Avenues in aviation
Vijay Mohan

THE steady growth of the aviation sector in India is opening up a host of career opportunities. The industry not only offers jobs of pilots, cabin crew and aircraft engineers, but also encompasses other lesser-known vocations.

The vast number of career opportunities available in this field were discussed at a seminar, "Careers in Aviation : Options and Opportunities", organised by the Chandigarh Chapter of the Aeronautical Society of India at the Chandigarh Air Force station recently.

"The general perception about jobs in this field is restricted to those of pilots or air hostesses," the seminar's convener, Wg Cdr D P Sabharwal (retd), said. "But in today's scenario, a holistic approach reveals that there are a large number of professions and vocations associated directly as well as indirectly with it," he added. Aviation is perhaps the only field where virtually all branches of engineering, from electronics to mechanical and civil to production, find a scope, he remarked.

Though the military remains the focal point of aviation in India, the revival of the private airline industry and an increasing focus on research and development as well as indigenous manufacture of aircraft has created demands for professionals in the fields of aircraft maintenance, support and auxillary services, aeronautical education, manufacturing components and associated equipment, airport engineering, safety services and security, and air traffic control.

The defence sector, which includes the Army, Navy, Air force, Coast Guard and the Defence Research and Development Organisation, continues to be the biggest provider of jobs. While pilots by and large are not recruited directly, but are trained by the services, opportunities exist for electronics, electrical, mechanical, aeronautical, metallurgical and production engineers in the aforementioned organisations.

On the civilian side, there are six major scheduled operators in the Indian skies, operating a total of about 150 aircraft. Besides, there are over 50 aircraft belonging to private operators.

As per projected requirements, the number of aircraft is likely to double in the next 5-6 years. In addition to increasing frequency of operations on existing air routes, new features of air travel in the country would include roof top helicopter operations in metros like Mumbai and feeder services between metros and smaller cities.

Research options

An increase in aviation activity will spur growth in all related fields, particularly in the not-so-visible areas other than flying. Today, more than 30,000 skilled scientists and technologists are working in over 50 laboratories nationwide on development of aviation- related equipment and systems This field can accommodate qualified personnel from various engineering and science disciplines. Prominent among them are the Aeronautical Development Agency, National Aerospace Laboratories, Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment and the Gas turbine Research Establishment.

Manufacturing sector

Then there is the manufacturing industry, which has made a positive beginning in India. Though the defence industry is well established in India, having produced a variety of aircraft for the Forces, the production of the recently launched Saras and the civilian version of Dhruv, and the ongoing designing of a medium transport aircraft has added a new dimension to it. Then there are a whole series of components and sub-systems for military aircraft being designed and developed indigenously.

An aircraft has tens of thousands of parts, the maintenance and repair of which offers a daunting task. Herein lies the role of maintenance engineers, the jobs for which are available in the military as well as civil aviation sectors.

Ground jobs

Air traffic control is a crucial aspect of all flying operations. Besides, there are administrative and managerial work in various airlines like those of airport manager, security, public relations, ticketing and reservation staff, tourist information officers, flight handling officers, baggage handling and catering.

Then there are a host of training institutions offering private and commercial licences, which too require pilots, engineers and administrative staff to run their operations. Similar jobs are also available with state governments and a few private operators.

The controlling agencies like the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) carry out regular recruitment for various posts. Staffed by managers and engineers, the AAI manages a total of 126 terminals, which includes 11 international airports, 89 domestic airports and 26 civilian enclaves at defence airfields. It also manages air traffic services.

The DGCA is responsible for laying down rules, regulations and their implementation for ensuring safety of aircraft operations. The work of the DGCA is discharged by various technical as well as non-technical personnel.