IIT-K to start glider pilot training course

AT PRESENT ABOUT 900 STUDENTS FROM 40 INSTITUTES OF THE COUNTRY VISIT THE IITK FLIGHT LAB EVERY YEAR FOR EXPERIMENTAL TRAINING

KANPUR: The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted permission to the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-K) to run professional glider pilot training course and issue certificates, a senior faculty of the institute said.

Till now the institute used to provide training to students for experimental take off, climbing, landing and direction turning of aircraft but didn’t issue any professional certificates.

“The admission process is likely to start from March end after finalising the modalities. The complete information about the course would be put on the institute’s website,” said faculty in charge of IIT-K’s flight laboratory professor AK Ghosh.

The course plan would be prepared soon, he said and added the candidates would have to undergo 50 hours training and would be issued certificates only after they clear the final examination.

The IIT-K has 58-year-old flight laboratory with 1 km long air strip. It has half-a-dozen two and six-seater aircraft, two training aircraft and two gliders.

At present about 900 students from 40 institutes of the country visit the IIT-K flight lab every year for experimental training.