Trainer Aircraft of IAF - PC-7, HTT-40, HJT-36, BAE Hawk

My point is a trainer aircraft should also be capable enough for combat sorties.
have u ever seen any BT and AJT and its spec sheet ?
no one likes to use a kawasaki ninja h2r or ducati panigale for basic training.
Just like in sports, you use same bat for training what you use during the actual game. The outcome is more optimized.
no they don't use same bat and ball to train rookie children.
what you are trying to imply is Practicing
 
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We have approximately 3700 pilots against the requirements of approximately 4400. We loose approximately 80 to various reasons like quitting, retirement, injuries , etc. every year.

Due to current restrictions on the number of cadets who can be trained , we get approximately 100-110 cadets who can become a pilot.

That's a real grim situation.
Where are you getting these figures from ? As far as I know there's been no such parliamentary body reporting such an alarming shortage of pilots nor any ex IAF personnel senior or otherwise commenting on this on SM .

But it's only as far as I know.
 
Where are you getting these figures from ? As far as I know there's been no such parliamentary body reporting such an alarming shortage of pilots nor any ex IAF personnel senior or otherwise commenting on this on SM .

But it's only as far as I know.
That's why I used the term approximately. For both the 3700 and 4400 , you can take +/-100 swing.

400-500 is minimum defecit.
 
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Where are you getting these figures from ? As far as I know there's been no such parliamentary body reporting such an alarming shortage of pilots nor any ex IAF personnel senior or otherwise commenting on this on SM .

But it's only as far as I know.

I think he is looking at pilot to fighter ratio. Ours is approximately at 1.5 to the PAF's 2.5 or so. While technically it cannot be called a shortage, it will tell when surge operations occur.
 
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I think he is looking at pilot to fighter ratio. Ours is approximately at 1.5 to the PAF's 2.5 or so. While technically it cannot be called a shortage, it will tell when surge operations occur.
I think the situation isn't as grim as it's made out to be out here. For had that been the case & intake of rookie pilots is being curtailed on account of a deficit in basic training platforms, getting to repair that deficit isn't a huge issue as say getting additional Rafales to make up both - a deficit in operational potency as well as sheer numbers.
 
I think he is looking at pilot to fighter ratio. Ours is approximately at 1.5 to the PAF's 2.5 or so. While technically it cannot be called a shortage, it will tell when surge operations occur.

Nah, it's public information.

The Indian Air Force has a shortage of 405 pilots against the authorised strength, the government told Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik said the number of pilots in the Indian Air Force at present is 3,834 as against the sanctioned strength of 4,239.
 
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As usual the information provided by MoS Defense conceals more than it reveals. There's no mention on the reason for the shortage.

It's more like those annual statements issued by the IA which I've been reading for more than 2 decades now - shortage of 500 - 1000 officers in the IA & 50-100 terrorists active inside the Valley with 300-400 waiting on launching pads across the border in makbooza Kashmir. Come hell or high water, these 2 statements are a constant.
 
I think the situation isn't as grim as it's made out to be out here. For had that been the case & intake of rookie pilots is being curtailed on account of a deficit in basic training platforms, getting to repair that deficit isn't a huge issue as say getting additional Rafales to make up both - a deficit in operational potency as well as sheer numbers.

There is a lead time to getting pilots up to 'fighting' class. Approximately 2-4 years.

The problem gets worse with planes like the Su-30 and the Rafale. One needs two chaps and the ability of the pilots to work with a WSO. The other will be able to support surge, but pilots deficit.

Rise in numbers of pilots will enable actual war fighting capacities, instead of these one off Balakots.

The other option is like that o fthe USAF. Have so many planes, that it really does not matter what the ratio is. No other competitor has those many planes of the said class. We have neither.
 
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There is a lead time to getting pilots up to 'fighting' class. Approximately 2-4 years.

The problem gets worse with planes like the Su-30 and the Rafale. One needs two chaps and the ability of the pilots to work with a WSO. The other will be able to support surge, but pilots deficit.

Rise in numbers of pilots will enable actual war fighting capacities, instead of these one off Balakots.

The other option is like that o fthe USAF. Have so many planes, that it really does not matter what the ratio is. No other competitor has those many planes of the said class. We have neither.
Sounds cheerful. There was a deficit in the fighter numbers which was known . Now this & at a time when we're eye to eye with the Chinese. IAF continues to stay true to their tradition of flattering to deceive.
 
have u ever seen any BT and AJT and its spec sheet ?
no one likes to use a kawasaki ninja h2r or ducati panigale for basic training.
They are using Mig 21 because they want to train them on a real fighter aircraft. Training on AJT might reduce the quality. This is debatable but.

That's not an issue. The IAF actually end up rejecting many due to capacity limits.
So they should say, there is shortage of Planes not Pilots I believe.


By the way the pilots also take VRS for better salary, even some one suggested me why to spend personal money on pilot license, get into IAF serve for min 15 years(as per the rules, its different i think) to secure your pension and take VRS. Get into an airline and take better package.

Well even then there is shortage of aircraft then it means there are budget issues or may be lack of proper administration in IAF.
In the last 10 years, 798 pilots of the Indian Air Force (IAF) have resigned and of them 289 pilots were given No-objection Certificates (NOC) to fly private airlines. This was revealed by the IAF in response to a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by India Today.

The two worst years were 2016 and 2017, when 100 and 114 pilots respectively quit the IAF. In 2015, 37 pilots had quit before superannuation. This was the lowest number for pilots leaving the IAF in a year over the last decade.


On an average, 80 pilots have quitting the IAF every year. The information assumes significance in the view that the IAF is facing an acute shortage of pilots.


 
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So they should say, there is shortage of Planes not Pilots I believe.


By the way the pilots also take VRS for better salary, even some one suggested me why to spend personal money on pilot license, get into IAF serve for min 15 years(as per the rules, its different i think) to secure your pension and take VRS. Get into an airline and take better package.

Well even then there is shortage of aircraft then it means there are budget issues or may be lack of proper administration in IAF.
Look at the bright side . Given the fact that tourism & travel related industries will be in the doldrums for the next 2-3 yrs at least , the attrition rate will be vastly reduced.
 
Look at the bright side . Given the fact that tourism & travel related industries will be in the doldrums for the next 2-3 yrs at least , the attrition rate will be vastly reduced.

And exponentially rise as after two years, and I am pretty sure a lot of Pilots will leave IAF. MoD should be prepared for this.
 
Between 2015 and 2021 we retired 10 squadrons of Mig21/27. That's more than 180 aircrafts without replacement. That's why the shortfall in pilot numbers have yet not affected our operations.
 
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Between 2015 and 2021 we retired 10 squadrons of Mig21/27. That's more than 180 aircrafts without replacement. That's why the shortfall in pilot numbers have yet not affected our operations.
In a recent press conference, Air chief was saying they do not have any shortages.
 
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