(a) the total number of air wing NCC (Flying) units in the country and the type of training imparted by them to the cadets;
(b) whether many of these flying units are holding life-expired gliders for a number of years and as such no gliding training is given to the cadets; and
(c) if so, the efforts being made by the Government to provide gliders to these units?
MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI
GEORGE FERNANDES)
(a) There are 47 Air Wing Sqns (Flying) in NCC.
Apart from general NCC training common to all Wings
of NCC (Navy, Army and Air), Air Wing (Flying) NCC
cadets are taught aero-modelling and are graduated
onto gliding.
(b) & (c): A statement is attached.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (b) & (c) OF
LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3853 FOR 17.8.2000
Out of total of 47 Flying Sqns 34 Flying Sqns have
their own gliding facility. The remaining 13 Sqns
are dependant on State and civilian clubs for flying
training.
A total of 61 obsolete and life expired gliders
are in the process of being phased out. 40 gliders
are available for imparting training and 8 more are
in the process of procurement. It is proposed to
procure state of the art, powered gliders, instead of
wooden gliders that have been in use so far. The
specifications for these are presently being
finalised in consultation with the Air Force.
Additionally sixty (60) micro light aircraft are
being procured for the purpose of training activity
for the NCC Air Wing Cadets.