Pilot and Airhostess

The aviation industry is synonymous with the words pilot and airhostess. However, Shubha Subbaraman discovers that there is more to this field than meets the eye

CONQUERING the skies is a dream for many,and the glamour and opportunity that the aviation industry offers has indeed made a career in this sector irresistible.The surge in the Indian economy has led to a major boom in aviation.The Civil Aviation industry predicts 20 to 25 per cent growth in the next ten years.

OPTIONS GALORE

Pilots:
The glamour quotient attached to being a pilot makes it one of the most coveted jobs in aviation. Being a pilot is a dream for many, but reaching there is not easy. Says Rajiv Sharma (name changed), a commercial pilot with a leading airline, “The selection process is tedious. To become a pilot, one needs to enrol with a pilot training school.After that,at first,you need to acquire a Student Pilot Licence (SPL), followed by Private Pilot Licence (PPL),and finally you get the Commercial Pilots Licence (CPL).At each step,there are tests and stipulated flying hours that a pilot has to complete. You also need to go through a complete medical check up. Besides, a pilot must have perfect vision- 6/6.”There are several institutes in India that offer pilot training, but one must ensure that the institute is recognised by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA),Government of India.
The defining characteristic of a pilot is emotional stability, especially in case of an emergency.“Panicking does not help. Presence of mind and self-confidence is your trump card during a crisis,”elucidates Sharma.Apart from confidence, a pilot needs technical proficiency, thorough knowledge of air traffic regulations, navigation, and understanding of meteorological reports.
On obtaining the CPL, a pilot can join any airline as a trainee and based on seniority (calculated on the number of hours of flying experience), you get promoted to pilot or First Officer. You can then go on to become a Commander, Captain, etc. The remuneration offered is subject to seniority and varies according to the airlines.It ranges from Rs 50,000 to one lakh and above per month.

Airhostess/ Steward:

The defining characteristic of many airlines is the quality of the service.To guarantee that passengers return,every journey has to be comfortable for them, and the airhostess plays a key role in ensuring this. Speaking about the role of an air hostess/ steward, Manisha Vardhan, PR Manager, Air Hostess Academy (AHA), says,“They have to make people comfortable on board,help passengers with their problems and ensure that the flight is a pleasant one for all passengers.” To secure a job as an airhostess or steward,you need a diploma or degree in hotel management, tourism management or aviation and hospitality management from a recognised institute.

Aeronautical engineering:

Aeronautical engineering forms the basis of aviation.Right from the stage of designing an aircraft to actually building it to repair work, the engineer is always involved. Aeronautical engineers also conduct research to develop new and improved methods for designing aircrafts. You can opt for the u n d e rg ra d u a te B.Tech and postgraduate M.Tech in Aeronautical Engineering or the four-year AMAESI degree course.There is an increasing demand for aircrafts, thus soliciting the need for aeronautical engineers.

Air Traffic Control:

Air Traffic Control or ATC is a ground job that requires the personnel to guide and direct aircrafts, both in air as well as on ground. There are more than a thousand aircrafts flying daily. With such a huge volume of air traffic, ATC forms a crucial part of aviation, by supervising air traffic and ensuring that aircrafts maintain safe distance from each other. Major areas of work include airport control, keeping a watch and organising the runway for take offs and landings, communication with pilots, location of other aircraft in air, sharing navigation information, etc. Pre-requisites to become an air traffic controller include a class 12 or graduate with a good hold over math and science.There is an entrance exam to get into this field.

Reservations/ service staff:

“Today, there are several airlines that have outsourced this work to BPOs,”says Rakesh Shetty (name changed), who works at the reservation desk of a reputed international airline,“Nevertheless,there are passenger problems that need to be catered to at the airport.” Needless to say,like any other customer service job, you need a pleasing personality, good communication skills,and a proficiency over English and the local language. “Not all your passengers will be well versed with English.So knowing the regional language becomes important,” says Shetty. You also need knowledge of computers. It is important to have formal training to get into aviation.The industry is likely to create 30,000 extra jobs by 2010 - an estimate that does not include ground jobs! With this growing demand, the sky is literally the limit to secure a promising future in this field.

INSTITUTES

Avalon Aviation Academy, Mumbai

IITC

Blue Diamond Aviation, Pune www.bdapune.com Asiatic International Aviation Academy, Indore. www.aeroasia.co.in

Academy Of Aerospace & Aviation, Indore.www.aaaindore.com

Indian Institute of Aeronautical Engineering & Information Technology, Hyderabad www.iiaeit.org

Indian Institute of Science www.iisc.ernet.in

Indira Gandhi Rashtra Udyaan Academy (IGRUA), Uttar Pradesh

Flytech Aviation Academy, Andhra Pradesh. www.flytechaviation.com

Frankfinn Institute. www.fiatfrankfinn.com

Air Hostess Academy. www.airhostess academy.com