Does India have too few or too many pilots? | Business Matters | The Hindu

Is there a bright future for aviation pilots? On the one hand, we have headlines that said that there is an oversupply of pilots and there is joblessness and then, there is significant optimism on the part of planemakers who say that the aviation market is about to explode.

Where does India stand? Can artificial intelligence replace pilots?

Script and presentation: K. Bharat Kumar
Videography: Thamodharan Bharath
Production: Shibu Narayan

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[tusharsaikhedkar]

I am the one who is really active in Indian aviation and observing the markets and this is what I think.
India right now doesn't have enough pilots if we see the amount of aircrafts that Indian airlines have ordered in the past months and years.
But at the current rate at which we are churning CPL holders they will saturate the job market soon.
Thing to keep in mind is that most the aircrafts which are ordered won't be delivered overnight most will keep getting delivered till 2035.

Airline market is extremely sensitive to market forces, if countries growth rate slows or any of the parameters takes a hit these orders will be delayed or cancelled upto a certain extent.

CPL on an average takes 40-50L and this just the basic. Upon this type rating and airlines training costs are other expenses easily grossing over 80L.

[Rororourboat]

They are just beating around the bush, not giving a conclusion.

[rajasekharlakkoju]

#Weekly quiz
Auto pilot mode - It will programmed to drive in the predefined path or air line, which may not take the decision like AI decisive control through various sensors, etc..,
AI pilot mode/control -
Which is programmed and using machine learning to analyse the situation to make decision based on the data had. But couldn't make any empathy decision only clinical decisions.

[suryanarayananneelakantan]

Sir, a vital point - a mere CPL cannot fetch employment as airlines may not like to invest in specific type training, only to have the pilot move for greener shores. A CPL has to be prepared to invest 25-30 L in type rating to become employable.... Good to start with an overall 75-90 L budget for CPL and type rating.

[diptarupray]

Would you board a flight knowing the aircraft is wholly operated by AI and there are no pilots in cockpit ? AI can fly an aircraft and might be capable of handling emergency situation at its highest degree but the catch is if there is false malfunction warning, The AI will tangle itself up. There can some operations in distress situation which can only be handled by an organic intelligence and not by AI, bcoz AI will only follow a set of SOPs which is fed into it. As a pilot myself, I think there is little to no chance of AI taking control over Pilots, ofcourse it can aid a Pilot for a much more safer flying experience but in longer run too I dont think AI is taking over. Cheers ! Happy Landings !

[annmariyathomas]

I believe there are people who dream to become a pilot but can't afford the fees. Will there any solution for this?

[akhil_joshi]

So with autopilot, the main idea is to control and aid pilots so that they don't have to manually control the plane for lets say the entire flight time likely during cruise and the main idea for autopilot is to follow the speed altitude and vectors given and input by the pilots . however with ai, this may lead to decision making done by the ai and does work automatically and has its own "mind as such"

[anbarasanvenkatesan]

Firstly, no one would onboard if they come to know AI will fly the flight!!!!
That's the end...No point in talking about this 😅

[hamidalam]

why there isn't any INDIAN INSTITUTE OF AVIATION AND PILOTS

[hopeasha]

I think ai will replace pilots. But not in immediate future but 50 yrs later. Or atleast cockpit will be reduced to one pilot cockpit instead of two

[aruntrivedi]

AI in aviation: It denotes application of Judgmental intelligence by Machine learning from previous sorties to fly an aircraft.

Auto Pilot: It denotes the flying of an aircraft in Auto mode but all the data regarding the same is fed by an human. Moreover decision making is not available. Main function like Take-off & Landing need human factor.

[Kim-ejxm]

Some ministers are saying that Indians are unemployable as they don't have relevant skills

[Antony_Shamarjit_Lee]

The question is: Does India need more pilots? the answer is simple "yes".


I think DGCA has many variables: like age factor, medical conditions, inexperience etc.

As avaiation Industry is growing, India needs more men power in that sector. For that India needs to teach some people.

The staggering question is: how many government institutions are in India that make a pilot ? Except for military purpose, there is _none_ .

Only son/daughter of rich/wealthy people can get training in private flying schools. So, isn't it discriminatory?

I think it's the high time for government to setup institutions that train civilian pilots, at least through public-private partnership.

Yes, it's true that the training course for each pilot will cost huge amount government money. But government can provide a loan to candidates and make it mandatory to payback such loans after getting a job.

It'll be win-win situation for all. The talented youth will get job, as well as government will get revenue by building human capital in long run.

[RohitWRoy]

Successfully wasted 8 and half a minute. Garbage analysis!

[dhruvbonavate]

Worst aviation analysis. Not expected from a source like The Hindu. This is what happens when you make people read scripts