another hurdle and on to the next hurdle," said Paul Emens, 59, a Southwest Airlines captain who is chairman of Airline Pilots Against Age Discrimination, a group that advocates changing the retirement age for pilots.
After decades supporting a rule requiring commercial airline pilots to retire by their 60th birthday, the FAA earlier this year signaled that it now supports raising the retirement age to 65, the standard adopted by the authority that sets rules for international aviation.
It pits younger pilots eager to gain the seniority that brings better pay and choice assignments against older pilots who, in many cases, want to keep working to offset retirement benefits that were scuttled by carriers in bankruptcy.
Also fighting the measure are pilots reaching retirement age at carriers like American Airlines, which avoided bankruptcy and preserved its employees pensions. Those counting on retiring at age 60 don't want to see their benefits reduced.
Others contend that pilots in their 60s aren't able to rebound from jet lag and fatigue as easily as younger colleagues.
"For us, it's a no-brainer," said Gregg Overman, spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association, an independent union that represents American Airline pilots. "As far as we're concerned, age 60 should continue to serve as a highly effective safety regulation."
Since November 2006, federal authorities have allowed pilots up to the age of 65 at foreign carriers to fly aircraft in the U.S., even though pilots at domestic airlines are prohibited from doing so.
That inconsistency is infuriating to pilots who wish to extend their careers and spurred a raft of legislation in Congress. At least five bills introduced in the House or Senate this session have provisions that would raise pilots' retirement age to the international standard.
21/09/07 Julie Johnsson/Chicago Tribune, United States
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The proposal is part of a sweeping bill that would authorize $68 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration over the next four years, funding that would be used to revamp the nation's aging air-traffic-control system and overhaul airports.
A provision that would raise pilots' retirement age is also in the FAA reauthorization bill pending before the U.S. Senate.
However, the measure is a long ways from becoming law.
The new retirement age could be stripped out of the bills as they wind through the lawmaking process. And the White House has threatened for other reasons to veto the version that the House approved 267-151. That vote total is less than the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto.
"We're over another hurdle and on to the next hurdle," said Paul Emens, 59, a Southwest Airlines captain who is chairman of Airline Pilots Against Age Discrimination, a group that advocates changing the retirement age for pilots.
After decades supporting a rule requiring commercial airline pilots to retire by their 60th birthday, the FAA earlier this year signaled that it now supports raising the retirement age to 65, the standard adopted by the authority that sets rules for international aviation.
It pits younger pilots eager to gain the seniority that brings better pay and choice assignments against older pilots who, in many cases, want to keep working to offset retirement benefits that were scuttled by carriers in bankruptcy.
Also fighting the measure are pilots reaching retirement age at carriers like American Airlines, which avoided bankruptcy and preserved its employees pensions. Those counting on retiring at age 60 don't want to see their benefits reduced.
Others contend that pilots in their 60s aren't able to rebound from jet lag and fatigue as easily as younger colleagues.
"For us, it's a no-brainer," said Gregg Overman, spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association, an independent union that represents American Airline pilots. "As far as we're concerned, age 60 should continue to serve as a highly effective safety regulation."
Since November 2006, federal authorities have allowed pilots up to the age of 65 at foreign carriers to fly aircraft in the U.S., even though pilots at domestic airlines are prohibited from doing so.
That inconsistency is infuriating to pilots who wish to extend their careers and spurred a raft of legislation in Congress. At least five bills introduced in the House or Senate this session have provisions that would raise pilots' retirement age to the international standard.
21/09/07 Julie Johnsson/Chicago Tribune, United States
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Friday, September 21, 2007
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
It's all about the altitude
It all started with a pseudonym in the college magazine. KS Kohli signed off as Frankfinn in his early writings just because he felt the word sounded nice. Later, when he tried to register his first company in that name, authorities initially rejected it saying the name did not sound Indian. It was the clippings from the old college magazine that eventually got him the registration. Thus in 1993, Mr Kohli started Frankfinn Medico Infoservices with Rs 40,000, borrowed from a friend.
Mr Kohli was attracted to the aviation industry soon, especially as the government adopted a liberal policy. Frankfinn gave up medical data business and started providing flight attendant training. It also got renamed Frankfinn Aviation Services.
He started a seven-day basic cabin crew training. His team toured across India conducting the training sessions. The response was very good and so were the placements. The main office was in Janakpuri, Delhi.
He soon set up a chain of training centres and Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training was born. The unit set up its first centre at Andheri in Mumbai. The curriculum was modified to suit the need of the hospitality, travel and aviation industries and the duration was extended to one year. Today, the network has 117 centres in 95 cities. It has also leased an Airbus A300 to impart real-time training.
Frankfinn’s students have been placed in national and international airlines and also in hotels. Best known is its tie-up with Air Deccan, which Frankfinn forged in 2006. Under this arrangement, Deccan hires cabin crew from this institute exclusively.
The Rs 250-crore company plans to start a low-cost airline Air Frankfinn by end 2009 for which it aims to get funds from the capital market with an IPO.
21/09/07 Mahul Brahma/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Mr Kohli was attracted to the aviation industry soon, especially as the government adopted a liberal policy. Frankfinn gave up medical data business and started providing flight attendant training. It also got renamed Frankfinn Aviation Services.
He started a seven-day basic cabin crew training. His team toured across India conducting the training sessions. The response was very good and so were the placements. The main office was in Janakpuri, Delhi.
He soon set up a chain of training centres and Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training was born. The unit set up its first centre at Andheri in Mumbai. The curriculum was modified to suit the need of the hospitality, travel and aviation industries and the duration was extended to one year. Today, the network has 117 centres in 95 cities. It has also leased an Airbus A300 to impart real-time training.
Frankfinn’s students have been placed in national and international airlines and also in hotels. Best known is its tie-up with Air Deccan, which Frankfinn forged in 2006. Under this arrangement, Deccan hires cabin crew from this institute exclusively.
The Rs 250-crore company plans to start a low-cost airline Air Frankfinn by end 2009 for which it aims to get funds from the capital market with an IPO.
21/09/07 Mahul Brahma/Economic Times
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Thursday, September 20, 2007
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Rossell Tea plans for aviation academies with JV partner
Kolkata: Rossell Tea, which has recently diversified into civil aviation, plans to step up activities in the sector. For starters, the company will shortly set up aviation academies along with an overseas joint venture partner. Apart from this, the company is looking at acquisitions in the aviation equipment space to expand business. Rossell Tea may also be rechristened Rossell Ltd for taking up the aviation business in a big way.
Talking to newspersons on the sidelines of the company’s AGM in Kolkata on Wednesday, chairman HM Gupta said: "The civil aviation industry in India is witnessing a boom. There is an acute shortage of manpower in this industry and most of the airlines are recruiting people from abroad. We felt that there is a huge vacuum in the aviation training sector. This compelled us to take the decision to set up aviation academies in the country. We have identified an overseas partner for this and the deal is expected to be finalised within the next one month."
Aviation school is the latest buzzword among students, as India would require around 7,500-8,000 pilots and an equal number or more cabin crew by 2010. Heavy pay packets are awaiting pilots with a commercial pilot licence.
20/09/07 Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Talking to newspersons on the sidelines of the company’s AGM in Kolkata on Wednesday, chairman HM Gupta said: "The civil aviation industry in India is witnessing a boom. There is an acute shortage of manpower in this industry and most of the airlines are recruiting people from abroad. We felt that there is a huge vacuum in the aviation training sector. This compelled us to take the decision to set up aviation academies in the country. We have identified an overseas partner for this and the deal is expected to be finalised within the next one month."
Aviation school is the latest buzzword among students, as India would require around 7,500-8,000 pilots and an equal number or more cabin crew by 2010. Heavy pay packets are awaiting pilots with a commercial pilot licence.
20/09/07 Economic Times
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Kerala to revive Thiruvananthapuram Aviation Academy
Thiruvananthapuram : Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said the Rajiv Gandhi Aviation Academy in Thiruvananthapuram would be revived.
A chief flight instructor and four ground instructors would be appointed for training of pilots, he said. Besides, a ground school would be established as part of the Academy.
20/09/07 The Hindu
To read the news in full |
PermaLink A chief flight instructor and four ground instructors would be appointed for training of pilots, he said. Besides, a ground school would be established as part of the Academy.
20/09/07 The Hindu
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Biggies hire air hostesses from tribal areas
Pune: In normal circumstances, the recruitment of candidates from Pune’s Air Hostesses Academy (AHA) by Reliance, Jet Airways and Airports Authority of India (AAI) wouldn’t raise eyebrows at all. But add a fact about their background, and it paints a different picture.
As many as 27 girls, from the tribal areas of Nandurbar and Chandrapur, have been picked by industry biggies for training. Only two years ago, a 100-odd had been chosen by AHA during a mass selection drive in Nashik.
Stunningly, of the 27 trainees comprising the first batch of enrolled students in the city, the employment firms rejected none. What’s more, the AAI took one of their batches to handle the traffic control rooms. AHA director Daya Prakash this was only a start. “In Maharashtra alone, our target is to register and train as many as 2,000 students,” he said.
It all started when AHA’s success at gearing up tribal girls — to make a mark in the service sector — inspired Minister of State (Home) Manikrao Gavit to push their cause through sponsorship. Under the Central Special Assistance Scheme launched in 2005, AHA received Rs one lakh per student, to facilitate enrollment and training of as many as 100 students in the academy.
Under the scheme, a mass selection was executed in Nashik about a year ago. Of the 450 applicants, 250 were screened by the tribal commissioner on the basis of AHA’s requirements, of which 100 were picked.
19/09/07 Neha Madaan/Expressindia.com
To read the news in full |
PermaLink As many as 27 girls, from the tribal areas of Nandurbar and Chandrapur, have been picked by industry biggies for training. Only two years ago, a 100-odd had been chosen by AHA during a mass selection drive in Nashik.
Stunningly, of the 27 trainees comprising the first batch of enrolled students in the city, the employment firms rejected none. What’s more, the AAI took one of their batches to handle the traffic control rooms. AHA director Daya Prakash this was only a start. “In Maharashtra alone, our target is to register and train as many as 2,000 students,” he said.
It all started when AHA’s success at gearing up tribal girls — to make a mark in the service sector — inspired Minister of State (Home) Manikrao Gavit to push their cause through sponsorship. Under the Central Special Assistance Scheme launched in 2005, AHA received Rs one lakh per student, to facilitate enrollment and training of as many as 100 students in the academy.
Under the scheme, a mass selection was executed in Nashik about a year ago. Of the 450 applicants, 250 were screened by the tribal commissioner on the basis of AHA’s requirements, of which 100 were picked.
19/09/07 Neha Madaan/Expressindia.com
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Wednesday, September 19, 2007
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
DGCA receives 37 proposals to establish training institutes
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has received 37 proposals for setting up flying training institutes in various parts of the country. Of these, five are from Maharashtra, five from Tamil Nadu, four from Rajasthan, three each from Bihar, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat, two each from Karnataka and Chhatisgarh and one each from Uttranchal, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa. These proposals are being processed by the DGCA.
There are 42 flying training institutes in the country of which 26 are operational and provide training for various licenses like Private Pilot License, Commercial Pilot License, etc. Fourteen of these operational institutes are run by various State Governments, while the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA) is an autonomous society under the Central Government. The remaining 11 institutes are run by private entrepreneurs. All the institutes have to conform to the requirements laid down by DGCA.
Sixteen flying training institutes were found to be not conforming to the guidelines laid down by DGCA. Their licenses have therefore not been renewed.
19/09/07 Express TravelWorld
To read the news in full |
PermaLink There are 42 flying training institutes in the country of which 26 are operational and provide training for various licenses like Private Pilot License, Commercial Pilot License, etc. Fourteen of these operational institutes are run by various State Governments, while the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA) is an autonomous society under the Central Government. The remaining 11 institutes are run by private entrepreneurs. All the institutes have to conform to the requirements laid down by DGCA.
Sixteen flying training institutes were found to be not conforming to the guidelines laid down by DGCA. Their licenses have therefore not been renewed.
19/09/07 Express TravelWorld
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Look who’s flying your plane
Mumbai: A huge shortage of pilots for flying commercial planes may have caused private airlines and the government to lower standards for recruitment, veteran pilots and industry watchers feared, a trend that is potentially dangerous.
Flying institutes without enough equipment and instructors, co-pilots who are younger than 20 years and the large number of foreign pilots, many of whom are unfamiliar with the local topography and climate, are symptoms of this skills shortage, they said.
“Pilot training is the backbone of the industry,” said Captain Yash Raj Tongia, a pilot who runs and teaches at an eponymous flying school in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. “The Indian aviation sector needs at least 4,000 more pilots over the next five years, but most flying schools in are yet to upgrade their quality.” More than half his students are dropouts from other institutes, fed up of waiting for instructors to come on board.
Almost half the 320 pilots who got licences last year were trained abroad. Domestic airlines together have 350 aircraft, flown by 4,500 pilots — including 1,100 foreigners.
Take the training institutes. Out of the 41 approved flying schools in India, 16 have shut down or are on the verge of closure. The remaining ones have only 32 instructors in all.
The country’s rules also allow a person to become a co-pilot, who stands in for the pilot, after just six months of obtaining his or her commercial pilots’ licence. This means that many private airlines have co-pilots who are younger than 20 years of age. In the U.S. one becomes a co-pilot in a commercial airline only seven years after getting a licence.
“We recently increased our age limit for co-pilots to 21 years,” said Captain J S Dhillon, head of operations SpiceJet, and declined to comment about other airlines, whose chief executives were not available for comment.
“The Indian authorities don’t allow two 60-year-olds inside the cockpit, but they are fine with one 19-year-old and one 60-year-old!” exclaimed a veteran pilot, who did not want to be identified.
Kanu Gohain, the director general of civil aviation, defended the rules. “Once the candidate has fulfilled all the criteria including fight tests, there is no harm if he or she is 19 years old,” he said. “We issue licences after a well-laid-down procedure, and in fact, the younger lot are more sharp and receptive.”
19/09/07 Lalatendu Mishra/Hindustan Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Flying institutes without enough equipment and instructors, co-pilots who are younger than 20 years and the large number of foreign pilots, many of whom are unfamiliar with the local topography and climate, are symptoms of this skills shortage, they said.
“Pilot training is the backbone of the industry,” said Captain Yash Raj Tongia, a pilot who runs and teaches at an eponymous flying school in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. “The Indian aviation sector needs at least 4,000 more pilots over the next five years, but most flying schools in are yet to upgrade their quality.” More than half his students are dropouts from other institutes, fed up of waiting for instructors to come on board.
Almost half the 320 pilots who got licences last year were trained abroad. Domestic airlines together have 350 aircraft, flown by 4,500 pilots — including 1,100 foreigners.
Take the training institutes. Out of the 41 approved flying schools in India, 16 have shut down or are on the verge of closure. The remaining ones have only 32 instructors in all.
The country’s rules also allow a person to become a co-pilot, who stands in for the pilot, after just six months of obtaining his or her commercial pilots’ licence. This means that many private airlines have co-pilots who are younger than 20 years of age. In the U.S. one becomes a co-pilot in a commercial airline only seven years after getting a licence.
“We recently increased our age limit for co-pilots to 21 years,” said Captain J S Dhillon, head of operations SpiceJet, and declined to comment about other airlines, whose chief executives were not available for comment.
“The Indian authorities don’t allow two 60-year-olds inside the cockpit, but they are fine with one 19-year-old and one 60-year-old!” exclaimed a veteran pilot, who did not want to be identified.
Kanu Gohain, the director general of civil aviation, defended the rules. “Once the candidate has fulfilled all the criteria including fight tests, there is no harm if he or she is 19 years old,” he said. “We issue licences after a well-laid-down procedure, and in fact, the younger lot are more sharp and receptive.”
19/09/07 Lalatendu Mishra/Hindustan Times
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Monday, September 17, 2007
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Cabin crew schools eye IPOs, PE deals
Mumbai: Three firms that train cabin crew and other staff for India’s booming aviation sector are looking to sell shares as part of an initial public offering (IPO) next year to raise money to fund their expansion plans. Some of the firms are also wooing private equity (PE) funds.
Air Hostess Academy Pvt. Ltd (AHA), Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training and Avalon Aviation Academy are the firms lining up IPOs. Apart from training cabin crew, these firms also train people in various aspects related to the functioning of airports and airlines, including ground handling, ticketing and customerrelationship.
AHA plans to open centres in Australia and the UK by next year. According to estimates by World Travel & Tourism Council, India will have at least 1.5 million openings in aviation and related industries by 2010. In 2007 alone, AHA estimates show, India’s private airlines will create 8,000 new jobs.
The Mumbai-based Frankfinn Institute is also in talks with private equity firms even as it prepares for an IPO by mid-2008.
Mumbai-based Avalon Aviation Academy is also considering an IPO, according to a company executive who did not wish to be identified. The executive added that the company is not looking for PE investors.
17/09/07 P.R. Sanjai/Livemint
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Air Hostess Academy Pvt. Ltd (AHA), Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training and Avalon Aviation Academy are the firms lining up IPOs. Apart from training cabin crew, these firms also train people in various aspects related to the functioning of airports and airlines, including ground handling, ticketing and customerrelationship.
AHA plans to open centres in Australia and the UK by next year. According to estimates by World Travel & Tourism Council, India will have at least 1.5 million openings in aviation and related industries by 2010. In 2007 alone, AHA estimates show, India’s private airlines will create 8,000 new jobs.
The Mumbai-based Frankfinn Institute is also in talks with private equity firms even as it prepares for an IPO by mid-2008.
Mumbai-based Avalon Aviation Academy is also considering an IPO, according to a company executive who did not wish to be identified. The executive added that the company is not looking for PE investors.
17/09/07 P.R. Sanjai/Livemint
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Kingfisher to use expats on ground
Government’s refusal to give permission to use foreign cabin crew in domestic flights has not deterred liquor baron Vijay Mallya from giving an international touch to his domestic airline operations. Kingfisher Airlines has shortlisted over 50 expats professionals — largely from East European countries — to be placed at major metro airports as guest service relations (behind check-in counters and assisting passengers).
“Once they get a firsthand experience of the Indian operations, they would be deployed on international flights as cabin crew,” said a senior Kingfisher executive. The first batch is expected to be seen at major airports by November this year.
This would be a run-up to Kingfisher launching its international operations by April next year, if the government relaxes the mandatory five-year domestic operations norm for private airlines.
Kingfisher had in July sought DGCA’s nod for flying expat cabin crew in domestic routes. But Government put its foot down over the issue.
17/09/07 Sudipto Dey/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink “Once they get a firsthand experience of the Indian operations, they would be deployed on international flights as cabin crew,” said a senior Kingfisher executive. The first batch is expected to be seen at major airports by November this year.
This would be a run-up to Kingfisher launching its international operations by April next year, if the government relaxes the mandatory five-year domestic operations norm for private airlines.
Kingfisher had in July sought DGCA’s nod for flying expat cabin crew in domestic routes. But Government put its foot down over the issue.
17/09/07 Sudipto Dey/Economic Times
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Kingfisher looking for ATR, Airbus pilots in Australia
Kingfisher airlines is now hunting for Type Rated Pilots in Australia. Ads were out inviting qualified and experienced pilots to attend interviews at Sydney and Brisbane for the posts of Type Rated Examiner, Type Rated Instructor, Type Rated Line Captain and Type Rated First Officer. The Sydney interviews were arranged at Hotel Sheraton on the Park, Hyde Park, Sydney on 11 & 12 of this month and the second batch were interviewed at Hotel Hilton, Brisbane on 14 & 15.
Though these dates are well past, Ads are still appearing in Internet sites.
May be Type Rated Pilots to fly ATR 72-500 and Airbus A 319/320/321/330/340 were not that abundant even in Australia. See the full advt here or here.
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Though these dates are well past, Ads are still appearing in Internet sites.
May be Type Rated Pilots to fly ATR 72-500 and Airbus A 319/320/321/330/340 were not that abundant even in Australia. See the full advt here or here.
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Sunday, September 16, 2007
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Govt turns attention towards flying varsity
New Delhi: The huge success story of India's B-schools & tech schools — the IITs & IIMs — is now set to be repeated in the aviation sector with the government turning its attention towards flying schools.
Considering that there's a big boom in the aviation sector, it's not really a surprise that the Prime Minister's Office has primed the ministry of civil aviation to draft a policy document for setting up an 'aviation university' on the lines of international institutions.
Ministry sources say that the proposed university will be a registered autonomous body and its administration will be based on the lines of IITs and IIMs. The ministry is also forming a group of experts to examine the various models for setting up the university. The varsity will initially be located in Delhi and Mumbai which accounts for more than 50% of the air traffic.
The expert panel that will work on the university project, will have eight members, consisting of a vice-chancellor of a renowned university, officials of DGCA, HRD and the civil aviation ministry, and people from industry and aviation associations. The committee will first give shape to the objectives of setting up the aviation university and the broad areas and disciplines which will be covered by the curriculum such as ground handling and technical training for pilots and engineers.
16/09/07 Raja Awasthi/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Considering that there's a big boom in the aviation sector, it's not really a surprise that the Prime Minister's Office has primed the ministry of civil aviation to draft a policy document for setting up an 'aviation university' on the lines of international institutions.
Ministry sources say that the proposed university will be a registered autonomous body and its administration will be based on the lines of IITs and IIMs. The ministry is also forming a group of experts to examine the various models for setting up the university. The varsity will initially be located in Delhi and Mumbai which accounts for more than 50% of the air traffic.
The expert panel that will work on the university project, will have eight members, consisting of a vice-chancellor of a renowned university, officials of DGCA, HRD and the civil aviation ministry, and people from industry and aviation associations. The committee will first give shape to the objectives of setting up the aviation university and the broad areas and disciplines which will be covered by the curriculum such as ground handling and technical training for pilots and engineers.
16/09/07 Raja Awasthi/Economic Times
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Pilot urges teens to pursue dreams
As an African-American teen, Barrington Irving assumed sports was his best chance at getting out of his inner-city Miami neighborhood.
"I thought football would be my way on to college," said Irving, a high school standout who received several scholarship offers.
But his passion was flying and he rejected scholarships to work toward his dream of flying solo around the world. And this year Irving, 23, became the youngest pilot and first African American to do so, a three-month trip that ended June 27.
"I really encourage you all to pursue your dreams," he told an enthusiastic crowd at the IdeaFestival in Louisville yesterday. "Don't let anyone stop you."
The crowd, which gave Irving a standing ovation, included students and teachers from the Shawnee High School Magnet Career Academy's flight program, who said they were inspired by Irving's one-hour talk.
Irving drew laughter from the crowd when he described washing airplanes and other menial jobs to earn money for flight school to get his pilot's license. "I did whatever it took," he said.
Early on, Irving decided he was going to fly solo around the world -- but lacked an airplane. So he began persuading manufacturers to donate parts and convinced a company to build his plane.
His biggest feat, Irving said, was talking his way into a five-minute meeting with the president of an aircraft engine company where he asked for an engine. The president listened to him in silence and walked out, Irving said.
Two weeks later, the company agreed to donate an $83,000 engine.
He crossed the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and his route took him to such places as Canada, Spain, North Africa and Hong Kong. At times, he wondered if he would survive flying through thunderstorms, monsoons and sand storms -- often in desolate areas.
"I'm very fortunate to be alive," he said. "Honestly, I shouldn't be alive."
Irving said his goal now is to encourage young people, especially minority youths, to consider careers in aviation. He said an airline pilot who befriended him as a teenager was his inspiration.
He has opened the Experience Aviation Learning Center in Miami, where youths can learn about flying, and plans to expand into other cities. And he hopes to continue telling young people that sometimes they have to pursue their goals even if no one else believes in them.
15/09/07 Deborah Yetter/Louisville Courier-Journal, US
To read the news in full |
PermaLink "I thought football would be my way on to college," said Irving, a high school standout who received several scholarship offers.
But his passion was flying and he rejected scholarships to work toward his dream of flying solo around the world. And this year Irving, 23, became the youngest pilot and first African American to do so, a three-month trip that ended June 27.
"I really encourage you all to pursue your dreams," he told an enthusiastic crowd at the IdeaFestival in Louisville yesterday. "Don't let anyone stop you."
The crowd, which gave Irving a standing ovation, included students and teachers from the Shawnee High School Magnet Career Academy's flight program, who said they were inspired by Irving's one-hour talk.
Irving drew laughter from the crowd when he described washing airplanes and other menial jobs to earn money for flight school to get his pilot's license. "I did whatever it took," he said.
Early on, Irving decided he was going to fly solo around the world -- but lacked an airplane. So he began persuading manufacturers to donate parts and convinced a company to build his plane.
His biggest feat, Irving said, was talking his way into a five-minute meeting with the president of an aircraft engine company where he asked for an engine. The president listened to him in silence and walked out, Irving said.
Two weeks later, the company agreed to donate an $83,000 engine.
He crossed the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and his route took him to such places as Canada, Spain, North Africa and Hong Kong. At times, he wondered if he would survive flying through thunderstorms, monsoons and sand storms -- often in desolate areas.
"I'm very fortunate to be alive," he said. "Honestly, I shouldn't be alive."
Irving said his goal now is to encourage young people, especially minority youths, to consider careers in aviation. He said an airline pilot who befriended him as a teenager was his inspiration.
He has opened the Experience Aviation Learning Center in Miami, where youths can learn about flying, and plans to expand into other cities. And he hopes to continue telling young people that sometimes they have to pursue their goals even if no one else believes in them.
15/09/07 Deborah Yetter/Louisville Courier-Journal, US
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Deepening Pilot Shortage to Raise Fares
Demand for pilots is picking up rapidly, both in the U.S. and around the world, particularly in China and India. U.S. commercial air travel is expected to grow by 500,000, to 1.2 billion passengers by 2020, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Domestically, airlines are increasingly finding it more efficient to fly smaller planes, which means more-frequent flights, requiring more pilots.
Uncle Sam will help some by raising the mandatory retirement age to 65. Look for the FAA to issue a rule later this month allowing one pilot of a commercial flight to be over 60, as long as the other one isn't. The International Civil Aviation Organization recently approved a fly-until-65 standard, making it easier for the FAA to follow suit.
But airlines still face an uphill battle for more pilots. They'll struggle to fill about 12,000 jobs this year and are looking at having to fill another 20,000 openings by 2009 because of retirements and other factors.
To meet the demand, airlines are offering $5000 signing bonuses and $1000 or more to employees for referrals that lead to a hire. In addition, airlines will soon offer to pay at least some of a pilot trainee's schooling costs if he or she commits to working for the airline after graduation. Costs aren't cheap -- they typically run from $175,000 to $200,000 per pilot. Regional carriers, which are especially hard hit by shortages, are also lowering experience requirements from 1500 hours to 250, the FAA minimum.
14/09/07 Martha Lynn Craver/The Kiplinger Letter/Kiplinger.com, US
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Uncle Sam will help some by raising the mandatory retirement age to 65. Look for the FAA to issue a rule later this month allowing one pilot of a commercial flight to be over 60, as long as the other one isn't. The International Civil Aviation Organization recently approved a fly-until-65 standard, making it easier for the FAA to follow suit.
But airlines still face an uphill battle for more pilots. They'll struggle to fill about 12,000 jobs this year and are looking at having to fill another 20,000 openings by 2009 because of retirements and other factors.
To meet the demand, airlines are offering $5000 signing bonuses and $1000 or more to employees for referrals that lead to a hire. In addition, airlines will soon offer to pay at least some of a pilot trainee's schooling costs if he or she commits to working for the airline after graduation. Costs aren't cheap -- they typically run from $175,000 to $200,000 per pilot. Regional carriers, which are especially hard hit by shortages, are also lowering experience requirements from 1500 hours to 250, the FAA minimum.
14/09/07 Martha Lynn Craver/The Kiplinger Letter/Kiplinger.com, US
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Saturday, September 15, 2007
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
IAF to host placement fair for retiring air warriors
New Delhi: An IAF Placement fair would be hosted at Air Force Auditorium premises in Subroto Park New Delhi on 22 & 23 Sep 07 for its Air warriors who have left the service. The IAF placement fair is being conducted under the auspices of Air Force Records Office (AFRO), New Delhi.
Every year a large numbers of highly multi-skilled personnel retire from the service after completing their terms of engagement at a relatively younger age group of 35-54 years. These ex-air warriors are hardworking and dedicated and form a pool of highly trained human resources from which the corporate world can benefit immensely. Finding or assisting suitable placements for these ex-air warriors is the main purpose of this ‘Placement Fair’.
Those who leave the IAF have at least about 15-20 years experience in Flying, Navigation, Air Traffic Controlling, aeronautical engineering, technology management and engineering work experience, education management, finance and logistics management, security, driving, catering etc.
ICICI as the lead sponsor for the IAF Placement Fair is participating with five of its companies. Kalinga Commercial, Ahmedabad Aviation and Aeronautics Ltd and Godrej & Boyce Mfg Co Ltd have become the Associate sponsors for the Placement Fair.
Other important companies are Tata Steel, WIPRO, Bajaj Capital, Vishal Retail Ltd, Bhaskar Power Project, Relcom group and HCL infinet just to name a few. As on date 36 companies have registered.
Air India Express and Pawan Hans have signed MOUs with the Indian Air Force and have already absorbed experienced personnel from the IAF.
14/09/07 Press Information Bureau (press release)
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Every year a large numbers of highly multi-skilled personnel retire from the service after completing their terms of engagement at a relatively younger age group of 35-54 years. These ex-air warriors are hardworking and dedicated and form a pool of highly trained human resources from which the corporate world can benefit immensely. Finding or assisting suitable placements for these ex-air warriors is the main purpose of this ‘Placement Fair’.
Those who leave the IAF have at least about 15-20 years experience in Flying, Navigation, Air Traffic Controlling, aeronautical engineering, technology management and engineering work experience, education management, finance and logistics management, security, driving, catering etc.
ICICI as the lead sponsor for the IAF Placement Fair is participating with five of its companies. Kalinga Commercial, Ahmedabad Aviation and Aeronautics Ltd and Godrej & Boyce Mfg Co Ltd have become the Associate sponsors for the Placement Fair.
Other important companies are Tata Steel, WIPRO, Bajaj Capital, Vishal Retail Ltd, Bhaskar Power Project, Relcom group and HCL infinet just to name a few. As on date 36 companies have registered.
Air India Express and Pawan Hans have signed MOUs with the Indian Air Force and have already absorbed experienced personnel from the IAF.
14/09/07 Press Information Bureau (press release)
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Friday, September 14, 2007
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Punjab offers international bidding for Flying Training Institutes
Chandigarh:The setting up of three Flying Training Institutions (FTIs) at Patiala , Ludhiana and Jalandhar got a kick start with Punjab Government through international competitive bidding seeking Expression of Interest to develop these world class institutions under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
Stating this here Thursday, Civil Aviation Minister Punjab Upinderjeet Kaur said that the State Civil Aviation Department has worked out a plan to impart initial flying training of international standards to the thousands of Punjabi youth desirous of becoming pilots. To execute these developmental projects the Feedback Ventures Private Limited is assisting Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) and the Civil Aviation Department under PPP format, she added.
She further added that the selected bidders would develop and maintain the flying clubs into a world class FTIs and would operate atleast 7 single engine and one twin engine flying aircrafts as per the standards and guidelines of Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Department of Civil Aviation Punjab. For efficient operation of FTIs the successful bidders would have to install state of the art simulators, hangers, navigational and communication system, flight management computers and other required equipments, labs, libraries, furnishings and other ancillary infrastructure, she said.
She added that besides deploying adequate trained staff for training services, the bidders could develop and operate recreational activities like Skydiving, Aero-modeling, Ballooning, Joy rides etc. at these institutes. The project briefing meeting to address the queries of the prospective bidders would be held on 3rd October,2007 at PIDB headquarters at Sector 34, Chandigarh.
13/09/07 Punjab Newsline
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Stating this here Thursday, Civil Aviation Minister Punjab Upinderjeet Kaur said that the State Civil Aviation Department has worked out a plan to impart initial flying training of international standards to the thousands of Punjabi youth desirous of becoming pilots. To execute these developmental projects the Feedback Ventures Private Limited is assisting Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) and the Civil Aviation Department under PPP format, she added.
She further added that the selected bidders would develop and maintain the flying clubs into a world class FTIs and would operate atleast 7 single engine and one twin engine flying aircrafts as per the standards and guidelines of Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Department of Civil Aviation Punjab. For efficient operation of FTIs the successful bidders would have to install state of the art simulators, hangers, navigational and communication system, flight management computers and other required equipments, labs, libraries, furnishings and other ancillary infrastructure, she said.
She added that besides deploying adequate trained staff for training services, the bidders could develop and operate recreational activities like Skydiving, Aero-modeling, Ballooning, Joy rides etc. at these institutes. The project briefing meeting to address the queries of the prospective bidders would be held on 3rd October,2007 at PIDB headquarters at Sector 34, Chandigarh.
13/09/07 Punjab Newsline
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US Senate agrees to allow older pilots
Washington: Commercial airline pilots who want to keep flying beyond age 60 got some encouragement this week when the Senate agreed to allow them to work until age 65.
A provision raising the mandatory retirement age was tucked into the transportation appropriations bill approved overwhelmingly Wednesday by the Senate. The Federal Aviation Administration already is considering a rule that would have the same effect, but the Senate legislation, if enacted, would take effect immediately.
The country is "losing a number of experienced pilots every day due to the outdated FAA Age 60 rule," co-sponsor Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, said in a statement. "It is important we change the rule as soon as possible to make sure our most senior and seasoned pilots remain in the system."
But the fate of the Senate provision is far from certain. It is part of an appropriations bill that the White House has promised to veto for exceeding President Bush's spending limit for domestic programs. While the Senate passed the transportation bill by a veto-proof majority of 88-7, the House passed its version in July by 268-153, short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto. The process of overriding the veto could drag out the final legislation for weeks or months.
Even if a veto could be overcome, there is no guarantee that House and Senate negotiators, who must iron out any difference between their versions of the bill, would include the retirement provision in the final transportation legislation. Still, the Senate's willingness to include the provision shows it has momentum.
If the retirement age change fails to survive in the transportation spending bill, it could still become law as part of a separate FAA reauthorization bill, he said. The current authorization expires Sept. 30, so Congress will soon be focusing on that legislation.
The move to lengthen careers until 65 is vigorously supported by pilots whose commercial airlines have gone bankrupt and canceled their pension plans. They want to keep working to earn more money to make up for lost pensions.
13/09/07 Marilyn Geewax/Cox News Service/Atlanta Journal Constitution, USA
To read the news in full |
PermaLink A provision raising the mandatory retirement age was tucked into the transportation appropriations bill approved overwhelmingly Wednesday by the Senate. The Federal Aviation Administration already is considering a rule that would have the same effect, but the Senate legislation, if enacted, would take effect immediately.
The country is "losing a number of experienced pilots every day due to the outdated FAA Age 60 rule," co-sponsor Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, said in a statement. "It is important we change the rule as soon as possible to make sure our most senior and seasoned pilots remain in the system."
But the fate of the Senate provision is far from certain. It is part of an appropriations bill that the White House has promised to veto for exceeding President Bush's spending limit for domestic programs. While the Senate passed the transportation bill by a veto-proof majority of 88-7, the House passed its version in July by 268-153, short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto. The process of overriding the veto could drag out the final legislation for weeks or months.
Even if a veto could be overcome, there is no guarantee that House and Senate negotiators, who must iron out any difference between their versions of the bill, would include the retirement provision in the final transportation legislation. Still, the Senate's willingness to include the provision shows it has momentum.
If the retirement age change fails to survive in the transportation spending bill, it could still become law as part of a separate FAA reauthorization bill, he said. The current authorization expires Sept. 30, so Congress will soon be focusing on that legislation.
The move to lengthen careers until 65 is vigorously supported by pilots whose commercial airlines have gone bankrupt and canceled their pension plans. They want to keep working to earn more money to make up for lost pensions.
13/09/07 Marilyn Geewax/Cox News Service/Atlanta Journal Constitution, USA
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Avalon Aviation Academy launches New Centres in Delhi, NCR
New Delhi: Avalon Aviation Academy, the aviation training wing of Aptech Limited, the Global Learning Solutions Company, has announced the launch of new centres across Delhi and NCR.
To cater to the needs of aspirants for world-class quality aviation training, Avalon Aviation Academy, has launched centres in South Extension and Rajouri Garden, besides its already existing centre at Gurgaon. The institute is also coming up with two more centres in Kamla Nagar and Ghaziabad.
“Aviation has become one of the most sought after career options these days. To cater to the growing demand of the students, we are launching these centres in different locations all over the city. All centres are easily accessible to the student community residing in the various parts of Delhi and NCR,” informs Ms. Preeti Malik, Head - Avalon Aviation Academy.
The centre at South Extension will cater to students of South Delhi, Kamla Nagar centre for North Delhi and the University students, Rajouri Garden for West Delhi, Ghaziabad (UP) and Gurgaon (Haryana) for students staying in East Delhi and NCR.
14/09/07 India PRwire (Press Release)
To read the news in full |
PermaLink To cater to the needs of aspirants for world-class quality aviation training, Avalon Aviation Academy, has launched centres in South Extension and Rajouri Garden, besides its already existing centre at Gurgaon. The institute is also coming up with two more centres in Kamla Nagar and Ghaziabad.
“Aviation has become one of the most sought after career options these days. To cater to the growing demand of the students, we are launching these centres in different locations all over the city. All centres are easily accessible to the student community residing in the various parts of Delhi and NCR,” informs Ms. Preeti Malik, Head - Avalon Aviation Academy.
The centre at South Extension will cater to students of South Delhi, Kamla Nagar centre for North Delhi and the University students, Rajouri Garden for West Delhi, Ghaziabad (UP) and Gurgaon (Haryana) for students staying in East Delhi and NCR.
14/09/07 India PRwire (Press Release)
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Thursday, September 13, 2007
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Pilots to learn aviation English
New Delhi: Pilots on international routes would soon need to brush up their ‘aviation English’. Come March 2008, all of them must acquire mandatory level of proficiency, failing which their licences could be revoked. Directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) plans to organise tests for pilots so that they become eligible to fly.
Airlines are likely to make it mandatory for all new pilots to clear the language test as part of their commercial pilot licence (CPL) training, industry sources said.
The tests not only take stock of pilots’ vocabulary levels, but also their pronunciation and diction.
International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has mandated that pilots must have English proficiency of Level Four to fly in international routes. The move is dictated by the need to avoid communication gap between the pilots and air traffic controllers - one of the primary factors responsible for accidents.
ICAO has categorised levels of English proficiency ranging from one to six, with four being the qualifying threshold. Those failing the tests would have to undertake a two-week refresher progamme before they have a second go. Those with proficiency Level Four have to go for retests every three years while for those topscoring with Level-Six proficiency, it would be an one-time affair.
DGCA director general Mr K Gohain told ET this move would help improve the level of air safety. The issue would also be a major point of discussion in the forthcoming ICAO Assembly latter this month at Montreal, industry sources said.
12/09/07 Sudipto Dey/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Airlines are likely to make it mandatory for all new pilots to clear the language test as part of their commercial pilot licence (CPL) training, industry sources said.
The tests not only take stock of pilots’ vocabulary levels, but also their pronunciation and diction.
International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has mandated that pilots must have English proficiency of Level Four to fly in international routes. The move is dictated by the need to avoid communication gap between the pilots and air traffic controllers - one of the primary factors responsible for accidents.
ICAO has categorised levels of English proficiency ranging from one to six, with four being the qualifying threshold. Those failing the tests would have to undertake a two-week refresher progamme before they have a second go. Those with proficiency Level Four have to go for retests every three years while for those topscoring with Level-Six proficiency, it would be an one-time affair.
DGCA director general Mr K Gohain told ET this move would help improve the level of air safety. The issue would also be a major point of discussion in the forthcoming ICAO Assembly latter this month at Montreal, industry sources said.
12/09/07 Sudipto Dey/Economic Times
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Wednesday, September 12, 2007
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Simulate your way to flying
Bhubaneswar: Training on a simulator is no more confined to pilots of well-heeled airlines or defence forces.
For, cadets of the State NCC Air Wing have also joined the league of big and mighty to derive benefit out of this modern day technology.
Sqn. Ldr Satpathy said the cost of flying, which comes to about Rs 1000 per hour in a microlite aircraft, would become zero in the simulator.
The simulator, built at a cost of Rs 2.5 lakh, works on Microsoft-X operating system. It has been integrated into the real time instrumentation and control columns of the 'Zen air microlite' at the local level. The technology has been designed in a fashion to produce actual imagery and environment of Bhubaneswar airfield and surroundings.
Sqn. Ldr. Satpathy said the virtual sortie can also be recorded for post-flight analysis. The aim of the air wing is to mould cadets into potential pilots of Indian Air Force and civil aviation sector. With its introduction, many a dream would touch the sky. "If the State Government asks, we can also train non-NCC candidates," he said.
12/09/07 Newindpress
To read the news in full |
PermaLink For, cadets of the State NCC Air Wing have also joined the league of big and mighty to derive benefit out of this modern day technology.
Sqn. Ldr Satpathy said the cost of flying, which comes to about Rs 1000 per hour in a microlite aircraft, would become zero in the simulator.
The simulator, built at a cost of Rs 2.5 lakh, works on Microsoft-X operating system. It has been integrated into the real time instrumentation and control columns of the 'Zen air microlite' at the local level. The technology has been designed in a fashion to produce actual imagery and environment of Bhubaneswar airfield and surroundings.
Sqn. Ldr. Satpathy said the virtual sortie can also be recorded for post-flight analysis. The aim of the air wing is to mould cadets into potential pilots of Indian Air Force and civil aviation sector. With its introduction, many a dream would touch the sky. "If the State Government asks, we can also train non-NCC candidates," he said.
12/09/07 Newindpress
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Tuesday, September 11, 2007
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Lufthansa Technik starts training for MRO facility at Hyderabad
Lufthansa Technik (LHT) has begun training personnel for its new maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in the Indian city of Hyderabad while also expanding several of its existing MRO businesses in other parts of Asia.
LHT chief executive product and services Thomas Stuger says courses began on 3 September that will lead to qualifications for technicians and aircraft engineers for the new Hyderabad facility.
A workforce of 500 is envisioned for the MRO base at Hyderabad, which is a joint venture with India's GMR Group and 75%-owned by LHT. GMR is leading a consortium developing an all-new airport for Hyderabad, which is due to open in the first half of next year.
India's air transport market has been growing rapidly and Stuger expects strong demand from new and existing airlines as they grow their fleets.
The new Hyderabad facility is expected to open late in 2008 and it will provide base maintenance for Airbus A320-family and Boeing 737 aircraft types. Two parallel bays are to be built and LHT says more than $20 million is being invested in the hangar and workshops.
Lufthansa Technical Training is also expanding operations in Asia, with a new training centre due to open in Singapore next year in co-operation with a local polytechnic.
10/09/07 Nicholas Ionides/Flight International
To read the news in full |
PermaLink LHT chief executive product and services Thomas Stuger says courses began on 3 September that will lead to qualifications for technicians and aircraft engineers for the new Hyderabad facility.
A workforce of 500 is envisioned for the MRO base at Hyderabad, which is a joint venture with India's GMR Group and 75%-owned by LHT. GMR is leading a consortium developing an all-new airport for Hyderabad, which is due to open in the first half of next year.
India's air transport market has been growing rapidly and Stuger expects strong demand from new and existing airlines as they grow their fleets.
The new Hyderabad facility is expected to open late in 2008 and it will provide base maintenance for Airbus A320-family and Boeing 737 aircraft types. Two parallel bays are to be built and LHT says more than $20 million is being invested in the hangar and workshops.
Lufthansa Technical Training is also expanding operations in Asia, with a new training centre due to open in Singapore next year in co-operation with a local polytechnic.
10/09/07 Nicholas Ionides/Flight International
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ST Aero training arm eyes Indian market
ST Aerospace's new commercial pilot training arm ST Aviation Training Academy is targeting potential pilots in other parts of the world, including India, as world demand for pilots continues to grow.
With its strong traditions in the English language and engineering skills, India is a potentially rich source of pilots for the starved global aviation industry.
The Singapore-based company will start courses in the multi-crew pilot license (MPL) around 2009, with ab initio training in Australia and flight simulation training in Singapore. It will also team with China's Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics' flight academy and train its undergraduates.
"We're looking at India as another potential source of pilots," says Eddie Ong, president of STATA. "In the next 15 years, no matter how many schools we have, we still won't meet the demand for pilots. There's growing interest in the MPL course, which takes a shorter time to complete."
The company is talking to potential partners in India but Ong declines to provide further details.
While those initially trained by STATA will be certified for the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 narrowbodies, the company plans to eventually licence pilots for widebody aircraft as well.
Under the MPL, which the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) introduced in November 2006, trainees take 12-15 months to graduate - versus 24-30 months under a typical Commercial Pilots Licence (CPL) - with a greater emphasis on simulator training.
10/09/07 Siva Govindasamy/Flight International
To read the news in full |
PermaLink With its strong traditions in the English language and engineering skills, India is a potentially rich source of pilots for the starved global aviation industry.
The Singapore-based company will start courses in the multi-crew pilot license (MPL) around 2009, with ab initio training in Australia and flight simulation training in Singapore. It will also team with China's Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics' flight academy and train its undergraduates.
"We're looking at India as another potential source of pilots," says Eddie Ong, president of STATA. "In the next 15 years, no matter how many schools we have, we still won't meet the demand for pilots. There's growing interest in the MPL course, which takes a shorter time to complete."
The company is talking to potential partners in India but Ong declines to provide further details.
While those initially trained by STATA will be certified for the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 narrowbodies, the company plans to eventually licence pilots for widebody aircraft as well.
Under the MPL, which the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) introduced in November 2006, trainees take 12-15 months to graduate - versus 24-30 months under a typical Commercial Pilots Licence (CPL) - with a greater emphasis on simulator training.
10/09/07 Siva Govindasamy/Flight International
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Airlines back DGCA in dispute with engineers
New Delhi: Airlines now want to bat for the regulator — Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) — whose decision to allow pilots to undertake transit checks of aircraft has been challenged in court by the Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AME) associations.
In a petition filed in the Delhi High Court, airlines, under the aegis of Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), the industry body representing full-service and budget carriers, has strongly supported DGCA’s move which allows approved pilots to undertake transit inspection of an aircraft.
DGCA sources said that FIA has now sought to be a party to the ongoing legal tussle in the Delhi High Court between the regulator and the associations representing aircraft maintenance engineers.
In January this year, DGCA amended the Airworthiness Rules to enable a pilot to do transit inspection on an aircraft, and issue “certificate of release” in stations where maintenance engineers where not present. To be eligible, the pilot has to undergo a specified 10-day training.
Before this amendment came into effect, an airline used to fly maintenance engineers on each flight to undertake transit checks.
Engineer associations see this move by DGCA as helping airlines to reduce operating cost.
11/09/07 Sudipto Dey/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink In a petition filed in the Delhi High Court, airlines, under the aegis of Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), the industry body representing full-service and budget carriers, has strongly supported DGCA’s move which allows approved pilots to undertake transit inspection of an aircraft.
DGCA sources said that FIA has now sought to be a party to the ongoing legal tussle in the Delhi High Court between the regulator and the associations representing aircraft maintenance engineers.
In January this year, DGCA amended the Airworthiness Rules to enable a pilot to do transit inspection on an aircraft, and issue “certificate of release” in stations where maintenance engineers where not present. To be eligible, the pilot has to undergo a specified 10-day training.
Before this amendment came into effect, an airline used to fly maintenance engineers on each flight to undertake transit checks.
Engineer associations see this move by DGCA as helping airlines to reduce operating cost.
11/09/07 Sudipto Dey/Economic Times
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Monday, September 10, 2007
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Shortage of pilots hits Indonesia too
The pressing problem of a lack of pilots in Indonesia -- something that is replicated throughout Asia -- remains unanswered as the growth in demand for flights far exceeds the capacity to train new pilots.
According to Boeing's commercial pilot training arm, Alteon Training, India has fewer than 3,000 pilots today but will need more than 12,000 by 2025, while China needs an average of 2,200 new pilots a year just to keep up with air travel growth.
In Indonesia's case, the Transportation Ministry has reported that requests for pilots from local and foreign operators to the Indonesian Aviation Institute (STPI) stood at 535 as of June, while the center can only produce 45 in the whole year.
There are plans to expand the capacity of the STPI to 120 graduates per year, starting 2008. However, that will still not be enough to meet the growing demand.
Moreover, despite their training at the STPI, the newly graduated pilots cannot directly be employed by the commercial airlines as they only have 180 hours flying time on training aircraft.
On top of the lack of supply, many experienced pilots are being headhunted by foreign airlines, which offer salaries ranging between US$10,000 and $15,000 per month -- roughly five times what a pilot earns in Indonesia -- and better working condition.
"Based on my calculations, about 150 Garuda pilots have been lured away by foreign operators," Garuda captain Rendy Sasmita Adji Wiboto said.
An expert on transportation safety and a former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Commission (KNKT), Setio Rahardjo, said that flight safety nowadays was at risk not only from "rookie mistakes", but also from pilot fatigue.
"Pilots tend to fly more due to an increase in flight frequency due to the lack of pilots. This could pose a serious threat to safety."
John Belson, a captain who is also provides training on International Air Transportation Association (IATA) operational safety audits, said that Indonesia was not only suffering from a lack of pilots, but also a lack of maintenance crew.
10/09/07 Andi Haswidi/The Jakarta Post, Indonesia
To read the news in full |
PermaLink According to Boeing's commercial pilot training arm, Alteon Training, India has fewer than 3,000 pilots today but will need more than 12,000 by 2025, while China needs an average of 2,200 new pilots a year just to keep up with air travel growth.
In Indonesia's case, the Transportation Ministry has reported that requests for pilots from local and foreign operators to the Indonesian Aviation Institute (STPI) stood at 535 as of June, while the center can only produce 45 in the whole year.
There are plans to expand the capacity of the STPI to 120 graduates per year, starting 2008. However, that will still not be enough to meet the growing demand.
Moreover, despite their training at the STPI, the newly graduated pilots cannot directly be employed by the commercial airlines as they only have 180 hours flying time on training aircraft.
On top of the lack of supply, many experienced pilots are being headhunted by foreign airlines, which offer salaries ranging between US$10,000 and $15,000 per month -- roughly five times what a pilot earns in Indonesia -- and better working condition.
"Based on my calculations, about 150 Garuda pilots have been lured away by foreign operators," Garuda captain Rendy Sasmita Adji Wiboto said.
An expert on transportation safety and a former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Commission (KNKT), Setio Rahardjo, said that flight safety nowadays was at risk not only from "rookie mistakes", but also from pilot fatigue.
"Pilots tend to fly more due to an increase in flight frequency due to the lack of pilots. This could pose a serious threat to safety."
John Belson, a captain who is also provides training on International Air Transportation Association (IATA) operational safety audits, said that Indonesia was not only suffering from a lack of pilots, but also a lack of maintenance crew.
10/09/07 Andi Haswidi/The Jakarta Post, Indonesia
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Sunday, September 09, 2007
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Too old to fly in US, but OK for India
Mumbai: In a practice that flies in the face of the rules of their home country, 40 US pilots over the age of 60 are flying passenger aircraft in India. In the US, they would not have been allowed to do so.
Apart from these 40 pilots, there are another 26 senior-citizen American pilots in the queue, awaiting approval from India’s aviation authority, according to sources. These pilots do not possess a valid licence to fly passengers, nor are they put through the rigorous annual medical examination that Indian pilots of their age have to compulsorily clear. The retirement age of pilots in India is 65.
Of the three airlines employing such pilots, two are major carriers operating long-haul international routes while the third is a low-cost domestic airline.
Those in the aviation industry warn that in event of an accident, the ramifications for India will be serious. For instance, if a Boeing is involved in an accident, the aviation regulatory authorities of the country where the aircraft was manufactured — the US in this case — will be part of the investigations. The US’s Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board will require the US pilots to produce their licence for investigation. The only licence they can produce is the FAA one, which is not valid for flying passengers.
"Apart from the insurance of aircraft being invalid, the FAA can even cancel the permit given to such airlines to operate in the US," said the source. Careers of the other pilots in the cockpit will also be in jeopardy even if they have valid licences, as they will be grounded and blacklisted by insurance companies as per rules. The accident could also put the airline concerned in the EU’s blacklist of unsafe carriers.
09/09/07 Manju V/Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Apart from these 40 pilots, there are another 26 senior-citizen American pilots in the queue, awaiting approval from India’s aviation authority, according to sources. These pilots do not possess a valid licence to fly passengers, nor are they put through the rigorous annual medical examination that Indian pilots of their age have to compulsorily clear. The retirement age of pilots in India is 65.
Of the three airlines employing such pilots, two are major carriers operating long-haul international routes while the third is a low-cost domestic airline.
Those in the aviation industry warn that in event of an accident, the ramifications for India will be serious. For instance, if a Boeing is involved in an accident, the aviation regulatory authorities of the country where the aircraft was manufactured — the US in this case — will be part of the investigations. The US’s Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board will require the US pilots to produce their licence for investigation. The only licence they can produce is the FAA one, which is not valid for flying passengers.
"Apart from the insurance of aircraft being invalid, the FAA can even cancel the permit given to such airlines to operate in the US," said the source. Careers of the other pilots in the cockpit will also be in jeopardy even if they have valid licences, as they will be grounded and blacklisted by insurance companies as per rules. The accident could also put the airline concerned in the EU’s blacklist of unsafe carriers.
09/09/07 Manju V/Times of India
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DGCA should insist same medical checks for foreign pilots over 60: Experts
Mumbai: An aviation safety expert said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) should insist that all foreign pilots over the age of 60 undergo the same medical checks in India that Indian pilots over the age of 60 are asked to go through. Director General of Civil Aviation K Gohain was not available for comment.
Why are these airlines putting passengers at risk? Because there's a huge shortage of experienced pilots as Indian skies have become overcrowded. Each year, there is a shortage of 600 captains and 300 co-pilots and this at a time when mushrooming airlines are scheduled to add 480 more aircraft in the next five years.
No wonder that more than 40% of the people manning cockpits are foreigners. Apart from US, several countries have age limits for pilots flying passenger craft.
"In India, trainee pilots who come from a Cessna or other single-engine aircraft can fly with these 60-plus commanders," said the source.
09/09/07 Manju V/Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Why are these airlines putting passengers at risk? Because there's a huge shortage of experienced pilots as Indian skies have become overcrowded. Each year, there is a shortage of 600 captains and 300 co-pilots and this at a time when mushrooming airlines are scheduled to add 480 more aircraft in the next five years.
No wonder that more than 40% of the people manning cockpits are foreigners. Apart from US, several countries have age limits for pilots flying passenger craft.
"In India, trainee pilots who come from a Cessna or other single-engine aircraft can fly with these 60-plus commanders," said the source.
09/09/07 Manju V/Times of India
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Saturday, September 08, 2007
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Aviation sector to generate three million jobs in 10 years: Patel
Calcutta: The Indian civil aviation sector is growing rapidly and can generate three million jobs in 10 years, Union civil aviation minister Praful Patel said at the 34th national management convention of the All India Management Association (AIMA) and the Asian Association of Management Organisations (AAMO).
The minister said the sector had the potential to attract investments worth $150 billion in the next 10 years. A new policy will be framed to help the growth in this sector.
Patel said the domestic aviation industry had 125 operating aircraft three years ago. There are more than 350 of them now, and the number is expected to cross 1,000 in five years.
Patel said by 2020, India would have 500 airports, including a number of merchant (private) ones. 07/09/07 The Telegraph
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The minister said the sector had the potential to attract investments worth $150 billion in the next 10 years. A new policy will be framed to help the growth in this sector.
Patel said the domestic aviation industry had 125 operating aircraft three years ago. There are more than 350 of them now, and the number is expected to cross 1,000 in five years.
Patel said by 2020, India would have 500 airports, including a number of merchant (private) ones. 07/09/07 The Telegraph
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Friday, September 07, 2007
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
`Foreigners can`t be hired as cabin crew in domestic flights`
New Delhi: Government has not granted permission as of now to private airlines for hiring foreign nationals as cabin crew in domestic flights, the Lok Sabha was informed today.
In a written reply, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said request from Kingfisher Airlines had been received by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation seeking permission to appoint foreign nationals as cabin crew in domestic flight.
"As of now, permission has not been given to any of the airlines to appoint foreign nationals as cabin crew on domestic flights," he said.
06/09/07 Zee News
To read the news in full |
PermaLink In a written reply, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said request from Kingfisher Airlines had been received by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation seeking permission to appoint foreign nationals as cabin crew in domestic flight.
"As of now, permission has not been given to any of the airlines to appoint foreign nationals as cabin crew on domestic flights," he said.
06/09/07 Zee News
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Punjab to get world-class pilot training centers
Chandigarh: Member of Parliament and the Working President of Shiromani Akali Dal Sukhbir Singh Badal said here Thursday that the Punjabi youth would be imparted training in flying so that they could take up commercial flying as their profession.
It may be recalled that the state government had already proposed to set up of a Civil Aviation University to cater the need to equip and train the personnel in this field as the civil aviation was aheading towards a boom and had tremendous employment potential to offer to the unemployed youth in the state.
The State Government has already cleared the proposal to set up three flying training schools at Amritsar, Ludhiana and Bathinda in public private partnership ( PPP) mode besides upgrading the infrastructure at Patiala Flying training academy. Efforts were afoot to tie up with the leading players in the field of civil aviation for setting up of world-class pilot training centers in the state. Badal said that the Punjabi youth would be imparted training in flying so that they could take up commercial flying as their profession.
06/07/09 PunjabNewsline.com
To read the news in full |
PermaLink It may be recalled that the state government had already proposed to set up of a Civil Aviation University to cater the need to equip and train the personnel in this field as the civil aviation was aheading towards a boom and had tremendous employment potential to offer to the unemployed youth in the state.
The State Government has already cleared the proposal to set up three flying training schools at Amritsar, Ludhiana and Bathinda in public private partnership ( PPP) mode besides upgrading the infrastructure at Patiala Flying training academy. Efforts were afoot to tie up with the leading players in the field of civil aviation for setting up of world-class pilot training centers in the state. Badal said that the Punjabi youth would be imparted training in flying so that they could take up commercial flying as their profession.
06/07/09 PunjabNewsline.com
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China to recruit foreign pilots to ease shortage
Chinese airlines need an additional 9,000 pilots by 2010 to satisfy the demand created by the rapid growth of the country's aviation industry, a senior aviation official said on Thursday.
"But we only have the capability of training around 7,000 pilots, which may result in a pilot deficiency and curb the development of China's aviation industry," said Gao Hongfeng, deputy director of the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC).
The administration is now trying to expand its training capacity and has opened the door of pilot training to private companies, Gao said.
"We have also approved more than 20 foreign professional training organizations to give training courses in China and will recruit some foreign pilots to ease the shortage," he said.
Earlier reports said that China's air transportation was expected to maintain an annual growth of about 14 percent from 2006 to 2010.
China's airlines will carry an estimated 270 million passengers in 2010, with an average annual growth rate of 14.5 percent.
06/09/07 People's Daily Online, China
To read the news in full |
PermaLink "But we only have the capability of training around 7,000 pilots, which may result in a pilot deficiency and curb the development of China's aviation industry," said Gao Hongfeng, deputy director of the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC).
The administration is now trying to expand its training capacity and has opened the door of pilot training to private companies, Gao said.
"We have also approved more than 20 foreign professional training organizations to give training courses in China and will recruit some foreign pilots to ease the shortage," he said.
Earlier reports said that China's air transportation was expected to maintain an annual growth of about 14 percent from 2006 to 2010.
China's airlines will carry an estimated 270 million passengers in 2010, with an average annual growth rate of 14.5 percent.
06/09/07 People's Daily Online, China
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Notice to Indian Airlines for recovering salaries of grounded airhostesses
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued contempt notice to public carrier Indian Airlines for allegedly recovering salaries of airhostesses who were grounded for having tipped the weight scale above the permissible limit.
The “overweight” airhostesses, left with the thin choice of “either battle the bulge or face the axe” given by a Single Bench in June, had appealed before a Division Bench led by Chief Justice M K Sharma against the verdict. Admitting the appeal, the Bench had restrained the airline on July 13 from recovering salaries paid to the airhostesses when they were grounded.
However, the staffers have now moved the court alleging that the airline had indeed gone ahead and recovered the salaries in violation of the court order. “The July 13 order was meant as an interim relief for the arihostesses. The court had specifically directed the airline not to recover the salaries paid during the period till the litigation is over,” Arvind Sharma, counsel for the airhostesses, told Newsline.
06/09/07 Delhi Newsline
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The “overweight” airhostesses, left with the thin choice of “either battle the bulge or face the axe” given by a Single Bench in June, had appealed before a Division Bench led by Chief Justice M K Sharma against the verdict. Admitting the appeal, the Bench had restrained the airline on July 13 from recovering salaries paid to the airhostesses when they were grounded.
However, the staffers have now moved the court alleging that the airline had indeed gone ahead and recovered the salaries in violation of the court order. “The July 13 order was meant as an interim relief for the arihostesses. The court had specifically directed the airline not to recover the salaries paid during the period till the litigation is over,” Arvind Sharma, counsel for the airhostesses, told Newsline.
06/09/07 Delhi Newsline
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Alteon Training receives certification for Mechtronix Full Flight Trainer
Hong Kong: Alteon Training, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Boeing Company, has successfully satisfied the FAA level 5 qualification requirements for its B737-800 Full Flight Trainer(TM) (FFT(TM)) which was evaluated by the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Mechtronix Systems together with partner Aerosim Technologies were chosen to provide the unit for Alteon Training's Multi Crew Pilot Licensing (MPL) program. The FFT(TM) fixed base simulator integrating aero high aerodynamics and flight control models, a Rockwell Collins EP 10 visual system 180 X 40 degrees and a full debrief system. The high fidelity device is equipped with all of the full flight simulator functionalities excluding the motion base. This platform thus perfectly fits into the Alteon Training's training footprint for the MPL program, which is the key platform for the phase 2 to 3, all in conjunction with a classic FFS for phase 3 to 4.
Alteon Training is the world's preferred aviation training partner and the industry leader in providing customer-focused aviation training solutions. A wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company within Boeing Commercial Airplanes' Commercial Aviation Services group, the company provides customers an expanding and integrated services portfolio that includes flight, technical and cabin-crew training. The training organization supports the world's aviation community with more than 70 full flight simulators in over 20 locations around the world.
06/09/07 CNW Telbec/Canada NewsWire (press release), Canada
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Alteon Training is the world's preferred aviation training partner and the industry leader in providing customer-focused aviation training solutions. A wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company within Boeing Commercial Airplanes' Commercial Aviation Services group, the company provides customers an expanding and integrated services portfolio that includes flight, technical and cabin-crew training. The training organization supports the world's aviation community with more than 70 full flight simulators in over 20 locations around the world.
06/09/07 CNW Telbec/Canada NewsWire (press release), Canada
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Wednesday, September 05, 2007
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Nagpur Flying Club to take off again
Nagpur: The state government has informed the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court that it would soon be getting two flight engines that were sent for overhauling to Bangalore to restart the Nagpur Flying Club.
Moreover, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has given permission for renewal of license for air-worthiness of the aircraft. The government has also informed that they had published advertisement for the posts of chief flight instructor, ground instructor and flight instructor and also requested Indian Air Force officials to send on deputation.
However, for all the process to materialise, the government urged the court to give a month’s time. The division bench of justices Ambadas Joshi and R C Chavan granted one-month’s time to the government for completion of formalities.
In earlier hearing, the court while coming down heavily on the government directed them state government to reopen Flying Club, which was lying defunct since many years, in two months.
05/09/07 Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Moreover, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has given permission for renewal of license for air-worthiness of the aircraft. The government has also informed that they had published advertisement for the posts of chief flight instructor, ground instructor and flight instructor and also requested Indian Air Force officials to send on deputation.
However, for all the process to materialise, the government urged the court to give a month’s time. The division bench of justices Ambadas Joshi and R C Chavan granted one-month’s time to the government for completion of formalities.
In earlier hearing, the court while coming down heavily on the government directed them state government to reopen Flying Club, which was lying defunct since many years, in two months.
05/09/07 Times of India
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Tuesday, September 04, 2007
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Australian Pilot training academy to teach Indian students
The Ballarat airport in central Victoria will be upgraded as part of a deal to establish a pilot training academy on site.
Ballarat council has signed a deal with a Singaporean consortium to establish the facility.
It will train up to 600 pilots a year, the first of whom will start in November.
Most of the students will be from India and China.
Ballarat councillor Wayne Rigg says the use of smaller aeroplanes means there will be no need to prepare the runway for larger planes, but improvements are likely.
"We're dealing with Cessna 172 aircraft which are small, light fixed-wing aircraft which already operate out of the airport and most regional airports, so there's no requirement for the upgrade of the pavement load and or the length of the runway," he said.
04/09/07 ABC Regional Online, Australia
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Ballarat council has signed a deal with a Singaporean consortium to establish the facility.
It will train up to 600 pilots a year, the first of whom will start in November.
Most of the students will be from India and China.
Ballarat councillor Wayne Rigg says the use of smaller aeroplanes means there will be no need to prepare the runway for larger planes, but improvements are likely.
"We're dealing with Cessna 172 aircraft which are small, light fixed-wing aircraft which already operate out of the airport and most regional airports, so there's no requirement for the upgrade of the pavement load and or the length of the runway," he said.
04/09/07 ABC Regional Online, Australia
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Monday, September 03, 2007
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Training facilities for aviation sector jobs
Everybody connected with the civil aviation sector knows about the projected growth potential as well as the needs in specialised jobs. But except a handful of private educational entrepreneurs, not many airlines or related industry bodies are doing enough about it.
The civil aviation authorities explain that it is now public knowledge that public sector and private airlines in the country need to acquire over 800 new aircraft over the next five to ten years. This will be in addition to the existing fleet with all the airlines, providing for the possible retirement of ageing aircraft. “You can imagine the number of jobs that will come up in just the aviation sector. We will need an estimated 40,000 in cabin crew alone for both fresh employment and replacements. ...It is about time that the airlines thought of creating training institutions of the kind that Air India or Indian Airlines did in the past,” argues a former Regional Director of Indian Airlines. He considers at least some of the foreign pilots now flying the private aircraft “far from satisfactory.”
Some of the senior pilots from both public and private sector airlines privately concur with that view, but insist that the dearth of qualified commercial pilots may be staring in the face of many airlines. All of them agree that training and recruiting Indian citizens will be the better option, but it cannot happen overnight.
A couple of airlines have entered into a contract or understanding with institutions to train and recruit hostesses and stewards, but even that may not be enough.
In addition to the established Central Training institution of Indian Airlines in Hyderabad, the flying school in Rae Baereli has acquired a certain standing. A handful of private institutions and colleges have started training programmes for pilots, in collaboration with institutions abroad — at least two of them have tied up with Australian universities or institutes to provide the flying training.
It may be worthwhile and even cost-effective as well as revenue generating for some of the airlines to float a joint venture to train an adequate number of pilots and cabin crew.
In addition, pilots suggest, the State governments must take the initiative to revive and revamp the flying schools that were functional in different centres till a few years ago.
03/09/07 V. JAYANTH/The Hindu
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The civil aviation authorities explain that it is now public knowledge that public sector and private airlines in the country need to acquire over 800 new aircraft over the next five to ten years. This will be in addition to the existing fleet with all the airlines, providing for the possible retirement of ageing aircraft. “You can imagine the number of jobs that will come up in just the aviation sector. We will need an estimated 40,000 in cabin crew alone for both fresh employment and replacements. ...It is about time that the airlines thought of creating training institutions of the kind that Air India or Indian Airlines did in the past,” argues a former Regional Director of Indian Airlines. He considers at least some of the foreign pilots now flying the private aircraft “far from satisfactory.”
Some of the senior pilots from both public and private sector airlines privately concur with that view, but insist that the dearth of qualified commercial pilots may be staring in the face of many airlines. All of them agree that training and recruiting Indian citizens will be the better option, but it cannot happen overnight.
A couple of airlines have entered into a contract or understanding with institutions to train and recruit hostesses and stewards, but even that may not be enough.
In addition to the established Central Training institution of Indian Airlines in Hyderabad, the flying school in Rae Baereli has acquired a certain standing. A handful of private institutions and colleges have started training programmes for pilots, in collaboration with institutions abroad — at least two of them have tied up with Australian universities or institutes to provide the flying training.
It may be worthwhile and even cost-effective as well as revenue generating for some of the airlines to float a joint venture to train an adequate number of pilots and cabin crew.
In addition, pilots suggest, the State governments must take the initiative to revive and revamp the flying schools that were functional in different centres till a few years ago.
03/09/07 V. JAYANTH/The Hindu
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ST targets Asian pilot training needs
ST Aerospace is diversifying into the commercial pilot training business, with the opening of a joint venture to offer courses in Singapore, Australia and China for the fast-growing Asia-Pacific market.
The partnership with Aviation Training (Singapore), called ST Aviation Training Academy (STATA), will begin operations in October with a capital investment of $5.2 million. It is based at Singapore’s Seletar Airport, which is being redeveloped by the country into a regional aerospace hub.
In its first year, the joint venture aims to train 75 students to commercial pilot licence and instrument rating level. It then plans to recruit 200 students by 2009 to be trained in the multi-crew pilot licence (MPL), which was introduced last November by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
While trainees take 24-30 months to graduate under a typical CPL, the MPL course would take only about 12-15 months.
The first centre will be an ab initio training facility in Australia. The Aviation Training Academy Australia will be established near Ballarat Airport in Victoria State by mid-2008. Next, a flight simulation centre will be set up near Seletar Airport by early 2009.
It will also team up with the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA) International Flight Training Academy in Nanjing, China. Several other groups are also seeking to capitalise on the strong demand for pilots in fast-growing markets such as China and India.
03/09/07 Flight Daily News
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The partnership with Aviation Training (Singapore), called ST Aviation Training Academy (STATA), will begin operations in October with a capital investment of $5.2 million. It is based at Singapore’s Seletar Airport, which is being redeveloped by the country into a regional aerospace hub.
In its first year, the joint venture aims to train 75 students to commercial pilot licence and instrument rating level. It then plans to recruit 200 students by 2009 to be trained in the multi-crew pilot licence (MPL), which was introduced last November by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
While trainees take 24-30 months to graduate under a typical CPL, the MPL course would take only about 12-15 months.
The first centre will be an ab initio training facility in Australia. The Aviation Training Academy Australia will be established near Ballarat Airport in Victoria State by mid-2008. Next, a flight simulation centre will be set up near Seletar Airport by early 2009.
It will also team up with the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA) International Flight Training Academy in Nanjing, China. Several other groups are also seeking to capitalise on the strong demand for pilots in fast-growing markets such as China and India.
03/09/07 Flight Daily News
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Saturday, September 01, 2007
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Govt to formulate manpower road map for aviation sector
New Delhi: To identify HR challenges faced by the rapid growth in the aviation sector, the government has set the ball rolling to draw up an aviation sector manpower plan for the next 20 years. The plan of action is not only to create an aviation manpower pool within the country for meeting the growing needs of the domestic industry, but also to position India as an HR sourcing hub globally.
A detailed study of the industry’s manpower requirements, including a road map for creating a pool of technical and management professionals, is expected to be completed by October this year, officials said. The ministry has roped in CII, which will soon appoint a leading consultancy firm to undertake the study.
Industry sources told ET that several leading international consultancy firms, including Accenture, KPMG and McKinsey, among others are in the fray.
CII deputy director general Ajay Khanna said that the study would take a holistic view of the manpower requirements of the aviation industry. It would also project the manpower demand for various disciplines across five to 20 year time-frame.
A key term of reference of the study would be to position India as a preferred source of skilled and qualified technical manpower for aviation, including those for pilots, engineers & technicians, ATCs, and airport management, among others. Currently, there are around 800 expat pilots working in various Indian carriers.
The study would also recommend changes needed in the accreditation and regulatory framework, for flying clubs and other training institutions to enhance the quality and quantum of their graduating students.
Federation of Indian Airlines is working closely with CII on framing this report.
01/09/07 Sudipto Dey/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink A detailed study of the industry’s manpower requirements, including a road map for creating a pool of technical and management professionals, is expected to be completed by October this year, officials said. The ministry has roped in CII, which will soon appoint a leading consultancy firm to undertake the study.
Industry sources told ET that several leading international consultancy firms, including Accenture, KPMG and McKinsey, among others are in the fray.
CII deputy director general Ajay Khanna said that the study would take a holistic view of the manpower requirements of the aviation industry. It would also project the manpower demand for various disciplines across five to 20 year time-frame.
A key term of reference of the study would be to position India as a preferred source of skilled and qualified technical manpower for aviation, including those for pilots, engineers & technicians, ATCs, and airport management, among others. Currently, there are around 800 expat pilots working in various Indian carriers.
The study would also recommend changes needed in the accreditation and regulatory framework, for flying clubs and other training institutions to enhance the quality and quantum of their graduating students.
Federation of Indian Airlines is working closely with CII on framing this report.
01/09/07 Sudipto Dey/Economic Times
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