Coast Guard short of pilots on silver jubilee

Mumbai: Even as they recently celebrated 25 years of inception of the air wing, the Indian Coast Guard is plagued with increasing shortage of pilots. As against 110 pilots, the force currently has only 60 odd pilots. What adds to the worries of the Coast Guard’s worry is that it expects its strength to deplete further as one third of its pilots are said to be contemplating quitting the force to avail better opportunities in the private sector.
The Coast Guard has 24 Dornier aircrafts, 17 Chetak helicopters and four Dhruv (Advanced Light Helicopters), four advanced offshore patrol vessels, nine offshore patrol vessels, 16 fast patrol and 13 inshore patrol vessels, manned by 932 officers and 5,339 sailors.
But this is not the only concern. The Coast Guard’s worry is further accentuated as despite changing service rules for the first time to fill the 20 per cent gap, they are yet to receive any applications from candidates holding a commercial pilot’s licence to work as pilots.
Implemented this year, the new service rule allows the aircrew cadre to leave the force after a short service of seven to ten years. The Coast Guard like the Indian Air Force (IAF), which is also facing a similar problem (of pilots quitting to join the private airline industry) had made changes in the services as they felt that hard service rules was a hindrance in attracting men to the force.
“While the facilities and opportunities the force provides is the best, the monthly salary of Rs35,000 after 18 years of service is pathetic,” said a pilot, who like many others is thinking of resigning after completing 20 years of service, following which he will be entitled for government pension.
25/05/07 Daily News & Analysis