Fake pilot training institute unearthed in Delhi

Updated on: Thursday, July 07, 2011

Few months back it was news on fake pilots rattling the entire country, now it is fake pilot training institutes that was detected in Palam Extension, Dwarka.

Last week, after getting a complaint from a victim, Bharath Bhushan, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) swung into action and pounced on the institute claiming itself to have links with aviation regulatory agency. The institution promises to provide pilot training and issuance of license for Rs 18-20 Lakhs.

Bhushan asked one of his officers to call up the institute and pose as an aspiring pilot from a speakerphone in front of him.

Sources said, initially, the person running the institute failed to open up and asked details on how we got to know about the institute. When told that some DGCA officials had referred, the person opened up and started talking freely. The person on the other side of the phone told us to download the form from the website and assured us of 100% placement and asked us to come to his office on any working day between 9 am and 5 pm to know about the payment schedule.

When asked about the basic requirement for becoming a pilot, the caller was told the applicant should be fluent in English. The institute, whose name has not been disclosed, claimed to have branches all over India.

Bhushan referred the matter to the police, resulting in a raid on the institute's Dwarka office last Saturday. A person running the place was arrested.

Bhushan said, "I received a complaint and investigated that by getting an officer to contact the institute posing as a student. The complaint was found to be correct and referred to the police."

DGCA is now probing the institute. "It may have been a front for some insiders and we are examining this aspect. We are also trying to find out how many students they may have helped with their dubious methods," said sources.

Fake pilot training institute unearthed in Delhi

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