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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Skyborne is a pilot training academy with bases in the UK, Florida, and India.</li><li>The training costs $136,000 for a demanding 70-week course.</li></ul>Skyborne is a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-just-became-commercial-pilot-training-regional-airline-2021-10">pilot training</a> academy based at Gloucestershire Airport in southwest England. It has nine intakes of 20 cadets this year for its Airline Transport Pilots Licence (ATPL) course that costs £105,500 ($136,000).The company was founded in 2018 and finished building its UK base in April 2019. In less than a year the pandemic would strike, wreaking havoc on the global aviation industry.Carla Booth, Skyborne's commercial director, tells Business Insider: "We were the ones going, 'we need to expand because we know this is going to bounce back, and we know it will bounce back pretty quickly because <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/delta-air-lines-furlough-pilots-layoff-coronavirus-2020-8">airlines have laid off so many pilots.</a>'"It acquired another site in Vero Beach, Florida, where UK cadets spend six months of their course. It also trains US pilots and has a partnership with Delta Air Lines.Booth says airlines are "very much knocking on our door" as they look to recruit new pilots.After an oversupply prior to the pandemic, the management consulting firm Oliver Wyman estimates that North America is short of about 17,000 pilots due to factors such as early retirement, while the global figure could hit nearly 80,000 by 2032.Skyborne received a further boost after being selected as the UK base for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/british-airways-airbus-a380-premium-economy-review-upgrade-cost-2024-10">British Airways</a>' Speedbird Pilot Academy program, which covers the training costs for up to 200 cadets. Booth said the course gets about 40,000 applications.<div type="image" title="Skyborne pilot cadets and British Airways CEO Sean Doyle stand in front of an Airbus A320neo at the 2024 Farnborough Airshow." height="4000" width="6000" msid="114912721" hostid="261" sizebytes="337814"></div><h2 id="7ad53955-4710-4d98-a2d8-7ae1b02219a5">Life at Skyborne</h2>When a new course starts at Skyborne, cadets move into the academy's accommodation in nearby Cheltenham. Before classes begin, the previous intake will take the new recruits to the pub.When BI toured the academy, there was a palpable camaraderie in the hallways and crew lounges, where noticeboards advertised running clubs and other extracurricular activities.One of the two lounges overlooks Skyborne's hangar, where its in-house maintenance crew worked on one of the eight light aircraft parked inside.Vicky Harriss, head of operational delivery, says cadets also spend time with the engineers and air traffic controllers."It's really important to us to ensure that we help the trainees build those relationships and break down any barriers that may be there very early on in their training," she adds.After graduating from high school, 21-year-old Skyborne trainee Libby Roebuck spent the first post-pandemic summer working as cabin crew for TUI Airways, part of the European package holiday group.<div type="image" title="Skyborne cadet Libby Roebuck stands in front of a Diamond DA42 plane at the pilot training academy in Gloucestershire Airport." height="4498" width="6742" msid="114912718" hostid="261" sizebytes="337678"></div>Flying in helicopters with her dad throughout her childhood engendered a love of aviation, but school counselors often suggested cabin crew or the military as a career path."I think that just kind of pushed it for me more to just go, 'I am doing this' — the motivation to just do it," Roebuck told BI.There's also the challenge of entering what she called "a very male-dominated industry." Just 12% of trainees on Skyborne's ATPL course are women, and female pilots account for just 5% of the global total pilots, per the International Civil Aviation Organization.Roebuck said she's attended many open days and careers events with only one or two women, prompting her to keep pushing for change. "Especially since I've got back from Florida, I've seen far more females in the building, which has been really nice."<h2 id="ba00f0a0-3bea-4f65-8f28-144b76cebace">Ground school, flight school, and simulators</h2>Skyborne's pilot course starts with six months of classes, which Harriss described as "really intense" and has just two seven-day breaks.Roebuck said she would get up at 7 a.m. and be in classes or studying until 11 p.m. as well as putting in another 12 hours on weekends. "What you put in is what you get out of this course."There's also customer-service training that includes roleplaying different scenarios. "Airlines are really starting to realize how important that is now, far more than maybe before," Harriss said.Cadets then spend the next six months in Florida doing single-engine flight training with Piper PA-28 planes before returning to often-cloudy England for multi-engine flight training.This starts in simulators for the twin-engine Diamond DA42 before trainees take to the skies and learning how to cope with only one engine running.<div type="image" title="One of Skyborne's Diamond DA42 planes in front of its hangar at Gloucestershire Airport" height="3024" width="4032" msid="114912714" hostid="261" sizebytes="1174680"></div>It also includes a course with aerobatic aircraft called Upset Prevention Recovery Training to learn techniques to recover a plane from "unusual attitudes" such as stall events or a spiral dive.The final few weeks involve learning how to work in a multi-pilot crew, and getting to grips with large jets in a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-737-max-simulator-what-its-like-to-be-pilot-2024-10">Boeing 737 Max simulator</a> — preparing for the reality of being an airline pilot.After landing a job, airlines assign a specific aircraft type for which there's typically another eight weeks of training.Booth tells BI the best part of her job is seeing trainees progress over the 18 months. "They've developed and changed so much during that time. To support them in getting in that first job is just so rewarding."Skyborne's UK social media pages celebrate trainees accepting offers from airlines including British Airways, easyJet, TUI, and Jet2.Roebuck said she's on a BA pathway waiting for an interview date, and hopes to become a first officer on the Airbus A320.

Meet the trainees paying $136,000 to become the next generation of airline pilots

New Delhi, Aviation watchdog <keyword id="19899185" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dgca" source="keywords">DGCA</keyword> has deferred the implementation of the revised flight duty norms for pilots that were to be effective from June 1, according to two civil aviation ministry officials. One of the officials on Tuesday said the revised norms have been deferred for some time to have wider consultations. The new norms provide for more rest time for pilots and seek to alleviate pilot fatigue. The latest decision comes less than two weeks after the <keyword id="19926254" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="directorate-general-of-civil-aviation" source="keywords">Directorate General of Civil Aviation</keyword> (DGCA) told airlines that the deadline for implementing the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms will not be deferred. Another official said implementation of the revised FDTL norms has been deferred for some time to enable thorough consideration of all elements. The <keyword id="20738678" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="federation-of-indian-airlines" source="keywords">Federation of Indian Airlines</keyword> (FIA), comprising <keyword id="19896871" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-india" source="keywords">Air India</keyword>, <keyword id="19987725" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="spicejet" source="keywords">SpiceJet</keyword> and <keyword id="19899182" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="indigo" source="keywords">IndiGo</keyword>, had written at least twice to the regulator seeking more time for implementation of the revised FDTL norms that were issued on January 8. In a communication to the FIA earlier this month, the regulator said the airlines have to take all necessary steps to roll out the revised FDTL CAR (<keyword id="20777683" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="civil-aviation-requirements" source="keywords">Civil Aviation Requirements</keyword>) with effect from June 1, 2024. The revised norms provide for increased weekly rest time to 48 hours for pilots and limit the number of landings to two during night operations. Besides, the night hours for pilots will be extended to cover the period from midnight to 6 am whereas it was midnight to 5 am earlier. Also, all airlines have to compulsorily submit quarterly fatigue reports, which "should follow a non-punitive and confidentiality policy".

DGCA defers implementation of revised flight duty norms for pilots

Have you ever considered that your regular commute to and fro work could potentially shave off some years from your life? And no, we’re not talking about road traffic accidents but the slow poison we’re inhaling unbeknownst to us: air pollutants. A new study published in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(24)00114-1/fulltext">The Lancet Planetary Health</a> by an international team of researchers reveals a terrifying truth: over 7% of daily deaths in 10 major <keyword id="20026638" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-cities" source="keywords">Indian cities</keyword> are attributed to <keyword id="19900550" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pollution" source="keywords">air pollution</keyword> caused by <keyword id="22110704" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PM2-5-pollutants" source="keywords">PM2.5 pollutants</keyword> exceeding the World Health Organization's (WHO) safe limits. These PM2.5 pollutants are microscopic particles, 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter, that come from <keyword id="2839914" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vehicle-emissions" source="Orion">vehicle emissions</keyword> and industrial activities. Imagine tiny daggers — that's what these PM2.5 particles are like, infiltrating deep into lungs and even the bloodstream, wreaking havoc on our health. The study found that PM2.5 levels breach WHO guidelines a staggering 99.8% of the time in these cities. The analysis covered major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Shimla and Varanasi. A staggering 7.2% of deaths in these cities, translating to roughly 33,000 annually, were associated with short-term PM2.5 levels exceeding the WHO's recommended limit (15 micrograms per cubic metre) between 2008 and 2019. Delhi, unfortunately, takes the crown for the most polluted. A shocking 11.5% of its annual deaths are attributed to air pollution, translating to a devastating 12,000 lives lost each year. The link between PM2.5 and mortality is undeniable. Researchers found that a mere 10 microgram per cubic metre increase in these pollutants correlates with a 1.4% rise in daily deaths. This risk factor doubles when considering only levels below India's air quality standards, which are, worryingly, less strict than the WHO's recommendations. But here's a surprising twist: the association between PM2.5 and death is even stronger in cities with generally cleaner air, like Bengaluru and Chennai. This suggests that locally produced pollutants, from sources like construction dust or waste burning, might be significant contributors. There is a glimmer of hope, however. The study emphasises that implementing stricter air quality standards and utilising proven pollution control methods from other parts of the world can be game changers. Lowering and enforcing stricter air quality limits will save tens of thousands of lives per year, emphasises Joel Schwartz, a co-author from Harvard University. This study serves as a stark wake-up call. The air we breathe in many Indian cities is a gamble, with every breath potentially harmful. Taking decisive action to curb pollution is not just about a cleaner environment, it's about saving the lives of millions of Indians.

Air pollution kills thousands in Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata every year: Lancet study

A squad full of debutants, free from past baggage will aim to ace the ultimate test of their lives when the shooting competition of the <keyword id="4833237" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Paris-Olympics" source="Orion">Paris Olympics</keyword> begins in the sleepy French town of Chateauroux on Friday. <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword> has won four Olympic medals in shooting out of its overall tally of 35 but none in the last two editions of the Summer Games, putting the additional pressure of expectations on the record 21-member Indian contingent based in central France. The national shooting federation, National Rifle Association of India (<keyword id="19910689" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NRAI" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="NRAI" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="NRAI">NRAI</keyword>), chose current form over pedigree to pick the squad for the mega event and it will be hoping they hit the bullseye at the <keyword id="22557904" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Shooting-Centre" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="National Shooting Centre" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="National Shooting Centre">National Shooting Centre</keyword> here. Even the quota winners were made to battle out in the trials with the inexperienced Sandeep Singh pipping 2022 world champion Rudranksh Patil, who had secured India's quota in the 10m air rifle. Patil wrote to NRAI proposing his selection in the team despite finishing behind Sandeep in the trials, but the federation stuck to its guns. The athletes have been training away from the hustle and bustle of <keyword id="19916613" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paris" source="keywords">Paris</keyword> and that could work in their favour come competition day. Barring <keyword id="20241095" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="manu-bhaker" source="keywords">Manu Bhaker</keyword>, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Anjum Moudgil and Elavenil Valarivan, all will experience the biggest sporting stage for the first time. India will have representation in all 15 shooting events. It is not just peak performance on the day that matters in the Olympics, luck too plays a major part. The 22-year-old Bhaker, who has won a bagful of medals in world events, had a stroke of bad luck at the Tokyo Games where her weapon malfunctioned in 10m <keyword id="20105950" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pistol" source="keywords">air pistol</keyword> qualification and she could not recover from that setback. She will be taking part in three disciplines - 10m air pistol, 25m pistol and 10m pistol mixed team. India's main challenge will come from China who are also fielding 21 shooters across disciplines. Another women shooter to watch out for will be Sift Kaur Samra, who won the 50m rifle three positions gold at the Asian Games. Moudgil, one of the seasoned pros in the squad, is making a comeback and will lineup alongside Sift in the women's 50m rifle three positions. Twenty-year-old Rhythm Sangwan will be participating in two events, women's 10m air pistol alongside Bhaker and the 10m air pistol mixed team. "The preparation has been going good. The range is beautiful. I was a little upset staying away from main village in Paris. It is not as I expected but I am here for the competition and win and not pass any comments on the Games Village. Olympics is the biggest stage out here," said Sangwan. Among the male participants, only Tomar has been part of the Olympics before. Tomar, member of the gold winning team at the 2023 World Championships, will be seen in the men's 50m rifle three positions alongside Swapnil Kusale. The male debutants who have a decent international experience include Anish Bhanwala, Sarabjot Singh, Arjun Babuta, Arjun Singh Cheema and Vijayveer Singh. Gagan Narang, the 2012 Olympic bronze medallist who is here as India's chef de mission, is backing the shooters to end the <keyword id="22557903" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="medal-drought" source="keywords">medal drought</keyword> in this edition. "My first Olympic experience was in 2004 and I remember at that time, we were not as confident as we are today. There is genuine belief that we are at par with the best in the world," said Narang. The biggest test of the shooters' lives awaits. Full squad Rifle: Men's 10m air rifle: Sandeep Singh, Arjun Babuta Women's 10m air rifle: Elavenil Valarivan, Ramita Jindal Women's 50m rifle 3 positions: Sift Kaur Samra, Anjum Moudgil Men's 50m rifle 3 positions: Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Swapnil Kusale 10m air rifle mixed team: Sandeep Singh/Elavenil Valarivan, Arjun Babuta/Ramita Jindal Pistol: Men's 10m air pistol: Sarabjot Singh, Arjun Cheema Women's 10m air pistol: Manu Bhaker, Rhythm Sangwan Men's 25m rapid fire pistol: Anish Bhanwala, Vijayveer Sidhu Women's 25m pistol: Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh 10m air pistol mixed team: Sarabjot Singh/Manu Bhaker, Arjun Singh Cheema/Rhythm Sangwan Shotgun: Men's trap: Prithviraj Tondaiman Women's trap: Rajeshwari Kumari, Shreyasi Singh Men's skeet: Anantjeet Singh Naruka Women's skeet: Maheshwari Chauhan, Raiza Dhillon Skeet mixed team: Anantjeet Singh Naruka/Maheshwari Chauhan.

Record shooting contingent out to end India's 12-year medal drought

In a major development, the <keyword id="64630" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Commercial-Pilots-Association" source="Orion">Indian Commercial Pilots Association</keyword> (ICPA) and the <keyword id="64606" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Pilots-Guild" source="Orion">Indian Pilots Guild</keyword> (IPG) of <keyword id="2573" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-india" source="Orion">Air India</keyword> have rejected the new pay structure proposed by the airline. The primary bone of contention is the reduction in flying allowance from 70 hours to 40 hours every month under the new structure, which the pilots believe is unfair. The two unions have warned of possible 'industrial unrest' if the management goes ahead with the new terms without their consent. While Air India has stated that it will "continue to engage with the remainder of its staff", the airline has taken a tough stance on the issue, saying that there are "no recognised unions in Air India". This is the first wage revision offered by the Tata group-owned Air India since its takeover last year, and it will affect all 3,000 pilots across its four airlines - Air India, <keyword id="6378232" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-India-Express" source="Orion">Air India Express</keyword>, <keyword id="1625599" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Asia-India" source="Orion">Air Asia India</keyword>, and <keyword id="2467342" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vistara" source="Orion">Vistara</keyword>. The pilots' unions have instructed their members to reject the new employment conditions and wage structure offered by the management. An agreement has been put in place for the employees to sign by April 25, but the two unions have stated that they will contest the terms and conditions, with their pilots refusing to sign the revised employment and compensation terms. The two unions have warned of potential industrial unrest if the company takes any coercive or victimising action against their members. In a joint statement, the unions stated that the company reiterated that "all previous understandings, representations and agreements of whatever nature that have been entered into with us are null &amp; void and that the company further has the right to change any terms and conditions". "The term cost to the company for an assumed flying of 70 hrs is deliberately misleading and creates an impression of a generous compensation and accompanying benefits package. The actual guaranteed money being offered is only for 40 hrs. Effectively, any time a pilot is on leave or is unavailable due to recurrent training requirements or document/licence renewals, not to mention any sick leave, there is an automatic pay cut involved," the statement read. "The so-called rationalisations of allowances is not in line with any industry practices as projected by HR. Further, blanket consent is sought for any leave or insurance policy that the company may come up with &amp; which is subject to amendment or outright withdrawal. "Suffice it to say that this is not an all-inclusive list but merely a selection of some of the most outlandish and labour-hostile provisions that we have come across to date. This is dishonourable and how the management is trying to force it down the employees' throats is outright unethical," it added. "Nor has the blatant attack on our rights as workmen to bargain collectively or seek legal redressal for any injustice or victimisation gone unnoticed. Where is the company requirement all of a sudden to forcibly promote almost all the permanent workmen of the union to the so-called Senior Commander management cadre? It is clear from all this that there is a concerted effort to gut the unions and isolate pilots into individual boxes where they can be exploited and victimised at will by the HR department," the statement said. Meanwhile, Air India's spokesperson has defended the new compensation structure, which includes parity among different groups, recognition of managerial and supervisory roles for experienced pilots, and individual contracts sent to pilots and cabin crew for necessary paperwork. "The managerial and supervisory role played by the experienced pilots is also being recognised in the form of designating them as Senior Commander as also offering them a special monthly allowance. The contracts reflecting these enhancements were individually sent to the pilots and cabin crew for necessary paperwork," said the spokesperson. The spokesperson also claimed that a large number of pilots and cabin crew have already accepted the new contracts, and the salary improvements and advancement opportunities they enable. "The airline will continue to engage with the remainder of its staff through this process as currently there is no recognised union in Air India," the spokesperson said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/rils-q4-to-be-driven-by-sustained-momentum-in-retail-business-o2c-to-see-modest-growth/articleshow/99629278.cms">RIL’s Q4 to be driven by sustained momentum in retail business, O2C to see modest growth</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/condom-maker-mankind-pharmas-4326-crore-ipo-to-open-next-week-on-april-25/articleshow/99614288.cms">Condom maker Mankind Pharma’s ₹4,326 crore IPO to open next week on April 25</a>

Air India pilots' unions reject proposed pay structure, warn of industrial unrest

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Ukraine needs more trained pilots to effectively build a reliable F-16 fighter fleet.</li><li>Training more pilots gives Ukraine options, but bottlenecks hinder the program.</li></ul>Ukraine desperately needs more trained pilots to effectively build a formidable F-16 fighter fleet, air warfare experts told Business Insider.Training bottlenecks among Ukraine's international partners risk leaving the country with more jets than trained pilots, and with a limited number of pilots in training, there's no choice, no opportunity to find the best. There's no room for error should one struggle to overcome the challenges of<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-f-16-pilots-had-to-dramatically-change-way-fly-2024-10"> flying a fighter very different from the Soviet-designed jets</a> Ukraine knows best.Michael Bohnert, a RAND Corporation analyst, said that integrating F-16s, or any new type of jet, into an air force "takes a lot of effort, time, training, and money that often gets overlooked. A lot of people think: 'Oh, just give them the hardware and everything's okay.' Well, no." The hardware really is only part of what it takes to build a fighter fleet.Retired US Army Maj. Gen. Gordon 'Skip' Davis, who served as NATO's deputy assistant secretary-general for its Defense Investment Division, said that for Ukraine's F-16 program, told BI "the big issue is really the number of trained Ukrainian pilots."<h2 id="6dbaee8a-2faf-4465-840f-ec43eb49112c">Training bottleneck</h2>F-16 training for Ukraine's pilots is being done by a coalition of countries, including the Netherlands, Canada, Denmark, the US, and Romania. The process, however, doesn't appear to be as smooth as it probably could be.Bohnert said that "there have been concerns around all of the different bottlenecks that we're seeing, including the training spaces and things like that, where even if more F-16s had been committed to Ukraine at this point, that doesn't necessarily mean that it could have more of them in the air."Norway, Belgium, and the Netherlands, Denmark have <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.thedefensepost.com/2023/12/22/dutch-delivery-f16-ukraine/">pledged more than 85 F-16 jets to Kyiv</a>, but Ukraine can only field as many jets as the country has trained pilots.<div type="image" title="Two F-16 fighter jets flying side-by-side against blue skies." height="1201" width="1801" msid="114149820" hostid="261" sizebytes="41698"></div>The total number of trained Ukrainian pilots and those still undergoing training is not officially known, but there are indications that the number is not enough for Ukraine's needs.Politico <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/06/05/ukraine-f-16-pilot-training-00161742">reported</a> in June that Ukraine's Western partners did not have the number of training spaces that Ukraine wanted for its pilots. It reported that 30 Ukrainian pilots were ready for training, but the US training program could not accept them all.The report said that a total of 20 Ukrainian F-16 pilots were expected to graduate by the end of this year — half of what a former US defense official said Ukraine would need to operate a full squadron of jets.A Ukrainian lawmaker <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.thetimes.com/world/russia-ukraine-war/article/f-16-fighter-jet-pilots-ukraine-spring-offensive-russia-0dx8p26dp?id=1756158124&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwsJO4BhDoARIsADDv4vAjEFJLt19g8E8Kyqlsh8Jc02bww0QkMloj8bNG1sovpsTURiGRxXwaAjL6EALw_wcB">accused</a> the US of "deliberately delaying" training and creating a situation where there would be "fewer trained pilots than fighter jets."Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy then said in August, when the first F-16s arrived in his country, that Ukraine did not have enough trained pilots or enough of the jets themselves. "The number of F-16s we have in Ukraine, the number of pilots who have already been trained, is not enough," he said.Other partners appear to have training restrictions, too.<div type="image" title="Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stands outside in front of microphones and wearing a black long-sleeved t-shirt with a Ukrainian Air Force F-16 fighter jet behind him" height="1333" width="2000" msid="114149824" hostid="261" sizebytes="167434"></div>Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://thedefensepost.com/2024/06/27/denmark-conclude-pilot-training-ukraine/">said</a> in June that his country would stop training Ukrainian pilots on the fourth-generation F-16s after this year and instead focus on building its fleet of fifth-generation F-35s. That raises questions about the Ukrainian pilots in the training pipeline and opportunities.George Barros, a Russia analyst at the Insitute for the Study of War, told BI that the number of airframes Ukraine has is limited, "and then the biggest limiting factor are the trained humans, the pilots that actually fly the planes.""There's a huge pilot training bottleneck," he said.<h2 id="55362b12-f87a-4ee2-853c-82d5642acc17">Getting the best pilots</h2>Bohnert said the way to ensure Ukraine has the best pilots flying its new jets without delaying getting the F-16s in the sky is to train more pilots and be ruthless about cutting the ones who do not nail the training.Ukraine's F-16s, jets that were first manufactured by General Dynamics before that task later passed to Lockheed Martin, represent a challenge for Ukraine's pilots, who have to overcome old habits and muscle memory associated with flying the kind of Soviet-designed jets that exclusively made up Ukraine's air force before the F-16s arrived.Ukrainian pilots were given around nine months of training, but most Western pilots are given three years to learn the jets, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-f16s-what-to-know-224d96ff2ad4f416d3969676a55876e2">according</a> to The Associated Press. That's not a lot of time to adapt to a completely new jet that is much more sensitive with fly-by-wire controls instead of hydraulic ones.<div type="image" title="The undersides of 2 F-16s are seen flying against a grey sky" height="1291" width="2000" msid="114149815" hostid="261" sizebytes="56534"></div>Likely not every pilot is up to the task, and that's a problem. "When you train someone who's a great pilot in one plane and transition 'em to a new plane, it's a hard change for a lot of people," Bohnert said, explaining that the solution is to "put more pilots through training."He said that there's a need to "get a higher number and be pretty clear that it's okay to wash half the out and say: 'Sorry, you're not good enough. You need more time.'"Bohnert said Ukraine's partners would ideally have three pilots being trained for every aircraft. It's not clear how many pilots are being trained for each of the F-16s promised to Ukraine, but it appears short of that expectation.Training to that level of excess, Bohnert said, would give Ukraine options and lighten what is already a heavy load as it builds its new fighter fleet.<h2 id="68a56aaa-3bf7-4258-81c2-9106e8fa86bc">F-16s comes with challenges</h2>Air warfare experts expect the F-16s to be a big boost for Ukraine, but they have cautioned that they likely won't be game-changers.Ukraine is receiving a smaller number than what its leadership and partners say it needs to be able to take risks, like the West does, and challenge Russia's larger, more capable air force.<div type="image" title="Two F-16 fighter jets fly over a Patriot Air and Missile Defense System aginst a grey sky" height="1333" width="2000" msid="114149827" hostid="261" sizebytes="100476"></div>Bohnert said the number of F-16s Ukraine is getting from its partners is "definitely not enough." Zelenskyy said in May that his air force needed about 120 to 130 advanced fighter aircraft to challenge Russia in the air.The challenges that Ukraine's armed forces face have been exacerbated by the delay in their arrival, many warfare experts have said. Ukraine asked for the jets soon after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, but the US long refused to budge.The wait for permission to come gave Russia time to prepare and meant programs like training could not begin earlier.The F-16s that Ukraine is receiving are also older models that don't come with the latest upgrades and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-old-f16s-outclassed-russia-best-jets-former-general-nato-2024-10">don't quite stack up against some of Russia's best jets</a>.Ukraine's F-16 fighters, despite being capable combat-proven platforms, are a generation behind the newest fighters, like the F-35s the US and its allies are operating or Russia's Su-57s, and they would likely be outmatched by some of the fourth-gens like Russia's Su-35s. And without the stealth capabilities of the fifth-gen jets, it's also vulnerable to modern Russian surface-to-air missile systems.Bohnert said Ukraine's newly acquired F-16s, which the US Air Force says cost somewhere between $14 million to $18 million, are "older airframes with not a lot of life left," though he said that "doesn't mean they're bad." It just limits what's possible.Experts say that the jets, despite their limits, will help Ukraine, particularly against incoming drone and missile attacks.Gordon said that ultimately "they are making a difference now, and more and more will help them make more of a difference."

Getting more F-16s is only half the battle. Ukraine also desperately needs to be training more pilots.

<keyword id="6378232" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-India-Express" source="Orion">Air India Express</keyword> has cancelled "scores of flights" due to a shortage of cabin crew members as a section of them are reporting sick to protest against alleged mismanagement at the Tata Group-owned airline, according to sources. Discontent has been brewing among a section of the cabin crew at the low-cost carrier for some time now, especially after the start of the process of merger of AIX Connect, formerly AirAsia India, with itself. The sources on Wednesday said several cabin crew members started reporting sick since Monday evening and as there are not enough cabin crew members, "scores of flights" have been cancelled at various airports, including Kochi, Calicut and Bangalore. Late last month, a union representing a section of the Air India Express cabin crew alleged that the airline is being mismanaged and there is a lack of equality in the treatment of the staff. Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU), a registered union, which claims to represent around 300 cabin crew members, mostly seniors, had also alleged that mismanagement of the affairs has affected the morale of the employees. Many passengers took to social media on Wednesday complaining about the sudden cancellation of flights. In response to a passenger's post on X about flight cancellation, Air India Express apologised and said the flight was cancelled "due to operational reasons". "As part of our service recovery process, you can either opt to reschedule the flight within the next 7 days or request a full refund through our chat bot Tia...," the airline said in a post on X. The development at Air India Express comes a month after <keyword id="19924335" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Group" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Tata Group" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Tata Group">Tata Group</keyword> full-service carrier Vistara witnessed pilot woes, forcing it to temporarily cut down capacity by 10 per cent or 25-30 flights daily. As part of consolidating its airline business, Tata Group is merging Air India Express and AIX Connect, as well as Vistara with Air India. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/aadhar-housing-finance-ipo-price-band-to-risk-factors-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/109919298.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/aadhar-housing-finance-ipo-price-band-to-risk-factors-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/109919298.cms" target="_blank">Aadhar Housing Finance IPO – Price band to risk factors, all you need to know</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/webstories/top-selling-cars-in-india-in-april-2024-tata-punch-continues-to-dominate/slidelist/109909744.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/webstories/top-selling-cars-in-india-in-april-2024-tata-punch-continues-to-dominate/slidelist/109909744.cms" target="_blank">Top-selling cars in India in April 2024 – Tata Punch continues to dominate</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/worldwide-tablet-shipments-grow-in-q1-2024-after-two-years-of-decline/articleshow/109876390.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/worldwide-tablet-shipments-grow-in-q1-2024-after-two-years-of-decline/articleshow/109876390.cms" target="_blank">Worldwide tablet shipments grow in Q1 2024 after two years of decline</a>

Air India Express cancels flights due to cabin crew shortage: Sources

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US Air Force is testing AI-powered F-16 jets in combat training scenarios.</li><li>Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall conducted a historic test flight on Thursday.</li></ul>The US Air Force conducted a historic test flight on Thursday of its AI-powered <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-air-force-boss-test-self-flying-ai-fighter-jet-2024-4">X-62A VISTA autonomous warplane</a>.The flight over Edwards Air Force Base, for which Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall sat in the cockpit, ran through several combat exercises and aerial battle scenarios, per <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-fighter-jets-air-force-6a1100c96a73ca9b7f41cbd6a2753fda">The Associated Press</a>. The outlet reported that the AI-powered aircraft, which has flown roughly two dozen flights since testing began in September, has begun to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-military-wont-say-who-won-real-dogfight-ai-human-2024-4">outperform human pilots</a> in some scenarios.The AP reported that in the Thursday flight, the X-62A VISTA plane went "nearly nose to nose" with a human-piloted F-16 as they maneuvered within 1,000 feet of each other at speeds of more than 550 miles per hour.While humanitarian groups have expressed deep concern about putting life-and-death decisions in the hands of an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/air-force-budget-58-billion-build-ai-powered-valkyrie-aircraft-2023-8">AI-powered craft</a>, Kendall stressed that AI is already restructuring global warfare strategies whether we like it or not."It's a security risk not to have it. At this point, we have to have it," Kendall told AP after he landed.AP reported that the US Air Force is betting big on AI, investing in a fleet of 1,000 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-closer-ai-drones-autonomously-decide-kill-humans-artifical-intelligence-2023-11">unmanned drones</a> to perform riskier maneuvers than are possible with manned craft, with the first operating in 2028.While AP reported that pilots at the Edwards Air Force Base know that AI-powered craft may soon replace them, the outlet noted that the airmen are loathe to face off against an adversary with AI capabilities if the US doesn't have its own <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/skype-engineer-warns-ai-weapons-race-people-stay-inside-drones-2023-8">autonomous fleet</a>."We have to keep running. And we have to run fast," Kendall told AP after his Thursday flight.The Air Force did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

AI-powered fighter jet kept up with a human pilot during the Air Force's historic experimental dogfight

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Kent Davis, a retired pilot, shared his 40-year aviation career journey.</li><li>Davis started flying at 12, inspired by his pilot father and uncle.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kent Davis, a retired Air Canada pilot with more than 40 years of experience. It has been edited for length and clarity.I started flying when I was 12.My parents had a little cabin northwest of Montreal that we'd go to in the summer. A nearby air service company had four or five airplanes. I talked my dad into going and seeing if I could get a job.They said: "Yeah, sure. We can't pay you though, because you're underage."My job was fueling the airplanes, loading baggage, and whatever else. In return, the pilots taught me <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-just-became-commercial-pilot-training-regional-airline-2021-10">how to fly</a>. I spent three summers working there and accumulated about 30 hours of flying time.My father was my idol. He and my uncle were both pilots during World War II. My brother and sister were also pilots. Aviation is in the family.When I finished school, I went into the Royal Canadian Navy and did a tour there. Not as a pilot, though — I was in naval intelligence.When I got out of the Navy, I finished my pilot's license, and I flew for various companies. Most of them were small and underfunded, so they came and went.<h2 id="ca341142-37cd-4ecd-b0d4-141220b5f67e">A prime minister, movie stars, and royalty</h2>In 1972, I joined <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/air-canada-worker-quit-summer-flight-chaos-after-7-years-2022-9">Air Canada</a> and spent 33 years flying for them. During that time, I flew anybody and everybody. We had movie stars and royalty. I flew the Prime Minister of Canada a number of times during election campaigns.In 2005, I retired from Air Canada and was hired by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/life-of-prince-alwaleed-of-saudi-arabia-2015-6">Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal</a>, a Saudi prince based in Riyadh.He was a self-made billionaire. When I was there, he was the fourth-richest man in the world.<div type="image" title="Prince Al Waleed bin Talal is surrounded by men in suits." height="689" width="1024" msid="113495841" hostid="261" sizebytes="52466"></div>If you have never lived and worked with somebody who is that wealthy, you have no idea about how they spend their money. It was unbelievable.He owned a bunch of his own airplanes, including an Airbus A340 and a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/flying-on-deltas-boeing-767-economy-it-was-great-review-2022-9">Boeing 767</a>.When I got to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/saudia-arabia-establishing-new-airline-to-attract-tourists-riyadh-air-2023-3">Riyadh</a> and took my first flight on the A340, the prince insisted that the other airplane fly empty in case we had a mechanical problem. This would happen regularly.It was mind-boggling to see how much money could buy.When the prince's daughter got married, he said to her, "Okay, I'm going to give you one of my airplanes and the crew, and I want you to take it for as long as you want and have a honeymoon."They took the Boeing 767, an airplane that carried more than 200 passengers. With a crew of 12, his daughter and her husband spent more than a month flying all over the world.The crew very seldom dealt with the prince directly; there would usually be an intermediary. This changed during a flight to New York for a meeting he had with George W. Bush.The prince walked into the cockpit and gave everybody $5,000. He said: "Have a nice time while you're in New York."It was peanuts to him, but for us, it was a lot of money.After leaving Riyadh in 2006, I worked for a few different companies, including a two-year stint with Air India.In 2013, I was offered a job in the Republic of Georgia, flying a Twin Otter aircraft. It was a very versatile and excellent airplane for what we used it for.We flew the country's president, his family, and other government personnel into and out of the Greater Caucasus Mountains. There were very few strips, so we used fields and roads to land and take off.I'm mostly retired now, except for some consulting work with my company, Trans Global Aviation Solutions.The best thing about the career is the career itself. It was very rewarding — and there was never a dull moment.

I'm a retired pilot who worked for royalty. I had no idea how the rich spent their money.

New Delhi, <keyword id="175577" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="commercial-pilot-license" source="Orion">Commercial pilot license</keyword>s will now be valid for ten years, with the government amending rules as part of efforts to further improve ease of doing business in the aviation sector. Till now, the validity of Commercial Pilot License (CPL) was for five years and after completion of that period, it had to be renewed. The civil aviation ministry amended the Aircraft Rules, 1937. Among various changes made, the validity of licenses in relation to Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) and CPL holders has been increased from five years to ten years. "This change is expected to reduce administrative burden on pilots and aviation authorities like DGCA, promoting a more streamlined and efficient licensing process," the ministry said in a statement on Monday. Besides, rules have been amended to address concerns related to the display of lights in the vicinity of an aerodrome. It has also been clarified that the term 'light' encompasses lantern lights, wish kites, and laser lights. Also, the government's jurisdiction over those exhibiting such lights has been extended from 5 kilometres to 5 nautical miles around an aerodrome. "It is made explicit that the government possesses the authority to take action against individuals displaying lights that disrupt the safe operation of aircraft or pose hazards to the operating crew. "Should such lights remain unattended for 24 hours, the government is empowered to enter the location and extinguish them," the ministry said. Simultaneously, the matter should be reported to the relevant police station for legal action under the Indian Penal Code (IPC). When the source of the observed light is unidentifiable or if it shifts locations, the airport or airline operator is obligated to promptly report the incident to the local police station, initiating potential criminal proceedings. Another amendment is that the requirement for validation of foreign licenses has been removed. "This change signifies aligning the regulations with the evolving needs of the aviation sector," the ministry said. Further, the requirements related to continued competence for <keyword id="6414849" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="air-traffic-controller" source="Orion">Air Traffic Controller</keyword> (ATC) license holders have been liberalised. According to the ministry, this change offers increased flexibility to accommodate situations with limited movements or watch hours. ATC license holders must complete a minimum of ten hours of simulated exercises, including emergencies. Subsequently, they must undergo a skill assessment for their respective rating within ten consecutive days of commencing these exercises, it said. The ministry said the amendments to the Aircraft Rules, 1937, notified on October 10, mark a crucial shift in promoting ease of doing business and ensuring safety and security within the aviation sector. India is one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world. Airlines are expanding their aircraft fleet and will be hiring more pilots to cater to rising air traffic demand.

Govt amends aircraft rules; commercial pilot licenses to be valid for 10 years

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Ukraine's F-16 pilots have had to get up to speed on a different fighter jet quickly.</li><li>Their training isn't just to teach them to fly a new plane but also to break them of habits from their days flying Soviet jets.</li></ul>Ukraine's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraines-f16-jets-shot-down-missiles-during-massive-russian-strike-2024-8">F-16 pilots</a> have had to dramatically change the way they fly in a very short period of time <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-ukraine-could-get-air-superiority-use-f-16s-experts-2024-7">in order to fight Russia</a>, and it's a tremendous challenge for pilots when they are under pressure, an air warfare expert told Business Insider.Michael Bohnert, an air warfare expert at the RAND Corporation, told BI that the big changes Ukrainian pilots have had to make so quickly make it difficult for them to overcome old habits and muscle memory in a crisis.Ukrainian pilots were given roughly nine months of training in the US and some European countries, while most Western pilots are given three years to learn the jets, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-f16s-what-to-know-224d96ff2ad4f416d3969676a55876e2">according to The Associated Press</a>.And more broadly, Ukraine's air force is having to rapidly undergo a wider transition that its international partners took significantly longer to do. Across the board, Ukraine's military has had to adapt to new weapons and fighting styles on wild timelines, and the results have been mixed. It's far from an easy task, and in a fight, it is easiest to revert to what you know best.Before the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/missiles-on-ukraines-f-16s-hint-at-missions-against-russia-2024-8">F-16s first arrived in Ukraine in August,</a> the country's fighter fleet consisted only of much older, Soviet-era aircraft. Those older jets have hydraulic systems, while F-16 jets are fly-by-wire, which means computers process the input by pilots."What it means is that F-16S are not just more maneuverable, they're more responsive," Bohnert said."And transitioning pilots from the older to the newer is a problem because you can teach someone to fly a plane in six months to a year. But to teach them that muscle memory to know what to do when something goes wrong takes four or five, six, takes many more years," Bohnert said.<div type="image" title="Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi in front of the first F-16 fighter jets received by Ukraine on August 4, 2024." height="2509" width="3763" msid="113940845" hostid="261" sizebytes="260716"></div>He said that it is difficult for pilots to retrain on such radically different jet types because "if something's going wrong, your muscle memory reverts back to something that's older."He said it's something that can be overcome with more and more time on simulators — but Ukraine's military does not have much time to spare.<h2 id="2f637335-59d6-4a6f-ba63-aa0624fee40f">A challenging task for Ukraine's pilots</h2>Ukrainian pilots have praised the combat power of their new F-16s compared to the older jets but have also noted how big a transition they have been.A Ukrainian pilot with the call sign "Moonfish" earlier this year called it "a really awesome jet to fly" that was easier to fly. They <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-danish-f-16s-summer-russia-2024-2">compared the change to upgrading</a> from a basic phone "like a Nokia, straight to an iPhone, without all those steps in between."Tom Richter, a former US Marine pilot who flew F-16s for the National Guard, called the jet "a sensitive beast" compared to Ukraine's Soviet-era aircraft in an interview with <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-f-16-fighter-jets-war-russia-base-runway/">Politico</a>.The reality that Ukrainian pilots are new to F-16s was acknowledged by Gen. James Hecker, commander of US Air Forces in Europe and NATO Allied Air Command, in September, when he said <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-isnt-flying-most-dangerous-missions-f-16s-us-general-2024-9">Ukraine was not using the jets for the riskiest types of missions</a> as "the pilots are new to it."<div type="image" title="A Ukrainian air force F-16 fighter jet banking across grey skies." height="1933" width="3000" msid="113940844" hostid="261" sizebytes="244994"></div>The transition to F-16s and the integration of these weapons into the combat operations of the Ukrainian military <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-air-force-f-16-fighter-jets-western-soviet-warfare-2024-7">require Ukraine to overhaul decades of Soviet doctrine and training</a>, two American air warfare experts said in July."Old habits die hard. They must be willing to embrace new concepts and training — as well as a willingness to 'rewrite the books' on military employment," <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/the-significance-of-air-superiority-the-ukraine-russia-war/">wrote</a> the Mitchell Institute's David Deptula and Christopher Bowie in a report this past summer.Changes in militaries don't usually happen overnight. The transition to fly-by-wire aircraft took years for Western air forces and, Bohnert said, "there were still accidents and unhappiness." The Ukrainians do not have that kind of time, though, and are under much greater pressure to adapt much faster.And Ukrainian pilots have risen to that great challenge. An internal US Air Force assessment from last year said that two Ukrainian pilots proved they could complete the training for the F-16 in just four months — more than four times faster than what the Pentagon had predicted.But as former US military pilots <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/f-16-to-ukraine-most-dangerous-battlefield-2024-4">warned</a> in interviews with BI in April, the contested skies above Ukraine will be the most dangerous battlefield that F-16s have ever faced.Though causes remain unknown, Bohnert said inexperience on the new fighter jet might have been a factor when <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-faces-questions-f16-downed-friendly-fire-patriot-missile-2024-9">an F-16 crashed</a> in August while defending against a Russian attack. In that fatal incident, both the jet and Ukrainian Air Force pilot Oleksiy Mes were lost.<div type="image" title="A service member carries a Ukrainian flag at a memorial event for a downed F-16 pilot as hundreds kneel nearby." height="1436" width="1918" msid="113940662" hostid="261" sizebytes="138778"></div>The loss could have also been the result of a mechanical failure on the aging aircraft, or friendly fire could have caused it as Ukraine works to get all of its combat systems, a hodgepodge of equipment, working smoothly together. Ukraine has not given a reason for the loss, but the investigation considered these possibilities.<h2 id="6cbae3fe-6082-4a49-869e-c642b9a15728">Ukraine's F-16s are limited</h2>Air warfare experts previously told BI that the F-16s are not likely to be major game changers but will help Ukraine replenish lost aircraft, protect cities and other targets, and potentially allow Ukraine to launch new raids in the air.The jets Ukraine is receiving, though a capability jump over its Soviet-era planes, are older F-16s without some of the newer upgrades. Bohnert described the fighters as "older airframes with not a lot of life left," though he said that "doesn't mean they're bad." Still, they're not a match, though, for Russia's better jets or its formidable air defenses.A bigger problem is that Ukraine was not given enough of the jets to use them like the West does and make a substantial difference.Denmark, Norway, Belgium, and the Netherlands have pledged more than 85 F-16s to Ukraine. Only a handful were delivered in August. Roughly 20 of the fighters are expected to be delivered to Ukraine by the end of this year.<div type="image" title="Two F-16 fighter jets flying side-by-side against blue skies." height="1201" width="1801" msid="113940843" hostid="261" sizebytes="41698"></div>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said in July that his country <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-faces-same-problem-with-f16s-as-abrams-tanks-zelenskyy-2024-7">wasn't getting enough new jets</a>, said last month that there are plans to increase Ukraine's number of jets and trained pilots. But he offered no details.Partners have hamstrung Ukraine <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-f16s-less-effective-russia-defenses-missiles-cant-strike-experts-2024-9">in how it uses Western weapons</a>, and those limitations could potentially prevent it from leveraging the F-16's capabilities in the way it might without restrictions. But limited airframes and trained pilots are big issues.Not enough pilots are being trained for the jets Ukraine was promised, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/06/05/ukraine-f-16-pilot-training-00161742">Politico</a> reported in June. The outlet reported that partner nations had fewer training spots than Ukraine does jets and pilots ready to be trained. The delays in getting this program spun up have been detrimental.Ukraine began asking for F-16s shortly after Russia invaded over two and a half years ago. But the US, which has to give permission for the jets it manufactured to be donated even by other countries, was long reluctant.Keir Giles, a senior consulting fellow at Chatham House's Russia and Eurasia Programme, said last this month that the delay in meeting Ukraine's demands meant "Russia has been given ample time to plan for the appearance of Ukraine's new aircraft type and adapt to it."Ukraine, on the other hand, is still setting up its new F-16 program and trying to resolve issues with pilot training and integrating the jets into Ukraine's military.Michael Clarke, a Russia and Ukraine expert and a British national security advisor, told BI this summer that "if the West donated F-16s a year earlier, then most of these problems would be solved by now."And he also said that if more planes aren't on the table, then, "in terms of defending Ukrainian airspace and being able to deal all the way across the front with Russia's numbers, the F-16s are a long way from being able to do that."The challenges, limitations, and restrictions aside, air warfare experts still say the jets are a positive for Ukraine.Retired US Army Maj. Gen. Gordon 'Skip' Davis, who was NATO's deputy assistant secretary-general for its Defense Investment Division, told BI Ukraine's F-16s "are making a difference now" and more arriving "will help them make more of a difference."

You Searched For "Air India pilot Association" and got 11 results

Meet the trainees paying $136,000 to become the next generation of airline pilots

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Getting more F-16s is only half the battle. Ukraine also desperately needs to be training more pilots.

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