- DGCA halts flight operations of Mysuru NCC Air Squadron Hangar at Airport
- NCC appeals to the State Government to release funds for hangar restoration
Mysuru: The future of the 4 Karnataka Air Squadron of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) in Mysuru has been thrown into uncertainty after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) directed that its decades-old hangar at Mysore Airport in Mandakalli be demolished on safety grounds.
The directive follows a DGCA inspection conducted in October 2025, which found the hangar to be structurally unsafe. According to officials, the deteriorating roof and weakened structure pose a serious safety hazard, prompting authorities to halt all flying operations from the facility.
Although the hangar suffered extensive damage during a severe storm in May 2016, it has remained unrepaired for nearly a decade. The worsening condition has now forced the suspension of flying training, leaving NCC Cadets without access to practical aviation instruction.
A trainer aircraft inside the damaged hangar.
Two Pipistrel Virus FW 80
The squadron’s two Pipistrel Virus FW 80 microlight training aircrafts, collectively valued at around Rs. 3 crore and provided by the Karnataka Government, have remained grounded since October 2025. In the absence of a functional hangar, the aircrafts are lying idle and deteriorating.
The hangar, believed to have been built in the 1960s or early 1970s to house the aircraft of the erstwhile Maharaja of Mysore, later became home to the 4 Karnataka Air Squadron after its establishment. The Karnataka Government paid rent for the facility until 1985, after which the land came under the Airport Authority of India (AAI).
Following the DGCA’s inspection, the AAI asked the NCC to remove its two trainer aircraft to facilitate the demolition of the unsafe structure. However, no alternative hangar or relocation plan has been finalised, leaving the future of the squadron uncertain.
Dilapidated hangar at Mysore Airport exposed to vagaries of nature.
Major setback to aspirants
The suspension of flying training has come as a major setback for aspiring pilots, particularly Cadets from economically weaker backgrounds, who receive aviation training free of cost through the NCC.
With training suspended, those wishing to maintain flying experience have little option but to approach private flying clubs, where costs range from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 60,000 per flying hour, well beyond the reach of most students.
Officials said, the condition of the hangar had become increasingly hazardous, with roofing sheets being blown off during the monsoon and landing near operational areas of the airport. These safety concerns ultimately led to the DGCA’s objections and demolition order.
The training venue resembling a scrap yard.
Shifting to the Northeast
According to senior NCC sources, the Directorate General of NCC has indicated that if the Karnataka Government does not fund the repair or construction of a new hangar, the Air Squadron could be shifted permanently to another State, possibly in the Northeast, where infrastructure funding is available.
“Once this unit is shifted out, it will be a permanent loss to the youth of Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and Karnataka,” an NCC official said, requesting anonymity.
The NCC has appealed to the Karnataka Government, including the Chief Minister, the Education Minister and the Department of Youth Empowerment & Sports (DYES), to sanction funds for either repairing the existing hangar or constructing a new one.
Officials estimate that about Rs. 50 lakh would be required to repair the existing structure or establish a functional alternative.
Despite repeated representations by NCC authorities, no funds have been sanctioned so far. Officers warn that unless the issue is resolved quickly, Mysuru could lose one of Karnataka’s premier NCC aviation training centres, depriving future generations of Cadets of an opportunity to pursue flying training at no cost.
This post was published on July 19, 2026 7:30 pm