Click to play videoNew Delhi: Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal PV Naik on Wednesday claimed that his force was going to lose over 100 pilots to civilian airlines.
Air Chief Marshal PV Naik said that poor promotion prospects are driving pilots out of the Air Force during a visit to the South Western Air Command (SWAC) headquarters in Gandhinagar.
Moreover, the IAF chief has been worried that with the economic scenario improving more IAF pilots could opt for greener pastures.
"Off hand I won't be able to tell you how many applications but there must be at least 100. There is a slump in the market now so the applications are less. As markets conditions improves and opportunities rise the numbers of applications will also increase," said Air Chief Marshal Naik.
The IAF chief blamed the desire to quit on a very steep military pyramid, which he says chokes chances of promotion to higher ranks.
"If one is not promoted after 24-25 years of service, then one tries to leave and try alternate avenues," he said
But facts make Naik's logic look hollow.
The flying life of pilots in the IAF is the first 18 years of service during which they get assured, time-bound promotion up to the rank of Wing Commander.
Also chances of promotion to higher ranks have improved significantly.
Last year, over 2,600 additional posts were created in the rank of Colonel and above in the Army, Navy and Air Force.
So, if people have still been queuing up to leave, the IAF Chief has got his cause-and-effect wrong.
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