Q. Brief about present status of Aviation Industry in India and Global. Why to choose aviation? What is the fancy in it?
Aviation Industry is an ever expanding, and in India as such, it is doing at a very high rate. So, there are more and more opportunities for people joining this industry. The number of people, specialisation wise, entering this industry has also risen in the recent past. In the last decade, there were a lot of pilots who were qualified but not getting jobs, that are moved aside, and people are getting jobs now. There is a huge demand for cabin crew, so youngsters and more young ladies who are coming out of colleges or who are coming out of higher secondary education are given a lot of opportunities in this regard. Engineers are of high demand now in aviation industry, support services and airport services are in high demand. So, there is a huge demand for people, that is, good skilled people. So, people who are willing to put in that effort and who are willing to come into the industry, it is a good time to join Aviation industry in India.
Q. How will you evaluate the rise in quantity of people on board in aviation Industry in next few years?
Engineers are very important factors in aircraft operations. Engineer who graduates out of specialised training centres or colleges, with aircraft maintenance engineering, in short terms called as AME, are then selected by companies and additional adequate training is given as specialisation for certain types of aircrafts. So, just like pilots have to do additional training to specialise in specific types of aircrafts, similarly engineers have to have licences for their training, for their qualification and additionally they have to get specialised training for certain types of aircrafts. So, there are certifications for pilots, engineers etc. ,and are given by the DGCA or the Directorate General of Civil Aviations, Central Government.
Q. Pros & Cons in the Aviation Industry?
After successfully qualifying with required trainings and required licenses, just like any other job in any other industry, one has to apply to various airline companies, undergo vigorous interview and other selection processes to get through to secure a job, whether it be a pilot or as a cabin crew or as a engineer or as a ground staff or any other services, it is important that one prepares a good bio data after having completed the required trainings and starts applying to various airline companies.
Q. Is age a barrier to take Aviation as a career?
Age criteria is kept by different companies for their recruitment processes, but generally, age is not a major criteria when it comes to pilots because being a good pilots has the qualifications and trainings required along with proper health certifications, If you have all these, then in a later stage also you can start a successful career.
Q. Preparations to get into aviation industry: Basic qualifications and essentials?
As far as qualifications are concerned, let as start with pilots, so to be a good pilot, in India, you need to have higher secondary education with Maths and Physics compulsory. Then you can enrol in a flying school in India or abroad. Complete the training and get a commercial pilot achieving a job with a company or an airline, additional training is required according to the type of aircraft operated by that company. So, you must have heard names like Airbus or Boeing, so, similarly any type of aircraft need specialised training, so that is additional to getting a commercial pilot license. And other qualifications and certifications along with it are also required. For example, along with the commercial pilot license, you’ll also require a Class I medical certification that is done either by the Indian Air force medical institutions or certain approved hospitals around the country and this should be used in conjunction with your license. So a pilot license is valid only when you have an approved medical certificate which is renewed every year, and it is a very thorough medical inspection. Other certifications are also required to be a pilot, which comes along with other trainings. For example, there is a very great emphasis on crew resource management. That is about, how to emphasis on two pilots working together in a much disciplined environment. And also, there are other trainings required like dangerous goods handling or there are certain trainings regarding monsoon operations in India etc, so that is regarding pilots. In other services, you have cabin crew, thereby cabin crew training is given by airline companies usually on its own, and they have training centres, and people who are qualified with minimum higher secondary education are selected by the companies and they are taken in for training and after three to four months of training, they graduate to become cabin crew.
Q. People think aviators are like aliens …living in a different world…please explain the life as an aviator?
Well, there is a certain aura about aviators. When we talk about aviators, we are definitely talking about pilots, and there are people who think aviators are like aliens living in a different world. Yes, there are certain auras associated with it. Mostly because it is not up to everyone to successfully become an aviator or a pilot. So, what are the basic aspects required to become a pilot? One side, you have to be studious to have interest in maths and physics, because aviation, being a pilot, flying an aircraft is all about maths and physics. So maths and science is required in your qualification as well in your life as a pilot. And you have to be keen in studying because you have a lot of material to study, endless information, you have to pass numerous exams and keep on studying and passing exams through your life till retirement. So, along with being keen in studies, you also have to have an inborn skill to handle.
Q.Is aviation dream affordable to an average, talented youth?
After getting a pilot license, additional training is also required to specialise in a particular type of aircraft which again requires fifteen to twenty lakhs of expense. So this is a minimum which I am saying here. Along with it, small additional expenses will occur. Altogether this becomes a costly affair to do such qualification. So to sum it up, to be able to study well, to have good health, to be able to afford the expenses, everything together makes a pilot and to add on top of it, to be able to get a good job at a good airline; you have keep these in mind that you are stepping into this.
So, along with being keen in studies, a pilot needs to have an inborn skill to handle an aircraft properly. And the next thing is that good health should be a blessing for him or her throughout his or her career. Then, come to think of it, Aviation training is expensive, you have to find financial resources to do such a training, At the moment in India, around thirty to thirty five lakh is required to complete a pilot training course.
Q. How far aviation industry is promising for women aspirants – Risks and Challenges?
Ladies do have a good opportunity in Aviation industry and in any field associated with the industry, in the life as a pilot or as an engineer or as a cabin crew or as a ground staff or in any other associated services, ladies are much in demand today, especially in India. To just sight one aspect, one of the leading airlines in India employs about fifteen percentage of lady pilots which is the highest ratio in the world. So, we can imagine the amount of opportunities available for women in India.
And this percentage of lady pilots as quoted are much higher compared to western countries like the America or the Europe, where there are only four to five percentage of lady pilots flying those airlines.
Q. Future aircraft modulations to compete with technology advancements… how?
Technology is improving in a fast base in a day to day basis and aircrafts being used today are very safe and the safety margins are being improved day by day. So, it is in total a very safe mode of transport.
Q. Technically to what extend aviation industries causes pollution to environment; what’s next in aviation industry?
Aviation technology is improving day to day with regards to reducing emissions and carbon footprints. As for today, an example would be the new engine for airbus or aircrafts which has reduced fuel consumption and emissions by fifteen percentage. Similarly, there are efforts by all the companies to reduce pollution.
Interview with Airline Pilot Done by : The World Women News
