Hindu(26-06-2006)
http://www.hindu.com/edu/2006/06/26/stories/2006062600360100.htm
The skies are opening up now
As the aviation sector spreads its wings and private players too emerge,
job opportunities are expanding, says MANRESH MALHOTRA
A career in aviation is the dream of many people. This field is exciting
and the pay is good. The aviation industry has two distinct sectors: commercial
and military. Commercial aviation includes passenger airlines and cargo planes,
international air services, air taxi and charter operations. Military aviation
includes the Indian Air Force and the aviation arms of the Navy and Army.
Commercial airlines have a typical organisational structure. This includes
airlines operations, maintenance, and marketing and finance divisions. The
job of the pilot comes under the airlines operation division. The demand
for skilled, qualified pilots is ever present throughout the world. As the
Indian Government plans to widen the air services network, the demand will
further rise. The aerospace and aviation industry offers a multitude of challenging
careers for pilots, engineers, scientists, mechanics, teachers, researchers,
designers and other professionals. The way you undertake training for a Commercial
Pilot Licence has a huge bearing on what your career prospects are in the
long term. There are some fundamental considerations that need to be of primary
concern when making your decision:
Age
The airlines will generally be looking at taking on flight crew at the earliest
possible age, generally 18 years. The reason for this is that there are significant
costs incurred by the airlines in training you, so they need the longest
return of service that you can give them prior to retiring. This allows them
to recover the training costs they have invested in you. For this reason,
you should avoid any delays in getting to a position where you can be applying
for a flight crew position.
Personality
Pilots need discipline, patience, responsibility, punctuality, commitment
and dedication. Their job requires a lot of hard work, stamina, alertness
of mind, adaptability to follow difficult time schedules, ability to think
in crisis, good team spirit etc. Apart from possessing these qualities, they
should be calm, pleasant, compassionate, understanding and technically sound.
Experience
The most important factor considered when someone applies for a job with
an airline is his or her flying experience. It is the one qualification that
all aviation jobs are centered around, and it is therefore the most important
qualification you need to obtain.
It is crucial that you obtain your Commercial Pilot Licence and other qualifications
without much delay, and then start working in the industry to build up your
experience.
The main qualification for employment as a pilot is the Commercial Pilot
Licence. It is of benefit to obtain a further qualification such as a Diploma.
A Diploma qualification is generally obtained after a one year course of
study, which is a normal period of time to obtain a Commercial Pilot Licence.
A Degree, however, will require at least three years of ground study, and
only produce the same practical qualifications as a Diploma course. This
is a poor option as the delay in obtaining qualifications (an additional
two to two-and-a-half years could make you ineligible for entry to the airlines).
The Degree qualification will make little (if any) difference to career prospects,
as the industry is primarily concerned with practical experience rather than
educational qualifications. A candidate completing a 12-month Diploma course
of study will have around 1500 hours flying experience by the time the candidate
undertaking the Degree course finishes with around 200 hours experience.
The Diploma candidate is ready to apply for an airline job while the Degree
student is looking for work in general aviation.
If you would like to obtain a Degree qualification then you can complete
studies for this part time by correspondence after completing a Diploma.
This is by far the preferred option if you would like a Degree as you receive
the benefits of working in the industry and building up experience as quickly
as possible, while still obtaining a Degree in the long run.
Courses
Private Pilot Licence: The course offers flight training right from admission
level to obtaining of licence. The three to six-month course gives 60 hours
of flying time. Completion of this programme allows a person to become a
pilot in command of a single engine aircraft carrying passengers or cargo.
Commercial Pilot Licence: This is an 18-month course that offers an in-depth
study of aerodynamics, weight and balance control, advanced aircraft systems,
aviation regulation, manoeuvres and high performance aircraft training. It
requires 250 hours of flying.
A licence holder can become the captain of a single engine aircraft. The
licence issued is valid internationally. The pilot can be employed in government
and civil airlines or in private airlines. He is also eligible to become
an officer under the Ministry of Civil Aviation and has a host of career
opportunities.
Instrument rating course: This course includes instrument navigation, instrument
cross-country flight and instrument emergency procedures. It provides skills
necessary for flying in instrument meteorological conditions or in the clouds.
It equips a pilot with precision flying skills in an increasingly complex
air traffic system.
Multi-engine rating course: The course covers aerodynamics, systems, and
procedures. The focus is on multi-engine air work and single engine operation
of a conventional twin-engine airplane. It will give pilots a host of practical
skills and equip them with a thorough knowledge of aircraft systems.
Assistant flight instructor course: It covers various theories of instruction
and advanced teaching methodologies combined with real flight instruction.
Aircraft mechanics
They are responsible for keeping airplanes in top working condition to ensure
the safety of passengers. They perform regularly scheduled maintenance, repair
parts and carry out inspections.
Air traffic managers
Also known as airport tower managers, they control airplane movements from
control centres to ensure the safety of the crew, passengers and people at
the airport. They regulate commercial airline flights according to government
and company procedures.
Air traffic managers specialise in analysing flight factors like weather
reports, fuel requirements and maps to determine the best air routes. Providing
runway reports to direct aeroplanes to proper landing positions is one of
their main tasks. They also brief the crew before the flight and maintain
contact with pilots during the flight to communicate condition changes for
departure and arrival.
Once you've got your education, you'll be comfortable in the cockpit and
you better be, considering the fact most pilots spend about 75 hours a month
airborne.
Find out if a career in the clouds is the launching pad for a lifestyle by
exploring aviation schools today!