The Hindu Business Line : US pilot institute plans more tie-ups, expansion

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Hyderabad Feb. 17 The American School of Aviation, a US-based pilot training institute, has firmed up plans for major expansion and diversification in the country, which includes air-taxi operations, a pilot training school and tie-ups with domestic airlines such as Jet Airways.

Ms Reny Kozman, Vice-President, ASA, US, told Business Line: "We propose to start our flight school in India by mid-2008 so that we need not take the students to the US to train them." It is estimated that there is a need for about 5,000 pilots in the next five-seven years.

She was here to attend a seminar organised by ASA India's Hyderabad office.

More demand

The Indian aviation industry has been growing fast with various airlines operating over 350 aircraft. Each aircraft added brings along a demand for 10 more pilots. "Realising this potential, we have decided to enter the Indian market," she said.

The institute is in the final stages of wrapping up a strategic tie-up with Jet Airways for inducting its students. Currently, the institute has a similar tie-up with Kingfisher Airlines. It also has ties with Thai Airlines, Air China and Air Sunshine of the US, said Ms Kozman.

"Air Deccan, Air India and SpiceJet have been inducting our students, though we don't have any kind of tie-ups with them," she added.

Diversification

To cash in on the boom in the Indian aviation sector she said: "We are planning to diversify and start air-taxi operations in India. We are looking at starting cargo airlines in the next five years".

The institute, which began with an initial investment of $25,000, saw a gross sale of $6,00,000 in 2002, growing to $7 million in 2005 and suddenly dropping to $3.5 million in 2006, Ms Kozman said while attributing the drop to the shifting of the institute from San Jose to Castle Airport. In fact, many customers asked for a refund, she said.

But this year, they plan to capture back the market. Their target is to enrol 1,000 students this year, she said, adding that other schools across the globe roughly have 200 students per year. She also said that 1,000 is 25 per cent of the total pilot population in India.

The institute was started by Capt Manpreet Singh in California in 2002. In India, it has eight offices and plans to have 20 by the year-end.