The ongoing turbulence in the aviation industry has put the future of flying schools in the city in jeopardy. With enrollments showing a 50% decline in the last few sessions, these institutes are now struggling to keep themselves afloat. Worst hit are Hyderabad’s aircraft maintenance and engineering (AME) schools, many of which have shut shop. Even airhostess training institutes that were seen mushrooming in the city until a couple of years ago now have few takers.
As per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) records, at least two AME schools in Hyderabad, Hyderabad College of Aviation Technology and Institute of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, have dropped out of business recently with DGCA not renewing their licences. Sources say it is the lack of funds that forced these schools to pull their shutters down. And while three flying schools, AP Aviation Academy, Rajiv Gandhi Aviation Academy and Flytech Aviation Academy, which also deal with the technicalities of aircrafts continue to operate in the city, officials fear that they too might meet a similar fate if the sector does not bounce back to normalcy soon.
“Despite restructuring our sessions from six months to one year, the enrollments have not improved,” said B Varaprasad, administrations manager with Flytech. The school that had about 180 students opting for flying training (every six months) until two years ago now has just about 60 odd applicants. In its engineering stream also, numbers have dropped to a poor 10 or 15 as against 100.
At the root of this crisis is the near complete freeze on recruitment of freshers by airline operators, say experts. The fact that biggies like Kingfisher are on the verge of closure has only aggravated the situation, they add. “The market is filled with out-of-job aviation professionals. So, those looking at hiring are instead roping in such people who are ready to settle for a pay cut,” explained Capt S N Reddy, honorary secretary and chief executive officer of AP Aviation Academy, the oldest such school in Hyderabad.
Pointing out how flying instructors who, during the peak years, drew salaries not less than Rs 1.5 lakh per month are now offered Rs 80,000 at best, Capt Reddy said this drop has turned many away from the profession. Predictably, despite government aid, his institute has witnessed an over 50% drop in candidates in the last few sessions. A similar demand-supply imbalance has hit the Rajiv Gandhi Aviation Academy. “Since 1993, such highs and lows have consistently hit the aviation industry.
Hopefully the situation will be resolved soon,” said Y P Reddy, chief managing director of the school. “Also, it is the cabin crew which is more affected than the engineers,” Reddy, who is also president of the flying operators management association, added.
That the many private airhostess training schools in the city have lost out on their numbers, hence, does not come as a surprise. Currently, there are a handful training schools operating in Hyderabad as against a dozen that had sprung a few years ago. “We are witnessing a slump but hope to pick up soon,” said an executive of Frankinn Institute of Airhostess Training.
With the existing schools fighting for survival, those planning to set shop in Hyderabad have now put their plans in cold storage. Among them was airline operator Lufthansa that, sources indicate, was in talks with a local institute to start pilot training in the city but has apparently put the project on hold.
As per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) records, at least two AME schools in Hyderabad, Hyderabad College of Aviation Technology and Institute of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, have dropped out of business recently with DGCA not renewing their licences. Sources say it is the lack of funds that forced these schools to pull their shutters down. And while three flying schools, AP Aviation Academy, Rajiv Gandhi Aviation Academy and Flytech Aviation Academy, which also deal with the technicalities of aircrafts continue to operate in the city, officials fear that they too might meet a similar fate if the sector does not bounce back to normalcy soon.
“Despite restructuring our sessions from six months to one year, the enrollments have not improved,” said B Varaprasad, administrations manager with Flytech. The school that had about 180 students opting for flying training (every six months) until two years ago now has just about 60 odd applicants. In its engineering stream also, numbers have dropped to a poor 10 or 15 as against 100.
At the root of this crisis is the near complete freeze on recruitment of freshers by airline operators, say experts. The fact that biggies like Kingfisher are on the verge of closure has only aggravated the situation, they add. “The market is filled with out-of-job aviation professionals. So, those looking at hiring are instead roping in such people who are ready to settle for a pay cut,” explained Capt S N Reddy, honorary secretary and chief executive officer of AP Aviation Academy, the oldest such school in Hyderabad.
Pointing out how flying instructors who, during the peak years, drew salaries not less than Rs 1.5 lakh per month are now offered Rs 80,000 at best, Capt Reddy said this drop has turned many away from the profession. Predictably, despite government aid, his institute has witnessed an over 50% drop in candidates in the last few sessions. A similar demand-supply imbalance has hit the Rajiv Gandhi Aviation Academy. “Since 1993, such highs and lows have consistently hit the aviation industry.
Hopefully the situation will be resolved soon,” said Y P Reddy, chief managing director of the school. “Also, it is the cabin crew which is more affected than the engineers,” Reddy, who is also president of the flying operators management association, added.
That the many private airhostess training schools in the city have lost out on their numbers, hence, does not come as a surprise. Currently, there are a handful training schools operating in Hyderabad as against a dozen that had sprung a few years ago. “We are witnessing a slump but hope to pick up soon,” said an executive of Frankinn Institute of Airhostess Training.
With the existing schools fighting for survival, those planning to set shop in Hyderabad have now put their plans in cold storage. Among them was airline operator Lufthansa that, sources indicate, was in talks with a local institute to start pilot training in the city but has apparently put the project on hold.
