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Saudi Arabia: The Saudi General Aviation Airshow, "Sand & Fun" will return to Riyadh's Al-Thumamah Airport from November 19 to 23, 2024, offering a spectacle-filled event and an in-depth look at the world of aviation.

Airshows & Events

Sand and Fun 2024: Saudi Arabia’s Aerial Celebration of Innovation, Culture, and the Future of Flight

November 14, 2024

Indonesia: On Sunday, November 10, 2024, the enormous Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on Indonesia's Flores Island exploded, shooting a nine-kilometer-high column of ash into the sky. The eruption, which is still echoing through the region days later, has killed at least nine people, injured more than 30, and caused the evacuation of nearly 11,000 people from neighboring communities | Aviation Today

News

Ash clouds over Bali: Mount Lewotobi Volcano Sparks Major Flight Disruptions

November 13, 2024

The first 17-seater aircraft flew from the Bolgatty Palace Waterdrome in less than an hour to Mattupetty Dam in Idukki | Aviation Today

General Aviation

From Backwaters to Highlands: Kerala’s First Amphibious Seaplane Service

November 12, 2024

Airlines

The Final Boarding Call: Vistara’s Journey Ends as It Joins Forces with Air India

November 11, 2024

Discover premier pilot training in Serbia with ICAO-certified programs, affordable flight schools, and rich aviation heritage-gateway to a global pilot career | Aviacons

Pilot Training

Serbia: A New Frontier for Premier Pilot Training

November 8, 2024

Malaysian airline MH370 which went missing a decade ago has a new hope with fresh search | Aviation Today brings you the latest updates in Aviation

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Resurrecting the hunt: New Hope for MH370’s discovery, Malaysia weighs Fresh Search after a ‘Credible’ Proposal

November 8, 2024

President Draupadi Murmu encouraging women to explore career options in aviation, aimed at strengthening connections between the President and citizens who are making significant contributions across various sectors | Aviation Today, one stop solution for all your latest news, trends and updates about aviation industry

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President of India Celebrates Revolutionary Women Leading the Skies of Indian Aviation

November 7, 2024

Aviation Today is the Official Media partner for Air Expo in Abu Dhabi 2024

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Aviation Today takes flight as Official Media Partner for Air Expo 2024 in Abu Dhabi

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United 7 Aero to Showcase Pilot Training Services at Dubai Aviation Expo

September 23, 2024

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Wego Partners with Malaysia Airlines to Offer Expanded Flight Options

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SpiceJet to Expand Fleet, Invest in New Tech Amid ₹3,000 Crore Fundraising Success

September 23, 2024

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Automation Rises, But Are Indian Pilots Being Trained To Keep Pace With The Future?

Automation Rises, But Are Indian Pilots Being Trained To Keep Pace With The Future?

START: India is emerging as the fastest-growing aviation market worldwide, yet it faces a significant hurdle: a shortage of trained technical personnel, including pilots, engineers, and technicians. This challenge is expected to become more acute as Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) vehicles enter the market within the next year or two, creating an additional need for pilots. The issue stems largely from inadequate planning and foresight by the authorities. Consequently, many aspiring Indian pilots are pursuing training in countries like Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bosnia, Montenegro, and the Philippines. In fact, approximately 700 out of every 1,000 commercial pilot licenses issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) are earned abroad. India’s Potential as a Global Hub for Aviation Education Considering India’s expansive geography and favorable weather for flying, the country is ideally suited to be a global hub for aviation education. In the 1980s and 1990s, students from nations such as Iran, Jordan, Palestine, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and several African countries came to India for flight training. Today, the trend has reversed, with Indian students going overseas for pilot education. One key reason is the slow pace of domestic training programs and the cumbersome security clearance process for foreign students, which discourages them from enrolling in India. Competition from International Flight Schools Meanwhile, nations like the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have established world-class flight schools. Students from neighboring Arab countries now mostly prefer the United States, Canada, and Europe for training, despite these regions lacking ideal weather for primary flight instruction. Domestic regulations further complicate matters. The DGCA allows a flight school to operate only if it meets minimum requirements for aircraft and paid-up capital, while the Airports Authority of India (AAI) imposes additional capital requirements. These rules do not guarantee quality education but are often sufficient to prevent many capable entrepreneurs from opening flight schools. By contrast, an Indian entrepreneur started a flight school in New Zealand with a single rented aircraft, which has since expanded to a fleet of over 20 planes and now attracts Indian students. Shortage of Trainer Aircraft The shortage of trainer aircraft is another pressing challenge. In the 1970s, Prof. David Hazen of Princeton University, invited by the Indian government to establish the first aeronautical department at IIT Kanpur, outlined a roadmap for India to achieve self-reliance in aviation training. However, progress has been slow. The DGCA developed the Swati light aircraft, manufactured by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), but a fatal accident during testing brought the program to an end. Similarly, the Hansa trainer created by the National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) was rejected by most flight schools. Lessons from the Pushpak Aircraft A comparison with the Pushpak aircraft is instructive. Manufactured in the 1950s, HAL produced 160 Pushpaks, which served India reliably for over 50 years and maintained an excellent safety record. In 1968, the government gifted one Pushpak each to Singapore and Malaysia to help them establish their flight training programs. The Pushpak’s success was largely due to it being modeled closely on the proven US Aeronca Chief. NAL later developed the next-generation Hansa (NG Hansa), which was showcased at the 2020 Wings India airshow, but production has yet to start, and setting up the necessary infrastructure would still take several years even if action begins immediately. Global Trainer Aircraft Shortages and LSAs The shortage of trainer aircraft is not unique to India. Major manufacturers such as Cessna and Piper had slowed production, underestimating demand, and now struggle to meet global requirements. Other countries have tackled this problem by incorporating Light Sport Aircraft (LSAs) into flight training. Equipped with advanced navigation systems, LSAs are cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and widely used in the US and EU for commercial pilot instruction. However, Indian regulations currently do not permit LSAs for commercial pilot training. Despite being equipped with only a magnetic compass, pilots trained on Pushpaks have gone on to fly advanced aircraft like the Boeing 777 and Airbus A320. Allowing LSAs in India could reduce aircraft shortages, encourage domestic manufacturing, generate employment, and attract foreign investment. Lack of Experienced Flight Instructors The lack of experienced flight instructors adds another layer of difficulty. Rapid growth in airlines such as Indigo and Air India has led many instructors to leave training schools for better pay, career progression, and recognition in commercial aviation. This high turnover leaves less-experienced instructors teaching students, unlike other professional fields where teachers usually have extensive industry experience. In countries like the US, airline pilots can provide primary flight training in their spare time, giving trainees the advantage of learning from seasoned professionals and ensuring higher safety standards. Without urgent, proactive measures, India will continue to rely on foreign nations to fulfill the increasing demand for skilled professionals in its civil aviation sector. https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-insight/knowledge/flight-training-a-challenge-in-civil-aviation-101727069965710.html

India’s Aviation Boom Threatened By Severe Pilot, Instructor And Aircraft Shortages

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