Patel said for augmenting the availability of air pilots, their retirement age had been increased from 58 to 65 years.
Besides the directorate general of civil aviation according permission for setting up new pilot training academies, he said the capacity of people undergoing pilot training at the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Udaan Academy was being raised from 40 to 100.
He said the DGCA has approved a total of 20
flying training institutes including modernisation of the IGRUA.
In reply to a query, the Minister said some airlines have reported low profit or even losses, but the actual figures will be available only at the end of the financial year.
To a query on the preparedness of airport operators and airlines for low visibility operations, the Minister said they were being prepared under the CAT II and CAT III technologies for the purpose.
