Victorian Govt ready to open pilot training centre in India

Bangalore, Feb 5 (UNI) The Australian State of Victoria is willing to set up a Pilot training centre in India, Commissioner to India, Victorian Government Business Office, Wayne Lewis said today.

''With the Indian aviation industry growing at 25 to 30 per cent, the demand for pilots is inceasing and as such the Victorian Government, participating in the Aero-India show, will be eagerly looking for partners to open Pilot training centre to produce world class pilots in India,'' he told newspersons here.

Earlier, addressing members of the Society of Indian Aerospace Technologies and Industries (SIATI), Mr Lewis said the aviation industry in India was expected to grow 400 per cent in passenger traffic and 600 per cent in cargo in the next 20 years. Victoria, the oldest aircraft manufacturer in the world, wanted to showcase and offer expertise and capabilities in aerospace and aviation for the Indian market and strike deals for partnership or joint venture in the field.

He said five aviation and aerospace companies from Victoria would participate in Aero India 2007, beginning on Wednesday, and the GA-8 Airvan aircraft, designed and manufactured in Victoria by Gippsland Aeronautics, had been flown in from Australia for the show. GA-8 was a single engined aircraft most suitable for domestic service and with domestic market picking up in India, this aircraft would be most suitable, he added.

Queensland Government and Trade Office Commissioner David Belham, in his address, said ''Queensland is rapidly becoming a major aviation and aerospace hub for the Asia Pacific region. Our cutting edge expertise in training pilots, maintenance engineers and cabin crew, along with affordable aircraft for training and surveillance, would be showcased in Aero India.'' SIATI President Dr Krishnadas Nair said civilian and cargo traffic was growing at 25 to 30 per cent in India. About 12 million passengers were travelling by train and even if ten per cent switched over to air service, it would be a great achievement. The aircraft industry was growing manifold in India with the opening of the sky policy and 300 aircraft ordered and this order might triple by the end of this decade.

He said that with the industry growing up, shortage in pilot, spare parts, servicing and maintenance of aircraft would be felt.

According to a study, over 6,000 pilots and over one lakh technicians were required by 2020, while the present capacity was only 100 per year.

He said the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had decided to invest Rs 30,000 crore for building new aircraft and upgrading them.

Metro airports would be upgraded and built as business centres.

Building of airports in non-metros would be given to the private sector.

UNI