LUCKNOW: In an unprecedented development, four Uttar Pradesh government pilots handling VIP movement have quit, citing allowance disparities and rising work pressure due to increased VVIP movement. The pilots had put in their papers a few weeks ago but their resignations were only accepted by the UP civil aviation department on Thursday night.
As a result of the resignations, the Yogi Adityanath government might have to ground two out of the three aircraft in its fleet. This might affect VVIP movement as the Chief Minister is a frequent flyer.
Earlier, the pilots, Pankaj Singh, Pravin Kihore, JPS Walia and Kamleshwar Singh, had also cited highhandedness of a senior officer of the department as the immediate reason for their resignations.
However, as per an official statement of the civil aviation department, those pilots were on a contractual basis till 2020.
The pilots who resigned were flying Super King planes and though the state government has hired two replacements in the last one month, but the new appointees have no experience of flying those planes, sources said.
“Therefore, flying two of the three planes in the fleet would either be very risky or they have to be grounded," said a senior official in the civil aviation department.
Moreover, one of the two pilots inducted recently, has not flown for the last five years. "Allowing such pilots to fly VVIPs, including the CM and the governor, could be a grave security threat," said the official.
“It’s a big loss to the UP government as three of the pilots who have resigned were designated 'pilot examiners' by the DGCA for grooming and training budding pilots," a senior official said.