Civil aviation minister Ajit Singh’s stern warning to protesting Air India pilots—that the airline will hire new pilots if the strike continued—could be nothing more than bluster.
Civil aviation minister Ajit Singh’s stern warning to protesting Air India pilots—that the airline will hire new pilots if the strike continued—could be nothing more than bluster.
And here’s the reason why. Out of 5,000-odd unemployed pilots in the country, only 500 of them are jet aircraft type-rated commanders/pilots, while the rest are just holders of Commercial Pilots Licences (CPLs).
For the Air India to normalise its operations—especially on its international routes—it would require the services of type-rated commanders and not CPL holders.
Over 400 pilots of the national carrier—a majority of them being type-rated commanders—have been on strike for the last 20 days.
Now, even if the national carrier is able to hire these 500 unemployed jet aircraft type-rated commanders/pilots, they are unlikely to be given command of the aircraft straightaway.
“A majority of the these type-rated commanders/pilots—who are right now jobless—are trained to operate Boeing 737s and Airbus 320s, not the Boeing 787s and the 777s, which is the Air India’s primary requirement,” said Capt Ashok Arya of the Unemployed Pilots Welfare Association.
He said it would take about six to nine months to train the pilots.
“The process of type-conversion takes about six to nine months. If the Air India wants to immediately hire pilots and want them to command a jet immediately, it is impossible.
The striking pilots are aware of this and are making the most of it,” added Arya.
This apart, the on-going strike by the Air India pilots has come as blessing in disguise for expatriate pilots, who are currently working for the national carrier and other private airlines, since they could be hoping of being given an extension to command Indian commercial jets.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has allowed expatriate pilots to operate Indian aircraft till 2013.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has acknowledged that there is a scarcity of ‘type-rated’ commanders in the country. Ajit Singh - in a response to a question in the Lok Sabha – admitted about the shortage of type-rated commanders in the country.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}