Bhubaneswar: In order to propel higher growth in aviation sector in the State, the Government has set a very ambitious plan to launch Biju Patnaik Aviation Centre (BPAC) in Dhenkanal in a big way and to equip training of at least 500 Pilots every year.
The Government Aviation Training Institute (GATI), which was located near Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA), has shifted to Birasal. The Birsal airstrip, with approval from the Director General of Civil Aviation, started flying trainee aircraft in 2021. The Birasal airstrip is also expected to take care of the east-central aviation map of the state.
So, the Government has decided to transform the BPAC to a national standard. Along with the Commercial Pilot License (CPL) Training program, BPAC is also intended to undertake advanced pilot training through the operating partner for type rating and recurrent training, officials said.
Other than pilot training courses, BPAC intends to create an eco-system for skilling the workforce for other job roles exists in the aviation industry. Once implemented, BPAC has the potential to revolutionize the entire aviation industry of India and neighboring countries, they said.
BPAC embodies Odisha’s commitment to becoming a premier aviation training hub, where aspiring pilots from India and Southeast Asia can acquire their CPLs and type ratings under the stringent guidelines set by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
To achieve this ambitious growth, the Commerce and Transport Department intends to engage an Operating Partner (OP) to operate, maintain and manage the BPAC at Birasal Airport, Dhenkanal.
Taking center stage is the BPAC, a brand-new aviation training facility established at Birasal Airstrip in Dhenkanal district as the main base. Three more State owned airstrips—Tusra, Jamardarpali, Rangeilunda have been identified as satellite bases and are being brought under the armpit of BPAC to supplement its enhanced capacity requirements, the officials informed.
The State Government is committed to providing the necessary infrastructural support to fully develop and operationalize the satellite bases at Tusra, Jamardarpali, and Rangeilunda. This will enhance BPAC’s capacity and solidify its role as a premier aviation training hub, they said.
The Strategic Roadmap created to establish BPAC is divided into four phases, considering the market need. Phase 1: Flying Training Organization (FTO), Aircraft Type Rating Organization and Cabin and Ground Staff Training Center. Under Phase-II, the Helicopter Pilot Training (CHPL) and Remote Pilot training will be carried out while setting up extended campuses of renowned Aviation Universities at BPAC and establishing it as an Aviation Academy City and offering their programs from BPAC campus would be done in the third phase.
Under Phase 4: Exclusive satellite centers (extended arm of BPAC) to be instituted across Odisha and which will be a feeder to BPAC.
In March 2024, the State Cabinet had approved an amount of Rs 562 crore to set up a one-stop aviation training centre — Biju Patnaik Aviation Centre (BPAC) — at Birasal. The centre will have simulator-based and cabin crew-based training.
Official sources said Birasal’s Government Aviation Training Institute (GATI) will take a quantum leap with the aviation training facility.
“The aviation sector is growing in India rapidly. India faces a pressing need to produce 2,000 pilots annually over the next 20 years to meet the growing demand of airline pilots. The Birasal project will be able to train 500 pilots annually,” the official said. The BPAC will significantly boost the local economy.