60+ pilots may be eased out

New Delhi: ‘‘Senior citizen’’ pilots may eventually be allowed to fly only private planes and not schedule commercial Indian airliners. The government had extended pilots’ flying age in India from 60 to 65 about three years ago due to a severe shortage of pilots, owing to an unprecedented aviation boom then.
But, now, with the boom gone bust and scores of young commercial pilot licence (CPL) holders idling after spending lakhs on their training, a rethink is on in the higher echelons of government. ‘‘The reducing of upper age limit can progressively be considered, depending on the ground situation, for schedule airlines but not for private planes,’’ aviation minister Praful Patel said.
Industry insiders put the number of 60 plus pilots flying Indian carriers between 400 and 500. The aviation boom led hundreds of young students to pursue commercial flying and procure CPL training at prohibitive cost. But, now, with air traffic declining sharply, airlines have reduced their current fleet sizes and cancelled or delayed future delivery of aircraft as well. As a result, there are excess co-pilots and fresh CPL holders are not getting jobs. Moreover, with airlines cutting flights, even active duty pilots are also being paid progressively less.
For instance, one of India’s biggest private airline recently reduced the number of days its pilots must be available from 22 days a month to just 15.
23/02/09 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India