Finally, Patiala Aviation Club gets multi-engine aircraft

Patiala: After a wait of over six months, the multi-engine Tecnam PP 2006 aircraft finally arrived at the Patiala Aviation Club on Friday. The arrival of the plane is likely to give the much-needed boost to flying activities at the Patiala airstrip.
The half-a-century old club had in March received two new Cessna-172 aircrafts. The club already has two Cessna 152 (1984 mode) aeroplanes since 1990 and one Cessna 172R since in 2008. While, Cessna 172R, which had been taken on lease by the club from the Aero Club of India is operational, the other two planes had been grounded and were now being used only for ground-training practices. The two new Cessnas were assembled at the Patiala airstrip after taking an approval from the Director of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
It is after a gap of almost 40 years that the club, which at one time used to have a fleet of 12 aeroplanes, has received new planes to keep itself afloat.
The new multi-engine Tecnam PP 2006 has been bought by the Punjab State Aviation Council (PSCAC) from Italy and was flown in from Cyprus to New Delhi, where after inspection it was allowed to be flown to Patiala on Friday evening.
The club authorities performed some religious rituals to receive the aircraft on the club premises.
30/09/17 Manish Sirhindi/Times of India