On World Pilots Day in April 2024 Jaideep Mirchandani, Chairman of Sky One, underscored the critical challenge facing India’s civil aviation sector: the shortage of senior pilots. According to Mirchandani, this scarcity could profoundly impact operations, fleet expansion endeavors, and overall profitability.

Mirchandani’s concerns align with Boeing’s Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) 2024, which predicts a significant surge in South Asia’s aviation fleet over the next two decades, primarily driven by India. With projections indicating a need for 37,000 pilots and 38,000 maintenance technicians in the region, the impending retirement wave among senior pilots poses a formidable hurdle.

Mirchandani emphasized the potential repercussions of a widening demand-supply gap, including difficulties in meeting escalating travel demands, adhering to flight schedules, and executing fleet expansion plans, all of which could impede profitability. While discussions about extending the retirement age for commercial pilots persist, Mirchandani advocates for more sustainable solutions such as enhancing pay scales, providing increased incentives, addressing pilot fatigue, and fostering greater gender diversity within the sector.

Training remains a significant obstacle, requiring substantial time and resources to cultivate the next generation of aviators. Mirchandani stressed the necessity for airlines to collaborate with pilot training institutes to tackle this challenge effectively.

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Ministry has taken steps to establish more flying schools across India, with the Airports Authority of India facilitating Flying Training Organization (FTO) slots and issuing Commercial Pilot Licenses (CPLs). However, Mirchandani underscored the importance of prioritizing quality training, stringent safety standards, fair examination processes, and rigorous oversight to nurture India’s future aviators.

In response to these challenges, Mirchandani’s Pier Seven Aviation Academy is offering advanced flight simulator training, aiming to contribute to the development of skilled aviators crucial for India’s aviation sector’s future.

Source: Sky One