Flying school shuts operations

The State government has shut down the flying school operations and private hangars in the Jakkur airfield on account of the traffic on the NHAI flyover obstructing the flight paths.

An order to his effect was issued by the chief secretary about 10 days ago, Minister of State for Youth Services and Sports Abhayachandra Jain said on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, a delegation of the private flying school representatives and the government-run Jakkur Flying Club met the minister, asking the government to allow the flying schools to reopen.

“But I have told them categorically that the jurisdiction of my department does not extend to this particular issue.

The High Court had placed a clause that the flying schools can operate, provided the traffic on the elevated stretch is stopped for the period of the flights being in air.

The government was of the opinion that it cannot disrupt the traffic on a national highway and thus decided to shut down the entire flying school operations,” said Jain.

He said that it is his personal wish to protect the Jakkur airfield land and the flying school operations. But the chief minister will have to take a final call on the matter. 

Yielding to the demands for purchasing a small aircraft for teaching students, the chief minister has sanctioned its purchase.

“There is a proposal from the government, to request HAL to allow the government flying club to operate from their airfield,” said the minister.