Lok Sabha Question No. 1684 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-01
Subject: Shortage of Pilots
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Shri V K Sreekandan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION Lok Sabha

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 1684

( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  1st August 2024 )

## SHORTAGE OF PILOTS

## 1684.    SHRI V K SREEKANDAN

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether it is a fact that airline fleet of 700 aircrafts of country could double by the financial year 2030 and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether it is also a fact that there is a need of stronger aviation ecosystem to brace for fleet doubling in 5-6 years and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is aware of the issue of shortage of pilots which is likely to increase by 15% more due to the new norms laid down by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation recently and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (d) whether it is true that according to the anticipated growth of the aviation industry in the country skill shortages could arise across the ecosystem particularly with respect to technicians and engineers; and (e) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken in this regard?

ANSWER

## Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION      (Shri Murlidhar Mohol)

- (a) The details of order placed by scheduled airlines is attached as Annexure.;;

(b) and (c) The Government has formulated the National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016 to provide a conducive ecosystem for overall growth of the Indian Aviation Sector, which involves infrastructure development of airports through Greenfield projects as well as under the UDAN scheme.;

;

Further, there is no shortage of Pilots/Crews in the Indian Aviation Sector. However, there is a shortage of commanders on certain types of aircraft and the same is being managed by utilizing foreign pilots by issuing Foreign Aircrew Temporary Authorization (FATA).;;

The number of Commercial Pilot Licenses (CPLs) issued during last five years is as mentioned below-

;

Year                          Issued CPLs;

2019                                 744;

2020                                 578;

2021                                 862;

2022                                1165;

2023                                1622;

2024 (till 17.07.2024)       739

Total                                5710;

;

(d)  and  (e)  DGCA  has  issued  regulation,  CAR-147  (Basic)  -  approved  Basic  maintenance  Training organization. The regulations are in line with international standards of ICAO i.e EASA regulations.

The students on completing training under CAR-147 (Basic) approved institute and on passing the requisite DGCA examinations become eligible for issue of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AME) licence.

Currently, there are 57 AME Training Institutes have been approved by DGCA under CAR-147 (Basic). The estimated supply from AME Training Institute approved under CAR 147(Basic) is around 3500 per year, which is sufficient to cater the demand of Indian civil aviation Industry.;;

The other initiatives taken by the Government for skill development in civil aviation sector include the following:;

(i) In order to augment the supply of trained pilots in the country, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has brought out a liberalised Flying Training Organisation (FTO) policy whereby the concept of airport royalty (revenue share payment by FTOs to AAI) has been abolished and land rentals have been significantly rationalised.;;

(ii) In 2021, after a competitive bidding process, AAI awarded nine FTO slots at five airports at Belagavi (Karnataka),  Jalgaon  (Maharashtra),  Kalaburagi  (Karnataka),  Khajuraho  (Madhya  Pradesh)  and  Lilabari (Assam). In June 2022, under second round of bidding, six FTO slots were awarded by AAI at five airports namely: two slots at Bhavnagar (Gujarat), and one each at Hubballi (Karnataka), Kadappa (Andhra Pradesh), Kishangarh (Rajasthan) and Salem (Tamil Nadu).;

(iii) DGCA has introduced Online-On Demand Examination (OLODE) for the Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AME) and Flying Crew (FC) candidates with effect from November 2021. This facility allows candidates to choose the date and time from the available exam slots.;

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Aircraft orders placed by Major Airlines

| S. No.   | Name of the operator                 | Type of aircraft          |   No. of aircraft ordered | Year   | No. of aircraft already imported as on 30.06.2024   | Tentative timelines for induction       |
|----------|--------------------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|--------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
| 1        | Air India Group                      | A320/A321                 |                       210 | 2023   | 23                                                  | 2023 to 2032                            |
| 1        | Air India Group                      | A350                      |                        40 | 2023   | 6                                                   | 2023 to 2032                            |
| 1        | Air India Group                      | B787                      |                        20 | 2023   | -                                                   | 2025 to 2034                            |
| 1        | Air India Group                      | B777                      |                        10 | 2023   | -                                                   | 2025 to 2034                            |
| 1        | Air India Group                      | B737-8                    |                       190 | 2023   | 22                                                  | 2023 to 2032                            |
| 2        | InterGlobe Aviation Limited (Indigo) | A320 Family               |                       400 | 2015   | 205                                                 | Ongoing                                 |
| 2        | InterGlobe Aviation Limited (Indigo) | A320 Family               |                       300 | 2019   | -                                                   | 2025 onwards                            |
| 2        | InterGlobe Aviation Limited (Indigo) | A320 Family               |                       500 | 2023   | -                                                   | 2030 onwards                            |
| 2        | InterGlobe Aviation Limited (Indigo) | A350                      |                        30 | 2024   |                                                     |                                         |
| 2        | InterGlobe Aviation Limited (Indigo) | ATR 72-212A (600 Version) |                        50 | 2017   | 45                                                  | Ongoing                                 |
| 3        | SNV Aviation Pvt. Ltd. (Akasa Air)   | 13737-8                   |                        76 | 2021   | 23                                                  | Ongoing and will be inducted until 2028 |
| 3        | SNV Aviation Pvt. Ltd. (Akasa Air)   | B737-8                    |                       150 | 2024   | -                                                   | 2027 to 2032                            |
| Total    | Total                                | Total                     |                      1976 |        | 324                                                 |                                         |

Source: Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)

Note:

## Annexure

1.  Aircraft induction by the airline operators would be accompanied with redelivery/export of their existing aircraft in line with expiry of the lease periods. The aircraft induction would therefore cater for increase in airline fleet as well as replacement of existing fleet over the time.
2.  Airline operators would plan/optimize their fleet over the time based on commercial considerations.