INDIAN FLIGHT TRAINING INDUSTRY : DEVELOPING TRENDS & OPPORTUNITIES

Hiring of Expat Pilots
Currently, over 550 expat pilots work in various domestic airlines in the country. As per industry estimates, the country needs over 3,000 pilots over the next three to five years. Given the shortage of pilots in the country, the number of expat pilots is expected to swell in the coming months. In the first three months of the current calendar year alone, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is expected allow another 250 foreign pilots to fly in the country.

Airlines, typically, pay anywhere between $8,000-$10,000 per month to expat pilots, which is around 10-15% more than what Indian pilots earn. In addition, airlines also foot the bill for the tax that foreign pilots incur while working in the country, apart from their expenses incurred on travel, boarding and lodging.

With airlines on an fleet expansion spree, the intake of expat pilots is likely to go up drastically. The country produces only around 200 pilots annually against a demand for around 500. Air Deccan, which alone has around 250 expat pilots and 200 foreign engineers, is likely to save around Rs 3 crore per month, if the exemption is granted in the forthcoming Budget. State carriers Air India and Indian too are ramping up their intake of foreign pilots in the coming months as they take delivery of new aircraft. Indian carriers are slated to add 400 more aircraft into their fleet over the next five years.

Introduction of the Concept of MPL

As yet, largely unheard of in India, IATA has been encouraging multi-crew pilot licensing (MPL) training, a subject of great controversy globally. Such training will allow trainees to put in less hours of flying and more in a simulator.

Currently, pilots put in 200 hours on the aircraft and then get type-rated. IATA has been advocating MPL, arguing that it also makes better use of simulator technology. Europe was among the first regions to adopt MPL and Australia and China are moving ahead with its implementation.

In China, in fact, IATA is working with the government to develop a syllabus and keep multi-crew training part of the regulations.

IATA supports the competency-based approach of multi-crew pilot licensing (MPL) training programmes. Unlike traditional pilot training, MPL focuses from the beginning on training for multi-pilot cockpit working conditions. It also makes better use of simulator technology. Europe was among the first regions to adopt MPL and Australia and China are moving ahead with implementation.

IATA launched the IATA Training and Qualification Initiative (ITQI) to support a global approach to MPL implementation.

Increase in retirement age of the pilots

In India, the retirement age for pilots is already 65, recently increased from 60, though carriers like Air India and Indian retire pilots at 58. Hiring of expat pilots had also been permitted by DGCA in view of the shortage in India.

Picking Up Graduates straight from pilot schools :

Spicejet , among other airlines, is picking up graduates straight from college, sending them to flying schools in the US and to Emirates in Dubai for their first officer licence.

But, industry sources say that many of the other carriers -- who now have large numbers of foreign pilots -- will have to bend over backwards to retain them.

Although the DGCA has been trying to get many of them working, only 17 of the 40-odd flying schools are in operational status.

The ministry had roped in the Aero Club of India to identify a number of private flying schools, several of which had fallen into disuse. 10-12 of these schools are to be given trainer aircraft and some assistance to revive themselves.