IAF pilots resign to join airlines

[SBD-3]

New Delhi, INDIA - The Indian Air Force continues to haemorrhage from the exodus of its pilots seeking the much-greener pastures of civil aviation sector, which promises more stable and lucrative careers for them.

"Around 101 IAF pilots have applied for grant of premature retirement (PMR) during the last one year," defence minister A K Antony told Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

"The broad reasons furnished by the applicants for grant of PMR are supersession, lack of career progression and medical/compassionate grounds," he added.

As reported by TOI earlier, over 500 IAF pilots have ditched their uniforms to join the civil arena since 2002. Worried at this exodus, IAF has been forced to "tighten controls" on "premature release" of its pilots but is still around 300 pilots short of its total sanctioned strength of 3,278 pilots, half of whom are into active operational flying.

IAF does not have much of a problem if pilots who have put in over 20 years leave the force but is extremely reluctant to part with those who are younger.

Source: The Times of India

 

[RobbieS]

News items like these are a slap on the face pf peaceniks who demand cuts in defence spending. The IAF needs frequent increases in salaries to keep up with the salaries in the private sector. So an increase in the defence budget is the definite answer to prevent IAF pilots from joining the private sector.

 

[nitesh28]

it only goes to prove that in india pp have better alternatives than just the army

 

[Imran Khan]

let them do yaar there is much more youngs who wanna join IAF. dont make any news as toll .

 

[baker]

i dont think IAF pay is less , AFAIK IAF pay is much more than other armed divisions

please check the below pay details from IAF site..

if this amount is not enough to serve the country please go out , many are waiting out side

RANK Gross Monthly Emoluments
Flight Lieutenant Rs 41, 358 /-
Squadron Leader Rs 48, 324/-
Wing Commander Rs 66, 612/-
Group Captain Rs 71, 722/-
Air Commodore Rs 75, 081/-

Note:- Monthly Flying Pay admissible to different ranks are as follows :-

RANK Flying Pay
Flying Officer Rs 9,000 /-
Flight Lieutenant Rs 11,000 /-
Squadron Leader Rs 14,000/-
Wing Commander Rs 14,000/-
Group Captain Rs 14,000/-
Air Commodore & above Rs 10,500/-

Similarly, Technical Allowance for Tier-I course is Rs 2000/- Per Month and for Tier-II course Rs 3000/- Per Month.

source IAF site
Indian Air Force : Career Opportunities

 

[brahmastra]

they want to quit because IAF is short of planes. So,when you give 'table job' to a fighter pilot, who dreamed to fly planes from the childhood, then he is not happy.

so, the solution to this problem as bigger level is not to hike salary but to induct more planes.



what you guys think!

 

[RobbieS]

i dont think IAF pay is less , AFAIK IAF pay is much more than other armed divisions

please check the below pay details from IAF site..

if this amount is not enough to serve the country please go out , many are waiting out side


source IAF site
Indian Air Force : Career Opportunities

I know these are good salaries, but they still don't compare with salaries offered by airlines, especially the international ones.

The international airlines pay upwards of Rs. 1.5 lacs per month to a pilot. And given that most ex-IAF pilots are well experienced having logged 1000s of flying hours and join at captain or commander level, their salaries come out to be above Rs. 2.5 lacs. IAF cant compete with that!

 

[Windjammer]

Fighter pilots defect as airlines take fight to Air Force camp.
Economic Times (New Delhi, India) | Copyright

Nov. 21--NEW DELHI -- The fight among airlines to beat the heat of pilot shortage has now entered the next level! Cockpits of commercial airlines are now increasingly being manned by fighter pilots.

Thanks to fatter pay packets, added perks and higher retirement age offered by commercial carriers, an increasing number of airforce pilots are joining the party of private airlines. And why not, it's hard to resist an offer where the compensation is 7-8 times higher. After all, money matters!

According to the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation

 

[baker]

I know these are good salaries, but they still don't compare with salaries offered by airlines, especially the international ones.

The international airlines pay upwards of Rs. 1.5 lacs per month to a pilot. And given that most ex-IAF pilots are well experienced having logged 1000s of flying hours and join at captain or commander level, their salaries come out to be above Rs. 2.5 lacs. IAF cant compete with that!

IAF dont want to compete with private airliners ,and it is not possible also..

but for an IAF officer
1:has good govt apartment
2:free travel across india [for family members also]
3:Education for children
4:post retirement benefits

whatever they are earning is can be directly put in to savings , that other private employees cant do...

and above all...

the feeling of fighting for the country , can this private sectors can offer

 

[deckingraj]

IAF dont want to compete with private airliners ,and it is not possible also..

but for an IAF officer
1:has good govt apartment
2:free travel across india [for family members also]
3:Education for children
4:post retirement benefits

whatever they are earning is can be directly put in to savings , that other private employees cant do...

and above all...

the feeling of fighting for the country , can this private sectors can offer

I agree with your overall point but we all know how the world is changing...Sad but true motivation cannot be the only deciding factor to join IAF...I am very much excited about defense sector but if someone offers me a job at much lower perks than what i can get elsewhere i might not be inclined to join it......Now in such times IAF should do whatever it can to make the job offer lucrative...after all they need young guns and keep the experienced one's...

 

[baker]

I agree with your overall point but we all know how the world is changing...Sad but true motivation cannot be the only deciding factor to join IAF...I am very much excited about defense sector but if someone offers me a job at much lower perks than what i can get elsewhere i might not be inclined to join it......Now in such times IAF should do whatever it can to make the job offer lucrative...after all they need young guns and keep the experienced one's...

those who are looking for bigger salary why need to join IAF and spoil others opportuniy
i beleive IAF clearly mentioned about their carrer hierarchy and what will be the max salary they will get at each level... if they are not satisfied why to join

Armed focrces are not like IT companies where switching the compay after getting 2-3 years experience

 

[deckingraj]

those who are looking for bigger salary why need to join IAF and spoil others opportuniy
i beleive IAF clearly mentioned about their carrer hierarchy and what will be the max salary they will get at each level... if they are not satisfied why to join

Armed focrces are not like IT companies where switching the company after getting 2-3 years experience

I again agree with your point...However the point to be noted is that its hardly been a decade since Indian Private sector(especially in aviation sector) has become that lucrative..and things are improving more and more there...as an after effect we are finding IAF pilots taking early retirement to join private sectors....


Secondly we are giving all the special treatments to IAF people for some reason(as you mentioned in your earlier post)...What need of the hour is to make it more lucrative...after all salaray is one of the deciding factors while choosing a career and if the difference between private and IAF is huge then can cause some serious damage in the future...As said before world is changing and IAF cannot bet on motivation alone to tap the cream...what say?

 

[baker]

I again agree with your point...However the point to be noted is that its hardly been a decade since Indian Private sector(especially in aviation sector) has become that lucrative..and things are improving more and more there...as an after effect we are finding IAF pilots taking early retirement to join private sectors....


Secondly we are giving all the special treatments to IAF people for some reason(as you mentioned in your earlier post)...What need of the hour is to make it more lucrative...after all salaray is one of the deciding factors while choosing a career and if the difference between private and IAF is huge then can cause some serious damage in the future...As said before world is changing and IAF cannot bet on motivation alone to tap the cream...what say?

i got ur point...

if that is the case we are facing problems in all sectors....

bcz of the glamour of IT companies how many willing to join our prestigious DRDO or ISRO

to be frankly being a engineer my self i didnt try those exams..

we can not stop the flow of MNCs to india , bcz they will come to india till 1 USD=40-50rs

one think we can do is from the primary level it self our curriculum should contain the activities of DRDO and ISRO and their achievements , their importance.. so automatically our young generation will come with dream of joining our Govt Establishments.

 

[Veer]

Fighter pilots defect as airlines take fight to Air Force camp.
Economic Times (New Delhi, India) | Copyright

Nov. 21--NEW DELHI -- The fight among airlines to beat the heat of pilot shortage has now entered the next level! Cockpits of commercial airlines are now increasingly being manned by fighter pilots.

Thanks to fatter pay packets, added perks and higher retirement age offered by commercial carriers, an increasing number of airforce pilots are joining the party of private airlines. And why not, it's hard to resist an offer where the compensation is 7-8 times higher. After all, money matters!

According to the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation

Fighter pilots defect as airlines take fight to Air Force camp.
Economic Times (New Delhi, India) | November 21, 2006 | COPYRIGHT 2006 The Economic Times.

You are posting a 4 year old news, grow up dude.

Yeah IAF is facing this situation but it will soon change because:

1.) There airlines are facing tough times, like Japan airlines get bankruptrecently.

2.) Even when the Airlines business will back on track, there is a limit till which they can induct new pilots. Soon theya are gona saturated.

3.) There is gap in demand and supply as there is going to increase in the supply of pilots because of 5 Aeroparks coming up in India these will be less distraction for these guys.

4.) Also the rural or middle class youth who wants to serve the nation will get a better chance when we will have more pilot training academies domestically.

5.) As always there is a angel of babugiri also. The bureaucrats and red tape discourages the IAF pilots.

6.) As govt. is going ton take several steps the cause of IAF will be sorted out.

 

[deckingraj]

i got ur point...

if that is the case we are facing problems in all sectors....

bcz of the glamour of IT companies how many willing to join our prestigious DRDO or ISRO

to be frankly being a engineer my self i didnt try those exams..

we can not stop the flow of MNCs to india , bcz they will come to india till 1 USD=40-50rs

one think we can do is from the primary level it self our curriculum should contain the activities of DRDO and ISRO and their achievements , their importance.. so automatically our young generation will come with dream of joining our Govt Establishments.

Bingo..your bolded part is absolutely correct....We need to tell our youngsters about the great achievements of your defense organizations and the potential they can offer to them....Apart from that we need to ensure that people in defense sector are not left out when it comes to economic stability....