EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR CPL HOLDERS

1. The first question which any person aspiring to become a commercial pilot asks is availability of job opportunities for CPL holders, particularly in India and more particularly because of a large number of unemployed CPL holders.  Whether under the prevailing circumstances it will be wise and judicious decision to pursue the career in the field of civil aviation.

2. One has to look back, not very far in the living memory to appreciate the changes which have taken place in the field of Civil Aviation.  Aircraft have become more sophisticated, air travel have become more (highly) affordable (mainly attributable to advancement in technology which lead to development of larger and fuel efficient aircraft and increase in income of a large chunk of population.  There is considerable improvement in infrastructure to support the growth of civil aviation.  The technology is still and ever advancing.  Present global economic is a harsh reality.  Though the Indian economy did manage to maintain an impressive growth rate, second only to China and avoided recession, it did not remain untouched and unaffected, mainly because no economy is insulated and functions in isolation.  Sometime around 2004-05, Indian Civil Aviation Sector experienced an unprecedented growth and expansion.  It recorded a growth rate of more than 20% which was a mismatch with GDP growth rate of around 7% and logically unsustainable and needed a trigger and catalyst to initiate the collapse.  Spiraling fuel prices (reaches US$ 150 for a barrel of crude) around mid 2008 did exactly that.  Boom in the Indian Civil Aviation sector collapsed like a house of cards and the airline passenger traffic started recording a negative growth.  Now the fuel prices have stabilized to a level which is favourable to airline industry but the damage has already been done and the vulnerability of the industry has been exposed.  One is compelled to think about the future of the industry and think many a times before taking a plunge.  Our answer is clear and emphatic ‘YES’ for the reasons given below:

3. It is a fact that there are a large number of unemployed pilots but civil aviation sector has never seen a phase of “total employment”.  There have always been unemployed pilots and would continue to be so.  The most significant reason for t his is that every person holing a CPL does not automatically get entitled to become an airline pilot.  Flying a modern airline costing more than Rs.500 crores and carrying more than 200 passengers needs very high skills and sound professional knowledge acquired through a structured training programme with the help of very qualified flying and ground training instructors.  Unfortunately a large number of pilots train and educate in rudimentary and make shift facilities, quite often leaving them unprepared to enter a profession which is highly demanding.

4. In the year 2004-05 when the Indian aviation industry was facing acute shortage of pilots, Govt. of India took two policy decisions as a short term measure to ease the situation.  The first one was to allow expat pilots to fly in the Indian Carriers and the second one was to extend the retirement age of the pilots from 60 to 65 years.  Now a fresh deadline has been set for removal of all expat pilots by mid 2010.  Thus creating a vacancy for approximately  1000 fresh recruitments and also by mid 2010 the pilots flying on the extended age limit would start retiring, thus creating opportunities for fresh recruitments.  This can lead to recruitment upto 1500 – 2000 pilots.

5. Indian carriers are running in heavy losses.  Recent studies have shown that all airlines except for “SPICEJET”, “INDIGO” and “PARAMOUNT AIRWAYS” are running in losses and are rapidly bleeding to the point of “no recovery”.  A recent detailed study and analysis published in the Business Standard (given elsewhere in the website) clearly spells out that the reasons are not expensive fuel, poor load factors or heavy tax structure but because of wrong business models being followed by them.  The loss making airlines lead by Air India, Jet Airways and Kingfisher are reconsolidating and restructuring with shift of emphasis to budget flying and were strengthening that arm.  It is expected that by restructuring their business models and serious efforts to restructure their overseas operations, the airlines will make a turn around and spin a new orientation to the Indian Civil Aviation industry.  Aviation is ever evolving.  There are airlines which have defied the global economic crisis and have gone ahead with large scale aircraft acquisition.  They are spread in USA, Europe and Asia.  India entrepreneurs are known for their acumen and skills and are recognized globally for this.  There is awareness about civil aviation at the highest level in the Government and also in the masses. 

6. Running airlines and associated activities are complex processes and require not only imagination but a very-very strong determination to succeed.  Success is not often but always result of blend of imagination, drive, innovation and are built on pillars of experimentation.  India is India and is unique.  It innovates, develops and sustains its own business models which is driven by a simple fact that its economy is not dependent upon earnings from exports and repatriation from abroad but 80% of it is driven by the domestic market.  To have a vibrant flourishing airline industry only a small (microscopic) percentage of the population have to migrate from conventional means of travel to air.  Airline manufacturers all over the world have seen the future and have predicted that in next 10 years.  India will be needing atleast 1000 aircraft in next 10 years (Hindustan Times Delhi – scanned copy given somewhere else in the website).  For each aircraft to be optimally utilized there is a need of atleast 11 pilots.  One does not have to be a mathematical wizard to do the calculation.  India will need a large number of trained and motivated pilots.  The present slump is a very temporary phenomenon.  What are you waiting for?

Wg. Cdr. A Prasad
Director
Sarah Aviation