MOSCOW, April 11 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian Air Force has announced the reopening of training programs at its flight schools after a three-year break, Air Force Chief Commander Lt. Gen. Viktor Bondarev said on Thursday.
“There has been no enrolment at [flight] schools for three years,” he told a hearing in the lower house of parliament, the State Duma.
“That has badly affected the Air Force, so the decision has been made to increase the intake this year above the standard level.”
He did not provide any figures.
The flight schools will offer shortened training programs of 34 months, Bondarev said.
“Yes, we need pilots; we have enough technicians right now,” he added.