BAOA's Upcoming Events

Issue: BizAvIndia 4/2016By Group Captain Rajesh K. Bali (Retd), MD, BAOA

BizAvIndia Conference & Awards. February next year it would the third edition of BizAvIndia at Bengaluru. This time it would be bigger with inclusion of the first ever Safety Workshop organised by BAOA. This workshop will bring together international safety experts, safety regulator, aircraft operators and other stakeholders of business aviation/general aviation (BA/GA) industry. It would be the first such workshop of its kind in India aimed at achieving enhanced aviation safety awareness and adopting best international practices for BA/GA industry in India.

BA in India. Business aviation is an indispensible driver of a developed nation’s economy, and not just one segment of the public air transportation system. BA industry in India has just begun to get its due recognition as India emerges as the fastest growing large economy in the world. There is a growing demand for air connectivity in remote regions of India as new industries are being set up there due to high cost of land in areas around big cities. Growth of tourism in India is directly linked to seamless air connectivity to new destinations in yet to be explored areas. Aero Medical Transportation (AMT) has taken deep roots in India with hospitals in large cities facilitating immediate airlift of seriously sick through tie up with BA/GA operators operating air ambulance services. This has not only helped saved precious human life but has also led to adding remote parts of the country on aviation map of India. Government’s priority for projects like electrification of remote and inaccessible hilly areas has necessitated use of the sky crane in India for the first time. The list of new areas of national economy needing involvement of BA industry is expanding every year. Current pace of economic development would lead to BA industry growing annually at 10 per cent over the next 10 years.

The list of new areas of national economy needing involvement of BA industry is expanding every year. Current pace of economic development would lead to BA industry growing annually at 10 per cent over the next 10 years.

Safety Workshop. It is a big challenge for BAOA to ensure the potential of BA growth in India gets optimised and government, as well as the regulator’s policies become more conducive to achieve it. Here lies the genesis of the first ever BizAvIndia Safety Workshop. This workshop would provide opportunity for the global safety experts to share experience of the developed nations in achieving optimal BA growth through most efficient safety practices. The event is scheduled on February 10, 2017, in the week before Aero India 2017 (February 14-18, 2017). While Aero India show will be held at Bengaluru, the Safety Workshop has been planned at New Delhi to ensure greater participation of safety regulator and government officials. Safety Workshop will have three dedicated sessions comprising: Global BizAv Safety Updates & Best Standards, DGCA’s Perspective and Viewpoints of Aircraft Operators.

BizAvIndia Conference. The third BizAvIndia conference has been scheduled for February 13, 2017, one day before the Aero India air show at Bengaluru. BizAvIndia is now a brand in itself, having created a platform that engages the entire BA/GA industry in India. There have been two previous editions of this conference – in February 2015 at Bengaluru and in March 2016 at Hyderabad. In the second edition at Hyderabad, the interest level was most encouraging as more than 200 delegates and decision makers from leading operators, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and service providers took active part.

The third BizAvIndia Conference would commence at 12:30 p.m. with registrations and luncheon. In the previous edition, the conference theme was around the new National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP 2016). For the 2017 conference too, the most appropriate theme would be chosen, besides covering important topics like Market Growth, Operating Environment, International Developments in New & Emerging Technologies, Environment Care, and so on.

Awards. The conference will be followed by the coveted BizAvIndia Awards ceremony and a gala dinner. The previous two editions of the awards evening were held in February 2015 at Bengaluru and in March 2016 at Hyderabad. Last edition of the awards evening at Hyderabad was attended by senior government officials from US and FAA representatives. The first awards evening in 2015 was sponsored by Textron and the second one in 2016 by Bombardier Business Jets.

In the 2016 BizAvIndia Awards were given in four categories – Best Operator (large fleet), Best Operator (small fleet), Hall of Fame, Award for Innovation, and additionally one Special Mention Award for Life Time Achievement. The 2017 event is likely to see increase in the number of awards to recognise the contribution of BA industry in diverse fields of nation’s economic growth. As has been the practice, an independent jury of aviation experts would decide the winners of awards.