The Hindu : National : ISRO chief says an Aeronautics Commission is needed

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Sunday, Jul 30, 2006

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ISRO chief says an Aeronautics Commission is needed

K. Manikandan

`There is an acute shortage of specialists'

— Photo : A. Muralitharan

CONSOLIDATING R&D: G. Madhavan Nair (left), chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation, at the general council meeting of the Aeronautical Society of India at the Madras Institute of Technology, Chromepet, Chennai, on Saturday. Ashok Bhushan, secretary-general of the society and A. Joseph Stanley, head of the department beside him.

TAMBARAM: Pointing out that there was an acute shortage of specialists, be it pilots or aircraft engineers in the aeronautics sector, G. Madhavan Nair, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation, on Saturday said there was a need to constitute an Aeronautics Commission in the country.

Talking to The Hindu after presiding over a General Council meeting of the Aeronautical Society of India (AeSI), the ISRO chief said the council would recommend the constitution of such a Commission as it was "firmly of the view that research and development activities in this sector had to be consolidated."

Mr. Nair, who is also president of the AeSI, said there was a need for increasing the number of specialists for various operations — pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers or technicians — as there was a serious shortage in these areas. The council was looking at policy guidelines for certifying these people. Its observations were based on a comprehensive report submitted by a committee headed by Kota Harinarayana on the maintenance, repairs and other aircraft operations in the country.

Stating that aircraft utilisation was multiplying manifold in the country, Mr. Nair said attention had to be paid towards aircraft manufacture. The council was planning a brain storming session in these areas in the subsequent meetings. "Some aspects of aircraft-related manufacturing in the country have a lot of potential. Industries working in this field would be brought together in the next meeting in a couple of months," he said.

Asked whether the plans would benefit only the commercial players, he said the idea was to generate a good base for aeronautics related research and development and human resource development in the country and to synthesise the efforts of all institutions associated in this field.

The meeting was held at the Department of Aerospace Engineering of the Madras Institute of Technology, Chromepet. People from the industry, scientists and those from research and educational institutions also took part.

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