The Hindu Business Line : As airlines take off... <br> Opportunities for pilots soar

THE DEARTH of pilots in an expanding aviation market once again manifested itself last week when Air-India was forced to cancel six flights of Air-India Express, its low-cost subsidiary, following the resignation of ten pilots, eight of whom were commanders.

The ten pilots, it is believed, have been lured by attractive promises of a rival domestic carrier.

Ever since the domestic aviation industry began its rapid growth, spurred by the arrival of a clutch of new start-ups, industry players have grappled with the problem of staff shortage, especially pilots, and to a lesser extent aeronautical engineers and air traffic controllers.

But, despite the problem, existing players are optimistic and feel the shortage of pilots is a temporary issue, which can be effectively solved by casting one's net overseas.

According to an official from Air-India, the aviation industry in the West is going through a recession, and there are a number of pilots from abroad who could be recruited. In fact, a few years ago pilots in India faced a similar situation. When the domestic airline industry was still nascent, the majority of pilots graduating from flying schools had to take up unrelated jobs, till they got a break in an airline within the country or even overseas.

According to the A-I official, the national carrier hoped to make up the sudden shortfall with overseas recruitments. He points out that it was the experienced pilots or Captains who were really difficult to replace; there were enough co-pilots within the country itself.

As expected, the demand-supply gap has led to a sharp rise in pilots' salary expectations. While pay packets vary with the airline and the experience of pilots, on average, a Captain can, today, command a salary of Rs 4 lakh - Rs 4.5 lakh per month against Rs 3 lakh-Rs 3.5 lakh last year.

And while the salary structure at A-I is under review, officials say that there is a limit to how much airlines can afford to shell out on staff salaries each month.

Commenting on the poaching of pilots, Mr V. Thulasidas, Chairman and Managing Director, A-I, has a word of caution for the industry. He points out that airlines should follow set norms in recruitment, and such instances of poaching were a "matter of concern."

It was under these conditions that Air Deccan and Kingfisher Airlines recently signed a no-poaching agreement. However, this understanding has remained on paper. As Capt G. R. Gopinath, Managing Director, Air Deccan put it: "It was just a handshake."

But the low-cost airline, which is fast expanding its route network and fleet strength, is not overtly concerned about the current situation, which it believes will soon ease out.

Says Capt Gopinath, "The dearth of pilots in the country is a problem, but one should not be overawed by the situation."

The trick, he says, is to think global and make overseas recruitments. He adds that there were a number of Indian pilots flying for foreign airlines who awaited an opportunity to work in India.

Capt Gopinath makes the point that the salary offered to foreign recruits was comparable with that offered to domestic pilots, though the travel and hotel expenses of the former were much more.

Air Deccan, with 200 pilots on its rolls, hopes to add more than 600 pilots over the next five years.

According to an official with GoAir, the availability of pilots was not a big issue for the airline, which hopes to commence services in October. "For anyone looking hard enough, finding an adequate number of pilots is not a problem," the official says.

While there are no figures on the exact number of pilots required today, an airline official points out that each aircraft required between six and seven captains and co-pilots. He adds that around 50 pilots graduated each year from flying schools and clubs spread across the country.

This was well short of the required number. And even after the pilot joined a particular airline, he says, they had to undergo at least six months of further training before being certified to fly a particular kind of aircraft.

In an effort to bridge this gap, Air-India recently announced plans to open a flying school. According to the airline official, the modalities of the project were being worked out and the institution may come up in two years.

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