'Sh20b earmarked for Jinja airstrip refurbishment'
Apr 09, 2024
According to the Uganda Professional Private Pilots Association president Capt. Aziz Ssentamu, Uganda needs to recruit 200 pilots to operate in the airline industry to avert the challenge.
Capt. Aziz Ssentamu (left) the President Uganda Professional Private Pilots Association handing over a Commercial Pilot License to Rhonah Atuhaire (3rd left) after graduating at Vine Air Flight Academy in Jinja on Saturday. (Photos by Donald Kiirya)
Donald Kiirya
Journalist @New Vision
____________________ Some of the cardet pilots who graduating with a Private Pilot License at Vine Air Flight Academy in Jinja City on Saturday.
A total of shillings 20 billion has been earmarked for the facelifting of the Jinja city-based Kimaka airstrip, New Vision Online has learnt.
Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) principal airports officer in charge of regional airports Benedict Ovura, Kimaka will see its 1.8km runway tarmacked.
The funds are also expected to help improve the taxiway and the airport apron plus the construction of a modern main entrance to the airport with dual carriage.
Kimaka is one of the 13 airports in the country.
UCAA, which is under the Works Ministry, is the government agency responsible for licensing, monitoring, and regulating civil aviation matters.
Ovura was at the second graduation ceremony of 13 students at Vine Air Flight Academy at Kimaka in Jinja City,
Airline shortage
At the same event, New Vision Online also learned that an airline pilot shortage is still rife in the country and national carrier Uganda Airlines has not been spared.
According to the Uganda Professional Private Pilots Association president Capt. Aziz Ssentamu, Uganda needs to recruit 200 pilots to operate in the airline industry to avert the challenge.
Speaking during the event at Vine Air Flight Academy at Kimaka in Jinja city, Ssentamu said Uganda currently has only 50 pilots which is still low for the aviation industry.
He added that the shortage of pilots has resulted in the hiring of pilots from abroad for Uganda Airlines.
“On Friday, April 5, 2024, we had a meeting with the head of flight operations at Uganda Airlines and we had a tough argument as to why they are bringing in foreigners,” Ssentamu said.
Employment for pilots
Ssentamu notified guests and graduates that Uganda has jobs everywhere adding that employment for pilots is available.
“You are graduating at a time when Uganda has jobs everywhere, particularly in the National carrier Uganda Airlines,” Ssentamu informed graduates.
He expressed worry when Ugandan pilots fail interviews and the airline is forced to interview those from Nigeria and Kenya.
However, Ssentamu urged graduates not to disappoint and to not stop reading, and to also think big.
Why is there a shortage of pilots?
Vine Air Flight Academy's head of training and also chief executive officer Capt. Dodd Katendeigwa said aviation is expensive adding that one needs grace from their parents to pay tuition fees. On average, according to him, one requires shillings 300 million to study from zero to the cockpit.
Katendeigwa said, according to the International Air Transporter Association (IATA), between 500,000 and 600,000 pilots will need to be recruited over the next two decades as the number of aircraft in service is predicted to double by 2044.
He added that this is compared to the rate at which flying schools are churning out pilots and at the rate at which aircraft are being bought and, therefore, the pilots that need to fly them.
He said this allows the pilots that they are training to have global employment opportunities.
“Now that the challenge in Uganda is real as you heard from the President of the Private Pilots Association, the airline industry needs 200 pilots. So far, it has 50 only,” Katendeigwa said.
According to Katendeigwa, Uganda should borrow a leaf from other countries where the state, national carrier, and airlines have taken a deliberate move to identify talent, train it, and create a pipeline of pilots in the country.
Tonny Bogere, a flight instructor and also the head of quality at Vine Air Flight Academy, said students who got commercial pilot licences included Rhonah Atuhaire and Geraldine Nakato.
Those who attained a private pilot licence were Krtya Iyengar, Timothy Nahurira, Shadrak Immo, Salhaiy Ismat, Gyezaho Clive Byamukama, Arthur Akaki, Mark Kayihura, Beraiah Baganja, Arnold Birungi, Grace Mugume, and Bahuaeb Sureya.
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