AP’s First Pilot Training Institute, Aero Sports at Orvakal Soon

KURNOOL: The Andhra Pradesh government is preparing to set up a pilot training institute at the Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy Airport in Orvakal, Kurnool district -which will be the first such facility in the State when launched. A technical and feasibility report with details such as the costing of the project at Orvakallu Airport which is to be developed on a PPP basis is being prepared.  

In addition, Andhra Pradesh Airports Development Corporation Limited (APADCL) has also prepared proposals to start aero adventure sports there.

R. Pavana Murthy, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Infrastructure Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (InCap), told Sakshi that the Finance Ministry had considered the proposals sent by APADCL and entrusted them with the task of preparing the report. He said the government has appointed Incap as the nodal agency for the project. Tenders would be called soon to select TFR and a consultant for this purpose.

APADCL MD, State Government Aviation Adviser VN Bharat Reddy said that the hilly terrain at Orvakallu is suitable for adventure sports like paragliding and other aero sports and they would take up this project very soon.

APADCL last year had has proposed to set up a pilot training centre in the Orvakal greenfield airport.  Setting up an aero-sports facility at the Orvakal airport considering Kurnool’s proximity to Bengaluru, Vijayawada and Hyderabad( 350 km from Vijayawada, 200 km from Hyderabad and 360 km from Bengaluru), makes it a strategic location for boosting tourism and as well as economic activity, officials said.

The Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy Kurnool Airport was declared officially open, March 28 by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. The Kurnool airport has been categorized as ''3C'' and is capable of handling turboprop aircraft like ATR-72 and Bombardier Q-400. The airport has a runway of 2,000 metres x 30 metres with four parking bays at the airport. Finance minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy also announced that South India's biggest industrial park would come up around the airport facility at a cost of Rs 800 crore. Another 2,000 acres of land are being acquired for the proposed industrial park.

Also Read: Kurnool Orvakal Airport to Get South India's Biggest Industrial Park