Friday, January 30, 2009
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
SpiceJet set to hire analysts, cabin crew & sales managers
Mumbai: Gurgaon-based SpiceJet, India’s second-largest no-frills carrier, will hire analysts for network planning and route optimisation, indicating that a steady fall in aviation fuel prices has emboldened it to pursue its expansion plans announced last year.
The airline that carries 10% of India’s air travellers will also hire cabin crew, sales managers and reservation executives over the next two months. Low-cost airlines have been quicker than their full-service rivals in recovering from a financial crisis triggered by high fuel prices. IndiGo, the country’s largest budget carrier, had announced plans to hire 50 pilots earlier this month.
SpiceJet expects the analysts to recommended changes for optimum fleet utilisation to improve profitability. The airline will induct them before April across its network in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune.
SpiceJet officials confirmed the hiring plan. “The analysts will check data and recommended changes to ensure profitability,” said Samyukth Sridharan, chief commercial officer of the airline said. He declined to give further details.
30/01/09 Mithun Roy/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The airline that carries 10% of India’s air travellers will also hire cabin crew, sales managers and reservation executives over the next two months. Low-cost airlines have been quicker than their full-service rivals in recovering from a financial crisis triggered by high fuel prices. IndiGo, the country’s largest budget carrier, had announced plans to hire 50 pilots earlier this month.
SpiceJet expects the analysts to recommended changes for optimum fleet utilisation to improve profitability. The airline will induct them before April across its network in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune.
SpiceJet officials confirmed the hiring plan. “The analysts will check data and recommended changes to ensure profitability,” said Samyukth Sridharan, chief commercial officer of the airline said. He declined to give further details.
30/01/09 Mithun Roy/Economic Times
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Wednesday, January 28, 2009
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Following crash Malaysian school suspends all flights
Malaysian private flight school Elite Flying Club has suspended all flights following Monday's crash involving Singapore permanent resident Mr Sanjay Purushottam.
A school administrator told The Straits Times that it is making efforts to contact all its members to inform them of the suspension due to investigations into the crash.
The school, one of at least four in Johor Bahru, has about 70 members, mostly made up of Singaporeans.
Mr Purushottam, 40, took off in one of the school's two two-seater Cessna 152 aircraft at about 9.40am on Monday from Senai Airport. He was on a navigational exercise to obtain his private pilot's licence (PPL) and was scheduled to arrive at Batu Berendam airport in Malacca at 10.50am.
About 30 minutes into the flight, he ran into difficulties and asked for permission to turn back before losing contact with air-traffic controllers.
He was found alive by rescue workers about seven hours later, trapped in the seat of his aircraft, at the Gunung Pulai forest reserve near the town of Kulai.
He was transferred to Mount Elizabeth Hospital on Tuesday afternoon where he underwent an operation to set his broken right leg.
In Singapore, there is one other flight school - Seletar Flying Club - which is open to members of the public. Trainees have to clock 40 hours of flying to get a Private Pilot Licence (PPL), although most clock end up clocking an average of between 50 and 60 hours.
Once they have clocked about 20 hours, they are eligible to fly solo. The navigational component of the flying course is necessary for trainees to attain a full PPL which allows them to do cross-country flights.
Due to Singapore's restricted air space, flight schools here are known to arrange tie-ups with their Malaysian counterparts.
28/01/09 Sujin Thomas/Straits Times, Singapore
To read the news in full |
PermaLink A school administrator told The Straits Times that it is making efforts to contact all its members to inform them of the suspension due to investigations into the crash.
The school, one of at least four in Johor Bahru, has about 70 members, mostly made up of Singaporeans.
Mr Purushottam, 40, took off in one of the school's two two-seater Cessna 152 aircraft at about 9.40am on Monday from Senai Airport. He was on a navigational exercise to obtain his private pilot's licence (PPL) and was scheduled to arrive at Batu Berendam airport in Malacca at 10.50am.
About 30 minutes into the flight, he ran into difficulties and asked for permission to turn back before losing contact with air-traffic controllers.
He was found alive by rescue workers about seven hours later, trapped in the seat of his aircraft, at the Gunung Pulai forest reserve near the town of Kulai.
He was transferred to Mount Elizabeth Hospital on Tuesday afternoon where he underwent an operation to set his broken right leg.
In Singapore, there is one other flight school - Seletar Flying Club - which is open to members of the public. Trainees have to clock 40 hours of flying to get a Private Pilot Licence (PPL), although most clock end up clocking an average of between 50 and 60 hours.
Once they have clocked about 20 hours, they are eligible to fly solo. The navigational component of the flying course is necessary for trainees to attain a full PPL which allows them to do cross-country flights.
Due to Singapore's restricted air space, flight schools here are known to arrange tie-ups with their Malaysian counterparts.
28/01/09 Sujin Thomas/Straits Times, Singapore
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Crash involving Indians: US flight school defends record
The owner of the flight academy strongly defends his school's reputation in the wake of a third crash in a year.
While Len Mooney confirmed that there were in fact two accidents involving planes registered to the California Flight Academy last year, he stressed that neither of those mishaps resulted in any injuries to student pilots or passengers. He said student pilots at the academy have flown more than 65,000 flight hours without an injury accident.
The owner also said that the single-engine plane involved in Saturday's crash landing had just passed a thorough inspection and had been cleared by the academy's senior mechanic.
He stressed that the pilot of that plane was not a student, but in fact had his commercial pilot's license, was "instrument rated" and had recently returned from India to log more flying hours.
Three current students said the academy offers excellent instruction and has very high standards.
A four seat, single-engine aircraft went down in Oceanside over the weekend.
The single-engine Cessna Skyhawk was registered to California Flight Academy in El Cajon. According to records on the National Transportation Safety Board’s website, this isn't the first time one of the flight school’s aircraft has been involved in an accident.
On April 1, 2008, a plane burst into flames after a hard landing at Gillespie field. NTSB records show the plane was registered to the California Flight Academy.
On June 26, 2008, another incident occurred involving a small Cessna aircraft. Again, NTSB records show, the plane was registered to the California Flight Academy. The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in Lakeside. No one was hurt and the plane remained intact.
28/01/09 Monica Dean/NBCSanDiego.com
To read the news in full |
PermaLink While Len Mooney confirmed that there were in fact two accidents involving planes registered to the California Flight Academy last year, he stressed that neither of those mishaps resulted in any injuries to student pilots or passengers. He said student pilots at the academy have flown more than 65,000 flight hours without an injury accident.
The owner also said that the single-engine plane involved in Saturday's crash landing had just passed a thorough inspection and had been cleared by the academy's senior mechanic.
He stressed that the pilot of that plane was not a student, but in fact had his commercial pilot's license, was "instrument rated" and had recently returned from India to log more flying hours.
Three current students said the academy offers excellent instruction and has very high standards.
A four seat, single-engine aircraft went down in Oceanside over the weekend.
The single-engine Cessna Skyhawk was registered to California Flight Academy in El Cajon. According to records on the National Transportation Safety Board’s website, this isn't the first time one of the flight school’s aircraft has been involved in an accident.
On April 1, 2008, a plane burst into flames after a hard landing at Gillespie field. NTSB records show the plane was registered to the California Flight Academy.
On June 26, 2008, another incident occurred involving a small Cessna aircraft. Again, NTSB records show, the plane was registered to the California Flight Academy. The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in Lakeside. No one was hurt and the plane remained intact.
28/01/09 Monica Dean/NBCSanDiego.com
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Cessna crash in Malaysia: Indian trainee pilot rescued
The trainee pilot of a light aircraft which crashed in Johor Baru on Monday has been taken to Mount Elizabeth Hospital where he underwent an operation yesterday evening to set his broken leg.
Singapore permanent resident Sanjay Purushottam, 40, was conscious when Malaysian rescue workers found him trapped in his two-seater Cessna 152 aircraft at Gunung Pulai forest reserve near the town of Kulai at about 5pm on Monday. It was some seven hours after his plane - which he was flying solo - went missing shortly after taking off from Senai Airport.
'We are still investigating whether the crash was caused by pilot error, bad weather conditions or an engine fault,' said Kulaijaya Police Superintendent Zulkefly Yahya.
Mr Purushottam suffered a fractured right thigh bone, facial bruises around his right eye and dehydration. His escape from a brush with death was called 'a miracle' by his wife, Madam Shubdha Bhave, 35, as well as friends who waited patiently outside the intensive care unit of Mount Elizabeth yesterday.
Mr Purushottam, a trainee pilot with Malaysian private flight school Elite Flying Club, took off from Senai Airport at about 9.40am on Monday. He was on a navigational exercise to obtain his private pilot's licence and was scheduled to arrive at Batu Berendam airport in Malacca at 10.50am. He apparently ran into difficulties about 30 minutes into the flight. He asked for permission to turn back because of strong winds before losing contact with air-traffic controllers, according to Malaysian paper The Star.
When he did not arrive in Malacca, the authorities were notified and a rescue operation involving about 60 people was mounted. Spotting the aircraft was difficult as only a small portion was visible. The rest was hidden in foliage, said Supt Zulkefly.
It was only at about 5pm that Royal Malaysian Air Force commandos and paramedics on foot found the wreckage. Mr Purushottam, who was in a state of shock, was still trapped in his seat. The aircraft was entangled in the branches of a tree and was perched precariously on the ledge of a 500m cliff. He was taken to Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru at about 7am and ferried back to Singapore at about noon.
Mr Purushottam is a senior manager at Standard Chartered Bank and is known to often travel to Johor for flying lessons.
28/01/09 Sujin Thomas/Straits Times, Singapore
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Singapore permanent resident Sanjay Purushottam, 40, was conscious when Malaysian rescue workers found him trapped in his two-seater Cessna 152 aircraft at Gunung Pulai forest reserve near the town of Kulai at about 5pm on Monday. It was some seven hours after his plane - which he was flying solo - went missing shortly after taking off from Senai Airport.
'We are still investigating whether the crash was caused by pilot error, bad weather conditions or an engine fault,' said Kulaijaya Police Superintendent Zulkefly Yahya.
Mr Purushottam suffered a fractured right thigh bone, facial bruises around his right eye and dehydration. His escape from a brush with death was called 'a miracle' by his wife, Madam Shubdha Bhave, 35, as well as friends who waited patiently outside the intensive care unit of Mount Elizabeth yesterday.
Mr Purushottam, a trainee pilot with Malaysian private flight school Elite Flying Club, took off from Senai Airport at about 9.40am on Monday. He was on a navigational exercise to obtain his private pilot's licence and was scheduled to arrive at Batu Berendam airport in Malacca at 10.50am. He apparently ran into difficulties about 30 minutes into the flight. He asked for permission to turn back because of strong winds before losing contact with air-traffic controllers, according to Malaysian paper The Star.
When he did not arrive in Malacca, the authorities were notified and a rescue operation involving about 60 people was mounted. Spotting the aircraft was difficult as only a small portion was visible. The rest was hidden in foliage, said Supt Zulkefly.
It was only at about 5pm that Royal Malaysian Air Force commandos and paramedics on foot found the wreckage. Mr Purushottam, who was in a state of shock, was still trapped in his seat. The aircraft was entangled in the branches of a tree and was perched precariously on the ledge of a 500m cliff. He was taken to Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru at about 7am and ferried back to Singapore at about noon.
Mr Purushottam is a senior manager at Standard Chartered Bank and is known to often travel to Johor for flying lessons.
28/01/09 Sujin Thomas/Straits Times, Singapore
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Tuesday, January 27, 2009
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
US flying school plane crash: Indians identified
Oceanside: Two men who were in a small plane that crashed into a power pole and sewage pipe in Oceanside, causing a geyser of sludge, have been identified.
Amandeep Singh, 24, was piloting a Cessna 172 Skyhawk, and Harshdeep Multani, 18, was his passenger, when the plane crashed at 10:44 a.m. Saturday near the Oceanside Swap Meet on Mission Road, east of the Oceanside Municipal Airport and about 300 yards from a residential neighborhood, according to Oceanside police and the Federal Aviation Administration.Witnesses said the plane flew low over the airport and clipped a power pole.
The four-seater plane, registered to the California Flight Academy, also struck and broke a valve on an above-ground pipe at a sewage pumping station that spewed about 25,000 gallons of effluent, said Oceanside police Sgt. Kelan Poorman.
A 30-foot geyser of sewage rained down on rescuers as they freed the pilot, whose leg was pinned inside the plane.
It took at least 30 minutes to pull the pilot out of the plane, which was nearly wrapped around the utility pole. A witness said firefighters carefully worked to extract the pilot's trapped leg and protect him from the sewage that was spraying over the wreckage. He said ankle-deep pools of liquid were on the ground -- a mix of rainwater, raw sewage and aviation fluid -- and live power lines were above the plane, making for a hazardous rescue.
Singh suffered a broken pelvis and four severed fingers. He was taken by helicopter to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, where he was in fair condition.
The pilot took off from Gillespie Field in El Cajon and was heading to Torrance Municipal Airport when the crash occurred, said FAA spokesman Ian Gregor.
26/01/09 San Diego 6, USA
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Amandeep Singh, 24, was piloting a Cessna 172 Skyhawk, and Harshdeep Multani, 18, was his passenger, when the plane crashed at 10:44 a.m. Saturday near the Oceanside Swap Meet on Mission Road, east of the Oceanside Municipal Airport and about 300 yards from a residential neighborhood, according to Oceanside police and the Federal Aviation Administration.Witnesses said the plane flew low over the airport and clipped a power pole.
The four-seater plane, registered to the California Flight Academy, also struck and broke a valve on an above-ground pipe at a sewage pumping station that spewed about 25,000 gallons of effluent, said Oceanside police Sgt. Kelan Poorman.
A 30-foot geyser of sewage rained down on rescuers as they freed the pilot, whose leg was pinned inside the plane.
It took at least 30 minutes to pull the pilot out of the plane, which was nearly wrapped around the utility pole. A witness said firefighters carefully worked to extract the pilot's trapped leg and protect him from the sewage that was spraying over the wreckage. He said ankle-deep pools of liquid were on the ground -- a mix of rainwater, raw sewage and aviation fluid -- and live power lines were above the plane, making for a hazardous rescue.
Singh suffered a broken pelvis and four severed fingers. He was taken by helicopter to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, where he was in fair condition.
The pilot took off from Gillespie Field in El Cajon and was heading to Torrance Municipal Airport when the crash occurred, said FAA spokesman Ian Gregor.
26/01/09 San Diego 6, USA
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Sunday, January 25, 2009
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Government flying school at Bangalore takes off again
Bangalore: One of India's oldest flying schools in the city is taxiing to take off, once again.
An old yellow colour bird Cessna 152A, which had flown to its home in the skies often, has been sitting in the humongous hangar at the 60-year-old Government Flying School (GFS). Another one, a Hansa, is parked next to this trainer aircraft. And they will all be busy from next month thanks to a senior IAS officer I.M. Vittala Murthy who is on a one-man mission to pilot the famous -- but controversy-ridden -- school that lay grounded for many years to greater heights.
IM Vittala Murthy-instrumental in flying school taking off. Murthy told India Today while on a visit to the school at Jakkur, on the way to the new Bangalore airport, that there will be a total of five trainer aircraft at the school that has witnessed a turbulent decade; the historic school has been racked with internal dissensions, court cases and, above all, sheer governmental apathy.
The Jakkur school opened in 1948 on a 211-acre land donated by the Mysore maharajas who also had their own airplane, a Dakota DC3. India's first woman pilot Usha Sundaram, 84, who graduated with a pilot license from the first batch even flew Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru from Jakkur to Mysore on the Dakota aircraft. Hundreds of students have passed out of the aviation training school over the years until the school hit an airpocket in 1997 for almost five years.
24/01/09 Stephen David/India Today
To read the news in full |
PermaLink An old yellow colour bird Cessna 152A, which had flown to its home in the skies often, has been sitting in the humongous hangar at the 60-year-old Government Flying School (GFS). Another one, a Hansa, is parked next to this trainer aircraft. And they will all be busy from next month thanks to a senior IAS officer I.M. Vittala Murthy who is on a one-man mission to pilot the famous -- but controversy-ridden -- school that lay grounded for many years to greater heights.
IM Vittala Murthy-instrumental in flying school taking off. Murthy told India Today while on a visit to the school at Jakkur, on the way to the new Bangalore airport, that there will be a total of five trainer aircraft at the school that has witnessed a turbulent decade; the historic school has been racked with internal dissensions, court cases and, above all, sheer governmental apathy.
The Jakkur school opened in 1948 on a 211-acre land donated by the Mysore maharajas who also had their own airplane, a Dakota DC3. India's first woman pilot Usha Sundaram, 84, who graduated with a pilot license from the first batch even flew Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru from Jakkur to Mysore on the Dakota aircraft. Hundreds of students have passed out of the aviation training school over the years until the school hit an airpocket in 1997 for almost five years.
24/01/09 Stephen David/India Today
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When looks matter!
Apparently, one of the unwritten rules in an airhostess’s handbook says that she cannot have hormonal disturbances, get old or put on a few extra pounds and God forbid any cutaneous disruptions (read pimples).
Three pimples and she might as well pack her bags. Ridiculous? Well, many in legal circles too subscribe to this opinion. First, it was nine Air India cabin crew members who lost the battle of the bulge. The ‘Maharajah’ with his own hefty paunch handed out the pink slips after they lost a legal battle. Then, there were a few whose careers had a bumpy landing because of pimples.
So, what role does an airhostess play? Is she merely a glam doll, hence required to be young, smiling, energetic, and put bluntly, sexy?
It was only after the entry of various domestic players in the airline business did the standard of service onboard flights begin to look up. Competition got stiff and airlines started looking for ways to stand out from the rest. But, how does an airhostess’s weight or the pimple on her cheek matter?
“Pimples or a few pounds extra don’t really matter. The question arises when airlines have to maintain a particular image and have a standard for employees. If this is not in place, there would be no way to grade employees,” says Richa Sharma, a travel agent.
As airlines strive to capture the attention of customers, building brand image is a very important exercise. But does that mean an overweight airhostess means bad business? Ben Verghese, from Frankfinn points out, “When an airhostess is recruited, she knows that she has to keep to a certain criterion of weight and skin. So, she is duty-bound to maintain it.”
However, girls take the job, not as a pastime but as a career. When asked if it is fair to impose such stringent norms for them, he says, “Ageing is a natural process but one needs to age gracefully. If she is able to put on a professional look even with age, flying could be a long term career.”
Richa puts it succinctly, “In the service industry, good-looking people keep the mood vibrant. It’s mainly associated with the general perception that what is beautiful is good. It doesn’t matter if she cannot speak English or understand what ‘toast’ is. The stereotype is based on society’s belief that physical beauty is associated with favourable characteristics such as friendliness, likeability and hospitability. So, it is logical to expect that a service provider’s physical attractiveness will significantly affect customers’ perception of the company.”
Agreed, beautiful people do help, but has anyone travelled a particular airline, just because it had better looking airhostesses?
“Definitely not. But having good looking people in the service industry gives flyers a more pleasant immediate experience. Almost like a girl putting on makeup. It may not give her a long-term feeling of wellness but yes, it does make her feel good at that moment,” adds Richa.
05/01/09 Marcus A Clay/Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink Three pimples and she might as well pack her bags. Ridiculous? Well, many in legal circles too subscribe to this opinion. First, it was nine Air India cabin crew members who lost the battle of the bulge. The ‘Maharajah’ with his own hefty paunch handed out the pink slips after they lost a legal battle. Then, there were a few whose careers had a bumpy landing because of pimples.
So, what role does an airhostess play? Is she merely a glam doll, hence required to be young, smiling, energetic, and put bluntly, sexy?
It was only after the entry of various domestic players in the airline business did the standard of service onboard flights begin to look up. Competition got stiff and airlines started looking for ways to stand out from the rest. But, how does an airhostess’s weight or the pimple on her cheek matter?
“Pimples or a few pounds extra don’t really matter. The question arises when airlines have to maintain a particular image and have a standard for employees. If this is not in place, there would be no way to grade employees,” says Richa Sharma, a travel agent.
As airlines strive to capture the attention of customers, building brand image is a very important exercise. But does that mean an overweight airhostess means bad business? Ben Verghese, from Frankfinn points out, “When an airhostess is recruited, she knows that she has to keep to a certain criterion of weight and skin. So, she is duty-bound to maintain it.”
However, girls take the job, not as a pastime but as a career. When asked if it is fair to impose such stringent norms for them, he says, “Ageing is a natural process but one needs to age gracefully. If she is able to put on a professional look even with age, flying could be a long term career.”
Richa puts it succinctly, “In the service industry, good-looking people keep the mood vibrant. It’s mainly associated with the general perception that what is beautiful is good. It doesn’t matter if she cannot speak English or understand what ‘toast’ is. The stereotype is based on society’s belief that physical beauty is associated with favourable characteristics such as friendliness, likeability and hospitability. So, it is logical to expect that a service provider’s physical attractiveness will significantly affect customers’ perception of the company.”
Agreed, beautiful people do help, but has anyone travelled a particular airline, just because it had better looking airhostesses?
“Definitely not. But having good looking people in the service industry gives flyers a more pleasant immediate experience. Almost like a girl putting on makeup. It may not give her a long-term feeling of wellness but yes, it does make her feel good at that moment,” adds Richa.
05/01/09 Marcus A Clay/Times of India
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Thursday, January 22, 2009
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Tests for expat pilots to be made tougher
New Delhi: Worried at the swelling ranks of young Indian students sitting idle after spending several lakhs on becoming commercial pilots, the government has decided to get tough with airlines on the issue of foreign pilots.
While it had earlier asked airlines to send back expats by end 2010, now hiring of foreigners is being made difficult.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is in the process of making the tests on knowledge of Indian regulations, which expats have to clear before being allowed to fly, tougher.
At present, there's only one general paper that is going to be branched out so that the expat is tested on the basis of his knowledge of the type of airline he or she has to join here.
DGCA chief Nasim Zaidi has set up a panel to work out different exam papers for schedule and non-schedule airlines and helicopters so that each pilot is tested in detail on the laws of that specific sector. In short, the examination process is being made rigorous so that Indian airlines find it tougher to get expat pilots and instead focus on Indian ones.
Indian carriers, that currently employ 1,000-odd expat pilots, have told DGCA that a majority of expats would be sent back by 2010. But the apprehension that airlines may again cite shortage of trained Indian commanders to retain them has forced aviation ministry to mount a strict vigil.
22/01/09 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink While it had earlier asked airlines to send back expats by end 2010, now hiring of foreigners is being made difficult.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is in the process of making the tests on knowledge of Indian regulations, which expats have to clear before being allowed to fly, tougher.
At present, there's only one general paper that is going to be branched out so that the expat is tested on the basis of his knowledge of the type of airline he or she has to join here.
DGCA chief Nasim Zaidi has set up a panel to work out different exam papers for schedule and non-schedule airlines and helicopters so that each pilot is tested in detail on the laws of that specific sector. In short, the examination process is being made rigorous so that Indian airlines find it tougher to get expat pilots and instead focus on Indian ones.
Indian carriers, that currently employ 1,000-odd expat pilots, have told DGCA that a majority of expats would be sent back by 2010. But the apprehension that airlines may again cite shortage of trained Indian commanders to retain them has forced aviation ministry to mount a strict vigil.
22/01/09 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
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DGCA to recruit more persons to improve
Chennai: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) plans to recruit technically skilled manpower to improve air safety in the country.
DGCA chief Naseem Zaidi, who visited Chennai airport on Wednesday said "we are planning to recruit more technically skilled people as there is a 60% shortage of manpower across the country."
He also said that these staff members would be given the best training so that "they will have a good overview of safety functions."
22/01/09 Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink DGCA chief Naseem Zaidi, who visited Chennai airport on Wednesday said "we are planning to recruit more technically skilled people as there is a 60% shortage of manpower across the country."
He also said that these staff members would be given the best training so that "they will have a good overview of safety functions."
22/01/09 Times of India
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Tuesday, January 20, 2009
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
RML university to set up air & space law centre
Lucknow: The Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University (RMLNLU) would soon start courses on air and space law, which would cater to those
aspiring to become legal experts in various airlines and research organisations like Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The university would have a specific centre for the purpose, which, in association with a Canada based university would provide six-month certificate and two-year LLM degree with `micro-specialisation' in air and space law. Other courses will include cyber laws and information technology law, law and medicine, telecom and cyber laws, intellectual property laws, etc.
RMLNLU would be the first centre of its kind in India, though the National Law University, Hyderabad also plans to start such courses. A draft proposal of the centre and the courses to be offered has been put forth before the governing body of the university. The cost of the courses and other nitty-gritties involved are yet to be decided by the varsity.
Speaking to reporters, director of RMLNLU, Prof Balraj Chauhan said that they plan to begin the course as soon as possible. He added that all the required formalities would be completed by April this year. The centre would be set up in a separate building which is being constructed on the university campus by the Rajkiya Nirman Nigam.
There would be 50 seats in each course for which there would be an open entrance. The LLB (honours) students who have completed their fifth semester would be eligible to pursue the course along with their regular course.
For LLM (with micro-specialisation in the said subjects), the students will have to undergo a four-month training in McGill university, Canada, the cost of which will be borne by the students only. Chauhan said that they would be declaring all the conditions to the students at the start of the course itself.
Associate professor in the Institute of Air and Space Law, Faculty of Law, McGill University, Prof Ram Jakhu said the air and space law are the new upcoming frontiers in the education.
According to Prof Jakhu, there is growing privatisation of air and space.
Chauhan said that the varsity would help the students in their placements after the completion of the courses. The students can look for various avenues of legal experts in both private and public sector airlines, in premier research organisations like ISRO and in educational institutes.
21/01/09 Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink aspiring to become legal experts in various airlines and research organisations like Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The university would have a specific centre for the purpose, which, in association with a Canada based university would provide six-month certificate and two-year LLM degree with `micro-specialisation' in air and space law. Other courses will include cyber laws and information technology law, law and medicine, telecom and cyber laws, intellectual property laws, etc.
RMLNLU would be the first centre of its kind in India, though the National Law University, Hyderabad also plans to start such courses. A draft proposal of the centre and the courses to be offered has been put forth before the governing body of the university. The cost of the courses and other nitty-gritties involved are yet to be decided by the varsity.
Speaking to reporters, director of RMLNLU, Prof Balraj Chauhan said that they plan to begin the course as soon as possible. He added that all the required formalities would be completed by April this year. The centre would be set up in a separate building which is being constructed on the university campus by the Rajkiya Nirman Nigam.
There would be 50 seats in each course for which there would be an open entrance. The LLB (honours) students who have completed their fifth semester would be eligible to pursue the course along with their regular course.
For LLM (with micro-specialisation in the said subjects), the students will have to undergo a four-month training in McGill university, Canada, the cost of which will be borne by the students only. Chauhan said that they would be declaring all the conditions to the students at the start of the course itself.
Associate professor in the Institute of Air and Space Law, Faculty of Law, McGill University, Prof Ram Jakhu said the air and space law are the new upcoming frontiers in the education.
According to Prof Jakhu, there is growing privatisation of air and space.
Chauhan said that the varsity would help the students in their placements after the completion of the courses. The students can look for various avenues of legal experts in both private and public sector airlines, in premier research organisations like ISRO and in educational institutes.
21/01/09 Times of India
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Monday, January 19, 2009
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
Paramount to hire 500 pilots and 600 cabin crew
New Delhi: Paramount Airways plans to hire 500 pilots and 600 cabin crew in the next two years as it eyes nation-wide presence and a five-fold increase in fleet size by 2011.
The airline, which currently has five Embraer jets, will take delivery of another 20 aircraft by 2010-11.
“We employ 25 pilots and 30 cabin crew per aircraft. Accordingly the numbers will go up (with the addition in the fleet),” Paramount Managing Director M. Thiagarajan said. The carrier would begin the hiring shortly with two more Embraer aircraft slated for delivery by the end of March.
The airline, which offers only business and first class configuration, deploys a higher number of flight attendants than others.
“We deploy five cabin crew per flight against the industry average of two per flight for economy class,” he said.
Paramount currently has about 125 pilots and 150 cabin crew members.With the increased resources, the airline wants to first ‘saturate’ the western India market and then launch operations in the northern and north-eastern regions.
The carrier, which currently connects Goa, Ahmedabad and Pune to various cities in the South, will make Mumbai the hub for it operations in the western market.
“We will add 500-600 flights per month in the next six months and make Mumbai the hub for our inter-region and intra-region operations in the west,” he said.
The company will also launch its international operations by 2012-13 for which it already in advanced stages of dialogue with aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing to place orders for about 7-10 planes.
19/01/09 PTI/Livemint
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The airline, which currently has five Embraer jets, will take delivery of another 20 aircraft by 2010-11.
“We employ 25 pilots and 30 cabin crew per aircraft. Accordingly the numbers will go up (with the addition in the fleet),” Paramount Managing Director M. Thiagarajan said. The carrier would begin the hiring shortly with two more Embraer aircraft slated for delivery by the end of March.
The airline, which offers only business and first class configuration, deploys a higher number of flight attendants than others.
“We deploy five cabin crew per flight against the industry average of two per flight for economy class,” he said.
Paramount currently has about 125 pilots and 150 cabin crew members.With the increased resources, the airline wants to first ‘saturate’ the western India market and then launch operations in the northern and north-eastern regions.
The carrier, which currently connects Goa, Ahmedabad and Pune to various cities in the South, will make Mumbai the hub for it operations in the western market.
“We will add 500-600 flights per month in the next six months and make Mumbai the hub for our inter-region and intra-region operations in the west,” he said.
The company will also launch its international operations by 2012-13 for which it already in advanced stages of dialogue with aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing to place orders for about 7-10 planes.
19/01/09 PTI/Livemint
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Sunday, January 18, 2009
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IAF changes rules to include vision-corrected candidates
Beginning this year, IAF has relaxed selection rules after which candidates with poor vision acuity can fly helicopters and transport planes after undergoing corrective surgery like LASIK and Radial Keratotomy.
The only condition is that the vision-corrected candidates have to meet basic post-surgery requirements set up by the IAF. Earlier, the IAF refused candidates if they had undergone these procedures to improve vision.
"From this year onwards, we have relaxed the physical requirement regarding vision for all service officers in the graduate entry level...." Lt-Gen Yogendra Singh, Director General, Armed Forces Medical Services and senior Colonel Commandant of the force, said.
The IAF's condition comprises completion of one year of the vision-correction surgery at the time of application, post-surgery eyeball length of not more than 25.5 mm and cornea thickness of not less than 450 microns.
A candidate, after completing one year of having undergone LASIK surgery (for correcting myopia and hypermetropia) and meeting the other requirements, can be considered for flying a helicopter or a fixed-wing aircraft, says senior advisor (Opthalmology) at the Army Hospital Research and Referral, Colonel JKS Parihar. LASIK is a surgery for correcting and lessening the defect or damage to the eye.
This relaxation is applicable for "Pilots flying transport aircraft and helicopters and all officers in the technical field, Aeronautical Engineers, basic Air Staff, Non-Technical staff, Ground Duties Officers, Security officers and Meteorology officers and officers in the medical field of the IAF," Air Marshal P Madhusoodanan, DGMS (AIR) said.
However, he made it clear that "the relaxation will not be applicable at the entry level at National Defence Academy."
18/01/09 Agencies/TimesNow.tv
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The only condition is that the vision-corrected candidates have to meet basic post-surgery requirements set up by the IAF. Earlier, the IAF refused candidates if they had undergone these procedures to improve vision.
"From this year onwards, we have relaxed the physical requirement regarding vision for all service officers in the graduate entry level...." Lt-Gen Yogendra Singh, Director General, Armed Forces Medical Services and senior Colonel Commandant of the force, said.
The IAF's condition comprises completion of one year of the vision-correction surgery at the time of application, post-surgery eyeball length of not more than 25.5 mm and cornea thickness of not less than 450 microns.
A candidate, after completing one year of having undergone LASIK surgery (for correcting myopia and hypermetropia) and meeting the other requirements, can be considered for flying a helicopter or a fixed-wing aircraft, says senior advisor (Opthalmology) at the Army Hospital Research and Referral, Colonel JKS Parihar. LASIK is a surgery for correcting and lessening the defect or damage to the eye.
This relaxation is applicable for "Pilots flying transport aircraft and helicopters and all officers in the technical field, Aeronautical Engineers, basic Air Staff, Non-Technical staff, Ground Duties Officers, Security officers and Meteorology officers and officers in the medical field of the IAF," Air Marshal P Madhusoodanan, DGMS (AIR) said.
However, he made it clear that "the relaxation will not be applicable at the entry level at National Defence Academy."
18/01/09 Agencies/TimesNow.tv
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Thursday, January 15, 2009
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Airline Placement and Orientation Program
As of today there are over 3000 unemployed CPL holders actively looking for jobs. The good news is, many airlines in India are once again venturing to recruit Commercial Pilot License (CPL) holders for first officer positions.
In this Jobmarket, the airlines have a huge pool of talent to cherry pick and will only recruit the best equipped aspirants in terms of flying experience, knowledge, attitude, aptitude, personality and bearing.
Aviation Academy International (AAI) has on its staff veterans of the aviation industry who were an integral part of the recruitment board for various airlines in India.
AAI was recently involved in the evaluation and selection process of Commercial Pilot License (CPL) holders for first officer position in one of such Airlines.
During this process AAI came to the following conclusions:The applicants were generally young and were interviewing for the first time in their life. The applicants had very little intuition of what to expect in the elimination tests and interviews.The candidates were unaware of what an airline looks for in an applicant and how to project themselves to fit the mold. In short they were sorely unprepared or at best under prepared.
Some of the areas that these youngsters lack and are surely needed by the airlines are:
·Prepares you for competitive written exam·Makes you thorough in knowledge of IFR Flying·Familiarizes you with modern avionics and the glass cockpit.·Strengthens your basics on multi engine and performance.
For deatils: Anthony Jr.,Aviation International Holdings, LLC, 622 Rte 10 West, Unit 22A, Whippany NJ 07981, Ph: 973 386 9600. Fax: 973 386 9602
Cell: 973 452 2735 .Email: anthony@aviationintl.com
15/01/09 PRESS RELEASE/Aviation Academy International
To read the news in full |
PermaLink In this Jobmarket, the airlines have a huge pool of talent to cherry pick and will only recruit the best equipped aspirants in terms of flying experience, knowledge, attitude, aptitude, personality and bearing.
Aviation Academy International (AAI) has on its staff veterans of the aviation industry who were an integral part of the recruitment board for various airlines in India.
AAI was recently involved in the evaluation and selection process of Commercial Pilot License (CPL) holders for first officer position in one of such Airlines.
During this process AAI came to the following conclusions:The applicants were generally young and were interviewing for the first time in their life. The applicants had very little intuition of what to expect in the elimination tests and interviews.The candidates were unaware of what an airline looks for in an applicant and how to project themselves to fit the mold. In short they were sorely unprepared or at best under prepared.
Some of the areas that these youngsters lack and are surely needed by the airlines are:
·Prepares you for competitive written exam·Makes you thorough in knowledge of IFR Flying·Familiarizes you with modern avionics and the glass cockpit.·Strengthens your basics on multi engine and performance.
- Evaluates and enhances interviewing skills.
- Gives exposure to IQ tests and Psychometric tests.
- Enhances mental ability and builds confidence.
- Gives hands on experience in flying in an Airlines cockpit.
- Brings out the best in you.
For deatils: Anthony Jr.,Aviation International Holdings, LLC, 622 Rte 10 West, Unit 22A, Whippany NJ 07981, Ph: 973 386 9600. Fax: 973 386 9602
Cell: 973 452 2735 .Email: anthony@aviationintl.com
15/01/09 PRESS RELEASE/Aviation Academy International
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Wednesday, January 14, 2009
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Pilot training institute to compensate for deficiency in services
Chandigarh: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed a pilot training institute to cough up compensation to a student for not providing training in a course desired by him. The institute has been directed to refund Rs 22,600 plus the equivalent of US $17,450 along with Rs 2 lakh as compensation and Rs 11,000 as costs of litigation.
The complainant, Umang Vijay Kumar Trivedi, wanted to pursue the Professional Pilot Course III for which he took admission in Asia USA, Florida, at their regional office in Sector 35, Chandigarh. The complainant averred that he paid an advance sum of Rs 50,000 in cash in October 2007. Trivedi was assured that his admission will be confirmed within two weeks.
He was also directed to appear before the USA Embassy at Mumbai for an interview after which he received a letter from the Regional Airline Academy, a sister concern of Asia USA, stating that the Professional Pilot course would commence from January 15, 2008.
Interestingly, when he was again directed to attend the Visa interview call at the US Embassy, he was disqualified for not possessing a ground course certificate, which, he was later told, was a pre-requisite for the course. He was then asked to attend the Ground Training Course for which he paid Rs 13,30,000.
The complainant, thereafter, lodged a complaint with various agencies in India, USA and UK. While he has received Rs 5,00,000 as refund, he moved the forum alleging mental harassment and demanded a refund of the remaining amount.
In its reply, the institute denied the responsibility of providing Visa and claimed that the fee had been returned to the complainant.
14/01/09 Express India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The complainant, Umang Vijay Kumar Trivedi, wanted to pursue the Professional Pilot Course III for which he took admission in Asia USA, Florida, at their regional office in Sector 35, Chandigarh. The complainant averred that he paid an advance sum of Rs 50,000 in cash in October 2007. Trivedi was assured that his admission will be confirmed within two weeks.
He was also directed to appear before the USA Embassy at Mumbai for an interview after which he received a letter from the Regional Airline Academy, a sister concern of Asia USA, stating that the Professional Pilot course would commence from January 15, 2008.
Interestingly, when he was again directed to attend the Visa interview call at the US Embassy, he was disqualified for not possessing a ground course certificate, which, he was later told, was a pre-requisite for the course. He was then asked to attend the Ground Training Course for which he paid Rs 13,30,000.
The complainant, thereafter, lodged a complaint with various agencies in India, USA and UK. While he has received Rs 5,00,000 as refund, he moved the forum alleging mental harassment and demanded a refund of the remaining amount.
In its reply, the institute denied the responsibility of providing Visa and claimed that the fee had been returned to the complainant.
14/01/09 Express India
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Tuesday, January 13, 2009
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Staff crunch grounds Rajasthan State Flying Club
Jaipur: The US-made aircraft model C-172, equipped with latest technology for trainee pilots, is gathering dust at the Rajasthan State Flying Club since it landed in early April last year. The club, once a place bustling with a range of activities like landing and take-off of aircraft by upcoming pilots and engineers and long queues of hobby fliers, has now become defunct in the absence of qualified staff.
The state's only flying club is facing a near-closure situation. Since August, the club has become "non-operational" putting the future of 25 students in a fix.
Sunit Swami, 21, a student of the flying club said, "I was scheduled to receive my Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) this year with 200 hours of flying experience. Now I am very uncertain as I have completed just three hours of flying in a year."
Like, Swami there are 24 other students who are disheartened due to the state government's apathy towards the flying club. Pawan Arora, secretary, flying club said, "The club is non-operational due to unavailability of an aeronautical engineer. The engineer's approval is mandatory for flying under aviation norms."
The club, once a most-preferred training ground for pilots and engineers from across the country, is desperately fighting for its survival," he added. The flying club had issued CPL to more then 200 pilots since 1991.
"The condition of the flying club began to deteriorate with the inception of private flying academies in India. Most of the instructors and engineers have been taken by these private players," said a former aeronautical engineer.
The club administration is worried that if the situation continues to remain the same then soon the parent body of flying club, Aero Club of India, would transfer the logistics to another flying club.
13/01/09 Shoeb Khan/Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The state's only flying club is facing a near-closure situation. Since August, the club has become "non-operational" putting the future of 25 students in a fix.
Sunit Swami, 21, a student of the flying club said, "I was scheduled to receive my Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) this year with 200 hours of flying experience. Now I am very uncertain as I have completed just three hours of flying in a year."
Like, Swami there are 24 other students who are disheartened due to the state government's apathy towards the flying club. Pawan Arora, secretary, flying club said, "The club is non-operational due to unavailability of an aeronautical engineer. The engineer's approval is mandatory for flying under aviation norms."
The club, once a most-preferred training ground for pilots and engineers from across the country, is desperately fighting for its survival," he added. The flying club had issued CPL to more then 200 pilots since 1991.
"The condition of the flying club began to deteriorate with the inception of private flying academies in India. Most of the instructors and engineers have been taken by these private players," said a former aeronautical engineer.
The club administration is worried that if the situation continues to remain the same then soon the parent body of flying club, Aero Club of India, would transfer the logistics to another flying club.
13/01/09 Shoeb Khan/Times of India
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Young pilots adding to jobless ranks
New Delhi: When Mr Aditya Beri left for the United States to join a flying school two years ago, the Indian civil aviation industry was going through an unprecedented boom.
With new airlines taking to the skies and others going into expansion mode, pilots, cabin crew and ground staff were all in great demand.
Mr Beri, now 20, came back in November 2007 with a US commercial pilot licence and, by July, completed the mandatory equivalent commercial pilot's licence course conducted by India's Directorate of Civil Aviation.
The young qualified pilot, whose father is a senior pilot in Air India, held high hopes of quickly landing a job with an airline company in India - but found himself joining the growing rank of unemployed pilots in the country.
According to some estimates, there are more than 4,000 unemployed pilots in India.
The large number is the result of the boom that the airline industry was enjoying several years ago, which caused a rush of young men and women to join flight schools.
Then, the situation was so rosy that even those who had obtained commercial pilot licences in the mid-1990s but had turned to non-flying jobs because the state-controlled aviation industry had few openings, had started returning to the skies abroad to do flight training again.
Mr Beri said his flight training in the US alone cost US$45,000- excluding what he had to spend on food and lodging.
With no prospects of employment in the airlines in the immediate future, he hopes to be able to find work with a large company that might have acquired aircraft and now requires pilots.
Meanwhile, he said, he plans to take up a correspondence course and get a university degree.
12/01/09 The Straits Times/AsiaOne, Singapore
To read the news in full |
PermaLink With new airlines taking to the skies and others going into expansion mode, pilots, cabin crew and ground staff were all in great demand.
Mr Beri, now 20, came back in November 2007 with a US commercial pilot licence and, by July, completed the mandatory equivalent commercial pilot's licence course conducted by India's Directorate of Civil Aviation.
The young qualified pilot, whose father is a senior pilot in Air India, held high hopes of quickly landing a job with an airline company in India - but found himself joining the growing rank of unemployed pilots in the country.
According to some estimates, there are more than 4,000 unemployed pilots in India.
The large number is the result of the boom that the airline industry was enjoying several years ago, which caused a rush of young men and women to join flight schools.
Then, the situation was so rosy that even those who had obtained commercial pilot licences in the mid-1990s but had turned to non-flying jobs because the state-controlled aviation industry had few openings, had started returning to the skies abroad to do flight training again.
Mr Beri said his flight training in the US alone cost US$45,000- excluding what he had to spend on food and lodging.
With no prospects of employment in the airlines in the immediate future, he hopes to be able to find work with a large company that might have acquired aircraft and now requires pilots.
Meanwhile, he said, he plans to take up a correspondence course and get a university degree.
12/01/09 The Straits Times/AsiaOne, Singapore
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Sunday, January 11, 2009
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IndiGo plans to bid adieu to foreign pilots
New Delhi: Low-cost airline Indigo plans to phase out its employment of foreign pilots in the next few years, even as it plans to hire 100 cabin crew and up to 50 pilots in the near future.
The airline, which recently became the third largest in the country in terms of market share, also plans to increase its network to 20-21 cities and enhance frequencies on its existing routes in the next one year. It currently operates in 17 cities in the country.
" Gradually we will have only Indian pilots. It saves us manpower costs too to have only domestic pilots," IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh told PTI.
The airline is currently conducting the exercise to have 30-50 pilots and 50 cabin crew on board in the next few days.
The new pilots are being hired for IndiGo's operations in Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and Jaipur. The airline currently has about 400 cabin crew.
The no-frill carrier has already reduced the number of expat pilots to about 55 from 96 in the beginning of last year. It has a total of 226 pilots at present.
11/01/09 PTI/The Hindu
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The airline, which recently became the third largest in the country in terms of market share, also plans to increase its network to 20-21 cities and enhance frequencies on its existing routes in the next one year. It currently operates in 17 cities in the country.
" Gradually we will have only Indian pilots. It saves us manpower costs too to have only domestic pilots," IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh told PTI.
The airline is currently conducting the exercise to have 30-50 pilots and 50 cabin crew on board in the next few days.
The new pilots are being hired for IndiGo's operations in Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and Jaipur. The airline currently has about 400 cabin crew.
The no-frill carrier has already reduced the number of expat pilots to about 55 from 96 in the beginning of last year. It has a total of 226 pilots at present.
11/01/09 PTI/The Hindu
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Fatties bad for airline business in India
South African cabin crew who overindulged over the festive season have no reason to worry that their expanded girths may cost them their jobs — unlike their Indian counterparts.
London’s The Times News Service reported last week that state-owned Air India sacked 10 cabin crew staff over Christmas for putting on too much weight.
But local cabin crew carrying a few extra kilograms are unlikely to face a similar fate unless their weight interferes with their ability to work.
Air India’s decision followed a June high court ruling in that country which agreed with airline bosses that fat was bad for business and confirmed their right to fire overweight cabin crew.
The court accepted that cabin crew members’ looks could be considered an integral part of their personalities. It also rejected arguments that cabin crew, who were overweight but still fit, could perform as well as their thinner counterparts.
In comparison, South African airlines do not condemn their employees to a lifetime of lettuce leaves but do require them to be tall enough to easily reach the overhead compartments.
Local airlines Kulula.com and South African Airways require their cabin crew members to be at least 1.58m tall. British Airways and Kulula.com also impose a maximum height restriction.
“They can’t be taller than 1.83m as they would have to stoop in some parts of the plane, making it very uncomfortable for them for long hours at a time,” said Glenda Zvenyika, communications manager for Comair, operator of British Airways and Kulula.com.
But there is no need for taller and shorter hopefuls, with their hearts set on a career in the air, to despair.
They can apply to Mango, which takes staff from 1.5m, or 1Time Airline, which does not “have any specific physical requirements” according to chief executive officer Rodney James.
Chubbier South African air crew also have the protection of the constitution.
South African labour attorney Reynaud Daniels said although “bodily appearance” was not a listed ground for discrimination in the constitution, it could still be the basis for unfair discrimination.
11/01/09 Kim Hawkey/The Times, South Africa
To read the news in full |
PermaLink London’s The Times News Service reported last week that state-owned Air India sacked 10 cabin crew staff over Christmas for putting on too much weight.
But local cabin crew carrying a few extra kilograms are unlikely to face a similar fate unless their weight interferes with their ability to work.
Air India’s decision followed a June high court ruling in that country which agreed with airline bosses that fat was bad for business and confirmed their right to fire overweight cabin crew.
The court accepted that cabin crew members’ looks could be considered an integral part of their personalities. It also rejected arguments that cabin crew, who were overweight but still fit, could perform as well as their thinner counterparts.
In comparison, South African airlines do not condemn their employees to a lifetime of lettuce leaves but do require them to be tall enough to easily reach the overhead compartments.
Local airlines Kulula.com and South African Airways require their cabin crew members to be at least 1.58m tall. British Airways and Kulula.com also impose a maximum height restriction.
“They can’t be taller than 1.83m as they would have to stoop in some parts of the plane, making it very uncomfortable for them for long hours at a time,” said Glenda Zvenyika, communications manager for Comair, operator of British Airways and Kulula.com.
But there is no need for taller and shorter hopefuls, with their hearts set on a career in the air, to despair.
They can apply to Mango, which takes staff from 1.5m, or 1Time Airline, which does not “have any specific physical requirements” according to chief executive officer Rodney James.
Chubbier South African air crew also have the protection of the constitution.
South African labour attorney Reynaud Daniels said although “bodily appearance” was not a listed ground for discrimination in the constitution, it could still be the basis for unfair discrimination.
11/01/09 Kim Hawkey/The Times, South Africa
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Saturday, January 10, 2009
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IndiGo bucks trend, plans to hire 50 pilots
Mumbai: IndiGo, the country’s largest budget carrier, has decided to hire nearly 50 pilots for its Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and Jaipur operations.
When contacted, IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh confirmed the development to ET. “We are looking to hire 30-50 captains. These are near-term requirements and we will complete the process in the coming weeks,” Mr Ghosh said.
Delhi-based IndiGo will pay around Rs 5 lakh per month to the pilots, including accommodation allowance, depending on the experience and positions of them.The country’s third largest carrier employs 228 pilots for its fleet of 19. Of this, 104 pilots are also CAT III qualified and trained.
The airline needs more pilots as it plans to increase the number of flights over the next fiscal and raise frequency at Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai sectors. The airline plans to add 30 destinations in the country by 2010. It has more than 100 flights, connecting 20 destinations and controls 14.7% market share.
The fresh recruitment of pilots by IndiGo comes at a time when Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways had asked their pilots, among others, to leave. Jet had offered a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) to more than 300 staff.
The airline, which started in 2006 with a single Airbus A-320 aircraft, has no plans to defer the delivery of its 100 Airbus order. The domestic airline industry is expected to double its fleet size to 600 aircraft by 2010. With crude oil prices falling to $45 per barrel from its all time high of $147 a barrel in June, budget airlines are back in business and increasing capacities and reducing fares to increase business.
10/01/09 Mithun Roy/Economic Times
To read the news in full |
PermaLink When contacted, IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh confirmed the development to ET. “We are looking to hire 30-50 captains. These are near-term requirements and we will complete the process in the coming weeks,” Mr Ghosh said.
Delhi-based IndiGo will pay around Rs 5 lakh per month to the pilots, including accommodation allowance, depending on the experience and positions of them.The country’s third largest carrier employs 228 pilots for its fleet of 19. Of this, 104 pilots are also CAT III qualified and trained.
The airline needs more pilots as it plans to increase the number of flights over the next fiscal and raise frequency at Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai sectors. The airline plans to add 30 destinations in the country by 2010. It has more than 100 flights, connecting 20 destinations and controls 14.7% market share.
The fresh recruitment of pilots by IndiGo comes at a time when Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways had asked their pilots, among others, to leave. Jet had offered a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) to more than 300 staff.
The airline, which started in 2006 with a single Airbus A-320 aircraft, has no plans to defer the delivery of its 100 Airbus order. The domestic airline industry is expected to double its fleet size to 600 aircraft by 2010. With crude oil prices falling to $45 per barrel from its all time high of $147 a barrel in June, budget airlines are back in business and increasing capacities and reducing fares to increase business.
10/01/09 Mithun Roy/Economic Times
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Wednesday, January 07, 2009
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Rush for copter training at HAL academy
Bangalore: Recession may have set in, but the country's only DGCA-approved helicopter pilot training centre, the HAL Rotary Wing Academy in Bangalore, is receiving more students than it can train. The number of applications is higher than the ceiling fixed for the Academy during the past year. As a result, the Academy has requested DGCA to permit higher intake of students.
The Academy has so far trained 30 civil students for commercial helicopter pilot's licence (CHPL) and private helicopter pilot's licence (PHPL). In September 2008, 14 civil students (12 for CHPL and 2 for PHPL) started their course against a ceiling of eight students, laid down by DGCA for the Academy. In the 2009 batch which begins after February, 22 candidates have registered, compelling the Academy to request DGCA to raise the ceiling to at least 12.
"We are receiving hundreds of queries on e-mail, phone and mobile. We can't handle so many because of our capacity. If we expand, we can train more. We have to screen applications and take a number we can train well. But we are receiving more applications every year, and expect many more in 2009,'' an official said.
Candidates have found ready employment with various helicopter operators in India. There are 50 operators with around 175 pilots, and they are constantly in need of pilots, as there is shortage of qualified pilots and flying instructors, academy officials said.
The Academy has a total of five helicopters — a Schweizer 300C, Schweizer 330SP, two Chetaks and one ALH. One more Schweizer 300C and low-cost flight simulator called Advanced Aviation Training Device (AATD) are being added to the fleet.
An Academy official outlines the importance of helicopter training: our country had no civil helicopter pilot's training school approved by DGCA up to the year 2000.
The Academy has been offering flying training to ab initio candidates at very nominal rates. HAL, in promoting helicopter aviation, has not laid much stress on profit.
* Academy invites applications from candidates for flying training 3-4 months before the previous batch completes. Registration for these sessions can be done any time in advance.
* Course duration is approximately 20 months for Commercial Helicopter Pilots Licence (CHPL) and 9 months for Private Helicopter Pilots Licence (PHPL).
* Open to both girls and boys.
* Candidate should be aged 18 for CHPL, 17 for PHPL.
* As a pre-requisite, students should pass written examinations in Air Regulations, Air Navigation, Aviation Meteorology, Technical (aircraft and engines) and Signals subjects, as per the syllabus prescribed by DGCA. The Academy coaches students on these subjects. Passing of ground subjects is necessary before one qualifies for licence by DGCA, besides completion of flying training.
Subsidized charges for flying training from Aug 2008 for pilot trainees: Rs 12,000-14,000 per hour on helicopter, depending on type of helicopter
Fee for proficiency check/ skill test/ conversion range: Rs 30,000-70,000 per hour, depending on type of aircraft.
Training cost in HAL, India is Rs 20 lakh while that in Australia is Rs 26 lakh.
07/01/09 Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The Academy has so far trained 30 civil students for commercial helicopter pilot's licence (CHPL) and private helicopter pilot's licence (PHPL). In September 2008, 14 civil students (12 for CHPL and 2 for PHPL) started their course against a ceiling of eight students, laid down by DGCA for the Academy. In the 2009 batch which begins after February, 22 candidates have registered, compelling the Academy to request DGCA to raise the ceiling to at least 12.
"We are receiving hundreds of queries on e-mail, phone and mobile. We can't handle so many because of our capacity. If we expand, we can train more. We have to screen applications and take a number we can train well. But we are receiving more applications every year, and expect many more in 2009,'' an official said.
Candidates have found ready employment with various helicopter operators in India. There are 50 operators with around 175 pilots, and they are constantly in need of pilots, as there is shortage of qualified pilots and flying instructors, academy officials said.
The Academy has a total of five helicopters — a Schweizer 300C, Schweizer 330SP, two Chetaks and one ALH. One more Schweizer 300C and low-cost flight simulator called Advanced Aviation Training Device (AATD) are being added to the fleet.
An Academy official outlines the importance of helicopter training: our country had no civil helicopter pilot's training school approved by DGCA up to the year 2000.
The Academy has been offering flying training to ab initio candidates at very nominal rates. HAL, in promoting helicopter aviation, has not laid much stress on profit.
* Academy invites applications from candidates for flying training 3-4 months before the previous batch completes. Registration for these sessions can be done any time in advance.
* Course duration is approximately 20 months for Commercial Helicopter Pilots Licence (CHPL) and 9 months for Private Helicopter Pilots Licence (PHPL).
* Open to both girls and boys.
* Candidate should be aged 18 for CHPL, 17 for PHPL.
* As a pre-requisite, students should pass written examinations in Air Regulations, Air Navigation, Aviation Meteorology, Technical (aircraft and engines) and Signals subjects, as per the syllabus prescribed by DGCA. The Academy coaches students on these subjects. Passing of ground subjects is necessary before one qualifies for licence by DGCA, besides completion of flying training.
Subsidized charges for flying training from Aug 2008 for pilot trainees: Rs 12,000-14,000 per hour on helicopter, depending on type of helicopter
Fee for proficiency check/ skill test/ conversion range: Rs 30,000-70,000 per hour, depending on type of aircraft.
Training cost in HAL, India is Rs 20 lakh while that in Australia is Rs 26 lakh.
07/01/09 Times of India
The place for general discussion, feedback and questions Readers Forum
Pilot training scenario in India
The Indian market for air travel has witnessed rapid growth, and has seen new entrants grow rapidly in the last 5 years. Pilot training in India has seen various levels and scenarios. In the organised space, it started with the establishment of Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi, at Rae Bareli in UP.
It was launched when there were only national airlines and hence demand was limited and accordingly capacity was established. The Indian market then witnessed a boom in the aviation industry and formation of many institutes and flying clubs, with limited facilities and old aircraft.
Also, limited knowledge of selecting a pilot training institute coupled with heavy advertising of overseas flying clubs, a lot of students started going overseas. It was only mid way during the course that the students realised, what they were receiving was only flying and not a license course preparation or a license valid for flying in India.
This led to a lot of discontentment amongst the students and the situation only got worse with excessive admissions in Indian flying clubs and students taking over 2 years for completing their flying. This has created a huge demand for qualified aviation professionals.
Despite the current slowdown, India needs approximately 600 pilots every year. Internationally, the airline industry like Etihad, Qatar, Emirates continue to grow and projections show that there is a requirement of 19,000 pilots over the next 4 years, as against the availability of 16,000 pilots, thus creating a huge gap.
While the pilots retirement age has been increased from 60 years to 65 years by several civil aviation regulators, this is only to "fill the gap" and not the best practice.
The following factors also need to be considered:
* Global demand supply mismatch of pilots, yawing gap of 3,000 pilots year on year.
* 30% of the current pilots deployed by commercial airlines in India being expats and would eventually be replaced by Indian pilots
* Robust growth on the horizon in International and domestic cargo segment.
* Absence of quality and corporate pilot training school in India.
Only weeks ago due to the unprecedented rise in fuel costs, analysts were predicting doom for the airline industry. Today, crude oil is over 60% less than it was just over three months ago and the price of jet fuel is about what it was in early 2007. In anticipation of lower demand, every major airline reduced capacity starting with the current Q4 2008.
W.r.t training in 2009, students have become more conscious of quality standards and now they have witnessed that placements won't be a cake walk and that's true whether the industry is booming or facing recession as pilot training is a highly regulated training module.
The emphasis on quality would lead to bigger tie-ups and collaboration as now every academy would like to prepare global pilots (de-risk domestic recession). 2008 witnessed the establishment of CAA, India's largest & most modern integrated academy training global pilots. Gondia academy in tie-up with CAE is another example of focus on global standards.
06/01/09 Sify
To read the news in full |
PermaLink It was launched when there were only national airlines and hence demand was limited and accordingly capacity was established. The Indian market then witnessed a boom in the aviation industry and formation of many institutes and flying clubs, with limited facilities and old aircraft.
Also, limited knowledge of selecting a pilot training institute coupled with heavy advertising of overseas flying clubs, a lot of students started going overseas. It was only mid way during the course that the students realised, what they were receiving was only flying and not a license course preparation or a license valid for flying in India.
This led to a lot of discontentment amongst the students and the situation only got worse with excessive admissions in Indian flying clubs and students taking over 2 years for completing their flying. This has created a huge demand for qualified aviation professionals.
Despite the current slowdown, India needs approximately 600 pilots every year. Internationally, the airline industry like Etihad, Qatar, Emirates continue to grow and projections show that there is a requirement of 19,000 pilots over the next 4 years, as against the availability of 16,000 pilots, thus creating a huge gap.
While the pilots retirement age has been increased from 60 years to 65 years by several civil aviation regulators, this is only to "fill the gap" and not the best practice.
The following factors also need to be considered:
* Global demand supply mismatch of pilots, yawing gap of 3,000 pilots year on year.
* 30% of the current pilots deployed by commercial airlines in India being expats and would eventually be replaced by Indian pilots
* Robust growth on the horizon in International and domestic cargo segment.
* Absence of quality and corporate pilot training school in India.
Only weeks ago due to the unprecedented rise in fuel costs, analysts were predicting doom for the airline industry. Today, crude oil is over 60% less than it was just over three months ago and the price of jet fuel is about what it was in early 2007. In anticipation of lower demand, every major airline reduced capacity starting with the current Q4 2008.
W.r.t training in 2009, students have become more conscious of quality standards and now they have witnessed that placements won't be a cake walk and that's true whether the industry is booming or facing recession as pilot training is a highly regulated training module.
The emphasis on quality would lead to bigger tie-ups and collaboration as now every academy would like to prepare global pilots (de-risk domestic recession). 2008 witnessed the establishment of CAA, India's largest & most modern integrated academy training global pilots. Gondia academy in tie-up with CAE is another example of focus on global standards.
06/01/09 Sify
The place for general discussion, feedback and questions Readers Forum
Even pimples can ground you
Bangalore: More than three pimples and you’re grounded. On Monday, a few Air India flight attendants were grounded because they were overweight, but airlines ground attendants for less.
“If it’s more than three, you’re grounded. They’ll wait for the pimples to disappear. If they don’t, you’re likely to be grounded for three months. If you don’t care for your skin, forget about being a flight attendant,” an airline official told TOI.
He added, “We advise youngsters to use liquid soaps wherever they are. The skin tends to get dry as moisture dissipates in a pressurised cabin. Liquid soaps would be best as they keep the skin good. Skin tone and texture will be smooth. Use of cream is not mandatory, but definitely suggested.”
If you’re of a particular height, your weight should be commensurate with that. An official of another airline explained: “Men can’t be less than 5 ft 6 inches and women 5 ft 4 inches. Anything over and above these are fine. Too short wouldn’t do. But weight also should be proportionate.
On average, men can’t weigh more than 25 BMI (body mass index) and women 22 BMI. If they cross this, they’d be considered obese and will have to be grounded.” Consequently, flight attendants are extremely cautious about their diet, for their jobs are at stake.
07/01/09 Prashanth G N/Times of India
To read the news in full |
PermaLink “If it’s more than three, you’re grounded. They’ll wait for the pimples to disappear. If they don’t, you’re likely to be grounded for three months. If you don’t care for your skin, forget about being a flight attendant,” an airline official told TOI.
He added, “We advise youngsters to use liquid soaps wherever they are. The skin tends to get dry as moisture dissipates in a pressurised cabin. Liquid soaps would be best as they keep the skin good. Skin tone and texture will be smooth. Use of cream is not mandatory, but definitely suggested.”
If you’re of a particular height, your weight should be commensurate with that. An official of another airline explained: “Men can’t be less than 5 ft 6 inches and women 5 ft 4 inches. Anything over and above these are fine. Too short wouldn’t do. But weight also should be proportionate.
On average, men can’t weigh more than 25 BMI (body mass index) and women 22 BMI. If they cross this, they’d be considered obese and will have to be grounded.” Consequently, flight attendants are extremely cautious about their diet, for their jobs are at stake.
07/01/09 Prashanth G N/Times of India
The place for general discussion, feedback and questions Readers Forum
Thursday, January 01, 2009
ALL aviation news from India: Aviation India Blog
India's DGCA rule may shut down maintenance training
The November 20 issue of the Daily News & Analysis of Mumbai, India, reports Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) institutes might shut down across the country, a move that has nothing to do with global economics.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) plans to make it compulsory for institutes to acquire newer aircraft to teach aircraft maintenance engineering courses. But AME is not in a position to buy the aircraft.
A senior civil aviation official said, “The idea is to overhaul the entire system for aircraft maintenance engineering courses taught in institutes.”
There are 68 AME schools registered with the DGCA, the body that certifies and registers AME schools. The move has left these schools coming up short as AME license renewal came due at the end of last year. The newspaper reported that buying new aircraft would bleed the schools financially.
“They are trying hard to get rid of the proposed clause that makes it compulsory for them to acquire newer aircraft,” a representative of an AME school said on condition of anonymity. “The price of the aircraft according to DGCA’s specification will be so high that it will force many AME schools to shut down.” The schools currently use parts of older aircraft.
School representatives argue that DGCA must not equate AME schools with pilot training schools. “It is normal for flying schools to have a fleet of single-engine aircraft. But no AME school can afford to buy a fleet of aircraft for teaching aircraft maintenance engineering courses,” he said.
According to the article, DGCA officials see nothing wrong in the proposed amendment as it will raise the quality of teaching to global standards.
01/01/09 David A. Lombardo/AINonline
To read the news in full |
PermaLink The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) plans to make it compulsory for institutes to acquire newer aircraft to teach aircraft maintenance engineering courses. But AME is not in a position to buy the aircraft.
A senior civil aviation official said, “The idea is to overhaul the entire system for aircraft maintenance engineering courses taught in institutes.”
There are 68 AME schools registered with the DGCA, the body that certifies and registers AME schools. The move has left these schools coming up short as AME license renewal came due at the end of last year. The newspaper reported that buying new aircraft would bleed the schools financially.
“They are trying hard to get rid of the proposed clause that makes it compulsory for them to acquire newer aircraft,” a representative of an AME school said on condition of anonymity. “The price of the aircraft according to DGCA’s specification will be so high that it will force many AME schools to shut down.” The schools currently use parts of older aircraft.
School representatives argue that DGCA must not equate AME schools with pilot training schools. “It is normal for flying schools to have a fleet of single-engine aircraft. But no AME school can afford to buy a fleet of aircraft for teaching aircraft maintenance engineering courses,” he said.
According to the article, DGCA officials see nothing wrong in the proposed amendment as it will raise the quality of teaching to global standards.
01/01/09 David A. Lombardo/AINonline
The place for general discussion, feedback and questions Readers Forum
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