More airforce pilots join private airlines

New Delhi: Thanks to fatter pay packets, added perks and higher retirement age offered by commercial carriers, an increasing number of airforce pilots are joining the party of private airlines. And why not, it’s hard to resist an offer where the compensation is 7-8 times higher. After all, money matters!
According to the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), in the next five years commercial airlines will require 2,000-2,500 more pilots. Indian commercial pilot training schools churn out not more than 100 pilots a year and the shortfall is being met by hiring pilots from the Indian Airforce and through recruitment of expats.
While no ready figures are available, industry sources estimate that about 150 fighter pilots are presently working with commercial airlines. According to analysts, average salary of an airforce pilot is around Rs 50,000 as compared to Rs 4,00,000 of a commercial pilot. For most airforce pilots, being a commercial pilot is a second innings of their career. While the average retirement age of a commercial pilot is 65 years, it varies between 40 to 58 years for fighter pilots, depending on their seniority.
21/11/06 Vishakha Talreja & Sunny Verma/Economic Times