The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Civil aviation boom to continue

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Tuesday, Jan 22, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Civil aviation boom to continue

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The “golden era” of Indian civil aviation is likely to continue during the Eleventh Plan period also. Joint Director General of Civil Aviation R.P. Sahi said the growth in air passenger traffic is likely to be around 22 per cent during the next couple of years.

Speaking to presspersons here on Monday, Mr. Sahi said India witnessed a growth rate between 46 per cent and 49 per cent during the last two years and this golden era is expected to continue for the next couple of years. “Though the growth rate would flatten to be around 22 per cent, it will be a positive growth,” he added.

He said that the 14 scheduled airlines in the country have placed orders for around 300 aircraft while several companies have evinced interest in setting up maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities in the country. “India also has 60 non-scheduled operators, which shows healthy trend in aviation sector,” he added.

Bangalore, he said, had an opportunity to become the MRO hub in the country. Already many Indian companies have come forward to open MRO facilities for safety equipment, brakes and the like. “At present Indian airline companies are sending component to countries in Europe and also to Singapore,” he added. While Lufthansa will set up MRO facility in Hyderabad, Boeing-Air India will set up a similar facility in Nagpur.

The DGCA, he said, had also brought in regulatory changes by allowing graduate engineers and diploma holders to be employed in MRO facilities. “To get aircraft maintenance engineers was very difficult, as airlines offered lucrative jobs. By providing basic manufacturing training on the related product, graduate engineers could be employed,” he added.

India is also in talks the U.S. and European countries to accept certification from India under the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) for aeronautical products. At present, India has such agreements with Russia, Chile and Israel. Mr. Sahi said: “The process may take five to six years, and U.S. representatives have already visited HAL, NAL and other facilities in India and completed an audit of DGCA. .”

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