PK conceptualized AVIATHÈQUE back in 2011 and not unexpectedly, while ruminating on an idea aboard a long-haul flight! He has been toying with the idea of getting it off the ground ever since, although, the hypothetical scope has continually evolved since then into its present avatar.

 

PK has been part of the Aviation industry for over three decades now, straddling a wide swathe of roles and assignments globally, across Airline Operations, Air Cargo and Aviation IT, thus providing him a unique experiential vantage to moonlight as an informed and authoritative industry observer/commentator/writer.

 

Keen to pursue a career in Aviation from the very beginning, PK enrolled as a student pilot at the Delhi Flying Club in 1992 and was thrilled to be in the midst of winch-launch Gliders and basic trainers of the time, including the HUL-26 Pushpak (Indian built derivative of the Aeronca Chief high winged monoplane) and the ubiquitous Cessna 152. Forced to abandon his flying training early though, PK thereafter had plans to join the prestigious Indian Military Academy in January 1995 but succumbed to the lure of the lucre when offered apprenticeship at the Dutch airline - KLM about the same time. That development kickstarted his aviation journey in February 1995. 

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PK amassed over 17-years as an Airline professional, working with mainstream Airlines and startups across both passenger and airfreight segments, in roles predominantly in the Operations and Commercial domains. 

 

In 2012, PK crossed-over to the information technology side of the industry and has since been involved in propagating highly complex enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions for the air transportation sector, besides consultative sales of niche software products targeted at all three categories i.e. Commercial, General and Military aviation.

 

Since late 2019, PK has been active as an independent consultant, offering domain expertise and advisory services to industry entities around commercial strategy, marketing & communication, operations and airline startup due-diligence among others.

 

Obsessively Compulsive about Order, PK naturally adapts to the SOP driven, regimented world of aviation, that mandates rigorous fussing over checklists for even the most mundane of tasks! Besides, reveling in the excitement of working in a high-tech, high-octane and a high-stakes environment, that is in a constant state of flux to withstand headwinds of external dynamics, perhaps most pronounced for commercial Aviation than any other industry/sector. And proud indeed of the industry he serves, alongside scores of fellow professionals whose everyday actions incrementally contribute towards making flying ever safer and exciting of course.

 

Thanks to his professional career, PK has had extensive multi-cultural exposure, living, working and travelling all across the globe. In his own words, “Air travel is liberating; not only does it blur borders, but it also allows assimilation of diverse socio-cultural experiences across vast geographies within hours. Besides, there is the added excitement of being a consumer of services, delivered by an industry you serve and therefore a perspective from the ‘other side’, providing valuable insights that help validate or void mission objectives."​