New Delhi: The very real threat of the US flight safety regulator downgrading Indian aviation has forced the government to hire full-time pilots from commercial airlines for the grossly-understaffed directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) as flight operations inspectors (FOI).
Ten serving pilots — senior ones of the rank of instructor and examiners — are being taken on contract for a year at a monthly pay of Rs 10 lakh-12 lakh. An equal number of pilots grounded due to medical reasons or being over 65 years of age (maximum age of a commercial pilot) will be hired on a monthly pay of Rs 3-5 lakh.
These 20 FOIs — the regulator's costliest hires ever — will join DGCA's flight standards directorate. This is the first time that instead of taking pilots on deputation — and hence leading to charges of conflict of interest — the government decided to hire pilots full-time for the DGCA at market rates.
26/11/13 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
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Ten serving pilots — senior ones of the rank of instructor and examiners — are being taken on contract for a year at a monthly pay of Rs 10 lakh-12 lakh. An equal number of pilots grounded due to medical reasons or being over 65 years of age (maximum age of a commercial pilot) will be hired on a monthly pay of Rs 3-5 lakh.
These 20 FOIs — the regulator's costliest hires ever — will join DGCA's flight standards directorate. This is the first time that instead of taking pilots on deputation — and hence leading to charges of conflict of interest — the government decided to hire pilots full-time for the DGCA at market rates.
26/11/13 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
