CM Bhagwant Singh Mann envisions Punjab as hub of aviation industry in coming years; Holds interaction with aircraft engineers at Patiala Flying Club

PATIALA(The Uttam Hindu): Declaring that the era of aviation being a playground only for the wealthy is over, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday outlined an ambitious roadmap to position Punjab as a major hub of the aviation industry in the coming years. Interacting with aircraft engineers and trainees at the Patiala Flying Club, the Chief Minister said the Punjab Government is building a robust aviation ecosystem by providing quality, affordable and world-class training aligned with industry needs, enabling children of farmers, shopkeepers and teachers to dream of careers once considered out of reach.

Emphasising that his government’s focus is to create job givers rather than job seekers, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann Mann said the upcoming Aviation Museum at Patiala will not only preserve India’s flying heritage but also inspire a new generation to look skyward and aim higher.

Interacting with aircraft engineers here on Saturday, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that he was elated to be here amongst all the students taking training from this prestigious institute for a dialogue session here at Patiala Flying Club with 32 trainee pilots and 72 students from Patiala Aircraft Maintenance Engineering College. “Among the 32 trainee pilots, most belong to the first generation in their families entering the aviation sector. In private institutes, it costs ₹40–45 lakh to become a commercial pilot, while at the Patiala Flying Club, there is about a 50% subsidy, reducing the fee to ₹22–25 lakh,” said the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister said that with a reduction of fee by nearly ₹20 lakh, students from ordinary households like shopkeepers, teachers, farmers, clerks and others can now dream of becoming pilots. “An Aviation Museum is being established at the Patiala Aviation Complex at a cost of ₹7 crore. And this museum will showcase MiG aircraft, second-generation helicopters, simulators, and aviation heritage, providing valuable knowledge to students and the public,” he said.

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that it aims to inspire school students and youth to pursue aviation adding that on this occasion, the Department of Civil Aviation’s new website dca.punjab.gov.in has also been launched.

The Chief Minister said that Patiala State Aviation Council, Punjab aims to give every child a chance to fulfill their dream of flying high in the sky. “For decades, training to become a pilot was possible only for the very wealthy, but with government support and subsidies, Punjab has broken this barrier through the Patiala Flying Club. The Flying Club was established in 1965 and spans 253 acres, making it one of the largest aviation training campuses in India,” he noted.

He said that the Patiala Flying Club ranks seventh nationwide and the club currently operates seven training aircraft including five single-engine planes, two Multi-engine planes and one Tecnam P2006T (newly added, purchased from Italy for ₹5 crore). “The facilities include night landing capability at Patiala airfield and training experience at Amritsar International Airport. The career in aviation is not limited to becoming a pilot as many students want to work in aviation but not necessarily as pilots,” he added.

For them, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Punjab Government offers affordable technical education at Patiala Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) College, which runs India’s most economical AME and B.Sc (Hons) programs.

The Chief Minister said that the 3-year B.Sc (Hons.) + 3-year Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)-approved AME program costs only ₹3 lakh in total whereas in other states, the same course costs ₹5–8 lakh. “33% of seats are reserved for SC and BC students thereby ensuring that new vistas in this field are opened for the common man,” he stated.

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that it is a matter of immense pride and satisfaction that more than 4,000 trained professionals from the Patiala Flying Club and College are working in major companies, earning an average starting salary of ₹1.5 lakh per month.

The Chief Minister said that key Indian airlines like IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, and SpiceJet, general aviation firms like Tecnam, Boeing, and VSR Aviation, charter companies and MRO organizations like the Adani Group and other flying clubs, where they serve as flight instructors are the main employers for the students of this prestigious institute. “The focus of his government is to ensure that youth become job givers instead of job seekers. This is the need of hour to carve out a progressive and prosperous Punjab by proactive involvement of the youth,” he asserted.

Extending good wishes to the students for their bright and prosperous future, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann expressed hope that they will carve a niche for themselves in the coming days. He exhorted the youth to stay grounded and believe in hard work as it is the sole key to success adding that there was a lot of scope of progress and prosperity on this land.

The Chief Minister urged the youth to carve out their own identity and strive to leave their mark in society, reminding them that the sky's the limit.