Flight training body seeks govt help to resolve shortage of fuel
In the letter dated April 7 sent to civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, the association said the shortage is a threat that will impact the airline industry and policies of the government
The Association of Flight Training Organisations (AFTO) has requested the government’s intervention to resolve what it says is a critical shortage of Avgas (aviation gasoline), linking the crisis to an overall shortage of pilots in the airline industry.
Flight training organisations, FTOs, are flying schools that serve as stepping stones for commercial pilots, helping them chalk up the requisite number of flight time before aviators can apply for first officer roles.
In the letter dated April 7 sent to civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, the association said the shortage is a threat that will impact the airline industry and policies of the government.
“.. while it is true that foreign entities may be able to offer better prices for wholesale volumes to IOC (Indian Oil Corporation), our country’s FTOs are dependent on the continuous supply of Avgas from IOC for smooth operations to create pilots, of whom there is an immense shortage at the moment,” the letter read.
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The Indian Oil Corporation and the civil aviation ministry did not respond to requests for a comment.
“In long runs, airlines’ pilots are produced by FTOs, which have been severely impacted by the shortage of Avgas and it needs immediate attention,” said a former FTO owner.
“Aviation needs to be viewed with at least a three-to-four-year view of the impact and prospects,” he added.
A ministry official, who asked not to be named, said that the government has taken up the matter on priority “and it has already taken it up with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG). The issue is likely to be resolved in a couple of days.”
On September 26, 2022, IOC launched indigenously produced Avgas fuel in the country to ensure uninterrupted supply of economically priced Avgas for India’s FTOs.
The AFTO said that supplies had largely been continuous due to the aviation ministry’s initiative and direct intervention but over the past month, IOC has expressed its inability to supply Avgas to FTOs, citing various reasons for the shortage.
“This is our cause of worry,” a current FTO owner said, asking not to be named.
“Flight schools are grappling with a lot of problems like high insurance costs, increasing costs of spare parts etc. The shortage of fuel or any other critical constituent of training will only worsen the chances of retaining students to train in India. Foreign flight schools don’t have to deal with such issues and offer smooth, time-bound training. Such issues in our country are hurting the Make in India initiative,” another FTO owner said, asking not to be named.
