Civil aviation reset: Address training, capacity issues

THE Central government's disclosure in the Lok Sabha that the country has just 40 flying training organisations which are approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation lays bare the structural constraints that threaten to slow down India's frenetic aviation expansion. The IndiGo flight cancellation fiasco earlier this month offered a glimpse into how the shortage of pilot availability could become a friction point in the growth story. As domestic airlines await the delivery of nearly 1,700 new aircraft in the near future, an urgent course correction is needed. The challenges are multi-layered — too few instructors, limited simulator availability and lack of competency-based training. The solution lies in a comprehensive reset of the pilot training ecosystem and systematic public-private investment.

A far greater involvement of the airlines becomes imperative for training purposes, laying down standards and mandating apprenticeships. The role of global training partners in shaping the redesigned framework is critical in ensuring the adoption of best practices. Equally important is having specialised technicians and incentivising domestic production of advanced training equipment. The limited training infrastructure for supporting roles in aviation also deserves attention. Filling the gap between a fast-growing fleet and a slow training model is a long haul, but that's the only workable approach.

India would need around 30,000 more pilots in the coming years. A huge ask, but herein lies a unique opportunity too. In that context, the Punjab Chief Minister's claim of positioning the state as a major hub of the aviation industry lends hope. However, ensuring that it is not empty rhetoric would require serious ground work. For far too long, the promised goals across India have fallen short because of lack of preparedness and short-sightedness. How the aviation sector navigates the systemic obstacles would define its trajectory.