The Kwara State Government has flagged off the training of helicopter pilots at the International Aviation College in Ilorin.

This is in order to reduce or eradicate the reliance on foreign technical training of helicopter pilots.

The training which is in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy, saw the State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, calling on aviation stakeholders to patronise the Nigerian trained pilots, as they can compete favourably with foreign trained.

The Chief of Naval Staff, who was represented by the Chief of Logistics, Naval headquarters, Goddy Anyakpere, said that the Navy has been relying on foreign training for the past 30 years.

He also lauded the joint programme which he believed will save the nation’s foreign reserve.

The Chairman of the International Aviation College, Captain Edward Boyo, said since the college was established five years ago, it has trained pilots and other professionals for the Nigerian Police, Nigerian Navy alongside civil pilots.

The college, he added, will soon embark on training of spacecraft and further commended the foresight of the state government in establishing the college which has become the choice of would be pilots in the continent.