April 11th Photos - Walton Air Show 2002 Preparations
April 12th Photos - Walton Air Show 2002 Preparations
April 13th Photos - Walton Air Show 2002
April 14th Photos - Walton Air Show 2002
Air Show 2002 on April 13-14
Story Credit The Nation Newspaper
By Haseeb Haider
LAHORE: Over 40 aircraft would be participating in the Air Show 2002 to be held at Walton Aerodrome on April 13-14 representing Army, Navy, Air Force, corporate sector and individuals, organiser Wajiha Raza said.
Wajiha Raza said that Mushshak, a Pakistan-made twin seater aircraft, will also be taking part in the Air Show and would be available for sale.
She said that organisers were hoping for 30 participants but the response has been overwhelming, as all flying clubs, and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and Ultralight & Sports Flying Club (USFC) , corporate sector and Aircraft Manufacturing Factory (AMF) Kamra have confirmed their participation. She said that two hot air balloons and para gliders would also take part in the activity.
"The project is a milestone in the history of general aviation in Pakistan and aims at enhancing quality of general aviation by bringing in serious players into the aviation business," she said.
She said that the show includes an exhibition of about 30 two-to-six seater, single and twin engine aircraft like Cessna, Pipers, Ultralight recreational aircraft, home built sports aircraft and crop dusters fletcher planes.Assembly line for manufacturing ultralights and Zodiac kit planes, aero modelling flying display, aerobatics by Mushshak aircraft, joy rides and a lot more like a young lady pilot flying ultralight aircraft on the show day would be important features of the Air Show.
Wajiha Raza said that it would create aviation support group comprising passionate aviators to act as mentors to young men and women who would like to take up flying as a profession.
She said that "in Pakistan the professional hiring of pilots takes place mainly in PIA and a few general aviation companies . The number of jobs available is limited due to ad hoc hiring procedures. If hiring methodology is streamlined for the next 5-10 years many Pakistani pilots would be able to take up jobs initially in country and subsequently in the international market," she said.
Aeronautical engineering, she said, was a highly rewarding career the world over but not in Pakistan as the employment opportunities are only available in PIA, Aero Asia and Shaheen which are scheduled airlines.
The other limited options were available in general aviation companies. If 200 aircraft start operating in private and corporate sector, this would create job opportunities for at least 300 pilots about 200 engineers and 600 technicians in the next 3-5 years, Wajiha Raza said.
In the Air Show 2002, she said that the leasing companies, would be holding seminars to explain how commercial organisation and private individuals can purchase aircraft with financial packages available from the leasing companies thus owning an aircraft could never have been so easy.
"Individual and fractional ownership of an aircraft through lease financing, PILCORP, Ibrahim Leasing and Askari Leasing are actively involved in the new business would be giving presentation to potential buyers during the Air Show 2002," she said.
Talking about the fractional ownership programme, she said that the aircraft can be purchased by 4-5 people by paying a fraction of the basic cost of the equipment. The operational cost would be proportional to the number of hours flown.
The aircraft would be maintained and operated by an AOC holders organisation like her company Hybrid Aviation at minimum cost. Engineers and pilot charges would be payable only on flying time.
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