First flight training institute of Northeast inaugurated at Lilabari Airport

Jyotiraditya Scindia, Civil Aviation Minister, and Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister, today dedicated the first-ever Redbird Flight Training Academy (FTA) in Lilabari Airport to the service of the student community.

Speaking on the occasion, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia stated that the academy's establishment would usher in a new era of progress and prosperity in the North East.

He stated that his ministry is working to establish modern heliports in Galeki and Nagaon, as well as connecting Guwahati to Hanoi, Bangkok, Dhaka, and Kathmandu via UDAN international. The Union Minister also stated that nearly Rs 500 crore in foreign exchange is spent on pilot training.

His ministry, on the other hand, is working to reduce the cost by establishing a new flight training academy in the country. This flight training academy is one of nine Flight Training Organizations (FTOs) that were established during the first phase of the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative.

Chief Minister Sarma described the occasion as "historic" for Assam.

He stated that for the first time in India's seven decades of independence, a Flying Training Organisation was built and inaugurated in the northeastern region.

"The launch of Redbird Flight Training Academy at Lilabari Airport is a landmark development that will always be remembered as a watershed moment in the region's aviation history," Sarma said.

The Chief Minister thanked Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Redbird Flight Training Pvt. Ltd. senior management. He was also pleased that, out of nearly 100 flying training schools in India, the Redbird Flight Training Academy is the first in the Northeast.

He also stated that the Assam government recently handed over 84 acres of land for the development of a basic strip and the construction of Isolation Bay for this purpose.

Previously, students and aspiring aviators had no option for flying training within the state, according to the Chief Minister. However, with the establishment of Redbird Aviation, they will be able to complete their entire training while remaining close to their homes.

"This FTO will expose the youth to alternative career options in the vast field of aviation, such as aircraft engineering, flight planning and operations, and MBA in Aviation Management," he said.

According to the Chief Minister, the total yearly output of this FTO is expected to be 200 trained pilots.

"This will increase investment in the area and provide access to a better standard of living, employment, and trade opportunities for the local community," Dr Sarma said, adding that the new initiative will also boost tourism and raise awareness about the region by bringing in more students, employees, and visitors.

Sarma stated that Lilabari Airport is an important corridor to the northeast, far-flung parts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, and that it serves as a gateway to several unexplored tourist destinations.

He went on to say, "Because Lakhimpur is connected to Passighat, Dibrugarh, Tezu, and Itanagar, it can be linked to major cities in India by making this airport a hub and operating flights to other major airports like Mumbai and Delhi.

Students and professionals will benefit from the connectivity in terms of education and business ".

The Chief Minister also stated that connectivity in the North East has been a major bottleneck in the region's development, but with the NDA Government in power, this issue has been addressed to a large extent.

He stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a keen interest in improving air connectivity in the North East after taking office.

He took the historic initiative to boost regional connectivity in the North East through the UDAN scheme, which has significantly facilitated regional air connectivity by making air travel affordable to the masses.

Sarma highlighted the Prime Minister's steps to improve air connectivity, including the construction of a new terminal at LGBI Airport and the re-opening of Rupsi Airport in Western Assam, which had been closed for several decades.

He also stated that the State government will hand over required plots of land to the Civil Aviation Department by May 10, when the current State government completes one year in office, for modernization and expansion of Assam's existing airports. Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister for Law and Justice, and MP Pradan Baruah also spoke.