Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The distinctive sound of a private helicopter circling the city skies caught the attention of citizens this evening.
According to aviation sources, “ A Juhu (Mumbai) based flying (pilot training) institute secured an evening time slot at Chikalthana Airport for a one-day session (Wednesday). The local airport authorities had approved a slot from 6 pm to 10 pm for the training pilots’ helicopter in the city’s airspace. During this time, the trainee pilots make 6-7 rounds of the copter before flying back to Mumbai later in the evening.”
An aviation expert explained that Chikalthana Airport is the most sought-after destination in the state for pilot training institutes as it is equipped with all the required facilities and amenities of international standards. Besides, the time slots are available at the airport conveniently and is budget-friendly for training institutes. The airport base is utilised by at least 2-3 institutes every month. The expert added that the attention-grabbing sight of the helicopter could have been due to its relatively low altitude, but there is no cause for concern.
When contacted, airport authorities declined to comment, stating that this was a routine matter.