Flying club’s clipped wings leave students high and dry

Chennai: Young flying aspirants have been left in the lurch, unable to complete their stipulated period of flying training to obtain a commercial pilot’s licence.
The situation has arisen as the Madras Flying Club has not had a flying instructor for the past year. Airport sources said Captain N.K. Singh was the club’s last chief flying instructor. In January 2012, he turned 65 and as per civil aviation requirements, could not continue as instructor. Since then the club has not filled his post, and its students have been unable to complete the stipulated 200 hours of flying.
Another hiccup is the expiry of the club’s flying training approval. As per the guidelines of the directorate general of civil Aviation (DGCA), the validity of flying training approval of the club expired in March 2012, and was not renewed due to the non-appointment of a qualified instructor.
04/02/13 P Oppilisunitha Sekar/The Hindu