More flying clubs to add wings to UP civil aviation

Lucknow: Aiming to add more wings to the civil aviation sector in the state, the UP government is planning to allow setting up of more private flying clubs and permit them to use 14 existing air strips for training of pilots, engineers, technicians, flight dispatchers and cabin crew.
The state government is incorporating changes in the aviation policy to boost the aviation sector and the new policy would be ratified by the state cabinet soon.
On Tuesday, the civil aviation department made a presentation of the amended policy before chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who hailed the efforts in the state for improving air connectivity.
At present, seven private agencies are conducting training courses in UP as per the civil aviation policy which was last amended in 2007. Officials said changes in the policy had become essential as there have been large scale changes in the aviation sector in the last 13 years.
Director, civil aviation, Surendra Singh said, “Under the new policy, use of air strips would be allowed for training of pilots, engineers, technicians, flight dispatchers and cabin crew.”
At the same time, the air strips would be available for operation of state-owned aircraft and charter planes.
The private flying clubs will be required to develop infrastructure from their own resources, while following set norms of regulatory bodies like Directorate General of Civil Aviation. The policy also allows extension of term of licence for flying clubs from existing five to 10 years.
The government would provide night landing facilities also, besides adopting e-tendering process for allocation of flying clubs, Singh added.
The state has seven functional airports while the government is developing 12 more. The CM was apprised about the Kushinagar airport where development work has been completed.
09/12/20 Times of India