"I have conveyed this to the transportation minister. Next year, we will open a pilot academy," President Director of Whitesky Aviation Denon Prawiraatmadja stated here on Thursday.
The academy is expected to absorb unemployed "ab-initio" pilots currently reaching some 800 people.
Ab-initio pilot is one who already has a commercial pilot license but is yet to gain experience in flying commercial aircraft. They only have experience to fly aircraft during the training program.
"The transportation minister has suggested ways to develop the current pilot academy into a helicopter pilot academy," he stated.
The basic flying mechanism of fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft, including helicopter, are different, Prawiraatmadja elaborated.
"Hence, we have to start from the beginning. They already has basic knowledge to fly, but they still need the basic knowledge to fly a helicopter," he stated.
Meanwhile, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi noted that some 800 ab-initio pilots have yet to be absorbed in the aviation industry.
"Helicopter has become an effective support for private and bureaucratic circles, and it has become an urgent need," he stated.
According to Sumadi, unemployed ab-initio pilots have been sent to the Indonesia Flight Academy in Curug, Tangerang, to receive training for one to two years.
"Currently, there some 700 pilots, and we impart further training in Curug for one or two years, so that we can take pilots with better qualification," he added.
Reporting by Juwita Trisna Rahayu
Editing by Sri Haryati, Yoseph
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
