New ‘pilot factory’ to become operational soon

KARACHI: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is in the process of establishing the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Flight Academy in Benazirabad (formerly Nawabshah), a PIA spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The academy is being established with the aim of producing exceptional commercial pilots, who will make professional cockpit crew for the PIA and other airlines.
The PIA would use modern training aids, such as simulators, computer-based training, models and actual aircraft instruments for training purposes.
The training academy would be functional as soon as the maintenance hanger is completed. Moreover, all the engineering facilities would be shifted and available for the academy. Until then, the flying operations would be undertaken from Karachi.
This academy is a part of the process undertaken by the government for the development of Sindh and its people.
“It is being politicised by the opponents because it is named after the great leader Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto”, the spokesperson said. It is for this reason that the airline is facing hurdles in establishing the academy in Benazirabad.
“Two Cessna 172N aircraft have been acquired from Pakistan Air Force (PAF) through the Defence Ministry via a legal tender procedures approved by the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority and Transparency International Pakistan.”
The PIA has saved valuable foreign exchange by acquiring these aircraft from within the country from the best available and professional organisation, the PAF. Acquiring two more well-maintained aircraft from the PAF is also in process.
The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) has been cooperative regarding the maintenance work of the aircraft. The training will be conducted by PCAA-certified flight instructors.
Future planning: The Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Flight Academy is being established with the aim of producing exceptional commercial pilots who will make professional cockpit crew for the PIA and other airlines. The PIA would use modern training aids, such as simulators, computer-based training, models and actual aircraft instruments for training purposes
This academy is a part of the process undertaken by the government for the development of Sindh and its people
* The PIA has saved valuable foreign exchange by acquiring these aircraft from within the country from the best available and professional organisation, the Pakistan Air Force.