‘Govt needs to focus on helicopter ops, implement policies for growth’
Minister had said helicopter ops well below potential; lack of infrastructure, entrepreneurs behind failure of industry
MUMBAI: Aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri last month said helicopter operations in India are well below the country’s potential. Helicopters are a key segment of the aviation sector, and their business has seen development and growth along with fixed-wing aircraft segments in many countries like the United States and several European nations. However, in India, the segment has failed to develop into a major business despite the 2016 civil aviation policy laying emphasis on its development.
In a video message at Aero India seminar organised by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) on February 3, Puri had said, “Currently, helicopter operations in India are well below the potential of a country as large as ours. The total number of helicopters in India is around 250. Brazil has around 1,250; Australia has around 2,000; the US has more than 14,000.” He has also said there is a growing requirement of helicopters for civil use in tourism, mining, corporate travel, air ambulance, homeland security and air charter.
Contrary to the minister’s claim, experts said India currently has less than 250 civilian helicopters, which is extremely low as compared to other developing nations. The fleet strength has steadily declined from 299 in financial year (FY) 2011-12 to less than 250 in the FY 2020-21.
“The decline is likely to continue unless the government takes steps to address the issues affecting the industry. There is lack of efforts on the part of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to evolve separate regulations for helicopters. Instead, helicopters are made to comply with regulations made for fixedwing aircraft. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has also been guilty of not evolving procedures for simultaneous operation of helicopters with airline traffic at metro airports,” said Uday Gelli, president (western region), Rotary Wings Society of India (RWSI).
The tariffs levied on helicopters for flight operations are the same as they are for aircraft (in the similar weight category).
Moreover, the country does not have any heli-hub to promote regional connectivity.
Helicopters are versatile and can be used in many roles for public good. However, helicopters in India are mostly used in communication purposes than other services such as helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS), airborne law enforcement (ALE), carriage of underslung load in remote areas, firefighting, powerline washing etc owing to regulatory issues.
In order to uplift civil helicopter operations, the government introduced the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) in 2016.
NCAP was a well-conceived policy and had stated that separate regulations for helicopters will be notified by aviation regulator DGCA after stakeholder’s consultation. It also stated that the government will facilitate the development of at least four heli-hubs initially, across the country to promote regional connectivity.
It also stated that helicopters will be free to fly from point to point without prior air traffic control (ATC) clearance in airspace below 5,000 feet and areas other than controlled airspace, prohibited and restricted ones, Temporary segregated areas (TSAs) and temporary restricted areas (TRAs) after obtaining the defence clearance, wherever required after intimating the basic information (like point of origin of the flight, its destination, its expected time of departure and arrival and the duration of flight) to the nearest ATC. For this, the policy had stated that the ministry of defence (MoD) and the ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) will set up webbased platforms.
NCAP also asked AAI to provide lease land for helicopter operations at AAI airports on appropriate commercial terms from where helicopters can operate without interfering with fixed-wing (airplane) traffic. It also stated that airport charges for helicopter operations will be rationalised.
“Unfortunately, none of these have been implemented yet. Moreover, NCAP stated that MoCA will coordinate with the ministries of finance, home and railways, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), insurance companies, hospitals, Pawan Hans Limited, and other helicopter operators to facilitate HEMS. HEMS was launched by an operator and was a failure. Now no operator is keen to venture in HEMS as it is commercially uneconomical. The policy also stated that a separate helicopter cell will be created in DGCA. However, only a notional cell has been established so far,” Gelli said.
“Unless there is a concerted effort by the government to implement the policy declared by it for growth of civil helicopters in NCAP, the present trend of negative growth in the industry will continue,” he added.
According to Vipul Saxena, former defence (helicopter) pilot and aviation expert, said the key reason for the domestic helicopter industry failing to take off in a big way even after 60 years has been total lack policy, lack of infrastructure (like helipads) and lack of entrepreneurs for the segment.
“To get momentum, MoCA needs to work on long-term vision on helicopter services as an independent segment of aviation Industry. The government has released their vision for Udey Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN), waterdrome and seaplane operations, but there is no such plan or vision in place for the helicopter industry,” he said.
“I am not too positive about the industry’s growth as there is nothing on the horizon in civil aviation policy. However, as the government moves on to privatisation of Pawan Hans, I am sure they will be able to make money only by making this segment attractive through new policies and liberalisation,” Saxena added.
There is lack of effort on part of the DGCA to evolve separate regulations for helicopters. The Airports Authority of India has also been guilty of not evolving procedures for simultaneous operation of helicopters with airline traffic at metro airports. UDAY GELLI, president (western region), Rotary Wings Society of India