Friday, October 31, 2008
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Aviation job market set to take off in Hyderabad
Hyderabad: Airlines might be on a cost-cutting binge but not everyone connected with skies is going to lose jobs! In fact, the skies are literally opening up with huge job opportunities for skilled technicians.
With the country's first foreign-owned airport maintenance facility to take off from the third quarter of next year in the city, the stage is set for a massive recruitment of 1,500 to 2,000 engineering graduates and diploma holders in the coming days. This is because Malaysia Airlines and GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL), who had entered into an MoU in August this year for setting up a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, are now ready to spread their wings even further.
"The proposed MRO centre will handle all types of aircraft from light jets to A-380. Already 70 engineers are getting trained in Malaysia. We'll recruit at least 300 more in our initial recruitment phase and a total of 1500 to 2000 when operations start full swing," says A Vishwanath, chief commercial officer of GHIAL. Sources reveal salaries for fresh engineering graduates might be between Rs 20,000-25,000 post training and between Rs 10,000-15,000 for diploma holders.
Despite unfavourable market conditions in the airlines industry, the Indian MRO sector (estimated at $800 million) is being taken seriously.
Earlier this year, Ernst & Young stated the Indian aviation sector was slated to draw an investment of over $120 billion by 2020. With the government allowing 100 per cent foreign direct investment in MRO facilities, analysts expect large investments to flow into this sector. "India is a key geographical hub and lower labour costs are spurring the growth of the industry. Not just in Hyderabad, Air India and Boeing are reported to be negotiating the equity structure of the proposed MRO joint venture in Nagpur too," adds Arora of KPMG.
30/10/08 Debasmita Ghosh/Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink With the country's first foreign-owned airport maintenance facility to take off from the third quarter of next year in the city, the stage is set for a massive recruitment of 1,500 to 2,000 engineering graduates and diploma holders in the coming days. This is because Malaysia Airlines and GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL), who had entered into an MoU in August this year for setting up a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, are now ready to spread their wings even further.
"The proposed MRO centre will handle all types of aircraft from light jets to A-380. Already 70 engineers are getting trained in Malaysia. We'll recruit at least 300 more in our initial recruitment phase and a total of 1500 to 2000 when operations start full swing," says A Vishwanath, chief commercial officer of GHIAL. Sources reveal salaries for fresh engineering graduates might be between Rs 20,000-25,000 post training and between Rs 10,000-15,000 for diploma holders.
Despite unfavourable market conditions in the airlines industry, the Indian MRO sector (estimated at $800 million) is being taken seriously.
Earlier this year, Ernst & Young stated the Indian aviation sector was slated to draw an investment of over $120 billion by 2020. With the government allowing 100 per cent foreign direct investment in MRO facilities, analysts expect large investments to flow into this sector. "India is a key geographical hub and lower labour costs are spurring the growth of the industry. Not just in Hyderabad, Air India and Boeing are reported to be negotiating the equity structure of the proposed MRO joint venture in Nagpur too," adds Arora of KPMG.
30/10/08 Debasmita Ghosh/Times of India
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B737, A320 Type-rating training and Certified Flight Instructer program
Indore based recently opened New Flight Services Pilot Training Academy announces the availability of it’s flight training of two new courses- Boeing 737 and Airbus 320 type-rating and in collaboration with Aviation link Asia Training center, Philippines. Certified Flight Instructor program at Berlin also is conducted. New Flight services also provide training for CPL and other airline management related courses and correspondence courses.
For the first batch starting November first week, the admissions are currently on. Armed with the latest fleet, comprehensive curriculum and renowned faculty consisting of aviation specialists with global
exposure, NFS offers comprehensive training for professional pilots.
Candidates interested in applying for course may visit the website or email at aviationlink@asia.com. For more details: New Flight Services,A# 108 Ambikapuri
Extn, AirPort Road Indore 452 005 INDIA Tel: +91-731-4044650,+91-731-
6450535, +91-731 6452650 Fax: 91-731- 4236650 Mobile: +91-93000-32375
29/10/08 PRESS RELEASE/Aviation link Asia
To read the news in full |
PermaLink For the first batch starting November first week, the admissions are currently on. Armed with the latest fleet, comprehensive curriculum and renowned faculty consisting of aviation specialists with global
exposure, NFS offers comprehensive training for professional pilots.
Candidates interested in applying for course may visit the website or email at aviationlink@asia.com. For more details: New Flight Services,A# 108 Ambikapuri
Extn, AirPort Road Indore 452 005 INDIA Tel: +91-731-4044650,+91-731-
6450535, +91-731 6452650 Fax: 91-731- 4236650 Mobile: +91-93000-32375
29/10/08 PRESS RELEASE/Aviation link Asia
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Monday, October 27, 2008
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Jet set to take 2 foreign pilots despite surplus
Mumbai: Jet Airways may not have funds to pay oil bills and airport charges, but it sure seems to have easy money when it comes to foreign pilots. Despite a surplus of Indian Boeing 737 commanders, the airline will be adding two more expatriate pilots to its crew this week.
"The airline made two foreign Boeing 737 commanders go to Delhi on Friday for the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) oral exam, which will permit them to fly with a foreign licence in India. These two expatriates can start flying for Jet Airways any day now," said a source.
What is surprising is that the airline has decided to keep the expatriates despite having a surplus of Indian Boeing 737 pilots. "A number of Indian B 737 commanders are under utilised in Jet Airways. Then again, Jetlite's B 737 commanders hardly get enough flying these days and they could have been easily used," the source added.
The costs incurred in hiring a foreign pilot are almost double too. "A foreign B737 commander is paid Rs 5 lakh a month and then an additional Rs 2 lakh a month goes for his hotel accommodation. An Indian commander, on the other hand, draws Rs 3.6 lakh for the same job," the source added. A Jet Airways spokesperson confirmed that the airline will be having two expat B 737 pilots flying from this week.
When it comes to Boeing 737 aircraft, Jet has about 225 B 737 Indian pilots who have all qualifications to move on to a bigger wide-bodied A 330 aircraft.But the progression has been blocked as the airline has been lax in replacing expats on bigger aircraft with Indians.
"Even the few Indian pilots who have managed to get promoted to the A330 get to fly only for 30 hours a month as compared to the 70-80 hours that an expat pilot in Jet Airways gets," the source added.
The salary difference between an Indian pilot and his foreign counterpart is too huge to be ignored. "An Indian A 330 commander draws a gross salary of Rs 4.90 lakh a month, while a foreign pilot draws Rs 7 lakh (non-taxable) as gross salary," the source added.
27/10/08 Manju V/Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink "The airline made two foreign Boeing 737 commanders go to Delhi on Friday for the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) oral exam, which will permit them to fly with a foreign licence in India. These two expatriates can start flying for Jet Airways any day now," said a source.
What is surprising is that the airline has decided to keep the expatriates despite having a surplus of Indian Boeing 737 pilots. "A number of Indian B 737 commanders are under utilised in Jet Airways. Then again, Jetlite's B 737 commanders hardly get enough flying these days and they could have been easily used," the source added.
The costs incurred in hiring a foreign pilot are almost double too. "A foreign B737 commander is paid Rs 5 lakh a month and then an additional Rs 2 lakh a month goes for his hotel accommodation. An Indian commander, on the other hand, draws Rs 3.6 lakh for the same job," the source added. A Jet Airways spokesperson confirmed that the airline will be having two expat B 737 pilots flying from this week.
When it comes to Boeing 737 aircraft, Jet has about 225 B 737 Indian pilots who have all qualifications to move on to a bigger wide-bodied A 330 aircraft.But the progression has been blocked as the airline has been lax in replacing expats on bigger aircraft with Indians.
"Even the few Indian pilots who have managed to get promoted to the A330 get to fly only for 30 hours a month as compared to the 70-80 hours that an expat pilot in Jet Airways gets," the source added.
The salary difference between an Indian pilot and his foreign counterpart is too huge to be ignored. "An Indian A 330 commander draws a gross salary of Rs 4.90 lakh a month, while a foreign pilot draws Rs 7 lakh (non-taxable) as gross salary," the source added.
27/10/08 Manju V/Times of India
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Trainee pilots wait for their turn to take off
New Delhi: Scores of cadet pilots have been shown the door as airlines renege on their placement promises. With passenger loads falling, expansion is no longer a priority and the demand for cockpit crew is taking a knocking.
A whole bunch of just-trained pilots have their licence ready and a loan to pay back but no job. Around 500 cadet pilots, enrolled by various airlines, will not be absorbed anymore. Each of them had paid Rs 25 lakh to be trained and a majority had taken a loan to finance their training. The shortage of pilots two years ago had forced Kingfisher, Air India, SpiceJet, IndiGo and others to start the cadet pilot programme through tie ups with pilot training academies.
But with the slowdown hitting passenger load, new routes or fresh flights are completely out of the question today. As a result, cadet pilots were sacked even before they were appointed. The Delhi-based low-cost carrier, SpiceJet, has already scrapped its cadet pilot programme. It has absorbed only six out of 120 cadets and issued termination notice to others.
Air India, which is also cutting its operation, has not issued any termination notice as yet to its cadet pilots. But it is slamming the brakes on their induction.
Most cadet pilots are looking for other opportunities after their promised placements vanished into thin air. India’s largest training academy Yash Air’s MD Yashraj Tongia said, he has been approached by a large number of cadets seeking placements in the industry.
What’s worse around, 2,000 trainee pilots (CPL holders) are already waiting in the wings so any vacancy isn’t likely to trickle down to the cadet pilots who feature lower down the aviation pecking order.
27/10/08 Chanchal Pal Chauhan/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink A whole bunch of just-trained pilots have their licence ready and a loan to pay back but no job. Around 500 cadet pilots, enrolled by various airlines, will not be absorbed anymore. Each of them had paid Rs 25 lakh to be trained and a majority had taken a loan to finance their training. The shortage of pilots two years ago had forced Kingfisher, Air India, SpiceJet, IndiGo and others to start the cadet pilot programme through tie ups with pilot training academies.
But with the slowdown hitting passenger load, new routes or fresh flights are completely out of the question today. As a result, cadet pilots were sacked even before they were appointed. The Delhi-based low-cost carrier, SpiceJet, has already scrapped its cadet pilot programme. It has absorbed only six out of 120 cadets and issued termination notice to others.
Air India, which is also cutting its operation, has not issued any termination notice as yet to its cadet pilots. But it is slamming the brakes on their induction.
Most cadet pilots are looking for other opportunities after their promised placements vanished into thin air. India’s largest training academy Yash Air’s MD Yashraj Tongia said, he has been approached by a large number of cadets seeking placements in the industry.
What’s worse around, 2,000 trainee pilots (CPL holders) are already waiting in the wings so any vacancy isn’t likely to trickle down to the cadet pilots who feature lower down the aviation pecking order.
27/10/08 Chanchal Pal Chauhan/Economic Times
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Sunday, October 26, 2008
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Expat pilots: Are they needed?
New Delhi: With cash-strapped Indian airlines running to the government for a bailout, many young pilots in these companies are wondering why expensive expat fliers, whose salary has gone up substantially due to the rupee falling against the dollar, are being retained by the firms in deep financial trouble.
"These expats are a precious drain on our exchequer. With the dollar appreciating, they're now getting 15-20% more salary," says an Indian commander. Even in the present turbulent times, a foreign commander can expect to earn roughly Rs 10 lakh a month, compared to the Indian, who will get paid about Rs 6 lakh. Foreign pilots are given other perks too, pushing up their cost to the company. These include five star hotel accommodation and a generous travel allowance that could be as much as $12,000 or Rs 6 lakh a year.
India's aviation sector has an official headcount of 900 expat pilots. An official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) says the expats will be phased out by July 31, 2010. But that might be too late. Sources say that Spicejet has not been able to give its young pilots time to reach the mandatory 2,500 flying hours needed to become commanders because expats get to fly more.
So why are airlines hiring expats? They were taken on when Indian commanders were in short supply. Explains Siddhanth Sharma, former CEO, Spicejet: "It would take a co-pilot at least three years to notch up the 2,500 hours needed for commandership. So, expats were the only option then."
But that's no longer the case. "Young pilots, currently glutting the market, can be hired and trained to become commanders, while Indian commanders can take the place of expats," says a senior pilot. "Airlines have also recruited expat co-pilots, which we do not need. Airlines have hired expats recklessly without any planning, leaving our boys in the lurch."
AI pilots say the airline's losses can be contained by easing out the expats over the next six months.
26/10/08 Shobha John/Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink "These expats are a precious drain on our exchequer. With the dollar appreciating, they're now getting 15-20% more salary," says an Indian commander. Even in the present turbulent times, a foreign commander can expect to earn roughly Rs 10 lakh a month, compared to the Indian, who will get paid about Rs 6 lakh. Foreign pilots are given other perks too, pushing up their cost to the company. These include five star hotel accommodation and a generous travel allowance that could be as much as $12,000 or Rs 6 lakh a year.
India's aviation sector has an official headcount of 900 expat pilots. An official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) says the expats will be phased out by July 31, 2010. But that might be too late. Sources say that Spicejet has not been able to give its young pilots time to reach the mandatory 2,500 flying hours needed to become commanders because expats get to fly more.
So why are airlines hiring expats? They were taken on when Indian commanders were in short supply. Explains Siddhanth Sharma, former CEO, Spicejet: "It would take a co-pilot at least three years to notch up the 2,500 hours needed for commandership. So, expats were the only option then."
But that's no longer the case. "Young pilots, currently glutting the market, can be hired and trained to become commanders, while Indian commanders can take the place of expats," says a senior pilot. "Airlines have also recruited expat co-pilots, which we do not need. Airlines have hired expats recklessly without any planning, leaving our boys in the lurch."
AI pilots say the airline's losses can be contained by easing out the expats over the next six months.
26/10/08 Shobha John/Times of India
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AI's Training Centre celebrates golden jubilee
Hyderabad: The Central Training Establishment (CTE), a premier Aviation Training Centre of Air India, Hyderabad, held its Golden Jubilee celebrations here today.
CTE Executive Director (Operations and Training) Captain Ashok Raj formally inaugurated the celebrations and congratulated all the employees for putting in the best of their efforts to ensure the organisation’s success and growth.
Ashok Raj said the CTE earned the distinction of becoming India’s first airline institute to obtain approval from the DGCA, as a Type Rating Training Organisation (TRTO), in April 2008, and added that this recognition was a reaffirmation of its training capacity.
He called upon all his colleagues to re-dedicate themselves through hard work, commitment and excellence.
25/10/08 Express Buzz
To read the news in full |
PermaLink CTE Executive Director (Operations and Training) Captain Ashok Raj formally inaugurated the celebrations and congratulated all the employees for putting in the best of their efforts to ensure the organisation’s success and growth.
Ashok Raj said the CTE earned the distinction of becoming India’s first airline institute to obtain approval from the DGCA, as a Type Rating Training Organisation (TRTO), in April 2008, and added that this recognition was a reaffirmation of its training capacity.
He called upon all his colleagues to re-dedicate themselves through hard work, commitment and excellence.
25/10/08 Express Buzz
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Kingfisher now targets senior pilots
Bangalore: The worst is not yet over for people working in the aviation industry in India, which is witnessing its worst slump. Kingfisher Airlines, which earlier forced the trainee pilots to accept a pay cut, has now targeted the senior pilots. The airline has asked the pilots to take a 20 per cent paycut and also cancelled their orders for buying A340 aircraft. The decision to cancel the order has angered many pilots as they had spent over Rs 10 lakh for training to fly the larger Airbus A340.
Most of the pilots are in dilemma as the aviation market is in a flux. They have no choice other than continuing with the existing job.One of the pilots, on condition of anonymity, said, "We are being ill treated.
Now, no one can trust the firms, all of them are taking advantage of the situation." When contacted, the carrier defended the move by saying that they had no choice as the "whole turmoil had made the situation sick". The airline officials said that "high prices, along with the taxes, had made the Aviation Turbine fuel over 60 per cent costlier in India than in other countries", and in this kind of situation this is the best that firms can do. As the passenger traffic has gone down drastically, fares have also seen a steady rise. Moreover, the passenger growth has dropped by 25 per cent. More than 25 flights have been cancelled at Mumbai and Delhi airports due to the drop in the number of passengers.
Airlines have reduced capacity by over 30 per cent and even cancelled their aircraft orders. The present decisions can be read in the backdrop of the recent airlines consolidations, where the airline companies said that aviation industry is staring at a loss of around Rs. 2000 billion.
26/10/08 Mohammed Shariff/Express Buzz
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Most of the pilots are in dilemma as the aviation market is in a flux. They have no choice other than continuing with the existing job.One of the pilots, on condition of anonymity, said, "We are being ill treated.
Now, no one can trust the firms, all of them are taking advantage of the situation." When contacted, the carrier defended the move by saying that they had no choice as the "whole turmoil had made the situation sick". The airline officials said that "high prices, along with the taxes, had made the Aviation Turbine fuel over 60 per cent costlier in India than in other countries", and in this kind of situation this is the best that firms can do. As the passenger traffic has gone down drastically, fares have also seen a steady rise. Moreover, the passenger growth has dropped by 25 per cent. More than 25 flights have been cancelled at Mumbai and Delhi airports due to the drop in the number of passengers.
Airlines have reduced capacity by over 30 per cent and even cancelled their aircraft orders. The present decisions can be read in the backdrop of the recent airlines consolidations, where the airline companies said that aviation industry is staring at a loss of around Rs. 2000 billion.
26/10/08 Mohammed Shariff/Express Buzz
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Saturday, October 25, 2008
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Cash-strapped Jet hires US pilots at Rs 5 lakh a month
Mumbai: Jet Airways hired two American pilots for Rs 5 lakh a month on October 23, a move that has the airlines’ Indian pilots, facing salary cuts, up in arms.
The airline says that it has hired these pilots to fly ATRs — turbo-trop planes, small aircraft used on short-haul flights because there was a shortage of pilots in India who fly these planes.
“Due to a shortage of Indian Commanders on the ATR fleet, Jet Airways is compelled to hire foreign pilots,” said a statement from the airline.
On Friday morning Kenneth Roseman and Rulio Sulisto appeared for a clearance test at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in Delhi. When Hindustan Times spoke to seven Indian pilots with work experience between six months and four years, they said they were more than willing to fly these aircraft. None of them were willing to be identified.
“I am serving my probation with the airline. And, in the past two weeks I have been assigned flying duties of just eight hours because flights have been cut down. We are underutilised,” said a co-pilot with the airline. He spent Rs 25 lakh on training.
Another co-pilot with Jet said: “It would be foolish on our part to be choosy about the type of aircraft at a time when our jobs are on stake. The ATR experience would be useful in the long run.”
25/10/08 Soubhik Mitra/Hindustan Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The airline says that it has hired these pilots to fly ATRs — turbo-trop planes, small aircraft used on short-haul flights because there was a shortage of pilots in India who fly these planes.
“Due to a shortage of Indian Commanders on the ATR fleet, Jet Airways is compelled to hire foreign pilots,” said a statement from the airline.
On Friday morning Kenneth Roseman and Rulio Sulisto appeared for a clearance test at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in Delhi. When Hindustan Times spoke to seven Indian pilots with work experience between six months and four years, they said they were more than willing to fly these aircraft. None of them were willing to be identified.
“I am serving my probation with the airline. And, in the past two weeks I have been assigned flying duties of just eight hours because flights have been cut down. We are underutilised,” said a co-pilot with the airline. He spent Rs 25 lakh on training.
Another co-pilot with Jet said: “It would be foolish on our part to be choosy about the type of aircraft at a time when our jobs are on stake. The ATR experience would be useful in the long run.”
25/10/08 Soubhik Mitra/Hindustan Times
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Bahrain Airlines hunts Frankfinn students in Jammu
Jammu: At a time when the aviation sector is passing through its critical phase due to slump in the global markets, the Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training, here has got four of its students selected in one of the reputed international airlines.
The management of the institute said the candidates managed their entry into Bahrain Airlines considered as one of the top most airlines of the Middle East. “The selected candidates got the package of 1.20 lakh per month,” it said.
Giving details Jasleen Mohial, centre head of Frankfinn said that four girls namely Anuradha Jasrotia, Komal Koul, Neetu Koul and Paramneet Singh Sandhu managed their entry in Bahrain Airlines. She informed that the Bahrain Airways recruited 19 cabin crew during the interviews held at Kochi. “Of these 19, 16 are the products of Frankfinn and out of these 16, four girls are from the Jammu branch,” she informed.
25/10/08 Harmeet Singh/GreaterKashmir.com
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The management of the institute said the candidates managed their entry into Bahrain Airlines considered as one of the top most airlines of the Middle East. “The selected candidates got the package of 1.20 lakh per month,” it said.
Giving details Jasleen Mohial, centre head of Frankfinn said that four girls namely Anuradha Jasrotia, Komal Koul, Neetu Koul and Paramneet Singh Sandhu managed their entry in Bahrain Airlines. She informed that the Bahrain Airways recruited 19 cabin crew during the interviews held at Kochi. “Of these 19, 16 are the products of Frankfinn and out of these 16, four girls are from the Jammu branch,” she informed.
25/10/08 Harmeet Singh/GreaterKashmir.com
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Friday, October 24, 2008
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Jittery Jet, Kingfisher staff look to board LCCs
Mumbai: With Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines struggling to combat rising costs, employees of both airlines are now scouting for jobs in competing airlines, including low-cost carriers like SpiceJet and GoAir.
“We have started sending our resumes to the low-cost carriers as our take-home salaries will be almost at par with lowcost carriers once Jet’s plan to shift a major portion of our fixed income to the variable component comes into effect in November,” said a ground-handling staff of Jet Airways. At present, the fullfledged airlines pay higher salary than the low-cost carriers.
The main reason for employees of both airlines to seek jobs in competing airlines is the route rationalisation planned by both airlines. Once it happens, it would mean lesser requirement of manpower.
Officials of Spice and GoAir say as they are planning new flights, they would need more people. “We have no plans of layoff of a single employee. The company has a proper procedure to hire people unlike others who hire in advance for future routes expansions ,” said SpiceJet HR vice-president Surajit Banerjee.
“We will hire more people as SpiceJet is increasing routes in the domestic space,” said SpiceJet director Kishore Gupta. The Gurgaon-based airline operates 94 flights daily to 16 cities. GoAir senior general manager-business development Indranil Roy agreed. “As our routes would increase , we will hire more. As a carrier, our costs are under control and no firing will happen.” GoAir currently operates across nine destinations through 832 flights and plans to increase its capacity to over 900 flights in the winter schedule.
24/10/08 Mithun Roy/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink “We have started sending our resumes to the low-cost carriers as our take-home salaries will be almost at par with lowcost carriers once Jet’s plan to shift a major portion of our fixed income to the variable component comes into effect in November,” said a ground-handling staff of Jet Airways. At present, the fullfledged airlines pay higher salary than the low-cost carriers.
The main reason for employees of both airlines to seek jobs in competing airlines is the route rationalisation planned by both airlines. Once it happens, it would mean lesser requirement of manpower.
Officials of Spice and GoAir say as they are planning new flights, they would need more people. “We have no plans of layoff of a single employee. The company has a proper procedure to hire people unlike others who hire in advance for future routes expansions ,” said SpiceJet HR vice-president Surajit Banerjee.
“We will hire more people as SpiceJet is increasing routes in the domestic space,” said SpiceJet director Kishore Gupta. The Gurgaon-based airline operates 94 flights daily to 16 cities. GoAir senior general manager-business development Indranil Roy agreed. “As our routes would increase , we will hire more. As a carrier, our costs are under control and no firing will happen.” GoAir currently operates across nine destinations through 832 flights and plans to increase its capacity to over 900 flights in the winter schedule.
24/10/08 Mithun Roy/Economic Times
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Jet looks at cutting pilots’ salaries
New Delhi: From being a priceless professional in short supply till some months back, highly-paid pilots are now becoming one of the major areas o
f cost cutting for India’s loss-making airlines. Close on the heels of Kingfisher, Jet Airways is looking at cutting salaries of its pilots by about 20% from next month. Apart from cutting salaries, Indian carriers have now started sending the “more expensive” foreign pilots back.
The expats’ number has fallen from 944 in February, 2008, to less than 900 now. In past three years, foreign pilots’ numbers were rising almost every month due to a shortage of trained fliers here.
A senior Jet Airways pilot said the management has begun sounding out pilots about this move before making a formal announcement in coming days. “We are being told of the financial difficulty the company is facing and that we all need to tighten our belt to helps the company survive this tough time. Anyway the market is so tight that there’s no option but to accept a reduced pay for noe,” said a pilot. Jet has about 800 pilots with salaries ranging from Rs 80,000 to Rs 3.5 lakh.
A senior Jet official said: “We have not taken a final decision as yet. But the senior people, including pilots, in the company may have a cut in their pay package. So people are anticipating something. What and how much is that, is not yet finalised.” After the fire and hire fiasco of 1,900 cabin crew staffers, the airline is clearly handling its HR issues very sensitively.
24/10/08 Saurabh Sinha/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink f cost cutting for India’s loss-making airlines. Close on the heels of Kingfisher, Jet Airways is looking at cutting salaries of its pilots by about 20% from next month. Apart from cutting salaries, Indian carriers have now started sending the “more expensive” foreign pilots back.
The expats’ number has fallen from 944 in February, 2008, to less than 900 now. In past three years, foreign pilots’ numbers were rising almost every month due to a shortage of trained fliers here.
A senior Jet Airways pilot said the management has begun sounding out pilots about this move before making a formal announcement in coming days. “We are being told of the financial difficulty the company is facing and that we all need to tighten our belt to helps the company survive this tough time. Anyway the market is so tight that there’s no option but to accept a reduced pay for noe,” said a pilot. Jet has about 800 pilots with salaries ranging from Rs 80,000 to Rs 3.5 lakh.
A senior Jet official said: “We have not taken a final decision as yet. But the senior people, including pilots, in the company may have a cut in their pay package. So people are anticipating something. What and how much is that, is not yet finalised.” After the fire and hire fiasco of 1,900 cabin crew staffers, the airline is clearly handling its HR issues very sensitively.
24/10/08 Saurabh Sinha/Economic Times
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Thursday, October 23, 2008
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Aviation students now bank on international carriers
Chandigarh: Cost-cutting steps of leading Indian domestic airlines are forcing students in private aviation institutes that impart training for airhostesses and flight attendants to rely on international carriers and the hospitality industry for placements.
"This crisis in the aviation industry is a temporary phase and will pass soon," said Kamal Saini, senior centre head of Frankfinn, an institute of air hostess training that has branches all over the country.
"This is going on only in the domestic market. Our students have plenty of opportunities available in the international market," Saini said.
The Frankfinn executive sought to brush off as mere rumours reports that the turbulence in the global aviation industry would result in a substantial drop in both recruitment and salary packages.
"In the last 45 days, over 1,400 students of Frankfinn have been placed in various organizations of international repute."
She said these students had been placed in various international airlines like British Airways, Singapore Airlines, RAK Airways, Emirates Airlines and in different five-star hotels all over the country.
"Our placement drive is on. We are still getting countless queries from diverse international airlines for the placement of our students."
"We should understand that every industry has its own ups and downs and this phase will soon wither away," said Mohanbir Singh Chawla, director of Jet Wings, a venture of SQL Technologies based in Chandigarh.
"Students here are not at all worried about the problems going on in the domestic aviation sector," Chawla said.
He said students of aviation had bright scope in the international airline, hospitality and tourism sector as they were always in great demand overseas because of their neutral accent and adaptability qualities.
Students and faculty of aviation training institutes hope that the government will soon formulate a plan that will bail out the aviation industry, which is facing problems due to high fuel prices, overcapacity and a general downturn.
23/10/08 IANS/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink "This crisis in the aviation industry is a temporary phase and will pass soon," said Kamal Saini, senior centre head of Frankfinn, an institute of air hostess training that has branches all over the country.
"This is going on only in the domestic market. Our students have plenty of opportunities available in the international market," Saini said.
The Frankfinn executive sought to brush off as mere rumours reports that the turbulence in the global aviation industry would result in a substantial drop in both recruitment and salary packages.
"In the last 45 days, over 1,400 students of Frankfinn have been placed in various organizations of international repute."
She said these students had been placed in various international airlines like British Airways, Singapore Airlines, RAK Airways, Emirates Airlines and in different five-star hotels all over the country.
"Our placement drive is on. We are still getting countless queries from diverse international airlines for the placement of our students."
"We should understand that every industry has its own ups and downs and this phase will soon wither away," said Mohanbir Singh Chawla, director of Jet Wings, a venture of SQL Technologies based in Chandigarh.
"Students here are not at all worried about the problems going on in the domestic aviation sector," Chawla said.
He said students of aviation had bright scope in the international airline, hospitality and tourism sector as they were always in great demand overseas because of their neutral accent and adaptability qualities.
Students and faculty of aviation training institutes hope that the government will soon formulate a plan that will bail out the aviation industry, which is facing problems due to high fuel prices, overcapacity and a general downturn.
23/10/08 IANS/Economic Times
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Wednesday, October 22, 2008
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
No warts please, we're air hostesses
Mumbai: Beauty can sometimes come with a sky-high price tag. Ask any of the pretty young things who looked impeccably manicured even on a sweltering October afternoon as as they protested their sacking by Jet Airways. Off the record, they will tell you a warts-and-all tale of battles with acne, moles, hair loss and, the most shadowy enemy of them all, dark circles. These youngsters punish their bodies and spend lakhs of rupees to achieve the exacting Barbie Doll beauty standards that the industry demands. Their justification? What option do they have in a scenario where attendants have been grounded for streaking their hair or sprouting a pimple?
I have spent over Rs 1.5 lakh over one year to treat the dark circles under my eyes, said an air-hostess, all of 18. I went for ayurvedic and homeopathic treatment and any number of visits to a dermatologist. Another spent nearly one lakh rupeesRs 35,000 a sittingto remove unwanted facial hair through laser treatment. It was meant to be permanent. Dr Jamuna Pai, who is cosmetic consultant to Jet Airways, said that girls queue up for Spanish skin lightening treatment, a procedure that costs Rs 13,000.
The other terror that can strike any time is acne. Depending on the severity, treating it could cost anywhere between Rs 15,000 to Rs 55,000, but many employees swear that it is worth it. A pimple is enough to get you grounded if youre cabin crew. Both male and female flight attendants recounted how they were told to stay home. I was grounded for a month after a pimple appeared on my forehead, said a purser.
Moles on the face even if it sits tantalisingly above the lip like Cindy Crawfordsare treated like unwanted foreign objects. Many hostesses go in for mole excision, a surgical procedure that costs anywhere from Rs 2,000 to Rs 7,000 and leaves only a faint mark that can be hidden with concealer.
But while all this primping and plucking may ensure short-term beauty, the long-term effects on skin and hair can be disastrous, warn beauticians.
Of course this is absurd, said a 48-year-old air-hostess with Indian. I have never heard of anyone being grounded for pimples. I have never felt the need for exorbitant skin treatment. According to her, frequent skin treatment and surgery coupled with working at high altitudes and odd working hours is a sure shot way to get stuck with dull hair, sallow skin and puffy eyes. That will get you grounded well before the pimples will, she laughed.
22/10/08 Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink I have spent over Rs 1.5 lakh over one year to treat the dark circles under my eyes, said an air-hostess, all of 18. I went for ayurvedic and homeopathic treatment and any number of visits to a dermatologist. Another spent nearly one lakh rupeesRs 35,000 a sittingto remove unwanted facial hair through laser treatment. It was meant to be permanent. Dr Jamuna Pai, who is cosmetic consultant to Jet Airways, said that girls queue up for Spanish skin lightening treatment, a procedure that costs Rs 13,000.
The other terror that can strike any time is acne. Depending on the severity, treating it could cost anywhere between Rs 15,000 to Rs 55,000, but many employees swear that it is worth it. A pimple is enough to get you grounded if youre cabin crew. Both male and female flight attendants recounted how they were told to stay home. I was grounded for a month after a pimple appeared on my forehead, said a purser.
Moles on the face even if it sits tantalisingly above the lip like Cindy Crawfordsare treated like unwanted foreign objects. Many hostesses go in for mole excision, a surgical procedure that costs anywhere from Rs 2,000 to Rs 7,000 and leaves only a faint mark that can be hidden with concealer.
But while all this primping and plucking may ensure short-term beauty, the long-term effects on skin and hair can be disastrous, warn beauticians.
Of course this is absurd, said a 48-year-old air-hostess with Indian. I have never heard of anyone being grounded for pimples. I have never felt the need for exorbitant skin treatment. According to her, frequent skin treatment and surgery coupled with working at high altitudes and odd working hours is a sure shot way to get stuck with dull hair, sallow skin and puffy eyes. That will get you grounded well before the pimples will, she laughed.
22/10/08 Times of India
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Ten tips to cope with the pink slip
Eight months ago Sangita Chawla (name changed) weighed about 85 kgs. Despite this she had a dream of making it big as an airhostess. So this 24 year old Mumbai girl went on a rigorous diet and exercise regime to cut out all the flab. Within six months, Sangita weighed just 50 kilograms and was all set for her dream job. She was hired by a leading aviation company, since she met all their requirements now.
Unfortunately for her Sangita's job was one of the many jobs her company decided to take away, but later give back. "I'm thrilled to get my job back, but of course uncertainty still looms," confesses Sangita. She is not the only one. Across sectors there are fears of cost cutting and consolidation.
"Most people never predict a job loss," continues Aruna Sampat of HR consultancy firm Career Catalysts, "and are caught off guard when they get laid off."
Sampat cuts the bull and tells you what you should do if you lose your job.
1. Don't panic: A job loss has nothing to do with performance, or your ability. It’s more about redundancy of your role in the company. Once this understanding seeps in, you will you be able to concentrate on finding a new job.
2. Make a list: Update your resume and follow a daily schedule. Now that you have time on hand, set aside at least five to six hours a day on job hunting – including research, calls, interviews etc. Make a list of the people and companies which can help you. Be specific on how they can help you.
3. Get aggressive: Make sure that you have your detailed resume up on every job portal there is.
4. Talk to other pros: Focus on what kind of job you want. Assess market situation and make your plan. If a role is interesting but the company is not so much a brand name, are you willing for a lateral move, or would you like to take a cut in salary for a brand? Think through.
5. Freelance: Do not hesitate to take up freelance assignments. Look at it this way. You will keep your skills up to date and it will bring home a few bucks. In the meanwhile keep hunting for a job.
6. Be transparent: Most people don't want to mention they have been laid off. “But hiding it will only complicate things," continues Sampat, "being laid off is not a taboo anymore amongst companies. They will hire you for your skills."
7. No blame-game: Blaming the company or your luck during an interview is a strict no-no. Companies like hiring people with a positive outlook.
8. Reference friendly: Make sure that you have all your references ready when you go for interviews and do not hesitate to give them if asked. Inform your reference in advance so that they are not caught unaware and will able to contribute in getting you a job.
9. Network: Network like crazy. Nothing has more impact than a meeting. Also make sure you follow up with your contacts so that they think of you the first time an opportunity springs up.
10. Stay healthy: Last but not the least you have to stay fit and keep healthy. Only this will keep you motivated and mentally fit.
22/10/08 IBNLive.com
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Unfortunately for her Sangita's job was one of the many jobs her company decided to take away, but later give back. "I'm thrilled to get my job back, but of course uncertainty still looms," confesses Sangita. She is not the only one. Across sectors there are fears of cost cutting and consolidation.
"Most people never predict a job loss," continues Aruna Sampat of HR consultancy firm Career Catalysts, "and are caught off guard when they get laid off."
Sampat cuts the bull and tells you what you should do if you lose your job.
1. Don't panic: A job loss has nothing to do with performance, or your ability. It’s more about redundancy of your role in the company. Once this understanding seeps in, you will you be able to concentrate on finding a new job.
2. Make a list: Update your resume and follow a daily schedule. Now that you have time on hand, set aside at least five to six hours a day on job hunting – including research, calls, interviews etc. Make a list of the people and companies which can help you. Be specific on how they can help you.
3. Get aggressive: Make sure that you have your detailed resume up on every job portal there is.
4. Talk to other pros: Focus on what kind of job you want. Assess market situation and make your plan. If a role is interesting but the company is not so much a brand name, are you willing for a lateral move, or would you like to take a cut in salary for a brand? Think through.
5. Freelance: Do not hesitate to take up freelance assignments. Look at it this way. You will keep your skills up to date and it will bring home a few bucks. In the meanwhile keep hunting for a job.
6. Be transparent: Most people don't want to mention they have been laid off. “But hiding it will only complicate things," continues Sampat, "being laid off is not a taboo anymore amongst companies. They will hire you for your skills."
7. No blame-game: Blaming the company or your luck during an interview is a strict no-no. Companies like hiring people with a positive outlook.
8. Reference friendly: Make sure that you have all your references ready when you go for interviews and do not hesitate to give them if asked. Inform your reference in advance so that they are not caught unaware and will able to contribute in getting you a job.
9. Network: Network like crazy. Nothing has more impact than a meeting. Also make sure you follow up with your contacts so that they think of you the first time an opportunity springs up.
10. Stay healthy: Last but not the least you have to stay fit and keep healthy. Only this will keep you motivated and mentally fit.
22/10/08 IBNLive.com
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Training, procedures probed over Moorabbin Airport mid-air crash
Investigators are focusing on airport procedures and student pilot training as they probe a fatal mid-air crash in August.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s preliminary report released today said the investigation would centre on pilots' “situational awareness”, and has so far found no evidence of mechanical faults in either plane.
The report reveals pilot Akash Ananth, 24, on his third solo flight, had no chance of surviving the crash, 3km northwest of the airport, when his Cessna A150 descended “almost vertically” into the back yard of a Cheltenham house.
Schoolchildren watched the horror unfold, as the plummeting craft missed the Cheltenham East Primary School by just 60m.
Shortly before the tragic series of events, there were six other planes waiting to land and Mr Ananth had conducted a “touch and go” on the airport’s runway, the report says.
He had been doing circuits before the apparent aborted landing.
Earlier reports suggested the trainee pilot from the Royal Victoria Aero Club, was instructed by air traffic control to turn left away from Moorabbin airport.
But the ATSB says there was no radio communication between the pilot and control tower during the manoeuvre.
The report says the Piper Warrior, also piloted by an Indian student, was preparing to join the queue for landing planes when the Cessna appeared on a collision course.
The Piper’s pilot made a desperate bid to bank hard right and down, out of the Cessna’s way, but was not enough to avoid the crash, the report says.
The Cessna’s left wing was crushed and part of the Piper’s left fuselage was torn away, leaving the left tailplane a twisted wreck.
Fuel spewed from the other plane involved as an instructor grabbed the controls of a Piper Warrior from his student and guided the badly damaged craft back to the airport.
Mr Ananth’s plane rolled three times before slamming into a garage roof and concrete courtyard, part of the plane landing on a neighbouring roof.
The report notes that while there are six airports using similar procedures to Moorabbin Airport, it asks pilots to enter a landing control zone at 1000 feet, not 500 feet.
22/10/08 Matthew Schulz/Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s preliminary report released today said the investigation would centre on pilots' “situational awareness”, and has so far found no evidence of mechanical faults in either plane.
The report reveals pilot Akash Ananth, 24, on his third solo flight, had no chance of surviving the crash, 3km northwest of the airport, when his Cessna A150 descended “almost vertically” into the back yard of a Cheltenham house.
Schoolchildren watched the horror unfold, as the plummeting craft missed the Cheltenham East Primary School by just 60m.
Shortly before the tragic series of events, there were six other planes waiting to land and Mr Ananth had conducted a “touch and go” on the airport’s runway, the report says.
He had been doing circuits before the apparent aborted landing.
Earlier reports suggested the trainee pilot from the Royal Victoria Aero Club, was instructed by air traffic control to turn left away from Moorabbin airport.
But the ATSB says there was no radio communication between the pilot and control tower during the manoeuvre.
The report says the Piper Warrior, also piloted by an Indian student, was preparing to join the queue for landing planes when the Cessna appeared on a collision course.
The Piper’s pilot made a desperate bid to bank hard right and down, out of the Cessna’s way, but was not enough to avoid the crash, the report says.
The Cessna’s left wing was crushed and part of the Piper’s left fuselage was torn away, leaving the left tailplane a twisted wreck.
Fuel spewed from the other plane involved as an instructor grabbed the controls of a Piper Warrior from his student and guided the badly damaged craft back to the airport.
Mr Ananth’s plane rolled three times before slamming into a garage roof and concrete courtyard, part of the plane landing on a neighbouring roof.
The report notes that while there are six airports using similar procedures to Moorabbin Airport, it asks pilots to enter a landing control zone at 1000 feet, not 500 feet.
22/10/08 Matthew Schulz/Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia
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Tuesday, October 21, 2008
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Regional carriers, biz jet firms look to hire
Hyderabad /New Delhi: Large airlines may be cutting jobs to contain losses, but the hiring outlook at regional airlines, firms running business jets and low-fare carriers remains strong as these firms gear up to recruit at least a 1,000 people in the next 15 months.
Fractional aircraft ownership companies such as Business Jets India Pvt. Ltd-run Bjets and Mumbai-based Invision Air Services Pvt. Ltd, business jets operator VistaJet Luftfahrtunternehmen GmbH-run VistaJets and regional carriers such as Chennai-based Star Aviation Pvt. Ltd are in the process of employing people to staff their new businesses.
Though the number of people needed to run a business jet is lean—consulting firm KPMG’s aviation analyst Mark Martin expects a staffing ratio of some 18 for such a plane—the number of people needed to run the new planes coming into the market could be significant given that another 100-150 planes are expected to join the Indian fleet of around 900 aircraft (commercial to private jets) by 2009.
The hiring needed for an operation such as a regional airline could be bigger. Even a five-aircraft operation in the first year for an entrant such as Star Aviation may need about 500-700 people including engineers, pilots, crew and ground staff, says company executives.
A Bjets pilot, who wished to remain annynomous, said the salaries at charter companies are comparable to airlines given that business jets come with a high cost, even though wages can be low during training.
VistaJet’s Learjet 60 XR, for example, can cost $7,300 or at least Rs350,500 for a 25-hour service.
A five-aircraft operation in the first year for an entrant such as Star Aviation may need 500-700 people
Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica SA, which is training several people from India in its Singapore training centre, expects several jobs to be generated from the planes it will be supplying to Indian buyers soon.
Besides five Embraer jets to Star Aviation starting March, the manufacturer will supply 20 jets booked by Invision Air next year.
Commercial airlines, too, see their hiring freeze easing in some months. SpiceJet Ltd, for example, expects to have openings for at least 20 co-pilots by early half of next year, according to J.S. Dhillon, low-cost carrier SpiceJet’s executive vice-president of flight operations.
Similarly, IndiGo, a service run by Interglobe Aviation Pvt. Ltd, plans to hire around 300 people including cockpit crew, pilots and customer care executives for the seven planes it inducts between now and next year.
“The growth and requirement by and large will remain the same, other than areas where we can get advantages of scale,” IndiGo’s president Aditya Ghosh said. “Even today we are running interviews across the country (for customer care executives).”
21/10/08 Tarun Shukla/Livemint
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Fractional aircraft ownership companies such as Business Jets India Pvt. Ltd-run Bjets and Mumbai-based Invision Air Services Pvt. Ltd, business jets operator VistaJet Luftfahrtunternehmen GmbH-run VistaJets and regional carriers such as Chennai-based Star Aviation Pvt. Ltd are in the process of employing people to staff their new businesses.
Though the number of people needed to run a business jet is lean—consulting firm KPMG’s aviation analyst Mark Martin expects a staffing ratio of some 18 for such a plane—the number of people needed to run the new planes coming into the market could be significant given that another 100-150 planes are expected to join the Indian fleet of around 900 aircraft (commercial to private jets) by 2009.
The hiring needed for an operation such as a regional airline could be bigger. Even a five-aircraft operation in the first year for an entrant such as Star Aviation may need about 500-700 people including engineers, pilots, crew and ground staff, says company executives.
A Bjets pilot, who wished to remain annynomous, said the salaries at charter companies are comparable to airlines given that business jets come with a high cost, even though wages can be low during training.
VistaJet’s Learjet 60 XR, for example, can cost $7,300 or at least Rs350,500 for a 25-hour service.
A five-aircraft operation in the first year for an entrant such as Star Aviation may need 500-700 people
Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica SA, which is training several people from India in its Singapore training centre, expects several jobs to be generated from the planes it will be supplying to Indian buyers soon.
Besides five Embraer jets to Star Aviation starting March, the manufacturer will supply 20 jets booked by Invision Air next year.
Commercial airlines, too, see their hiring freeze easing in some months. SpiceJet Ltd, for example, expects to have openings for at least 20 co-pilots by early half of next year, according to J.S. Dhillon, low-cost carrier SpiceJet’s executive vice-president of flight operations.
Similarly, IndiGo, a service run by Interglobe Aviation Pvt. Ltd, plans to hire around 300 people including cockpit crew, pilots and customer care executives for the seven planes it inducts between now and next year.
“The growth and requirement by and large will remain the same, other than areas where we can get advantages of scale,” IndiGo’s president Aditya Ghosh said. “Even today we are running interviews across the country (for customer care executives).”
21/10/08 Tarun Shukla/Livemint
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Students, aviation institutes still dare to fly
Ahmedabad: Jet Airways might have taken back its retrenched employees but the move has undoubtedly left scars on the aviation industry. Aviation schools across the country are now pursuing a damage-control exercise. They are going all out to assure students that the worst is over.
Take the case of Electrotherm-promoted Ahmedabad Aviation & Aeronautics Ltd (AAA). The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) approved institute offers courses in pilot’s training, aviation management, cabin crew and aircraft maintenance engineering. AAA offers flying training at its hanger at S V Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad and Mehsana airfield.
Dhiraj Agarwal, centre head of Avalon Aviation Academy, corroborates: “..we believe the worst has passed, and in just six months’ time the turmoil will give way for the industry to pick up. There are international airlines Emirates and Qatar Airways which are doing well even in these times and have shown interest in hiring our students. Even the Indian government would take some steps as it cannot afford to let such a huge industry reel under a bad phase for long. So, unless some huge recession happens, our industry looks like it will grow by some 5-6 per cent in a year’s time and the future of those pursuing a career in aviation is going to be bright again.”
Students, too, remain sanguine. With fees per student ranging between Rs 45,000 and Rs 1,00,000 for a course duration of an average six months to a year, the students are finding themselves in a fix after borrowing money from banks to pursue the vocation. But the depressing scenario has not deterred the students from pursuing the course. Instead they believe there are countless opportunities available in the field.
And if the situation seems bad for the students pursuing various courses in the field of aviation, it should seem worse for those who have already completed their course. Instead, freshers in the industry are still upbeat and feel the scenario will get better in the near future.
".. It is an enormous industry which will survive, thanks to the many opportunities in parallel fields like travel, tourism and hospitality. Moreover, we believe the scenario in the aviation industry itself will change for better sooner or later,” says a student who has just finished her course in BTEC (HNC) in aviation, hospitality and travel management from Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training, Mumbai.
21/10/08 Chitra Unnithan & Vinay Umarji/Business Standard
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Take the case of Electrotherm-promoted Ahmedabad Aviation & Aeronautics Ltd (AAA). The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) approved institute offers courses in pilot’s training, aviation management, cabin crew and aircraft maintenance engineering. AAA offers flying training at its hanger at S V Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad and Mehsana airfield.
Dhiraj Agarwal, centre head of Avalon Aviation Academy, corroborates: “..we believe the worst has passed, and in just six months’ time the turmoil will give way for the industry to pick up. There are international airlines Emirates and Qatar Airways which are doing well even in these times and have shown interest in hiring our students. Even the Indian government would take some steps as it cannot afford to let such a huge industry reel under a bad phase for long. So, unless some huge recession happens, our industry looks like it will grow by some 5-6 per cent in a year’s time and the future of those pursuing a career in aviation is going to be bright again.”
Students, too, remain sanguine. With fees per student ranging between Rs 45,000 and Rs 1,00,000 for a course duration of an average six months to a year, the students are finding themselves in a fix after borrowing money from banks to pursue the vocation. But the depressing scenario has not deterred the students from pursuing the course. Instead they believe there are countless opportunities available in the field.
And if the situation seems bad for the students pursuing various courses in the field of aviation, it should seem worse for those who have already completed their course. Instead, freshers in the industry are still upbeat and feel the scenario will get better in the near future.
".. It is an enormous industry which will survive, thanks to the many opportunities in parallel fields like travel, tourism and hospitality. Moreover, we believe the scenario in the aviation industry itself will change for better sooner or later,” says a student who has just finished her course in BTEC (HNC) in aviation, hospitality and travel management from Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training, Mumbai.
21/10/08 Chitra Unnithan & Vinay Umarji/Business Standard
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Emirates welcomes Indian cabin crew
New Delhi: Contrary to the job cuts initiated by Indian air carriers, Dubai-based international airline Emirates today said it would hire more staff and would be happy to recruit more Indians as cabin crew in its international operations.
"There would be no job cuts. In fact we are looking for more staff. We will be happy to recruit more Indians as cabin crew," Emirates Airline Vice-President (India and Nepal) Orhan Abbas told reporters here.
The carrier has 10,000 cabin crew in its global operations out of which 8-10 per cent are Indians. "Indians are very educated, intelligent and hardworking. We are looking forward to taking more Indians in our expansion plans," he said.
Abbas, however, refused to comment on Indian air carriers' initiative to reduce their headcount due to ever increasing expenses especially in aviation fuel.
"The global financial crisis has affected everyone, Emirates, too. But we are taking measures to face it," he said without elaborating further.
20/10/08 PTI/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink "There would be no job cuts. In fact we are looking for more staff. We will be happy to recruit more Indians as cabin crew," Emirates Airline Vice-President (India and Nepal) Orhan Abbas told reporters here.
The carrier has 10,000 cabin crew in its global operations out of which 8-10 per cent are Indians. "Indians are very educated, intelligent and hardworking. We are looking forward to taking more Indians in our expansion plans," he said.
Abbas, however, refused to comment on Indian air carriers' initiative to reduce their headcount due to ever increasing expenses especially in aviation fuel.
"The global financial crisis has affected everyone, Emirates, too. But we are taking measures to face it," he said without elaborating further.
20/10/08 PTI/Economic Times
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Trainee pilots accept pay cut; say they don’t have a choice
Mumbai: It’s now evident that the downward spiral to hit the Indian aviation sector has steadily seeped into the minds of airline employees. Because, on being probed for their reactions on Saturday’s salary cuts by the country’s second largest private airline, pilots including Kingfisher’s trainee co-pilots who became the first ones to face the axe, said they had no choice but to accept salary cuts as long as their jobs were secure. “If that’s the imperative, then we don’t have much choice as long as our jobs are secured,” said a Kingfisher airline trainee pilot on the salary cuts.
But what has also become a cause of concern among many trainee pilots and co-pilots is the recovery of substantial amounts of money that they spent on clocking flying hours in order to obtain a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) to help them kick-start their aviation careers. “The per-hour cost of flying in India comes to about Rs 3,500 and you need a minimum of 250 flying hours to be get a CPL which comes to about Rs 9 lakh. But most students prefer to get their training from countries like Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States where you end up paying an average of 25 to 35 thousand dollars on your training to get a CPL,” said a trainee pilot with Kingfisher, who spent $28,000 in his training from the US. Still, according to him, he will accept the pay cut as long as his job is secure with the airline.
“It’s better to have jobs with salary cuts because as and when the scenario improves, we’ll get the usual salaries back,” said another trainee pilot.
20/10/08 Shashank Shekhar/Indian Express
To read the news in full |
PermaLink But what has also become a cause of concern among many trainee pilots and co-pilots is the recovery of substantial amounts of money that they spent on clocking flying hours in order to obtain a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) to help them kick-start their aviation careers. “The per-hour cost of flying in India comes to about Rs 3,500 and you need a minimum of 250 flying hours to be get a CPL which comes to about Rs 9 lakh. But most students prefer to get their training from countries like Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States where you end up paying an average of 25 to 35 thousand dollars on your training to get a CPL,” said a trainee pilot with Kingfisher, who spent $28,000 in his training from the US. Still, according to him, he will accept the pay cut as long as his job is secure with the airline.
“It’s better to have jobs with salary cuts because as and when the scenario improves, we’ll get the usual salaries back,” said another trainee pilot.
20/10/08 Shashank Shekhar/Indian Express
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Kingfisher Airlines freezes pilot hiring
Hyderabad: Kingfisher Airlines has frozen pilot recruitments and has not honoured the 'letters of intent' it issued for the position of co-pilots earlier this year, according to highly placed sources.
Young pilots, who received letters of intent from Kingfisher Airlines promising them co-pilot positions once they completed Type Rating training in institutes abroad say, several of them have successfully completed their course and have got Indian licences, but have not heard from the airline regarding the promised job.
A young pilot who had been issued this letter says, ''The letter was issued to me in April and it clearly stated that I had to bear the course fee at the institute recognized by the airline. Since a job at the end of the course was guaranteed I coughed up Rs 35 lakh for this training programme. But after I came back, I contacted them (the airline) but I was asked to stay put and that they would get back to me, which has not happened so far.''
When contacted, a Kingfisher spokesperson - appearing hassled - said the airline would comment on the matter after a day. He referred to the statement issued by the airline on Saturday on the salary cut issue that spoke of the turbulence in the aviation industry meriting reduction in the capacity deployed.
20/10/08 Roli Srivastava & Sudipta Sengupta/Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Young pilots, who received letters of intent from Kingfisher Airlines promising them co-pilot positions once they completed Type Rating training in institutes abroad say, several of them have successfully completed their course and have got Indian licences, but have not heard from the airline regarding the promised job.
A young pilot who had been issued this letter says, ''The letter was issued to me in April and it clearly stated that I had to bear the course fee at the institute recognized by the airline. Since a job at the end of the course was guaranteed I coughed up Rs 35 lakh for this training programme. But after I came back, I contacted them (the airline) but I was asked to stay put and that they would get back to me, which has not happened so far.''
When contacted, a Kingfisher spokesperson - appearing hassled - said the airline would comment on the matter after a day. He referred to the statement issued by the airline on Saturday on the salary cut issue that spoke of the turbulence in the aviation industry meriting reduction in the capacity deployed.
20/10/08 Roli Srivastava & Sudipta Sengupta/Times of India
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Sweet sounds of success for Chimes Aviation industry
The recent crisis in the aviation industry may have been a dampener for the growth plans of aviation training academies, but Uday Punj managing director, Chimes Aviation Academy (CAA) is in no mood to slow down, having flown quite some distance.
“Our first exposure to aviation was way back in 1993 when Punj Lloyd bagged the Hazipur pipeline project. That’s when we bought a helicopter for our managers and engineers for efficient and speedy work,” says Punj.
After a decade-and-a-half, Punj decided to study the Indian aviation sector extensively and after dropping the idea to start an airline business, he zeroed in on running a pilot training academy. “We found that all the academies in India are mom-and-pop operations.
Moreover, there was hardly any institute with good infrastructure back-up, so we decided to build a corporate academy with international placements in tow,” he adds.
With an initial capital investment of Rs 30 crore, the firm bought its first fleet of eight single and multi-engine Cessna 172 R aircrafts, an 11,000 sq ft airfield at Dhana in Madhya Pradesh.
“We visited many academies in and outside of the country, and then built a model based on the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA), a government-based pilot training,” says Punj.
In March last year, CAA came into operation. It offers DGCA approved integrated courses like ‘Commercial Pilots License’ (CPL) and ‘Private Pilots License’ (PPL). It also offers customised short-term programmes like Multi Engine Rating , Instrument Rating , License Endorsement and Hours Building for CPL and PPL under the ‘Chimes Flying Programme.
A 12 months course, it enrolls 120 students a year with an annual fee of Rs 22 lakh. “We plan to enhance our fleet size to 18 in a phased manner by this year. We are targeting a turnover of Rs 35 crore this fiscal. By 2010-11, our revenues should touch Rs 135 crore,” says Punj.
“Presently our main challenge is getting the reduction in sales tax on fuel,” says Punj. He’s also pushing for expansion of the academy overseas.
“If an IIM(A) student can find placements in MNCs abroad then why can’t pilots from an Indian institute find placements in international airlines,” he says. By the second quarter of 2009, Punj plans to run tourism based aviation services.
20/10/08 Monica Behura/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink “Our first exposure to aviation was way back in 1993 when Punj Lloyd bagged the Hazipur pipeline project. That’s when we bought a helicopter for our managers and engineers for efficient and speedy work,” says Punj.
After a decade-and-a-half, Punj decided to study the Indian aviation sector extensively and after dropping the idea to start an airline business, he zeroed in on running a pilot training academy. “We found that all the academies in India are mom-and-pop operations.
Moreover, there was hardly any institute with good infrastructure back-up, so we decided to build a corporate academy with international placements in tow,” he adds.
With an initial capital investment of Rs 30 crore, the firm bought its first fleet of eight single and multi-engine Cessna 172 R aircrafts, an 11,000 sq ft airfield at Dhana in Madhya Pradesh.
“We visited many academies in and outside of the country, and then built a model based on the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA), a government-based pilot training,” says Punj.
In March last year, CAA came into operation. It offers DGCA approved integrated courses like ‘Commercial Pilots License’ (CPL) and ‘Private Pilots License’ (PPL). It also offers customised short-term programmes like Multi Engine Rating , Instrument Rating , License Endorsement and Hours Building for CPL and PPL under the ‘Chimes Flying Programme.
A 12 months course, it enrolls 120 students a year with an annual fee of Rs 22 lakh. “We plan to enhance our fleet size to 18 in a phased manner by this year. We are targeting a turnover of Rs 35 crore this fiscal. By 2010-11, our revenues should touch Rs 135 crore,” says Punj.
“Presently our main challenge is getting the reduction in sales tax on fuel,” says Punj. He’s also pushing for expansion of the academy overseas.
“If an IIM(A) student can find placements in MNCs abroad then why can’t pilots from an Indian institute find placements in international airlines,” he says. By the second quarter of 2009, Punj plans to run tourism based aviation services.
20/10/08 Monica Behura/Economic Times
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Sunday, October 19, 2008
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Cabin crew in great demand among Middle East airlines
Mumbai: The largescale retrenchment of Jet Airways employees might have scared those looking for a career as cabin crew. But the manner in which international airlines continue to hire crew from India is something that might give them hope. Training institutes say that soft skills and the language advantage makes Indians good candidates for international airlines, especially those operating from the Middle East.
According to the different cabin crew training institutes in India, various international airlines are hiring crew from India in spite of the turbulence in the aviation sector globally. “The day when Jet employees were sacked, NAS airlines from Gulf advertised for vacancies in India. And Bahrain Air was interviewing people for 19 crew positions in Kochi,” says Rakesh Agarwal, managing director, Frankfinn Training Institute.
“Gulf carriers prefer Hindi speaking staff because a section of their target audience does not speak English,” says Sapna Gupta, founder and director of Air Hostess Academy.
Moreover, aviation academies believe that besides crew jobs, there are a host of other jobs available for candidates in hospitality, travel and tourism. And, as most of them are HSC-qualified, they can experiment with these options till they are hired by airlines. For instance, the minimum age for crew in international airlines is 21 years. A 19-year-old HSC graduate can work with a hotel or travel agency till he lands a job with an airlines.
19/10/08 Navita Singh/Daily News & Analysis
To read the news in full |
PermaLink According to the different cabin crew training institutes in India, various international airlines are hiring crew from India in spite of the turbulence in the aviation sector globally. “The day when Jet employees were sacked, NAS airlines from Gulf advertised for vacancies in India. And Bahrain Air was interviewing people for 19 crew positions in Kochi,” says Rakesh Agarwal, managing director, Frankfinn Training Institute.
“Gulf carriers prefer Hindi speaking staff because a section of their target audience does not speak English,” says Sapna Gupta, founder and director of Air Hostess Academy.
Moreover, aviation academies believe that besides crew jobs, there are a host of other jobs available for candidates in hospitality, travel and tourism. And, as most of them are HSC-qualified, they can experiment with these options till they are hired by airlines. For instance, the minimum age for crew in international airlines is 21 years. A 19-year-old HSC graduate can work with a hotel or travel agency till he lands a job with an airlines.
19/10/08 Navita Singh/Daily News & Analysis
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Centre's nod to airhostess, cabin crew academy in Manipur
New Delhi: Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has approved proposal of Manipur Government for setting up a State-run Cabin Crew and Air Hostess Academy in Manipur.
The Manipur Minister of Transport L Jayantakumar Singh said here today that the Ministry had issued a formal communication to the State in this regard.
The Transport Minister stated that the State Government had already decided to convert the Raja Dumbra High School in Imphal into the Academy, which would be named after Raja Dumbra Singh.
The Academy would offer courses for cabin crew, airhostess and airport management besides training in spoken English and other foreign languages.
After preparation of Detailed Project Report of the Academy, the State Government would place the proposal to the Union Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region for sanction of the requisite amount.
In view of the future prospects of the Centre's Look East Policy and the Indo-Myanmar Border Trade which would directly benefit people of Manipur, the Minister stated that the Imphal Airport needed to be developed into an international standard so that international flights could also land at the airport in the near future.
With the increase in domestic flights in Manipur, Jayantakumar Singh said that modernisation of Imphal Airport with night landing facilities was being taken up and it would be in operation in December this year.
18/10/08 The Sangai Express/Manipur Info Centre/E-Pao.net
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The Manipur Minister of Transport L Jayantakumar Singh said here today that the Ministry had issued a formal communication to the State in this regard.
The Transport Minister stated that the State Government had already decided to convert the Raja Dumbra High School in Imphal into the Academy, which would be named after Raja Dumbra Singh.
The Academy would offer courses for cabin crew, airhostess and airport management besides training in spoken English and other foreign languages.
After preparation of Detailed Project Report of the Academy, the State Government would place the proposal to the Union Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region for sanction of the requisite amount.
In view of the future prospects of the Centre's Look East Policy and the Indo-Myanmar Border Trade which would directly benefit people of Manipur, the Minister stated that the Imphal Airport needed to be developed into an international standard so that international flights could also land at the airport in the near future.
With the increase in domestic flights in Manipur, Jayantakumar Singh said that modernisation of Imphal Airport with night landing facilities was being taken up and it would be in operation in December this year.
18/10/08 The Sangai Express/Manipur Info Centre/E-Pao.net
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Kingfisher Airlines cuts 90% salaries of trainee pilots
Mumbai: Kingfisher Airlines has lined up a host of cost-cutting measures, a majority of which involves drastic salary cuts.
The most affected will be the new lot of trainee co-pilots who not only have to go back to their stipend pay, but also be prepared for an uncertain future.
A cost modelling study has shown that the airline has surplus pilots, athough the exact figure isn’t yet known. Unlike in the case of Jet Airways, the surplus pilots also include senior commanders on wide-bodied aircraft.
“About 70 trainee pilots’ monthly salaries stand to come down from Rs 1.95 lakh (newly endorsed ATR/A320 pilots) and Rs 90,000 (trainees on probation) to a stipend of Rs 20,000 per month,’’ said an airline official who did not wish to be named.
The cost-cutting will not be limited to the junior pilots and is slated to go all the way up to the wide-bodied A340 pilots as well.
“About 14 commanders and 30 first officers who have been trained and endorsed on A340 aicraft will be losing Rs 1.20 lakh each from their monthly salaries as they will be moved down to the singleaisle 320 aircraft. Had they been allowed to continue on the A340, they would have drawn Rs 60,000 more per month after their endorsement and another Rs 60,000 after completing 500 hours of flying on the A340,’’ the official added.
The airline, which was to launch its international operations in a big way this year, has scaled down its plans, leading to a surplus of senior pilots.
While no official letters have been sent out, officials say the final equations in the cost-cutting exercise will emerge soon. Although the Kingfisher spokesperson did not comment on the specifics of the exercise, a statement issued by the airline on Friday confirmed the salary cuts.
19/10/08 Manju V/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The most affected will be the new lot of trainee co-pilots who not only have to go back to their stipend pay, but also be prepared for an uncertain future.
A cost modelling study has shown that the airline has surplus pilots, athough the exact figure isn’t yet known. Unlike in the case of Jet Airways, the surplus pilots also include senior commanders on wide-bodied aircraft.
“About 70 trainee pilots’ monthly salaries stand to come down from Rs 1.95 lakh (newly endorsed ATR/A320 pilots) and Rs 90,000 (trainees on probation) to a stipend of Rs 20,000 per month,’’ said an airline official who did not wish to be named.
The cost-cutting will not be limited to the junior pilots and is slated to go all the way up to the wide-bodied A340 pilots as well.
“About 14 commanders and 30 first officers who have been trained and endorsed on A340 aicraft will be losing Rs 1.20 lakh each from their monthly salaries as they will be moved down to the singleaisle 320 aircraft. Had they been allowed to continue on the A340, they would have drawn Rs 60,000 more per month after their endorsement and another Rs 60,000 after completing 500 hours of flying on the A340,’’ the official added.
The airline, which was to launch its international operations in a big way this year, has scaled down its plans, leading to a surplus of senior pilots.
While no official letters have been sent out, officials say the final equations in the cost-cutting exercise will emerge soon. Although the Kingfisher spokesperson did not comment on the specifics of the exercise, a statement issued by the airline on Friday confirmed the salary cuts.
19/10/08 Manju V/Economic Times
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Kingfisher grounds 50 trainee co-pilots
Mumbai: The crisis in the Indian aviation sector is getting worse. Vijay Mallya-owned Kingfisher Airlines has benched 50 trainee co-pilots, asking them to stay at home till further orders. The company has offered them a monthly stipend of Rs 20,000 against their take home salary of up to Rs 1 lakh.
The loss-making airline told these pilots that they would be asked to report for work once the market stabilises which could be take as many as 12 months. This decision has put the co-pilots in a fix as most of them had borrowed funds from banks to pay for the commercial pilot licence course fees and were planning to repay the loan from their salaries.
The deal, though appears relatively lucrative when compared to the Air-India’s scheme which offers a three-year sabbatical without salary. But it has left a bitter taste for the employees who are at the receiving end. Frustrated with the decision, the co-pilots have sought a meeting with the Kingfisher authorities on Tuesday to explain their case, said one of the co-pilots. They are also weighing options of complaining against the company with the authorities, he said.
When contacted, the Kingfisher spokesperson denied the move. Hitesh Patel, executive vice-president of Kingfisher Airline, said the entire batch of the co-pilots had been asked to take a salary cut.
19/10/08 Amol Maokar & Mithun Roy/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The loss-making airline told these pilots that they would be asked to report for work once the market stabilises which could be take as many as 12 months. This decision has put the co-pilots in a fix as most of them had borrowed funds from banks to pay for the commercial pilot licence course fees and were planning to repay the loan from their salaries.
The deal, though appears relatively lucrative when compared to the Air-India’s scheme which offers a three-year sabbatical without salary. But it has left a bitter taste for the employees who are at the receiving end. Frustrated with the decision, the co-pilots have sought a meeting with the Kingfisher authorities on Tuesday to explain their case, said one of the co-pilots. They are also weighing options of complaining against the company with the authorities, he said.
When contacted, the Kingfisher spokesperson denied the move. Hitesh Patel, executive vice-president of Kingfisher Airline, said the entire batch of the co-pilots had been asked to take a salary cut.
19/10/08 Amol Maokar & Mithun Roy/Economic Times
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Friday, October 17, 2008
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International civil aviation university to come up in Hyderabad
Hyderabad: Concordia University of Canada has decided to set up an aviation-focussed university in India’s first aerospace special economic zone, coming up in Andhra Pradesh.Officials hope that the university would start offering programmes next year while the campus would come up in 2010.
The proposed International Civil Aviation University (ICAU) will be developed as a centre of excellence with sister campuses in Montreal (Canada) and Toulouse (France).
Dale Doreen, executive director of the International Centre for Aviation Management Education and Research at John Molson School of Business, Concordia University, told IANS they were looking for Indian partners for the university.
The university, which is looking for local investors for this $40-50 million project, expects that 10,000 students would enroll for its various programmes after a few years.
The foundation stone for the aerospace SEZ was laid Wednesday at India Aviation-2008, India’s first conference and exhibition on civil aviation.
The university plans to offer undergraduate and graduate training programmes in engineering and management. Initial programmes proposed include BSc Mechanical Engineering, MSc Aeronautical Engineering, BSc Aviation Management, Msc Air Transport Management and Aviation MBA.
The university will span across three campus locations - Hyderabad, Montreal (Canada) and Toulouse (France) - bringing together significant industry players in the aerospace market.
“State-of-the-art electronic communications will link ICAU with its sister campuses to foster exchange and attract international students. There will be training programmes and joint classes to give Indian aviation industry a global perspective,” Doreen said.
16/10/08 IANS/Thaindian.com, Thailand
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The proposed International Civil Aviation University (ICAU) will be developed as a centre of excellence with sister campuses in Montreal (Canada) and Toulouse (France).
Dale Doreen, executive director of the International Centre for Aviation Management Education and Research at John Molson School of Business, Concordia University, told IANS they were looking for Indian partners for the university.
The university, which is looking for local investors for this $40-50 million project, expects that 10,000 students would enroll for its various programmes after a few years.
The foundation stone for the aerospace SEZ was laid Wednesday at India Aviation-2008, India’s first conference and exhibition on civil aviation.
The university plans to offer undergraduate and graduate training programmes in engineering and management. Initial programmes proposed include BSc Mechanical Engineering, MSc Aeronautical Engineering, BSc Aviation Management, Msc Air Transport Management and Aviation MBA.
The university will span across three campus locations - Hyderabad, Montreal (Canada) and Toulouse (France) - bringing together significant industry players in the aerospace market.
“State-of-the-art electronic communications will link ICAU with its sister campuses to foster exchange and attract international students. There will be training programmes and joint classes to give Indian aviation industry a global perspective,” Doreen said.
16/10/08 IANS/Thaindian.com, Thailand
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Bird Group expands presence in flight training market
Hyderabad: At a time when the civil aviation market in India faces a severe downturn, the diversified Bird Group has expanded its presence in the flight training market by inking a deal with leading simulator manufacturer Alsim to offer its products in this country and the SAARC region.Bird Group executive director Ankur Bhatia and Christine Douguet, export sales manager of France-based Alsim Simulateurs Company inked the deal Thursday at the ongoing India Aviation 2008 international air show here.
“ALSIM’s state-of-the-art technology allows instructors to reconfigure FTDs (flight training devices) for different aircraft types and gives flying schools more training options and higher profit margins,” a Bird Group statement said.
The FTDs serve the needs of flight schools, airlines, military organizations and corporate flight departments in over 22 countries and are compliant with FAA and other international regulations, the statement added.
Commenting on the partnership, Bhatia said: “As a successful business conglomerate, Bird Group has been a forerunner in the travel, tourism and aviation space for almost four decades with a touch point in every vertical of the industry.
“Our partnership with Alsim adds a new dimension to our proposition empowering us to offer state-of-the-art simulator equipment to leading flight schools and aviation businesses in the country,” Bhatia added.
“The flight training industry in India is growing at a rapid pace with increased investments in aviation infrastructure as well as strong support from the government,” Bhatia said, adding that the threatened slowdown would not affect this niche sector.
16/10/08 IANS/Thaindian.com, Thailand
To read the news in full |
PermaLink “ALSIM’s state-of-the-art technology allows instructors to reconfigure FTDs (flight training devices) for different aircraft types and gives flying schools more training options and higher profit margins,” a Bird Group statement said.
The FTDs serve the needs of flight schools, airlines, military organizations and corporate flight departments in over 22 countries and are compliant with FAA and other international regulations, the statement added.
Commenting on the partnership, Bhatia said: “As a successful business conglomerate, Bird Group has been a forerunner in the travel, tourism and aviation space for almost four decades with a touch point in every vertical of the industry.
“Our partnership with Alsim adds a new dimension to our proposition empowering us to offer state-of-the-art simulator equipment to leading flight schools and aviation businesses in the country,” Bhatia added.
“The flight training industry in India is growing at a rapid pace with increased investments in aviation infrastructure as well as strong support from the government,” Bhatia said, adding that the threatened slowdown would not affect this niche sector.
16/10/08 IANS/Thaindian.com, Thailand
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APIIC plans centre for aerospace study
Hyderabad: Even as the aviation industry is going through turbulent times with many carriers cutting down on their capacities and are even laying
off their employees the way Jet Airways has done, some ironically see a potential in human resources.
For instance, the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation's (APIIC) Lepakshi Knowledge Hub Pvt Ltd is planning to set up Lepakshi Aerospace Station and Aviation Academy (LASAA). The proposed facility envisages an area of around 1,000 acres. A special purpose vehicle will be set up with strategic partners from Canada, and the Canadian government has shown keenness to support this initiative.
Meanwhile, Dale Doreen, executive director, International Centre for Aviation Management Education and Research, John Molson School of Business, Concordia University, Canada, said that it is looking at setting up a first aviation university in India for aviation education and training. "We are seeking investors and many investors have evinced interest," he said. While the location is yet to be finalized (it is looking for 750 acres), Doreen said they would start the first batch of the course next year with a few hundred students. Initially, the university would in all probability operate from an existing campus.
"The initial budget would be about between $20m and $50m. We had been talking informally with the Government of Andhra Pradesh who have shown interest. Now we will approach them formally," Doreen said.
16/10/08 Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink off their employees the way Jet Airways has done, some ironically see a potential in human resources.
For instance, the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation's (APIIC) Lepakshi Knowledge Hub Pvt Ltd is planning to set up Lepakshi Aerospace Station and Aviation Academy (LASAA). The proposed facility envisages an area of around 1,000 acres. A special purpose vehicle will be set up with strategic partners from Canada, and the Canadian government has shown keenness to support this initiative.
Meanwhile, Dale Doreen, executive director, International Centre for Aviation Management Education and Research, John Molson School of Business, Concordia University, Canada, said that it is looking at setting up a first aviation university in India for aviation education and training. "We are seeking investors and many investors have evinced interest," he said. While the location is yet to be finalized (it is looking for 750 acres), Doreen said they would start the first batch of the course next year with a few hundred students. Initially, the university would in all probability operate from an existing campus.
"The initial budget would be about between $20m and $50m. We had been talking informally with the Government of Andhra Pradesh who have shown interest. Now we will approach them formally," Doreen said.
16/10/08 Times of India
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Jet's pink slip syndrome has aviation students seeing red
New Delhi: The overnight sacking of 1,900 employees in the aviation industry has made students enrolled with aviation academies in the city quite jittery about their own future.
Ashely Sood (18) finished his schooling from Ryan International this year and now is training to become a flight steward with Avalon Academy. He is also doing his graduation with BCom Pass. His father, of late, has been asking him to concentrate more on his graduation as he might have to do an MBA, the way things are going.
Many aspirants join competitive training programmes that cover aviation, travel and hospitality industry, with guarantee of 100% placement or 50% cash-back policy. However, it's not money that students want back, but some sort of job security.
Pragati Pande, another aspiring air hostess, said she had a lot of convincing to do before her parents allowed her to come to Delhi from her hometown in Kanpur.
Echoing similar sentiments is 19-year-old Prince Kumar from Bihar. He left his modelling career to become a flying steward, believing that the aviation industry was booming.
However, some also believe that all is not lost and airlines cannot stop flying. Pursuing a course with the Air Hostess Academy (AHA), Harminder Kaur (18) says: "It's my dream to become an air hostess and nothing will come between me and my dream. This slump is only temporary and cannot go on for long. Air Deccan is coming out with new airliners.
Students also opine that the training they receive makes them eligible for the hospitality and BPO industry as well. "I agree the aviation industry is going through a slump, but we can always get into hospitality, travel and tourism industry too. This a stumbling block, not a dead end. After all, the industry cannot do without us. They need us as much we need them," says a student.
Meanwhile, training institutes are trying to do damage control, claiming this is only a temporary slump and has happened for the first time.
17/10/08 Deeksha Chopra/Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Ashely Sood (18) finished his schooling from Ryan International this year and now is training to become a flight steward with Avalon Academy. He is also doing his graduation with BCom Pass. His father, of late, has been asking him to concentrate more on his graduation as he might have to do an MBA, the way things are going.
Many aspirants join competitive training programmes that cover aviation, travel and hospitality industry, with guarantee of 100% placement or 50% cash-back policy. However, it's not money that students want back, but some sort of job security.
Pragati Pande, another aspiring air hostess, said she had a lot of convincing to do before her parents allowed her to come to Delhi from her hometown in Kanpur.
Echoing similar sentiments is 19-year-old Prince Kumar from Bihar. He left his modelling career to become a flying steward, believing that the aviation industry was booming.
However, some also believe that all is not lost and airlines cannot stop flying. Pursuing a course with the Air Hostess Academy (AHA), Harminder Kaur (18) says: "It's my dream to become an air hostess and nothing will come between me and my dream. This slump is only temporary and cannot go on for long. Air Deccan is coming out with new airliners.
Students also opine that the training they receive makes them eligible for the hospitality and BPO industry as well. "I agree the aviation industry is going through a slump, but we can always get into hospitality, travel and tourism industry too. This a stumbling block, not a dead end. After all, the industry cannot do without us. They need us as much we need them," says a student.
Meanwhile, training institutes are trying to do damage control, claiming this is only a temporary slump and has happened for the first time.
17/10/08 Deeksha Chopra/Times of India
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Thursday, October 16, 2008
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Aviation students asked to grab any straws they can
The latest round of cost-cutting in the airline industry has made the training schools cautious. Amid the uncertainty, students are being advised to grab what ever comes their way. Lubna Kadri, MD of the Indian Aviation Academy said, “We realise this is a passing phase. However, we are advising students not to lose any opportunity by being choosy.” But she was sure the industry would bounce back soon. “By May next year, there are going to be job openings,” she said.
At this point of time, Kingfisher officials are staying tight-lipped. A human resources officer said, “Recruitment has been frozen and I cannot say when they will resume.”
Some Kingfisher employees believe that what is happening at Jet Airways will have an effect on their airline too. “The situation is quite bad here. The crew and employees are slowly getting terminated. We are all mentally preparing ourselves to lose our jobs soon,” an employee said.
The future is bleak even for those looking for jobs in the industry. Sairam S, an unemployed pilot, is beginning to feel the specter of the meltdown at every interview he gives. “I have applied to many companies, but in the current scenario I am not really hopeful. But I guess it’s all about time. Whatever goes down will come back up, and I’m hoping there will be recruitment again,” he said.
16/10/08 S Surekha/Daily News & Analysis
To read the news in full |
PermaLink At this point of time, Kingfisher officials are staying tight-lipped. A human resources officer said, “Recruitment has been frozen and I cannot say when they will resume.”
Some Kingfisher employees believe that what is happening at Jet Airways will have an effect on their airline too. “The situation is quite bad here. The crew and employees are slowly getting terminated. We are all mentally preparing ourselves to lose our jobs soon,” an employee said.
The future is bleak even for those looking for jobs in the industry. Sairam S, an unemployed pilot, is beginning to feel the specter of the meltdown at every interview he gives. “I have applied to many companies, but in the current scenario I am not really hopeful. But I guess it’s all about time. Whatever goes down will come back up, and I’m hoping there will be recruitment again,” he said.
16/10/08 S Surekha/Daily News & Analysis
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Retrenchment sparks anxiety in training academies
Chennai/Chandigarh/Kolkata: The dreams of thousands of young men and women —from small town to big cities — aspiring to don the smart uniforms of cabin crew have hit an air pocket.
For the aviation training schools in Kolkata, the post-Durga Puja takeoff couldn't have been more bumpy and training institutes are in a quandary over the future of their students in Chennai in the aftermath of job-cuts by Jet Airways. The pink slips set in motion by private airlines tackling desi fallouts of the global financial meltdown has led to a wave of anxiety in the string of airhostess training institutes in Chandigarh, for long a magnet to the hordes of wannabe flight attendants streaming in from small towns in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and J&K.
Often coming from dusty towns in the interiors of Punjab, many of the trainees who have taken loans and either sold or mortgaged their properties to pay course fees ranging between Rs 16,000 and Rs 2 lakh are a worried lot. Close to 2,000 students are currently enrolled in aviation, travel, tourism and hospitality courses in airhostess training schools in Chennai.
"We've been flooded with queries on future prospects. This industry, like any other, has a cyclical nature. We are trying to explain that it will eventually fly out of the air-pocket. But concerns persist," said Ankan Das, Kingfisher Training Academy sales and marketing head in Kolkata.
"I always wanted to be an airhostess. The scenario is upsetting. I have already cleared the first round of interview with a major airline and am hopeful of landing a job as cabin crew in a months time," said Frankfinn Institute of Airhostess Training student Paulomi Roy.
The institutes are casting the net wide. They are talking about the prospects in the hospitality industry to offset the downturn in the aviation sector. Avlon Aviation Academy (AAA) in Kolkata has just introduced a new course in hospitality to spread the risk. ".. There are lots of opportunities in aviation beyond the aircraft. We expect recruitment of ground staff in new airports to continue unabated. That should be 25,000 new jobs across categories each year," said AAA regional head Warinder Singh in Kolkata.
However, thousands of students are beginning to have second thoughts about their vocation. "My romance with the sky is over," said aspiring airhostess Swarnila Miller in Chandigarh.
"Some of the airlines have told us that there will be no campus recruitment for cabin crew this year. This has caused a little bit of confusion. But, we have told the students to wait and watch the scene as there is a hope that the industry will bounce back," said Pawan Kumar Gupta of Air Hostess Academy in Chennai.
Optimism seems to be the watchword among students as well. "We are worried about our future because of the sudden layoffs by Jet Airways. But, there is still time for us because a couple of more months are there for completing the course. I will not change the stream because my dream is to become an airhostess," said Priya, a student of Frankfinn.
16/10/08 Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink For the aviation training schools in Kolkata, the post-Durga Puja takeoff couldn't have been more bumpy and training institutes are in a quandary over the future of their students in Chennai in the aftermath of job-cuts by Jet Airways. The pink slips set in motion by private airlines tackling desi fallouts of the global financial meltdown has led to a wave of anxiety in the string of airhostess training institutes in Chandigarh, for long a magnet to the hordes of wannabe flight attendants streaming in from small towns in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and J&K.
Often coming from dusty towns in the interiors of Punjab, many of the trainees who have taken loans and either sold or mortgaged their properties to pay course fees ranging between Rs 16,000 and Rs 2 lakh are a worried lot. Close to 2,000 students are currently enrolled in aviation, travel, tourism and hospitality courses in airhostess training schools in Chennai.
"We've been flooded with queries on future prospects. This industry, like any other, has a cyclical nature. We are trying to explain that it will eventually fly out of the air-pocket. But concerns persist," said Ankan Das, Kingfisher Training Academy sales and marketing head in Kolkata.
"I always wanted to be an airhostess. The scenario is upsetting. I have already cleared the first round of interview with a major airline and am hopeful of landing a job as cabin crew in a months time," said Frankfinn Institute of Airhostess Training student Paulomi Roy.
The institutes are casting the net wide. They are talking about the prospects in the hospitality industry to offset the downturn in the aviation sector. Avlon Aviation Academy (AAA) in Kolkata has just introduced a new course in hospitality to spread the risk. ".. There are lots of opportunities in aviation beyond the aircraft. We expect recruitment of ground staff in new airports to continue unabated. That should be 25,000 new jobs across categories each year," said AAA regional head Warinder Singh in Kolkata.
However, thousands of students are beginning to have second thoughts about their vocation. "My romance with the sky is over," said aspiring airhostess Swarnila Miller in Chandigarh.
"Some of the airlines have told us that there will be no campus recruitment for cabin crew this year. This has caused a little bit of confusion. But, we have told the students to wait and watch the scene as there is a hope that the industry will bounce back," said Pawan Kumar Gupta of Air Hostess Academy in Chennai.
Optimism seems to be the watchword among students as well. "We are worried about our future because of the sudden layoffs by Jet Airways. But, there is still time for us because a couple of more months are there for completing the course. I will not change the stream because my dream is to become an airhostess," said Priya, a student of Frankfinn.
16/10/08 Times of India
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Jet lay-offs fail to perturb crew training institutes
New Delhi: The lay-offs by Jet Airways and the proposed staff cuts at Kingfisher Airlines may have the existing airlines staff on tenterhooks, but the aircraft crew-in-training see this as a harbinger of good things to come.
The forthcoming 2010 Commonwealth Games and the burgeoning number of airports in the country are the reasons why air-crew training institutes do not seem anxious about their students’ future.
Samir Valia, Vice-President, corporate communications, Frankfinn Institute of Airhostess Training, says mergers and acquisitions are good news for the industry in the long term. “The airlines may not be hiring a lot of staff at present, but the worst seems to be over now. As far as long term job prospects goes, the aviation and hospitality industry is definitely on the upward curve,” he says.
The same seems to be the view of Sapna Gupta, founder and director of the Air Hostess Academy (AHA). She says the lean phase is a passing occurrence.
Kuku S Kumar of TMI Academy, Defence Colony, also reiterates that staff reorganisation is good for her students. “The airlines will probably take on new staff now. With the increase in the number of airports in the country and the slated expansion of airlines to foreign shores, there is no need to fear a slump.”
The Students of the various academies are showing a similar attitude. Natasha, a student of Frankfinn seems confident that good students would now get job opportunities faster.
Gaurav Arora, a student of AHA, however, has a more cautious take on the subject. “Since we are witnessing a financial slump at present, there will now be lesser number of opportunities for students who have not done so well in their studies. Only the top few will get jobs easily. This will create problems for weaker students,” he says.
16/10/08 Aneesha Mathur/Delhi Newsline
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The forthcoming 2010 Commonwealth Games and the burgeoning number of airports in the country are the reasons why air-crew training institutes do not seem anxious about their students’ future.
Samir Valia, Vice-President, corporate communications, Frankfinn Institute of Airhostess Training, says mergers and acquisitions are good news for the industry in the long term. “The airlines may not be hiring a lot of staff at present, but the worst seems to be over now. As far as long term job prospects goes, the aviation and hospitality industry is definitely on the upward curve,” he says.
The same seems to be the view of Sapna Gupta, founder and director of the Air Hostess Academy (AHA). She says the lean phase is a passing occurrence.
Kuku S Kumar of TMI Academy, Defence Colony, also reiterates that staff reorganisation is good for her students. “The airlines will probably take on new staff now. With the increase in the number of airports in the country and the slated expansion of airlines to foreign shores, there is no need to fear a slump.”
The Students of the various academies are showing a similar attitude. Natasha, a student of Frankfinn seems confident that good students would now get job opportunities faster.
Gaurav Arora, a student of AHA, however, has a more cautious take on the subject. “Since we are witnessing a financial slump at present, there will now be lesser number of opportunities for students who have not done so well in their studies. Only the top few will get jobs easily. This will create problems for weaker students,” he says.
16/10/08 Aneesha Mathur/Delhi Newsline
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Aviation schools take the hospitality route
Bangalore: When Jet Airways pink-slipped nearly 800 of its cabin crew and ground staff on Tuesday, warning bells rang across aviation academies in the country. The aviation sector, touted to generate nearly 2.5 lakh jobs by 2010, is reeling under the combined impact of rising fuel prices and the global economic slowdown.
A day before the lay-offs, Jet entered into a strategic alliance with Vijay Mallya-owned Kingfisher Airlines.
The rationale behind the lay-offs has upset many students. "It was unfair to fire so many employees in such a manner. Now, there is uncertainty in the job market, which affects our prospects," Akanksha Mani, a student with an airhostess training academy, said.
This downsizing has also shaken a few from the industry. "There is some amount of tension in everyone because the airlines are going through a lean phase. People are worried that other private airlines might follow suit," Niharika Desai, an airhostess with a leading airline said.
"We counsel students at the start of the course to keep an open mind about job opportunities across industries. A component of their course includes training for the hospitality sector. We will concentrate on regional airlines and five-star hotels this placement season," said Rohit Goel, chief operating officer, Kairali Aviation Pvt. Ltd.
Aviation academies are putting on a brave front and waiting for the industry to stabilise. "There is a slow down in placements in the aviation sector, but we are sure the market will revive," Megha Datta, trainer-cum-human resources, Airhostess Training Academy, said.
Cabin crew training institutions are now relying on the hospitality sector to bail them out. "The hospitality sector also offers some great opportunities for those graduating from aviation courses," Datta told DNA.
There is widespread optimism about the situation improving. "The lay-offs were about cost cutting as a result of steep fuel prices and the economic slowdown. However, most operators will bounce back in a matter of months," Sharati Kumar, business development officer, Avalon Academy said.
15/10/08 Jayalakshmi Venugopal/Daily News & Analysis
To read the news in full |
PermaLink A day before the lay-offs, Jet entered into a strategic alliance with Vijay Mallya-owned Kingfisher Airlines.
The rationale behind the lay-offs has upset many students. "It was unfair to fire so many employees in such a manner. Now, there is uncertainty in the job market, which affects our prospects," Akanksha Mani, a student with an airhostess training academy, said.
This downsizing has also shaken a few from the industry. "There is some amount of tension in everyone because the airlines are going through a lean phase. People are worried that other private airlines might follow suit," Niharika Desai, an airhostess with a leading airline said.
"We counsel students at the start of the course to keep an open mind about job opportunities across industries. A component of their course includes training for the hospitality sector. We will concentrate on regional airlines and five-star hotels this placement season," said Rohit Goel, chief operating officer, Kairali Aviation Pvt. Ltd.
Aviation academies are putting on a brave front and waiting for the industry to stabilise. "There is a slow down in placements in the aviation sector, but we are sure the market will revive," Megha Datta, trainer-cum-human resources, Airhostess Training Academy, said.
Cabin crew training institutions are now relying on the hospitality sector to bail them out. "The hospitality sector also offers some great opportunities for those graduating from aviation courses," Datta told DNA.
There is widespread optimism about the situation improving. "The lay-offs were about cost cutting as a result of steep fuel prices and the economic slowdown. However, most operators will bounce back in a matter of months," Sharati Kumar, business development officer, Avalon Academy said.
15/10/08 Jayalakshmi Venugopal/Daily News & Analysis
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Dumped before take-off; Thank you, for serving Jet
I am Spandan Sharma (name changed) and I am 22. I was working with the hotel industry earlier. I decided to enter what I thought was a booming aviation industry and completed an aviation course at Frankfinn Academy. My father is a retired government bank employee. I took a Rs 1-lakh loan to do the course.
I was very happy to join Jet Airways as a flight steward six months ago. We were all very excited when Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines announced their pact to consolidate. When two airlines come together, it’s a good thing, we thought. We thought we would get international exposure.
As if to make it worse, the lady said: “You can collect your termination letter tomorrow from the HR department. Thanks for serving Jet Airways.”
I was aghast. They did not show any sympathy. They want to earn profits, but they can’t do that at the cost of our careers. I was on probation, and my probation period would have been over next month. I am aware that my contract mentions a clause that my services can be terminated without any kind of notice, but that is in case of misconduct. What misconduct have I done? We were working as hard as possible to serve the company.
Nobody had an idea that this would happen. Our salaries were regular. Apart from minor problems regarding transport services, we had no complaints.
I am the youngest of a five-member family from Powai near Mumbai. Both my siblings are earning members but they are married. So, in a way, I am the earning member of the family for my parents.
There are others who could be affected worse. Some have lost their fathers, and have to support their mothers and the rest of the family. Many of us have taken loans for doing aviation courses, and we have to repay them. We don’t know what we should do now.
16/10/08 The Telegraph
To read the news in full |
PermaLink I was very happy to join Jet Airways as a flight steward six months ago. We were all very excited when Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines announced their pact to consolidate. When two airlines come together, it’s a good thing, we thought. We thought we would get international exposure.
_________________________________
A laid-off Jet Airways employee speaks of his trauma
__________________________________
Then came the rude shock. Yesterday, I was scheduled to travel with a flight to Bangalore. But the pick-up transport that arrives two hours before a flight wasn’t turning up. So, naturally, I called up my office. But, to my astonishment, a lady at the office tersely said my services had been terminated. I was stunned.A laid-off Jet Airways employee speaks of his trauma
__________________________________
As if to make it worse, the lady said: “You can collect your termination letter tomorrow from the HR department. Thanks for serving Jet Airways.”
I was aghast. They did not show any sympathy. They want to earn profits, but they can’t do that at the cost of our careers. I was on probation, and my probation period would have been over next month. I am aware that my contract mentions a clause that my services can be terminated without any kind of notice, but that is in case of misconduct. What misconduct have I done? We were working as hard as possible to serve the company.
Nobody had an idea that this would happen. Our salaries were regular. Apart from minor problems regarding transport services, we had no complaints.
I am the youngest of a five-member family from Powai near Mumbai. Both my siblings are earning members but they are married. So, in a way, I am the earning member of the family for my parents.
There are others who could be affected worse. Some have lost their fathers, and have to support their mothers and the rest of the family. Many of us have taken loans for doing aviation courses, and we have to repay them. We don’t know what we should do now.
16/10/08 The Telegraph
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They are left with grounded dreams and debt traps
Mumbai: The cost-cutting measures undertaken by Jet Airways have hit the 850 sacked cabin crew members hard. Most of these employees, in the age group of 22-28 years, had left lucrative jobs with other airlines to join Jet. Quite a few of them have huge house or car loans to pay off.
AZX “I gave up my job with Kingfisher airlines to join Jet in February 2007 and see what I have got,” said Rekha Malhotra. All that the sacked employees are left with is a debt trap and Rs 60,000 approximately (Rs 55,000 as the returnable deposit they paid to the airline and Rs5,000 as one month’s basic salary they are entitled to get as per their contract).
Take the case of Shruti Seth (name changed), who shifted from Manipur to Mumbai in January 2007 after she got an offer from Jet Airways to work as an air-hostess. “I still regret that I did not complete my graduation. At least I could work somewhere with a degree in my hand,” says 19-year-old Seth. She earns Rs 29,000 per month, out of which Rs 20,000 is her monthly expenditure. “I spend Rs8,000 as her house rent, Rs5,000 as monthly installment while the remaining amount is spent on food, shopping, etc,” she added.
Although she has saved some money, it will not sustain her in the longer run as the job market in the aviation industry is going through serious turbulence. “I am not sure if I will be able to get another job in aviation itself. And the hotel industry, which is the alternative, is a bad pay master,” she said. Moreover, since most of the sacked crew members were first-timers, they will find it difficult to negotiate salary in the hospitality industry.
16/10/08 Navita Singh/Daily News & Analysis
To read the news in full |
PermaLink AZX “I gave up my job with Kingfisher airlines to join Jet in February 2007 and see what I have got,” said Rekha Malhotra. All that the sacked employees are left with is a debt trap and Rs 60,000 approximately (Rs 55,000 as the returnable deposit they paid to the airline and Rs5,000 as one month’s basic salary they are entitled to get as per their contract).
Take the case of Shruti Seth (name changed), who shifted from Manipur to Mumbai in January 2007 after she got an offer from Jet Airways to work as an air-hostess. “I still regret that I did not complete my graduation. At least I could work somewhere with a degree in my hand,” says 19-year-old Seth. She earns Rs 29,000 per month, out of which Rs 20,000 is her monthly expenditure. “I spend Rs8,000 as her house rent, Rs5,000 as monthly installment while the remaining amount is spent on food, shopping, etc,” she added.
Although she has saved some money, it will not sustain her in the longer run as the job market in the aviation industry is going through serious turbulence. “I am not sure if I will be able to get another job in aviation itself. And the hotel industry, which is the alternative, is a bad pay master,” she said. Moreover, since most of the sacked crew members were first-timers, they will find it difficult to negotiate salary in the hospitality industry.
16/10/08 Navita Singh/Daily News & Analysis
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Wednesday, October 15, 2008
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
First phase of CAPA AeroPark to open in Quarter One of 2010
Mumbai: Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) announced that it is in the advanced stages of launching the CAPA AeroPark, a global aviation training campus in India. The campus will focus around an aviation environment research centre. The facility is designed to service the entire spectrum of operational and educational training requirements for airlines, airports, ANS providers, government and suppliers. It will be developed with support from international financiers and the world’s leading aviation training providers. The campus will include academies for pilot training, air traffic control, engineering and maintenance, airport operations, airline executive management, cabin and ground crew. Shortlisted locations in Bangalore, Navi Mumbai and Pune are currently being evaluated and the final location will be announced early next year. The first phase of the CAPA AeroPark is scheduled to open in Quarter One of 2010.
A central feature of the CAPA AeroPark will be the Research Centre for Aviation Environmental Studies (RCAES), which will act as a focus for coordination of global development of cutting edge operations, technology and associated advances in addressing the issue of aviation and climate change. Peter Harbison, Executive Chairman, CAPA emphasised that the RCAES will instill environmentally sustainable practices into training programmes on campus, establishing a generational mindset across the board that adopts a leadership approach to the environment.
CAPA AeroPark will be located in a landscaped park setting of around 50 acres, and is designed keeping green credentials in mind. The campus will incorporate a range of affordable and high quality accommodation as well as extensive social and recreational facilities. The attractive and vibrant environment, combined with the unparalleled standards of training will establish CAPA AeroPark as the one-stop-shop centre of choice for both industry operators and students.
14/10/08 TravelBizMonitor
To read the news in full |
PermaLink A central feature of the CAPA AeroPark will be the Research Centre for Aviation Environmental Studies (RCAES), which will act as a focus for coordination of global development of cutting edge operations, technology and associated advances in addressing the issue of aviation and climate change. Peter Harbison, Executive Chairman, CAPA emphasised that the RCAES will instill environmentally sustainable practices into training programmes on campus, establishing a generational mindset across the board that adopts a leadership approach to the environment.
CAPA AeroPark will be located in a landscaped park setting of around 50 acres, and is designed keeping green credentials in mind. The campus will incorporate a range of affordable and high quality accommodation as well as extensive social and recreational facilities. The attractive and vibrant environment, combined with the unparalleled standards of training will establish CAPA AeroPark as the one-stop-shop centre of choice for both industry operators and students.
14/10/08 TravelBizMonitor
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Monday, October 13, 2008
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Eurocopter to set up training institute in India
New Delhi: Sensing an opportunity in the shortage of qualified pilots to fly helicopters, European helicopter maker Eurocopter plans to set up a pilot training facility in India.
"We are already in talks with some Indian entities for setting up a training institute where we can provide pilots for the helicopters," Senior Vice-President (Asia-Pacific) of Eurocopter Norbert Ducrot said here on Monday.
Refusing to divulge the name of the Indian companies, he said the move was being taken in the wake of less number of pilots being trained to fly the helicopters in the country.
Ducrot said the institute will have all the facilities including the training the pilots on simulators.
The Eurocopter team, which is here to attend the Air Show at Hyderabad, said their company was looking at three segments of civilian market in India -- Emergency Medical services, off-shore and corporate world. There were as many as one dozen firm orders from corporates in the country.
13/10/08 PTI/The Hindu
To read the news in full |
PermaLink "We are already in talks with some Indian entities for setting up a training institute where we can provide pilots for the helicopters," Senior Vice-President (Asia-Pacific) of Eurocopter Norbert Ducrot said here on Monday.
Refusing to divulge the name of the Indian companies, he said the move was being taken in the wake of less number of pilots being trained to fly the helicopters in the country.
Ducrot said the institute will have all the facilities including the training the pilots on simulators.
The Eurocopter team, which is here to attend the Air Show at Hyderabad, said their company was looking at three segments of civilian market in India -- Emergency Medical services, off-shore and corporate world. There were as many as one dozen firm orders from corporates in the country.
13/10/08 PTI/The Hindu
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Training Crue Graphics provides training aids solutions and training development services
Training Crue Graphics Inc, a global provider of aviation training products and services and Foladco International LLC's Dubai Pilot Shop, the first pilot retail shop in the UAE, have launched an initiative to provide training aid solutions for aviation training organizations, FBO's and other aviation businesses
in the UAE and the Middle East Region.
Training Crue Graphics Inc. provides training solutions for Aircraft Manufacturers, Airline Operators, and Flight Training Institutions worldwide as is a proud supplier to the following companies in the Middle East Region: Emirates CAE Flight Training, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise
University and Fujairah Aviation Academy among others. Dubai Pilot Shop has developed business relationships with many flight schools in the UAE, and is a renowned provider of specialized pilot and maintenance training products in the Middle East region.
'The Gulf region is strategically very important in our global network strategy and we are delighted to be embarking on this venture with Foladco International LLC's Dubai Pilot Shop to provide both generic and customized training aids and solutions, better serving the needs of the rapidly expanding aviation
marketplace in the region,' said Glen Needham, CEO of Training Crue Graphics Inc. Captain Hamid Fouladi - Operations Manager, Dubai Pilot Shop commented saying: 'It's my pleasure to announce a mutual cooperation to support each other and expand the supply of aviation training materials in various lines for aviation organizations and individuals in Middle East and Gulf region. Dubai Pilot Shop, will
act as an exclusive representative of Training Crue Graphics Inc, and will support both companies clients' inquiries in the region.'Training Crue Graphics Inc. currently provides training aids for over 80 different aircraft types. Qualified representatives are prepared to assist with the procurement of these products and to answer any questions regarding courseware development, CBT/WBT and customized training solutions that are also available from Training Crue Graphics Inc.
You can view the newly available products at www.trainingcrue.com. Global Aircraft Manufacturers, Airline Operators, Flight Schools, Pilots, Maintenance Technicians and General Enthusiasts have been using Training Crue Graphics Inc. aviation training products to enhance training environments for over a decade now.
10/10/08 PRESS RELEASE/Training Crue Graphics
To read the news in full |
PermaLink in the UAE and the Middle East Region.
Training Crue Graphics Inc. provides training solutions for Aircraft Manufacturers, Airline Operators, and Flight Training Institutions worldwide as is a proud supplier to the following companies in the Middle East Region: Emirates CAE Flight Training, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise
University and Fujairah Aviation Academy among others. Dubai Pilot Shop has developed business relationships with many flight schools in the UAE, and is a renowned provider of specialized pilot and maintenance training products in the Middle East region.
'The Gulf region is strategically very important in our global network strategy and we are delighted to be embarking on this venture with Foladco International LLC's Dubai Pilot Shop to provide both generic and customized training aids and solutions, better serving the needs of the rapidly expanding aviation
marketplace in the region,' said Glen Needham, CEO of Training Crue Graphics Inc. Captain Hamid Fouladi - Operations Manager, Dubai Pilot Shop commented saying: 'It's my pleasure to announce a mutual cooperation to support each other and expand the supply of aviation training materials in various lines for aviation organizations and individuals in Middle East and Gulf region. Dubai Pilot Shop, will
act as an exclusive representative of Training Crue Graphics Inc, and will support both companies clients' inquiries in the region.'Training Crue Graphics Inc. currently provides training aids for over 80 different aircraft types. Qualified representatives are prepared to assist with the procurement of these products and to answer any questions regarding courseware development, CBT/WBT and customized training solutions that are also available from Training Crue Graphics Inc.
You can view the newly available products at www.trainingcrue.com. Global Aircraft Manufacturers, Airline Operators, Flight Schools, Pilots, Maintenance Technicians and General Enthusiasts have been using Training Crue Graphics Inc. aviation training products to enhance training environments for over a decade now.
10/10/08 PRESS RELEASE/Training Crue Graphics
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Wednesday, October 08, 2008
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
AERO signs an MOU with Vector for CAD, CAM training
Pune: Aeronautical Engineering & Research Organization (AERO) under flagship of Indian Institute of Aeronautical Engineering (IIAEIT) has signed an MoU recently with M/S Vector Technologies in order to conduct training on Catia, Pro-E, Solid Edge & Unigraphics.
The training will be conducted in three different locations - Nal stop, Karvenagar & Warje would include an immense usage in enhancing the employability of Mechanical & Aeronautical engineering graduates. The training programme duration is for four months for each of the Software package.
The training is so structured that it would take a student gradually from machine drawing level to the design of complex machines.
In addition, the theoretical training on latest configuration computers in the most conducive ambience will also be covered in a modern machine tool factory.
This course will fulfill the long -standing requirement of the design engineers needed for our growing industry.
IIAEIT is providing Vector Technologies with infrastructure, software and hardware, and Vector technologies in turn will help the institute by recruiting, training and acquainting their students with the industry functioning. The staff of Vector Technologies go a long way with IIAEIT as they are all pass-outs from IIAEIT and require support from the institute in order to grow as an organisation.
07/10/08 IndiaPRwire.com
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The training will be conducted in three different locations - Nal stop, Karvenagar & Warje would include an immense usage in enhancing the employability of Mechanical & Aeronautical engineering graduates. The training programme duration is for four months for each of the Software package.
The training is so structured that it would take a student gradually from machine drawing level to the design of complex machines.
In addition, the theoretical training on latest configuration computers in the most conducive ambience will also be covered in a modern machine tool factory.
This course will fulfill the long -standing requirement of the design engineers needed for our growing industry.
IIAEIT is providing Vector Technologies with infrastructure, software and hardware, and Vector technologies in turn will help the institute by recruiting, training and acquainting their students with the industry functioning. The staff of Vector Technologies go a long way with IIAEIT as they are all pass-outs from IIAEIT and require support from the institute in order to grow as an organisation.
07/10/08 IndiaPRwire.com
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Virtual maintenance will spur CAE sim growth
Canadian flight simulator specialist CAE is planning to take its virtual technology from the cockpit into the hangar, as its customers are demanding more complex maintenance training.
“We’re really trying to spend a good bit of time evolving the maintenance solutions from where it has been to where we think it needs to go.” says Jeff Roberts, group president of CAE Training and Services & Innovation. “It needs to become more practical or operational.”
Rudimentary programs such as changing tires, fixing brakes, adding oil and towing the airplane, need to be evolved to the next step, Roberts believes. “We need to train people in troubleshooting and diagnostic skills, because I think that is more an expectation of the customers, as they’ve told us. The maintenance tech has to go out today and get the fault to present itself. It becomes very much like trying to find a needle in a haystack,” he says.
New programs will use new ideas as instructors leverage traditional systems such as Integrated Procedures Trainers (IPT) and Virtual Maintenance Trainers (VMT). “We basically bring a virtual aircraft into the classroom to cover system operations and troubleshooting,” says Roberts. “These devices are also utilized to prepare clients for engine run and taxi sessions in the full flight simulator (FFS).”
In India, CAE’s Bangalore training center is in development, as is the country’s national flight academy, the Rajiv Gandhi National Flying Training Institute, which is owned by CAE and the Indian Government. CAE is also the managing partner of the Indian government’s flight training academy, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi.
06/10/08 Flight International
To read the news in full |
PermaLink “We’re really trying to spend a good bit of time evolving the maintenance solutions from where it has been to where we think it needs to go.” says Jeff Roberts, group president of CAE Training and Services & Innovation. “It needs to become more practical or operational.”
Rudimentary programs such as changing tires, fixing brakes, adding oil and towing the airplane, need to be evolved to the next step, Roberts believes. “We need to train people in troubleshooting and diagnostic skills, because I think that is more an expectation of the customers, as they’ve told us. The maintenance tech has to go out today and get the fault to present itself. It becomes very much like trying to find a needle in a haystack,” he says.
New programs will use new ideas as instructors leverage traditional systems such as Integrated Procedures Trainers (IPT) and Virtual Maintenance Trainers (VMT). “We basically bring a virtual aircraft into the classroom to cover system operations and troubleshooting,” says Roberts. “These devices are also utilized to prepare clients for engine run and taxi sessions in the full flight simulator (FFS).”
In India, CAE’s Bangalore training center is in development, as is the country’s national flight academy, the Rajiv Gandhi National Flying Training Institute, which is owned by CAE and the Indian Government. CAE is also the managing partner of the Indian government’s flight training academy, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi.
06/10/08 Flight International
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Monday, October 06, 2008
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Appearing for CPL exams gets easier
Mumbai: Appearing for the commercial pilot license (CPL) exams in India just got a tad easier, with the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) relaxing the number of flying hours needed to sit for these tests.
Till now, a student had to do 50 hours of flying training before he/she could appear for the written tests. Now, a student can attempt some papers even without doing a single hour of flying.
In a major revision of the exam procedure for CPL aspirants, the DGCA has laid down a fresh set of criteria dealing with eligibility to appear for the written pilot exams. To earn a CPL, a cadet has to undergo 200 hours of flying training and clear four subjects - aviation meteorology, air regulation, technical (general and specific) and air navigation.
ccording to the new rule, a student can start appearing for written tests after completing 100 hours of ground training, covering all subjects and no flying training. "The chief ground instructor shall issue a certificate to this effect and the student will be permitted to appear in (the) aviation meteorology and air regulation papers,'' says the DGCA note issued to flying training institutes last week.
After clearing these papers and a minimum of 15 hours of flying training__ which can also include five hours of simulator training - a student can appear for the other papers. The alternative route to appear for written exams is to complete 25 hours of flying training with a maximum of five hours of simulator training and 350 hours of ground training. If a student has completed these, then he/she can directly appear for all four subjects. Those who have a private pilot licence can directly appear for all CPL subjects.
"The decision was taken following a meeting of representatives of flying training institutes in the first week of August. It was felt that the 50-hour flying rule should be toned down so that students need not wait for months together to start giving these ground training exams,'' said a DGCA source.
05/10/08 Manju V/Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Till now, a student had to do 50 hours of flying training before he/she could appear for the written tests. Now, a student can attempt some papers even without doing a single hour of flying.
In a major revision of the exam procedure for CPL aspirants, the DGCA has laid down a fresh set of criteria dealing with eligibility to appear for the written pilot exams. To earn a CPL, a cadet has to undergo 200 hours of flying training and clear four subjects - aviation meteorology, air regulation, technical (general and specific) and air navigation.
ccording to the new rule, a student can start appearing for written tests after completing 100 hours of ground training, covering all subjects and no flying training. "The chief ground instructor shall issue a certificate to this effect and the student will be permitted to appear in (the) aviation meteorology and air regulation papers,'' says the DGCA note issued to flying training institutes last week.
After clearing these papers and a minimum of 15 hours of flying training__ which can also include five hours of simulator training - a student can appear for the other papers. The alternative route to appear for written exams is to complete 25 hours of flying training with a maximum of five hours of simulator training and 350 hours of ground training. If a student has completed these, then he/she can directly appear for all four subjects. Those who have a private pilot licence can directly appear for all CPL subjects.
"The decision was taken following a meeting of representatives of flying training institutes in the first week of August. It was felt that the 50-hour flying rule should be toned down so that students need not wait for months together to start giving these ground training exams,'' said a DGCA source.
05/10/08 Manju V/Times of India
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Laid-off staff 'DIAL' IndiGo, Paramount
New Delhi: With airline employees facing the heat, developers of the Delhi and Mumbai airports are witnessing a rush of applications from them for recruitment to various airport services.
Apart from the developers, airlines such as IndiGo and Paramount, which are on an expansion spree, are also recruiting the 1,000 people who have been laid off. "We have recently inducted 10 people in the middle management level who were earlier with Jetlite," said M Thiagarajan, managing director, Paramount Airways.
Industry sources confirmed that while IndiGo has not recruited any ex-JetLite or Kingfisher employee yet, they have been getting several applications from them. Both Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) and Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) will need to recruit more staff by May 2009 since more than 2,000 posts are expected to be vacant as employees opt for retirement.
Jetlite has recently given the pink slip to 750 employees in the airport services, marketing and sales among other departments. About 300 employees from the security department, flight operations and engineering and maintenance were laid off by full service carrier Kingfisher.
National carrier Air India has plans to implement a downsizing scheme, which involves sending employees for a three to five year leave without pay.
Interestingly, around 57 per cent of the jobs cut by Jetlite and Kingfisher are related to airport and security services. Last year, both DIAL and MIAL had offered to recruit all the AAI employees who were working at the airport into their company.
06/10/08 Anirban Chowdhury/Business Standard
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Apart from the developers, airlines such as IndiGo and Paramount, which are on an expansion spree, are also recruiting the 1,000 people who have been laid off. "We have recently inducted 10 people in the middle management level who were earlier with Jetlite," said M Thiagarajan, managing director, Paramount Airways.
Industry sources confirmed that while IndiGo has not recruited any ex-JetLite or Kingfisher employee yet, they have been getting several applications from them. Both Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) and Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) will need to recruit more staff by May 2009 since more than 2,000 posts are expected to be vacant as employees opt for retirement.
Jetlite has recently given the pink slip to 750 employees in the airport services, marketing and sales among other departments. About 300 employees from the security department, flight operations and engineering and maintenance were laid off by full service carrier Kingfisher.
National carrier Air India has plans to implement a downsizing scheme, which involves sending employees for a three to five year leave without pay.
Interestingly, around 57 per cent of the jobs cut by Jetlite and Kingfisher are related to airport and security services. Last year, both DIAL and MIAL had offered to recruit all the AAI employees who were working at the airport into their company.
06/10/08 Anirban Chowdhury/Business Standard
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Type of plane in fatal crash has accident record
The type of light aircraft that crashed in western Sydney last week, killing its Indian student pilot, has been involved in a spate of accidents in its short life.
There have been at least eight incidents involving the more than 100 craft that have been flown. There are 17 in Australia.
A US flying school, Ormond Beach Aviation, grounded its remaining fleet of 11 Liberty XL2s in January after two were destroyed in crashes, one crash leaving the student pilot with burns to 60 per cent of his body.
The Florida school, which had ordered 35 XL2s, has had two other documented crashes with the two-seat single-engine aircraft, prompting the US Government's civil aviation regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration, to investigate the aircraft it certified for production in 2006.
In July 2006 one of Ormond's XL2s crashed after the student pilot tried to abort the landing. The crash investigator, the National Transportation Safety Board, blamed the pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing - the same finding as in two other accidents.
Contributors to aviation chat sites suggest the pitch control - which adjusts the aircraft attitude and its climb and descent - of Liberty Aerospace's only craft is quite sensitive and not ideal for student pilots.
Last week 20-year-old Sydney Flight Training Centre student Rahul Sharma died when the XL2 he was flying crashed in a paddock in Luddenham near Wallacia in western Sydney. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is expected to release a preliminary report this month.
The manufacturer's legal council, Margaret Napolitan, and a representative from the engine maker, Teledyne Continental, visited Sydney this week as advisers to the American safety board, which did not send a representative.
Barry Diamond, the chief executive of the Sydney Flight Training Centre, owns 12 of the 17 Liberty craft in the country, said he had no problems with the aircraft.
04/10/08 Alex Tibbitts/Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
To read the news in full |
PermaLink There have been at least eight incidents involving the more than 100 craft that have been flown. There are 17 in Australia.
A US flying school, Ormond Beach Aviation, grounded its remaining fleet of 11 Liberty XL2s in January after two were destroyed in crashes, one crash leaving the student pilot with burns to 60 per cent of his body.
The Florida school, which had ordered 35 XL2s, has had two other documented crashes with the two-seat single-engine aircraft, prompting the US Government's civil aviation regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration, to investigate the aircraft it certified for production in 2006.
In July 2006 one of Ormond's XL2s crashed after the student pilot tried to abort the landing. The crash investigator, the National Transportation Safety Board, blamed the pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing - the same finding as in two other accidents.
Contributors to aviation chat sites suggest the pitch control - which adjusts the aircraft attitude and its climb and descent - of Liberty Aerospace's only craft is quite sensitive and not ideal for student pilots.
Last week 20-year-old Sydney Flight Training Centre student Rahul Sharma died when the XL2 he was flying crashed in a paddock in Luddenham near Wallacia in western Sydney. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is expected to release a preliminary report this month.
The manufacturer's legal council, Margaret Napolitan, and a representative from the engine maker, Teledyne Continental, visited Sydney this week as advisers to the American safety board, which did not send a representative.
Barry Diamond, the chief executive of the Sydney Flight Training Centre, owns 12 of the 17 Liberty craft in the country, said he had no problems with the aircraft.
04/10/08 Alex Tibbitts/Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
The place for general discussion, feedback and questions Readers Forum
Women as fighter pilots: IAF not yet ready
Shillong: With the ethos of the armed forces being overly male, it will take some more time till Indian women don the uniform and the gear of a fighter pilot and fly the combat aircraft for the country's defence.
"There is no denying that the woman staff has expressed desire to fly fighter jets, but the Indian Air Force is not ready as of now," Air Chief Marshal F H Major, who was recently in Shillong, told reporters here.However, Major revealed that the force was in the process of carrying out studies to pave the way for fairer sex in the combat roles.
"We are carrying out physiological studies. We also have to examine certain psychological issues involving the women and the job. Only when these are done, can the women officers be cleared for the new roles," Major said.
In 2006, a tri-service study recommended excluding women from close-combat roles "where chances of physical contact with the enemy are high".
05/10/08 Press Trust of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink "There is no denying that the woman staff has expressed desire to fly fighter jets, but the Indian Air Force is not ready as of now," Air Chief Marshal F H Major, who was recently in Shillong, told reporters here.However, Major revealed that the force was in the process of carrying out studies to pave the way for fairer sex in the combat roles.
"We are carrying out physiological studies. We also have to examine certain psychological issues involving the women and the job. Only when these are done, can the women officers be cleared for the new roles," Major said.
In 2006, a tri-service study recommended excluding women from close-combat roles "where chances of physical contact with the enemy are high".
05/10/08 Press Trust of India
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Friday, October 03, 2008
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
First helicopter pilot training centre coming up in Gondia
Nagpur: Country's first helicopter pilot training facility centre will be operational by December at Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation Institute in Gondia, Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said today.
"The helicopter pilot training facility is part of the institute's ambitious project to impart training to pilots," Patel told PTI today.
He said under the Rs 400 crore project, the institute was already imparting training (theory) to trainee aircraft pilots and actual flying would commence from December this year.
The project is a joint venture of CAE Canada along with Air India, Airports Authority of India and Pawan Hans.
Thirty training aircraft are being inducted in the institute and it will be fully operational soon, Patel said.
Patel said as part of UPA government's policy of promoting and developing smaller airports and connectivity, Mumbai will be connected with Nanded, Latur, Nashik and Solapur.
02/10/08 Press Trust of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink "The helicopter pilot training facility is part of the institute's ambitious project to impart training to pilots," Patel told PTI today.
He said under the Rs 400 crore project, the institute was already imparting training (theory) to trainee aircraft pilots and actual flying would commence from December this year.
The project is a joint venture of CAE Canada along with Air India, Airports Authority of India and Pawan Hans.
Thirty training aircraft are being inducted in the institute and it will be fully operational soon, Patel said.
Patel said as part of UPA government's policy of promoting and developing smaller airports and connectivity, Mumbai will be connected with Nanded, Latur, Nashik and Solapur.
02/10/08 Press Trust of India
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Flight Dispatcher trainees who passed exam before May 2000 to undergo recurrency training
In an Operations Circular (OS No.4) released on 2nd September, 2008, DGCA informs the training and qualification requirements for approval as Flight Dispatcher in respect of candidates who have passed the written examination from DGCA approved Flying Training Institute. (This Operations Circular supercedes OS 6 of 2000).
The minimum educational qualification for approval as Flight Dispatcher has been laid down as 10+2 with Physics and Maths. This minimum educational qualification is applicable from
01.01.2001.
DGCA says it has been decided that all those Flight Dispatcher trainees who have passed the written examination conducted by Flying Training Institutes under supervision of DGCA prior to introduction of DGCA written examination in May 2000 shall be required to undergo following recurrency training for approval as Flight Dispatcher:
a). An extended refresher training of minimum duration of three weeks with the operator covering contents of basic indoctrination training, initial training, aircraft type training, flight planning, radio aids and Instruments, Metrorology, Regulation, Aeronautical Information, Aerodrome Operating Minima, Crew Briefing techniques and communication procedures as specified in Civil Aviation Requirement on Training of Flight Dispatchers. The training shall be followed by a written examination by the operator under DGCA supervision/ permission covering various contents/ aspects of extended refresher training. Minimum pass percentage in the written examination shall be 70%.
b) Pass the written examination on Aircraft General and Aircraft Specific performance conducted by DGCA (CEO).
02/10/08 DGCA
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The minimum educational qualification for approval as Flight Dispatcher has been laid down as 10+2 with Physics and Maths. This minimum educational qualification is applicable from
01.01.2001.
DGCA says it has been decided that all those Flight Dispatcher trainees who have passed the written examination conducted by Flying Training Institutes under supervision of DGCA prior to introduction of DGCA written examination in May 2000 shall be required to undergo following recurrency training for approval as Flight Dispatcher:
a). An extended refresher training of minimum duration of three weeks with the operator covering contents of basic indoctrination training, initial training, aircraft type training, flight planning, radio aids and Instruments, Metrorology, Regulation, Aeronautical Information, Aerodrome Operating Minima, Crew Briefing techniques and communication procedures as specified in Civil Aviation Requirement on Training of Flight Dispatchers. The training shall be followed by a written examination by the operator under DGCA supervision/ permission covering various contents/ aspects of extended refresher training. Minimum pass percentage in the written examination shall be 70%.
b) Pass the written examination on Aircraft General and Aircraft Specific performance conducted by DGCA (CEO).
02/10/08 DGCA
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Pilot shortage worries Australia's airlines, flying schools
Australia's pilot shortage could get worse before it gets better because there are not enough experienced instructors to teach those entering the profession, an aviation expert says.
Stephen Phillips, the head of the aviation academy at the University of South Australia, said figures from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority showed the pool of top-level instructors had been significantly eroded, leaving the industry struggling to train new pilots, particularly in the bush.
The figures, which the authority has not made public, indicate the number of grade 1 instructors fell by 88 to 842 in the 2007-08 financial year. Mr Phillips said figures for the past six weeks suggested the numbers were likely to remain steady for the next 12 months.
"We're going to need an extra 7300 pilots by 2026, excluding corporate aviation and charter pilots. At this rate, we're not going to be able to train them. We haven't done enough to encourage people to become instructors," Mr Phillips told the Regional Aviation Association of Australia's annual convention.
The pool of instructors has also been drained by the big airlines, which recruit them to fill the gaps in their pilot rosters. While soaring fuel prices have eased the big airlines' appetites for pilots in recent months, the aviation industry continues to suffer.
Jim Davis, the managing director of the regional airline REX, said he had had to make one of his star pilots an instructor.
"We've managed to recruit one instructor from outside but it's not easy. We're still looking for a chief instructor," Mr Davis said.
03/10/08 Paul Bibby/Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Stephen Phillips, the head of the aviation academy at the University of South Australia, said figures from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority showed the pool of top-level instructors had been significantly eroded, leaving the industry struggling to train new pilots, particularly in the bush.
The figures, which the authority has not made public, indicate the number of grade 1 instructors fell by 88 to 842 in the 2007-08 financial year. Mr Phillips said figures for the past six weeks suggested the numbers were likely to remain steady for the next 12 months.
"We're going to need an extra 7300 pilots by 2026, excluding corporate aviation and charter pilots. At this rate, we're not going to be able to train them. We haven't done enough to encourage people to become instructors," Mr Phillips told the Regional Aviation Association of Australia's annual convention.
The pool of instructors has also been drained by the big airlines, which recruit them to fill the gaps in their pilot rosters. While soaring fuel prices have eased the big airlines' appetites for pilots in recent months, the aviation industry continues to suffer.
Jim Davis, the managing director of the regional airline REX, said he had had to make one of his star pilots an instructor.
"We've managed to recruit one instructor from outside but it's not easy. We're still looking for a chief instructor," Mr Davis said.
03/10/08 Paul Bibby/Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
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Thursday, October 02, 2008
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Haryana mulls 4 civil aviation centres
Haryana is considering a proposal to set up private civil aviation centres under the PPP model to provide better avenues for the youth.
With opening of four domestic airstrips at Pinjore, Karnal, Narnaul and Bhiwani, the state government expects participation from the private parties in providing flying training to interested candidates. Expressions of interest (EOI) have already been invited and the last date for receiving the same is October 20. The interested parties will have a project briefing session on October 6.
Sharing details about the project, M Ramshekhar, advisor, civil aviation, told FE, “The idea of leasing out airstrips is to make multifarious use of them, whereby the private players will come forward and provide flying training and expand base besides operating and maintaining the airstrips. They will act as competitors to the existing flying clubs managed by the Haryana Institute of Civil Aviation (HICA) and the students will be able to opt for a trainer of their choice.” The department of civil aviation has decided that the parties, which are interested to operate these airstrips as private flying training academies, will have to pay Rs 10 lakh as the annual license fee, Rs 8,000 per month per aircraft as operation charge below 5,700 kg and Rs 10,000 per aircraft above 5700 kg. The charges for built-up hanger or office space would be Rs500 per square metre annually.
As far the flying clubs at Hisar, Karnal and Pinjore are concerned, the Haryana Institute of Civil Aviation is making efforts to spruce up the infrastructure.
“Two new Cessna 172 aircraft have been bought for Hisar and Karnal aviation clubs. The one deployed at Hisar club is an advanced version with glass cockpit and has been given to us by theAero Club of India.We are also recruiting new instructors for these flying clubs. There is no shortage of chief flying instructors but we are running short of pilot instructors. On an average about 30-50 candidates undergo flying training at these clubs...,”said Ramshekhar.
02/10/08 Preeti Parashar/Financial Express
To read the news in full |
PermaLink With opening of four domestic airstrips at Pinjore, Karnal, Narnaul and Bhiwani, the state government expects participation from the private parties in providing flying training to interested candidates. Expressions of interest (EOI) have already been invited and the last date for receiving the same is October 20. The interested parties will have a project briefing session on October 6.
Sharing details about the project, M Ramshekhar, advisor, civil aviation, told FE, “The idea of leasing out airstrips is to make multifarious use of them, whereby the private players will come forward and provide flying training and expand base besides operating and maintaining the airstrips. They will act as competitors to the existing flying clubs managed by the Haryana Institute of Civil Aviation (HICA) and the students will be able to opt for a trainer of their choice.” The department of civil aviation has decided that the parties, which are interested to operate these airstrips as private flying training academies, will have to pay Rs 10 lakh as the annual license fee, Rs 8,000 per month per aircraft as operation charge below 5,700 kg and Rs 10,000 per aircraft above 5700 kg. The charges for built-up hanger or office space would be Rs500 per square metre annually.
As far the flying clubs at Hisar, Karnal and Pinjore are concerned, the Haryana Institute of Civil Aviation is making efforts to spruce up the infrastructure.
“Two new Cessna 172 aircraft have been bought for Hisar and Karnal aviation clubs. The one deployed at Hisar club is an advanced version with glass cockpit and has been given to us by theAero Club of India.We are also recruiting new instructors for these flying clubs. There is no shortage of chief flying instructors but we are running short of pilot instructors. On an average about 30-50 candidates undergo flying training at these clubs...,”said Ramshekhar.
02/10/08 Preeti Parashar/Financial Express
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Wednesday, October 01, 2008
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Flying schools grounded by downturn
New Delhi: The downturn in the aviation sector has led to significantly lower demand for pilots. This has adversely affected the businesses of more than 50 flying training schools, which had come up during the last two years on the back of an unprecendented growth story. Admissions to these institutes have now hit an all-time low.
Mamta Kota, director, Flytech Aviation Academy, Hyderabad, says: “It is a cyclical trend. There was a similar trend after 1998 which lasted up to 2000, when aviation was on a downturn.”
Flytech imparts an 18-month course in flying training and conducts admissions twice a year. Kota said that admissions this July have been at least 50 per cent lower than in July 2007. Flying school agents who have tie-ups with foreign schools also have similar numbers to narrate.
Anand Mishra, chairman, Griffin Aviation India, says: “Last year, we sent 20-25 students every month. Now we are happy to get even one.” The institute has a tie-up with the Griffin Flying School in the Philippines.
“We used to charge around Rs 14.5 lakh for a full course. Of this, our commission was around Rs 50,000. We have had to slash this to around Rs 20,000 now,” says Mishra.
Airlines maintain that pilot recruitment is low as capacity deployment is low. Sandeep Chalke, human resources head, Jet Airways, says: “We recruited our last batch of 40 officers in May. Last year, we recruited around 20 pilots per month. Now, we recruit every three or four months.”
Jet Airways received 600 applications this May, for 40 vacancies. In 2006, the airline had received 30 applications in all.
Jobless pilots are taking up jobs as flying instructors. They want to gain experience by teaching in a flying school before there is an upswing and they can apply for jobs again. The instructors have begun to offer their services relatively cheaply, a major change from last year, when salaries were almost on a par with airline pilots.
01/10/08 Anirban Chowdhury/Business Standard
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Mamta Kota, director, Flytech Aviation Academy, Hyderabad, says: “It is a cyclical trend. There was a similar trend after 1998 which lasted up to 2000, when aviation was on a downturn.”
Flytech imparts an 18-month course in flying training and conducts admissions twice a year. Kota said that admissions this July have been at least 50 per cent lower than in July 2007. Flying school agents who have tie-ups with foreign schools also have similar numbers to narrate.
Anand Mishra, chairman, Griffin Aviation India, says: “Last year, we sent 20-25 students every month. Now we are happy to get even one.” The institute has a tie-up with the Griffin Flying School in the Philippines.
“We used to charge around Rs 14.5 lakh for a full course. Of this, our commission was around Rs 50,000. We have had to slash this to around Rs 20,000 now,” says Mishra.
Airlines maintain that pilot recruitment is low as capacity deployment is low. Sandeep Chalke, human resources head, Jet Airways, says: “We recruited our last batch of 40 officers in May. Last year, we recruited around 20 pilots per month. Now, we recruit every three or four months.”
Jet Airways received 600 applications this May, for 40 vacancies. In 2006, the airline had received 30 applications in all.
Jobless pilots are taking up jobs as flying instructors. They want to gain experience by teaching in a flying school before there is an upswing and they can apply for jobs again. The instructors have begun to offer their services relatively cheaply, a major change from last year, when salaries were almost on a par with airline pilots.
01/10/08 Anirban Chowdhury/Business Standard
The place for general discussion, feedback and questions Readers Forum
Single and twin engine pilots training on new Elite simulator in India
A new Elite Simulation Solutions iGATE S512 training device has been acquired by Rajiv Gandhi
Aviation Academy, a division of Wings Aviation, and is being used to train both single-engine and multiengine pilots.
Included in the system, which is housed at RGAA’s hangar at Begumpet Airport, Hyderabad, are
GenView’s India visuals, which give real location feeling to student pilots.
The training device is set up to replicate both the twin engine Beech KingAir B200 and single engine Cessna C172R.
RGAA was set up by Wings Aviation in 1995 and has a mix of Cessna and Beech aircraft in its fleet, including the first Cessnas in India with a Garmin G1000 glass cockpit.
Elite, which is based near Zurich Switzerland, used its Indian agency, SRK Aviacom, to handle the deal and Aviacom’s director, Captain Sanjay, said: “The S512 is an ideal and profitable solution for training pilots. Within the past year we have served a good number of customers by enhancing their training facilities, and the Elite device at RGAA is a good example of this.”
01/10/08 PRESS RELEASE/Elite Simulation Solutions
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Aviation Academy, a division of Wings Aviation, and is being used to train both single-engine and multiengine pilots.
Included in the system, which is housed at RGAA’s hangar at Begumpet Airport, Hyderabad, are
GenView’s India visuals, which give real location feeling to student pilots.
The training device is set up to replicate both the twin engine Beech KingAir B200 and single engine Cessna C172R.
RGAA was set up by Wings Aviation in 1995 and has a mix of Cessna and Beech aircraft in its fleet, including the first Cessnas in India with a Garmin G1000 glass cockpit.
Elite, which is based near Zurich Switzerland, used its Indian agency, SRK Aviacom, to handle the deal and Aviacom’s director, Captain Sanjay, said: “The S512 is an ideal and profitable solution for training pilots. Within the past year we have served a good number of customers by enhancing their training facilities, and the Elite device at RGAA is a good example of this.”
01/10/08 PRESS RELEASE/Elite Simulation Solutions
The place for general discussion, feedback and questions Readers Forum
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