Thiruvananthapuram Aviation Academy: Planning a long-haul flight

Thiruvananthapuram: The Rajiv Gandhi Academy for Aviation Technology (RGAAT) in the city, which has been on a revival path, is gearing up to spread its wings to new horizons.
Confined only to pilot training so far, the Academy now plans to commence degree and diploma courses in aircraft maintenance and short-term course for cabin crew and flight dispatcher, as well as to open regional centres in other parts of the State.
Former chairman and managing director of Air India V.Thulasidas, who had recently taken over as Executive Director of the Academy, also plans to have a separate campus with runway facility, in the long run.
The arrival of one more Cessna-172 trainer aircraft with advanced features, a couple of days ago, has increased the fleet strength of the institute to three. The new aircraft that costs more than Rs 1 crore was supplied by the Aero Club of India on a rent-basis.
‘’ The first batch of 27 candidates, admitted after the institute resumed its functioning a few months ago, would start flying-training shortly,’’ Thulasidas told ‘this website’s newspaper’.
‘’We plan to start aircraft maintenance course by utilising the facilities available at the Nedumbasserry International Airport. A proposal in this regard has been submitted to the Cochin International Airport Limited. Once it is through, efforts would be made to get affiliation of any University to these courses, said Thulasidas.
Cabin Crew and Flight Dispatcher training would also be commenced soon, he said, adding that the present slowdown in the aviation sector would only be a short-time phenomenon. ‘’The aviation industry would definitely continue to grow and has a huge job potential, ‘’ said the former head of the national carrier.
04/11/08 Express Buzz