More Middle-class pilots for India

New Delhi: Flying schools have reported an increase in the number of students from middle-class families. It’s education loans which have enabled aspiring pilots from these middle-class families to take wings.
Though the average cost of pilot training in India is around Rs 13 lakh, high salaries and shorter gestation periods have led to this trend.
Flying schools have tied-up with banks as cost of pilot training is exorbitant and interested candidates are now coming from middle-income families. Average salary of the parents of aspiring pilots is around Rs 25,000 per month, say experts.
Airlines have witnessed a similar trend. “We have more pilots from middle income families now, especially girls, as compared to last year,” said a SpiceJet official.
06/01/07 Vishakha Talreja/Economic Times