New Delhi: Indian Air Force (IAF) has signed a contract with Swiss firm Pilatus for procurement of 75 Basic Trainer Aircraft (BTA) to train its rookie pilots and the delivery of these planes is scheduled between February 2013 to August 2012, the Lok Sabha was informed on Monday.
"A contract for procurement of 75 Basic Trainer Aircraft was signed with Pilatus Aircraft Ltd, Switzerland on May 24...The delivery of these 75 aircraft is scheduled from February 2013 to August 2015," Defence Minister AK Antony told the House in a written reply.
In reply to a separate question on shortage of pilots in the IAF, he said that there is a shortfall of over 600 trained pilots in the force.
"The present strength of pilots as on Aug 1 is 3261 against the sanctioned strength of 3294," Antony said, adding that "the available strength of pilots in IAF is sufficient to meet the current requirement"....
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05:14 PM, Aug 27, 2012
New Delhi: The Indian Air Force's long pending requirement of basic trainer aircraft can now be met with the acquisition of 75 Pilatus planes starting late in 2012 under a Rs 2,800 crore deal signed on Thursday with the Swiss company. The aircraft will help the IAF to replace its fleet of HPT-32 basic trainer aircraft which have been grounded for over two years now after a fatal air crash... 
