Delhi Flying Club needs to be revived

Flying, a very intricate and sophisticated profession, cannot blend with politics. If done in haste, its outcome will be the same as the merger of the two national carriers, Indian Airlines (IA) and Air India (AI), which are on the verge of bankruptcy.

The Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Academy (IGRUA), initiated at the behest of Captain-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in the late 1980s, was country’s pride and joy for about half-a-dozen years when it produced highly competent and devoted pilots. It, then functioned professionally, training was vigorous, tests were impartial and utilisation of airport at Fursatgunj airport in Rae Bareli and use of infrastructure were undertaken on scientific and systematic line.
As tenure of Gandhi came to an abrupt end, the executive pilots made a beeline to IGRUA for their own benefits – keeping commercial flying licence intact and also making additional perks and allowances. With the passage of time, it turned a ‘political adda’ and the standards of flying and training further deteriorated.
The need of the hour is not upgradation of the academy to university but to restore professionalism in selection, qualifications and training. The location chosen by the former Prime Minister, who cared and respected flying, was ideal. It still remains ideal in the vicinity of Lucknow. But, it has fallen on lean days because it is being conducted rather haphazardly.
The academy or university, the emphasis should be on training and producing pilots of high vintage and not counting political gains and losses. The country needs competent pilots. This has become necessary because most of the training institutions have been sub-standard and lack infrastructure and professionalism.
02/07/11 KR Wadhwaney/The Tribune