Karnataka’s Prestigious Flying School to `Fly’ Again
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

BANGALORE, JUNE 18:  Karnataka’s prestigious flying school, started way back in 1948 by the then Mysore Government soon after Indepedence and closed down since 2006 following a legal hurdle, is set to take wings yet again.

The flying school is located at Jakkur, near Yelahanka about 20 kms from the city and very near to the Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) at Devanahalli in the city outskirts, would be reopened soon and a fresh batch of training programme would commence from the ensuing academic year 2009-10 itself, according to Youth Services and Textiles Minister Gulihatti D Shekar.

Youngsters dreaming of learning flying have more reasons to cheer with the minister’s announcement regarding the Union Civil Aviation Ministry’s consent to offer to aircrafts to the flying school.

The flying school had been closed down in 1997 till November 2003. It was revived again in November 2003 and functioned for a brief while till 2006, without being able to do much as it had barely any staff except a flying instructor. The government sought enlist the help of private sector to run the school but the private-public partnership agreement ran into the rough weather leading to its closure in 2006.

The minister said Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa had given the green signal for reopening the flying school, which also received the support of the UPA regime.

Disclosing that a newly constructed building at the Jakkur would be inaugurated in a few days, he said a panel of experts would be consulted to fix intake of students per batch and the fee.

With the change in the civil aviation scenario, the minister said the demand for pilots was likely to go up. The government was confident of getting sufficient number of students for the flying school following increased demand for pilots.

The school had sufficient infrastructure to commence the classes The Directorate-General of Civil Aviation’s permission has been sought for renewal of licence and appointment of aircraft trainers, he said.

A sum of Rs 15 crore been released for laying a synthetic track in Kanteerava Stadium in the city and other works in preparation for hosting the 10-day national youth sports meet in Bangalore in January next.

Though the national youth sports meet was originally scheduled to be held in November, he said Indian Olympic Association had urged the government to postpone the event till January 2010 as another national level sports event for physically challenged persons is being held in November.

Shekar, who is also handling the textile portfolio in the Yeddyurappa regime, said nearly 20 per cent of small garment units were closed in Bangalore following economic slowdown. As many as 30,000 personnel would be given training in the garment sector in 2009-10, he added.