ASA launches operations in Bangalore

Bangalore, Mar 8 (UNI) American School Aviation (ASA), the premier pilot training institute in USA, launched its operations here to cash in on the growing demand by aviation sector for trained Pilots.

The ASA expects to train about 1000 students by August 2008 and increase it to 5000 per year later.

Talking to newsmen here, ASA Vice President Reny Kozman said that with the Indian skies opening up to private air carriers and many private players waiting to take to the skies, the demand for pilots was on the rise. There was a demand for more than 400 pilots every year in the country against a lowly 100 new pilots produced by various training institutes.

"Bangalore will continue to be the national centre for aviation activities, with major brands of the private sector in the process of making Bangalore their main hub of activities. Hence we chose to come to Bangalore which is emerging as the Aviation Capital of India," she said.

Ms Kozman said that candidates with minimum qualification of Ten plus two, with Physics and Mathematics, would be eligible to enter the course. The fees would 42,990 US Dollars including living expense for 12 month course, she said.

Air Vice Marshall (Rtd) Murali Sundaram of AvOMATS said that the students would be provided preliminary training at ASA India's Gurgaon Centre, followed by academic and flight training at the Atwater, California.

He said that ASA had tied up with Kingfisher Airlines and efforts were on to rope in other private players.

ASA India was a joint venture with ASA and AvOMATS.

ASA was a Federal Aviation Accredited flying training school. It owns and operate a large fleet of Cessna, Piper, Beach Craft, Cirrus, Diamond and Symphony Aircraft.

UNI