The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Aviation Academy to buy Czech aircraft

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Saturday, Oct 18, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Aviation Academy to buy Czech aircraft

Talks on for making executive planes in A.P.

Evektor’s 2-seater aircraft priced at Rs. 50 lakh
Training school to have an intake of 50 students

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Aviation Academy is planning to acquire at least a couple of two-seater aircraft from Eevektor- Aerotechnik, a Czech company, to impart training to pilots. It is also in discussions with the firm for producing four and 12-seater executive planes in the capital.

According to Captain S.N. Reddy, CEO of the Academy, the advantage of the Evektor’s two-seater training aircraft was its low fuel consumption and the fact that the plane was available at Rs.50 lakh.

He said that preliminary discussions were held with the company officials on producing the executive aircraft. “They are very positive about it as their cost of production has increased in Czech Republic due to high labour costs” he added. The two-seater aircraft, ‘Sport Star Plus’, was on static display at the air show on Friday.

Flight instructor

Barney Fernandes, principal of Australian Flight Instructor Training School and Indian representative of Evektor- Aerotechnik, said that he in association with Pune-based Blue Diamond Aviation, would provide pilot training in India. CEO of Blue Diamond Aviation A.D.Chibbar, said the training school would have an intake of 50 students, who after an initial three months of learning here would go to Australia for training for 11 months.

The course for the first batch would start next month and the cost of the training was Rs.2.5 lakh per student.

Mr Barney lamented that there was a shortage of flight instructors in India though there were many flying schools. He planned to improve pilot training standards in the country.

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