Govt ready with joystick, club awaits return of drone
Jamshedpur, Feb. 1: Already on revival runway, the Jamshedpur Co-operative Flying Club can now look forward to a smooth take-off.
The three small aircraft and a power glider gathering dust at hangars of Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi would soon be under the possession of the 44-year-old club.
Sources in the aviation department said that Governor Syed Sibtey Razi had initiated steps to make use of the flying machines — three Czech-made Zlin and a power glider —after the imposition of President’s rule.
According to the sources, the governor’s office, in a letter to BIT, Mesra, wanted to know the viability of the proposal submitted by the club about running a programme for trainee pilots.
Manoj Yadav, the club’s joint secretary, said that it was an important development that the governor had taken fresh initiative after the project was put into cold storage. During the tenure of chief minister Madhu Koda, the club proposed to use the Zlin aircraft and power glider for training 25 tribal boys and girls by opening an aviation training academy.
As the management of BIT, Mesra, also sought to take those aircraft for launching an aviation training for a section of its students, the government had found a way and suggested the engineering institute to tie up with the club for jointly running the affair.
In accordance with the directive, an MoU was signed between the two organisations in April last year and it had been agreed upon that BIT aviation engineering students would take the training by coming over to the club, which has three aircraft, but not in flying condition. Moreover, BIT, Mesra, agreed to work with the club as the air traffic control did not give its nod to the institute for starting any aviation training activities in Ranchi.
But, Koda’s successor Shibu Soren wanted to grab the opportunity to take the Zlin aircraft and power glider to Dumka by setting up a flying club there.
However, the project could not be started as director-general of civil aviation did not give permission on the plea that Dumka had neither the proper infrastructure for setting up a flying club nor has the air traffic control there.
Officials of the aviation department said that the proposal to set up a flying club in Dumka had been scrapped due to lack of necessary infrastructure. The flying club in Jamshedpur has all necessary facilities for commercial pilot training, said the officials.
Rahul Kumar Purwar, the secretary of the department of co-operative, confirmed that they were considering the club’s proposal seriously and have sought the technical feasibility on it from BIT, Mesra.
“A letter has been sent to BIT, Mesra, seeking feasibility of the project. A final decision would be taken after the report is submitted by the institute,” said Purwar.
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