November 21, 2001

RAJYA SABHA

'33'

CORRECTING DEFICIENCIES IN OPERATIONAL TRAINING OF PILOTS

    There have been no accidents in the Indian Air Force, which are directly attributed to inadequacy of pilot training. A high powered committee on flight safety known as the Committee on Fighter Aircraft Accidents (COFAA) was set up under the Chairmanship of Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri in February 1997. In all it had made 84 recommendations. Most of the
recommendations of the committee were accepted, except a few. The Committee made two major recommendations pertaining to pilot training.

    The recommendations are, procurement of Advanced Jet Trainers and Aircraft Simulators for training of air and ground crew. Out of the 84 recommendations of COFAA, 45 have been implemented so far. Ten of them were not accepted for implementation. The remaining recommendations are under various stages of implementation.

    This information was given by the Defence Minister Shri George Fernandes in a written reply to Prof. A Lakshmisagar in Rajya Sabha today.