- As we know, one of the most indicative of how any country’s GDP is shaping up can be gauged by the health of the civil aviation ministry. How so? The increase in air travelers firmly highlights the purchasing power parity of citizens who do not think twice before embarking on a flight from one place to another. Gone are the days when air travel used to be considered expensive, and only well-heeled people were known to loosen the purse strings to fit the exorbitant fees. With the advent of a booming economy around the world on the back of revolutionary developments on several fronts, including civil aviation, people are using the fastest means of transportation in great numbers.
PC: LinkedIn
- How about the Indian civil aviation? How is it performing as compared to other economies in the world? The Indian citizens flocking to the airports is a welcome phenomenon. Due credit should accrue to the present dispensation at the Centre for focusing on strengthening the aviation sector by constructing several airports in line with the increasing demand. However, the shortage of experienced pilots is an issue that is bogging down the sector. What would you say to an Rs. 50L signing bonus? If you’re an IndiGo or Air India captain eyeing juicy offers and better work conditions abroad, you might scoff. But airlines, left shamefaced after last month’s FDTL – flight duty time limitations – mess, have no choice but poach captains.
PC: India Today
- From where? Rivals and at any cost, including those Rs. 50L bonuses. Good for captains, and good for aviation, too, because the revised FDTL regulations, announced in Jan 2024 to improve flight safety, have sunk in at last. But now that we’re in 2026, government and airlines need to take a long, hard look at India’s pilot shortage with an eye on the future. India’s captain/commander shortage is old news. In Aug 2024, the government acknowledged it, while denying a shortage of pilots overall. A press release said 5,710 commercial pilot licences had been issued over five years, from 2019 to July 2023. And considering that India’s airlines employ around 12,000 pilots, this number seems satisfactory if you ignore the fact that India is the world’s fastest-growing aviation market now, 230mn passengers in 2024.
PC: Aviation A2Z
- Mind you, what’s adequate today won’t be soon. By the government’s own admission, 40% of Indian commercial pilots train abroad. That means, training facilities at home are inadequate. Plus, the market for pilots is global. Last Jan, Lufthansa, for instance, announced plans to hire 800 pilots within the year. Other major global players are also expanding. In 2019, Boeing estimated that 645,000 new pilots would be needed by 2040 worldwide. Largely because of expansion, but also to replace retirees. So, India really needs to invest in top-notch pilot training facilities. Moreover, not enough young people are signing up as the glamorous quotient has waned. Now is the time to plan and invest in pilot training as well.
