United Airways opens aviation academy in Sylhet

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FE Report
About 90 per cent of the country's commercial pilots are hired from abroad as there is an acute shortage of aviators, sources said.
They also said most of the students with aviation degrees from foreign institutions cannot work as commercial pilots due to lack of opportunities.
In the backdrop of the manpower shortage in the aviation sector and the growing demand of pilots in the country as well as across the globe the country's first international standard aviation academy styled Tasbirul Ahmed Choudhury (TAC) Aviation Ltd, a sister concern of United Airways, started its journey in Sylhet Saturday.
The main objective of the academy is to provide higher education on aviation technology under the direct supervision of instructors hired from the USA and the UK.
Finance minister AMA Muhith inaugurated the academy at Majumdari in Sylhet city at a programme as the chief guest with civil aviation and tourism minister Faruk Khan and commerce minister GM Quader as special guests.
The head office of the academy will be in Dhaka and the training and operational bases will be in Dhaka and Sylhet. The new project will be split into two phases - pilot training academy to start from May next and commuter airlines by the end of this year.
Capt Tasbirul Ahmed Choudhury, managing director of TAC Aviation said, "after successful operation of the United Airways (BD) I felt we should be united once again to create a world class pilot training academy and commuter airlines in Bangladesh".
The company which started its journey with a paid up capital of Tk 100 million has now Tk 4.41 billion and 0.1 million shareholders. The company has created employment opportunity for about 1000 people since its inception in four and half years back.
"The aviation industry is hard hit with the present 25 per cent subsidy on aviation fuel price as it has been facing an uneven competition with the Middle Eastern carriers as they enjoy much more subsidy on fuel price," he said.
Muhith said a new era has begun with the establishment of the academy which has been developed keeping in mind the future demand of human resources in the aviation sector.
He said the investment made by the non-resident Bangladeshis is very important for the country's economic development.
"Aviation is not directly linked with manufacturing rather it is more service-oriented. Yet you come and invest in service, infrastructure development or industry. But you must come," said the minister.
Muhith said the government cannot always perform its due role and makes mistakes but tries to overcome those for the sake of the investors and create opportunities for them.
Experts said globally about 30,000 aircrafts will fly by next 20 years and one million aviation professionals will be required where the developed world will supply the aircrafts and the developing countries will need to provide these skills and competence.