India axes foreign pilots
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has given airlines a 2013 deadline to phase out expat pilots.
Foreign pilots are generally better paid than domestic ones because of the experience they bring. However, Indian airlines are struggling to survive.
The problem has been exacerbated by the rupee falling to a four-month low against the US dollar.
Indian airlines pay for their fuel and the salaries of foreign pilots in US dollars, so both are proving more costly as the local currency weakens.
09/05/12 Justin Harper/The Telegraph
plzz send them out n give us opportunity to fly .
If you are a fresh CPL holder looking to get into the right hand seat of a turboprop/jet aircraft with an airline, this move of DGCA which was to first happen in 2009 won’t make much of a difference, as they may even extend it under pressure from airlines.
Those Indian pilots it would make a difference to, are the F/Os who are waiting for Captain upgrades. There is a dearth of Capts in Indian aviation not of fresh CPL trainee pilots/first officers.
K.J.Patel
This is the third time the DGCA has given an extention to the time limit. It would not be surprising to see it extended further than 2013.
Let DGCA first introduce the new FDTL rules for better safety on the Indian Skies.
DGCA always dances to the tune of airlines. Though they get their bread & butter from the govt, the JAM comes from airlines.
ALL other concerns do not matter.