Nedumkunnam (Kerala): As the Kochi-Lakshadweep seaplane service prepares for an imminent launch, a young Malayali is set to occupy the cockpit, marking a rare milestone in India's aviation history. Arun Gop (33), a native of Nedumkunnam in Kottayam, will be flying the aircraft. He is currently the only individual in the country licensed to fly amphibian aircraft (planes capable of landing on both water and land).

Arun is the son of Gopakumaran Nair, a former Air Force engineer and Junior Warrant Officer, and Preetha, residing at 'Gokulam' in Nedumkunnam. Arun shares that getting the opportunity to fly a seaplane in Kerala is the greatest fortune of his life.

He completed his pilot training in Miami, USA, where he secured his commercial pilot's licence and underwent specialised seaplane training. He has clocked over 6,500 hours of flying seaplanes across various countries. Following his training in Miami, he served as a seaplane pilot for a Saudi prince and was subsequently working with a company in Indonesia.

It was during his service in the Air Force that Gopakumaran Nair harboured the dream of making his son a pilot. The aviation stories recounted by his father nurtured Arun's aspirations. After his tenth standard, he chose the commerce stream and enrolled for a BCom degree at SB College, Changanassery. However, his dream of becoming a pilot never faded.

He discontinued his BCom studies midway through his second year to pursue his education in the United States, completing his training in 11 months. He notes that handling seaplanes is considerably more challenging than flying conventional aircraft.

Arun believes that Kerala holds immense potential for seaplanes and suggests that the government should take the initiative to pave the way for growth in the tourism sector through this. His sister, Keerthi Gop, serves as the vice chairperson of the Hindustan College of Pharmacy in Kanjirappally.