ISLAMABAD: An Indonesian flying school has offered training facilities to pilots of Pakistan International Airlines.

The offer came from the CEO of Mitra Aviation Perkasa and Perkasa Flying School of Indonesia, Septo Sudiro, who is visiting Pakistan.

His visit is aimed at strengthening the civil aviation cooperation between Indonesia and Pakistan, including pilots’ training.

“As far as I know, there are currently around 25 Indonesian pilots working in various Pakistani airlines. My company is able to provide highly skilled aviation workers from Indonesia to meet the needs in Pakistan, including pilots and aircraft engineers,” Mr Sudiro told the Indonesian Charge d’Affaires, Rahmat Hindiarta, and the embassy’s economic team.

The official said that established in July 2013, Perkasa Flying School had an ideal training base in Indonesia located at Tunggul Wulung Airport of Cilacap, Central Java, as well as Nusawiru Airport of Pangandaran, West Java.

The training base accommodated ground and flight training. The Perkasa Flying School is one of the largest international pilot schools in Indonesia with a PSC — 141 — 017 pilot certificate and focused on preparing pilot students who are ready to take on roles as commercial pilots.

According to the embassy of Indonesia, which received Mr Sudiro, the company has offered a solution of the pilots’ possible shortage in Pakistan due to the flight boom and tougher competition among airlines at the global stage.

Moreover, being the largest Muslim country in the world, Indonesia is definitely suitable for Pakistani students, the embassy said in a press release.

“Perkasa Flying School is offering a cooperation programme for Pakistani airlines to train their cadet pilots in Indonesia, through innovative financial scheme of 50:50 which will surely create greater number of reliable pilots in Pakistan,” the visiting official said.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2024