Take off on a high-flying career
Vishal Gulati

DO you want to fly high? Then civil aviation may be the field for you.

A number of institutes are giving training in the art of flying. The Haryana Institute of Civil Aviation is one such government-run institute that is imparting training on fixed-wing aircraft.

The department has been giving training in various disciplines since 1967. It has three centres : Pinjore, Karnal and Hisar. These centres are conducting training for obtaining private and commercial pilot licence, flight instructor rating on aircraft, glider pilot licence and aircraft maintenance engineer licence. However, at Karnal only flying training is being imparted.

The department has three Pushpak, two Cessna and one Piper Cherokee trainer aircraft, besides two gliders.

In Punjab, the Amritsar Aviation Club is conducting private and commercial pilot licence training, while the Patiala Aviation Club is conducting only aircraft maintenance engineer training.

Aviation can be divided into two areas: commercial and defence. Commercial aviation includes passenger airlines and cargo planes.

For admission to various courses, the candidate must be physically fit and should have attained the age of 17 and not be more than 25 for a pilot licence.

The candidate must have passed higher secondary in science (physics and maths) from any recognised board for a pilot licence. For the glider pilot licence, the minimum qualification is matriculation.

For commercial pilot licence training, a candidate must hold a private pilot licence, while for aircraft maintenance engineer licence, he/she must be BE (aeronautical) from a university.

The admission to the Haryana centres is based on a one-hour aptitude test conducted in Chandigarh. The admission process begins in June.

However, there is some concession in fees for Haryana domicile students.

Of late, the aviation industry has expanded its wings. A number of private players have entered the aviation sector, making air travel affordable and available within and outside India.

Big industrial houses have started hiring or buying flying vehicles for personal use. The demand of fliers and maintenance engineers is much more than their availability. This is going to intensify in the near future not only in India but also in developing countries.

In the commercial sector, plenty of jobs are available and these are of varied nature. A career in aviation attracts youngsters because it offers an opportunity to travel around the globe, visiting distant places, staying in luxurious hotels and a high social life. Of course, the charm of flying high-technology machines is always there.

Says R.M. Aggarwal, Executive Director, Haryana Civil Aviation: "With the opening up of the skies, private sector has witnessed a major spurt in employment opportunities. A large number of private airlines have started operating not only on domestic but also international routes. On an average, one aircraft generates employment of 10 pilots and almost double the number of maintenance staff."

"India is currently the cynosure of the world aviation giants and a number of foreign airlines are keen to have a greater share of the growing market," he feels.

"As gliding training is a hobby sport, after completing a course one can join as an instructor in an institute of adventure sports or start training tourists in aerial sports. The adventure travel sector is a fast- growing industry in India.

Every year a large number domestic and foreign tourists are coming to Billing and Solang Nullah in Himachal Pradesh for paragliding and parasailing," adds Mr Aggarwal.

In September a meeting was held in New Delhi in which officials of various aviation clubs throughout India, both government and private, participated. It was presided over by the Secretary, Civil Aviation. How to produce more pilots for the civil aviation sector was the main issue discussed.

There is an estimated demand of 800 pilots in the country every year. But the aviation clubs are producing nearly 125 every year.

For private pilot licence, a candidate is required to undergo 60-hour flying training within one to two years. The holder of the licence can fly the aircraft with passengers but cannot seek a job on a commercial basis.

For a commercial pilot licence, one has to undergo flying training for 200 hours in five years and for aircraft maintenance engineer licence, six-month training is required.

For glider pilot licence, a candidate has to undergo training for 70 hours, while for flight instructor rating on aircraft, 300 hours of flying experience is required.

After getting the training, the candidate would have to apply to the Director-General of Civil Aviation, New Delhi, for licence in the respective field.

The initial remuneration of a trainee pilot is Rs 15,000 per month. A trained pilot can earn between Rs 60,000 and Rs 80,000 per month depending upon the airlines he is working with. Foreign airlines are giving a much higher pay package and various incentives, including free air tickets for the family.