Flying high: A Cessna 172

Jan. 22: The Assam Flying Club is set to soar higher, with the addition of a brand new Cessna 172 aircraft to its repertoire.

The club, which has the distinction of being the only aero club in the Northeast, already possesses a fleet comprising a Cessna 152 and a Pushpak MK-1 aircraft.

Moreover, the club has also placed a Rs 10-crore plan for its upgrade before the North Eastern Council.

“The club will soon get a new look with a new aircraft and its plans for upgrading,” said the honorary secretary of the club, Jatin Borchetia.

Borchetia added that the Cessna 172, a four-seater and a single-engine airplane, is probably the most popular flight training aircraft in the world.

The plane would be procured through the Aero Club of India, of which the Assam unit is an affiliated member.

The Cessna 172 was supposed to arrive by the end of last year, but could not because of some problems.

“We are told that the plane will arrive within the next couple of months,” Borchetia said.

He said the Aero Club of India would procure 22 Cessna 172 aircraft, of which one would be dispatched to the Assam Flying Club.

The flying club is located at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Borjhar.

At present, a 10-member batch of students is undergoing training at the club, which was revived after a gap of nearly 18 years. The batch has already cleared the 90-days ground classes.

The students will now appear for a test to be conducted by the director general of civil aviation to obtain a student pilot licence (SPL).

As soon as the students clear the test, they would have to obtain a private pilot’s licence (PPL), which requires 60 hours of flying experience.

Borchetia said the civil aviation ministry has also decided to restore the club’s authority to issue a commercial pilot’s licence, considered as the USP of any flying club.

The club had lost this distinction in 1988 because it lacked an experienced instructor.

The club now has L.R. Bora, former regional director of the Airports Authority of India, as the chief ground instructor.

“We also have few a air force officials providing basic tips to the students now and then,” the official said. “The entire set-up would get a facelift as soon as the NEC clears our proposal.”

The official said the members of the flying club met the NEC officials in November and were asked to submit a plan.