Time for Boosting GA and BA Industry in India

The Indian aviation industry offers very exciting prospects today. It has tremendous growth potential due to the ever expanding middle-class population, rapid economic growth coupled with compulsion of better connectivity, especially in Tier-II and -III cities and higher disposable incomes.

The poor connectivity between the metros and smaller cities is why more and more companies and individuals are realising the benefits of using business jets and helicopters. Finally, the surge of tourist traffic into India has been a key driver of the growth of the general aviation sector in the country. Tier-II and Tier-III cities in India have shown huge potential for the development of GA. These cities are local and regional centres for manufacturing, trading and logistics. There is also a growing demand for travel to such towns for which business aviation aircraft would always be the preferred choice. As a result, airlines are increasingly looking at these cities as viable options to expand their route networks.

India’s aspirations and potential for sitting on the high table of global economies necessitate a robust general and business aviation sector. It is, therefore, important to ensure that infrastructural constraints are not allowed to become limiting factors for growth of this sector. This would need immediate planning for adequate infrastructure for GA/BA sector at all existing and upcoming airports.

The role of NSOP, small aircrafts in connecting remote areas and conducting regular flights to support medical emergencies/disaster-relief/tourism, can never be understated. For the country to realise its dream of becoming the top aviation economy in the world, adequate focus and attention needs to be given to General and Business Aviation.

There needs to be a regular consultation and follow up mechanism on the provisions laid out in NCAP for helicopters such as:

• Rationalising airport charges for helicopter operations
• Facilitating intra city and inter city movements through helicopters
• Construction of helipads at roof tops of high rise buildings and at every district HQ and ensuring their safe operations through well written SOPs.

‘HORSES FOR COURSES’ APPROACH FOR GENERAL AVIATION

• Separate regulations for GA – Proportionate regulations for smaller aircraft and helicopters to be developed based on specific domestic requirements. DGCA to develop expertise in this direction and ‘file differences’, where applicable, with ICAO’s SARPs. In order to achieve this, DGCA should organise workshops for staff, with participation of FAA/EASA/ICAO experts
• Ensure regular consultation process with representation from small aircraft industry to resolve operational issues
• Judicious use of single-engine aircraft in commuter operations
• HEMS operations with single-engine helicopters
• A System of online slot allotment for every public airport to optimise the utilisation of all the available parking and landing/take off slots across the entire country

GENERAL AND BUSINESS AVIATION SHOULD COME OUT OF THE SHADOW OF SCHEDULED COMMERCIAL OPERATION

Dedicated airports for General and Business aviation is the need of the hour and has, in fact, been the standard norm globally. With the exception of Delhi and Mumbai which have limited GA/BA facilities, none of the airports have specific GA facilities. There are around 150 airports across the country capable of handling business aviation aircraft. However, the facilities at these airports hardly meet the requisite standards. The absence of quality groundhandling facilities further compounds the problems faced by the non-scheduled aviation segment. Several smaller airports are still not accessible due to watch hour limitations, and the difficulty in getting timely permissions.

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL BENEFITS FROM GENERAL AVIATION TO STATES’ TOURISM INDUSTRY SHOULD BE FULLY EXPLOITED

The symbiotic relationship between aviation and tourism perhaps cannot be stressed enough. General Aviation has been credited with opening high traffic routes and tourist spots, especially places of religious and historic importance. However, a strong push and a favourable operating environment are key ingredients for this relationship to grow and flourish. Recently, BAOA made an appeal for immediate withdrawal of the unlawful ‘order’ issued by the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), Order (118/UCADA/2018-19) for abruptly levying unreasonable ‘royalty’ on pilgrims, chartering helicopters for Char Dham Yatra, in the middle of the season and, imposing unjustifiably increased landing/parking charges on all helipads, including private ones. The Order was issued by UCADA without the legally mandatory stakeholders’ consultation process and is in direct confrontation with national government’s civil aviation policy aimed at boosting religious tourism in the country, especially in remote/inaccessible regions of the nation. This sudden decision, of levying royalty charges, shell shocked the pilgrims and adversely affected the existing plans of those who had booked helicopters in advance for Char Dham Yatra. BAOA greatly appreciates the efforts of Ministry of Civil Aviation towards bringing down all operating charges at remote/regional airports/landing grounds executed as per recent orders of AERA; however the contrary order of the State Government not only compromises the mission of NCAP 2016 but, also negates GoI’s efforts of taking flying to the masses by making it affordable and convenient to the middle class people of India.

It is imperative that State Governments should act in unison with the Central Government’s NCAP 2016. It would be in their own interest for UCADA to revoke the order (118/UCADA/2018-19) with immediate effect, rationalise all applicable charges such as landing and parking – in line with NCAP 2016 and existing orders of Airport Economic Regulatory Authority, on aeronautical services, to boost RCS and, consider providing subsidy for Char Dham Yatra to boost pilgrimage tourism in the State.

Time is right now to put visionary GA/BA policies in place. While the National Civil Aviation Policy remains the guiding force for the industry, civil aviation ministry should also have a separate national policy to promote GA/BA industry. It is important to institutionalise the process of ‘collaborative rule making’, in the real sense, with active participation of all the stakeholders to ensure safe, efficient and reliable growth of GA/BA industry in India.