CM orders review of flying schools’ fee structure

CHANDIGARH: Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has ordered a review of the existing fee structure of flying training institutes to make it affordable young aspirants to take training.

Presiding over the second meeting of the Punjab State Civil Aviation Council the CM on Thursday directed the council to intensify its efforts to enhance the quality of training at the flying training organisations (FTOs) to put them on a par with the international flying clubs. He recalled the times when many commercial pilots engaged by major airlines in India and even abroad had their initial training at Patiala Flying Club.

The CM said the council should revamp the two operational FTOs at Patiala and Amritsar and adopt latest technology and modern flying practices. Acceding to the request of the council for upgrade of flying infrastructure across the state, he asked Punjab Technical University to provide ₹10 crore for this purpose, besides authorising the purchase of two new modern aircraft and runaway lighting for the civil aerodrome, Patiala.

Patiala DC has also been asked to take up the issue of swapping of a chunk of land between the irrigation and defence to ensure that the land is contiguous for the expansion of the existing runaway. The CM also directed the council to revive the non-functional FTO at Ludhiana.

Chief principal secretary to the CM, Suresh Kumar, asked the council to constitute a threemember committee to work out the modalities for the affiliation of the Punjab Aircraft Maintenance College with Punjab Technical University.

ASKS PTU TO PROVIDE ₹10 CRORE TO UPGRADE FLYING INFRASTRUCTURE, BESIDES AUTHORISING PURCHASE OF 2 MODERN AIRCRAFT AND RUNAWAY LIGHTING FOR PATIALA AERODROME