Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu inaugurated the Orient Flights Aviation Academy in Kurnool, announcing plans to establish an aviation ecosystem and increase flight connectivity.
Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu has announced that the Centre is working towards developing Andhra Pradesh as an aviation hub, with a focus on building a complete ecosystem covering pilot training, maintenance, ground operations, and airport management. The minister made this announcement during the inauguration of the Orient Flights Aviation Academy, the State’s first Flight Training Organisation (FTO), at Kurnool Airport. According to the minister, the number of airports in the country has increased from 74 in 2014 to about 166 currently, and steps are being taken to increase the number and capacity of FTOs, particularly in rural and remote areas. Kurnool’s operational airport and favourable weather conditions make it suitable for pilot training, with the current academy having three aircraft and plans to expand the fleet to ten. The academy has the capacity to train about 60 students annually. Moreover, the government is promoting drone activities in Kurnool and plans to establish a dedicated DGCA facility for drone testing and certification in the region. Future plans include establishing more FTOs in Andhra Pradesh, including in Kurnool, Kadapa, and Rajahmundry, and an aviation university at Bhogapuram. The minister also mentioned potential measures to increase flight connectivity from Kurnool and provide night-landing facilities at the airport.
Source:
Akashvani News
