The Bombay Flying Club is the oldest

flying club A flying club or aero club is a not-for-profit, member-run organization that provides its members with affordable access to aircraft. Many clubs also provide flight training, flight planning facilities, pilot supplies and associated services, as ...

in India, established in 1928, located at Juhu aerodrome,

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the secon ...

. At present, the Bombay Flying Club's College of Aviation offers programs such as

pilot training Flight training is a course of study used when learning to pilot an aircraft. The overall purpose of primary and intermediate flight training is the acquisition and honing of basic airmanship skills. Flight training can be conducted under a st ...

, Aircraft Maintenance Engineer, and cabin crew, approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and also BSc Aviation and BSc

Aeronautics Aeronautics is the science or art involved with the study, design, and manufacturing of air flight–capable machines, and the techniques of operating aircraft and rockets within the atmosphere. The British Royal Aeronautical Society identif ...

programs with affiliation from the

University of Mumbai The University of Mumbai is a collegiate, state-owned, public research university in Mumbai. The University of Mumbai is one of the largest universities in the world. , the university had 711 affiliated colleges. Ratan Tata is the appointed h ...

History

Bombay Flying Club was incorporated on 29 May 1928, and commenced instructions on 13 January 1929 when they received their first two

De Havilland Moth The de Havilland Moths were a series of light aircraft, sports planes, and military trainers designed by Geoffrey de Havilland. In the late 1920s and 1930s, they were the most common civilian aircraft flying in Britain, and during that time eve ...

aircraft, presented to them by the Government of India. A third aircraft, A D.H. Moth (Gipsy) was won by the Club as prize offered by Sir Charles Wakefield to the first Indian flying club which should turn out 12 qualified pilots, of whom at least six were to be Indians. The Club used these aircraft for tuition, joy-rides, and air travel. The activities of the club were, unfortunately, limited by the fact that the aerodrome at Juhu was not suitable during the monsoon. This problem was solved by 1937. The Club received its licence to build a hangar and garages at the aerodrome on 17 August 1931.

JRD Tata Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata (29 July 1904 – 29 November 1993) was a French-Indian aviator, industrialist, entrepreneur and chairman of Tata Group. Born into the Tata family of India, he was the son of noted businessman Ratanji Dadabhoy ...

, the father of Indian

civil aviation Civil aviation is one of two major categories of flying, representing all non-military and non-state aviation, both private and commercial. Most of the countries in the world are members of the International Civil Aviation Organization and work ...

, who received India's first pilot licence, trained at this club in 1929. Lady Dinshaw Petit, his sister, became the first lady to obtain a pilot licence in India.

Current status

It currently owns one Cessna 152 Aerobat, five

Cessna 172 The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is an American four-seat, single-engine, high wing, fixed-wing aircraft made by the Cessna Aircraft Company.

of which one is equipped with Garmin 1000 Glass cockpit, a twin engine

Piper PA-34 Seneca The Piper PA-34 Seneca is a twin-engined light aircraft, produced in the United States by Piper Aircraft. It has been in non-continuous production since 1971. The Seneca is primarily used for personal and business flying. Development The Senec ...

and one Piper Super Cub PA-18. The Club shifted part of its Training operations to Dhule Airport near the town of Dhule in 2009 to avoid the congested air-space of Mumbai. The Club leased the airstrip from the

Maharashtra Airport Development Company Maharashtra Airport Development Company Limited abbreviated as (MADC), is a Special Purpose Company constituted in 2002 by the Government of Maharashtra (GoM) to plan, construct, operate and maintain airports in the State. The government has en ...

in order to carry out its training activities without any restrictions. Despite the city's change of name, the club retains the old name. However the flying training, Hobby flying & members flying continues at Juhu airport at Mumbai too.

References

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External links

Bombay Flying ClubIn Pics: Bombay Flying ClubAarohi Pandit from the Bombay flying club
Aviation in India Organisations based in Mumbai Flying clubs Aviation schools in India 1928 establishments in India Sports organizations established in 1928