Airlines can take services of expat pilots till July 2011

NEW DELHI: There are a total of 384 expatriate pilots employed with various domestic airlines, which have been allowed to avail of their services till July 31 next year, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said on Thursday.

"There was no shortage of trained pilots in the country. However, there is shortage of type-rated commanders with airline operators.

"To overcome this shortage, airline operators have been permitted to utilise expatriate pilots upto July 31, 2011 subject to validation of their foreign licence by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)," he informed Lok Sabha.

A type-rated commander means a senior pilot who has been trained to fly a particular type of aircraft.

He said that being an International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) signatory State, India recognises the licences issued by other ICAO contracting States provided they meet the standard and recommended practices (SARPs) contained in ICAO Annexure I regarding Personnel and Licensing.

The validation of licences was done as per Rule 45 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937.

Presently, a total number of 384 expat pilots are employed with various airlines.

Jet Airways has the largest number -- 111 pilots, followed by Air India and Air India Charters Limited (Air India Express) which has 89 and its subsidiary Alliance Air with 24. Kingfisher Airlines has 83 such pilots.

In low-cost carriers, IndiGo has employed 34 expat pilots while SpiceJet has 30 and Paramount Airways has one.

Blue Dart has five and and Deccan Cargo has seven expat pilots on their rolls.

He also said that there was no norms that mandate domestic airlines to have at least one Indian pilot inside an aircraft cockpit.