Student Pilots From India Set a Course for Montgomery Field

An explosive demand for more aircraft and pilots to fly them in India led to a big coup for San Diego Flight Training International at Montgomery Field.
The school has signed a contract with an Indian firm to train at least 100 students, most of whom will be hired by regional airlines in that fast-developing nation.
The deal Phil Thalheimer, owner of the school, struck with Apace Consultants of Bombay was months in the making.
Thalheimer’s school isn’t the only one benefiting from an increase in overall international airline traffic.
SAA Flight Training in El Cajon is also enjoying an up tick in students from India.
Pernilla McMahon, marketing manager for SAA said at her school she expects it will train about 100 Indian students, or about half the year’s total.
While there are about 20 flight training schools in the area, only a handful are authorized to accept foreign students. One aspect of accepting foreign students is the necessity of obtaining a visa, usually an M-1 visa, which requires in-depth background checks conducted by the Transportation Security Administration. The process takes six weeks, McMahon said.
Kit Darby, president of Air Inc., a career information service in Atlanta for airline pilots, said a surge in nations buying planes and expanding service has resulted in huge demand for commercial pilots.
26/02/07 Mike Allen/San Diego Business Journal, US