Finally, state gets Cessna aircraft to train pilots

Amaninder Pal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 10

The Cessna-172 S aircraft, meant to train pilots, have finally arrived in the state.

The two aircraft were purchased by the Punjab State Civil Aviation Council from the US. The Rs 3.75-crore deal with the manufacturer was finalised last year.

A senior officer of the state Directorate of Civil Aviation said, “Both aircraft were shipped from the US and unloaded at the Patiala Flying Club. Engineers will soon assemble them. We are hopeful that the aircraft will become operational within 3-4 weeks. We will introduce them in flying schools of the state for the training of commercial pilots after getting mandatory clearances from the authorities concerned.”

“The state has three flying clubs – in Patiala, Ludhiana and Amritsar. A decision on which club will operate which aircraft will be soon taken by the council,” he added. The flying clubs in Patiala and Amritsar are running their operations with the aircraft provided by the Delhi-based Aero Club of India with financial aid provided by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation.

In 1986, the Delhi-based club had given two Cessna- 152 aircraft to the Patiala club. In 2008, the former had given four-seater one-engine Cessna-172 aircraft to the latter.

The Amritsar club has also been running its operations after taking a Cessna-172 and a multi-engine Beach Craft Baron-58 on lease.

It was back in 1962 when the then Partap Singh Kairon-led government of joint Punjab had purchased Pushpak aircraft to train commercial pilots in the state’s flying clubs.