KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 19, 2013): There is not
much change in the unemployment rate of pilots in Malaysia since last
year, said Datuk Azharuddin Abd Rahim, Director-General of Department of
Civil Aviation (DCA).
The number of unemployed licensed pilots as of August 2012 stood at
1,174. He said the employment of pilots like any other profession in the
world would be based on the supply and demand in the job market and the
excess was noticeable since 2011 and soared last year when many of them
made complaints to the DCA.
"In early 2000, there was a sudden high demand for pilots by Malaysia
Airlines that Malaysia's only flying academy at the time, Malaysian
Flying Academy (MFA), was not able to cope.
"Following this, DCA had approved four Australia's flight training
organisations for us to send our student pilots," he told Bernama in an
interview recently.
MFA is the only local approved flying training organisation (AFTO) in
the country that has been producing pilots in the country. However,
Azharuddin said due to concerns on high cost and foreign exchange,
Malaysian aviation entrepreneurs were invited to participate in the
pilots training business.
In 2005, there were eight AFTOs in the country but three were revoked
in 2011 for non-compliance of technical requirements. Each AFTO were at
one time capable of producing 50-60 pilots annually.
"In 2011, global aviation industry faced a spiral downturn with the
rise of fuel prices. This resulted in airlines cutting down routes, not
buying new aircraft and even ground their aircraft to review the
operations, with no expansion," he said.
He added that as Malaysia does not have many airlines, the economic
uncertainties which also affected the local airlines led to less demand
for pilots.
To qualify as an airline pilot, privately funded students have to pay
at least RM250,000 and a few good students will be taken as cadets by
airlines and sponsored by the airlines.
Student pilots need to pass a few levels from student pilot to
commercial pilot, then upgraded to airline transport pilot licence,
which is the highest level which will take them 18 months to two years
to complete without unnecessary obstacles.
Azharuddin said to address the unemployment issue, DCA has set up a
registration centre on the department's website to help those who are
unable to get employment.
However, he said the response was low with less than 500 people
registered to date, thus the department was unable to track and get
actual figures of the unemployed.
"We have also encouraged airlines to employ these licensed pilot but
the intake was not significant though Malindo, Firefly, MASwings and
AirAsia still employ at a small number.
"Some pilots have also gone to work overseas like Indonesia, and a
few have become flying instructors at flying schools. Some had also
converted the licence to helicopter where we still see a shortage.
"However, to convert from fixed wings to helicopter is a bit
difficult as it is actually much easier to fly airplanes compared with
helicopter," said Azharuddin.
Student intake at the flying schools had also reduced as requested by
the DCA, besides the less demand due to lack of job opportunities. This
has also driven the schools to look at the China market for students as
the demand for pilots in that country is still very high. – Bernama
P/S : Oopss ~
