The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) taking greater steps to address the growing need for helicopter operations across India. India today remains the only major economy that is underserved in terms of helicopter operations.
While civilian helicopters contribute to improved accessibility, particularly of remote areas, they also play a key role in facilitating tourism and are also of unmatched utility when it comes to emergency medical services and disaster management during floods and rescue operations, etc.
However, civilian helicopter operations in India remain at suboptimal levels, largely due to the inherent flexibility of operations by helicopters being constrained by domestic regulations, which put them on par with fixed-wing aircraft. Unfortunately, helicopters also have a poorer safety record than their fixed-wing counterparts.
Primed For Growth
At the recently organised 5th Helicopter & Small Aircraft Summit (Heli Summit 2023) held in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, Jyotiraditya M Scindia, Union Minister of Civil Aviation announced the launch of UDAN 5.2 for helicopters. The summit was held under the theme “Reaching the Last Mile: Regional Connectivity through Helicopters & Small Aircraft”.
Under the Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) 5.2, the Civil Aviation Ministry had increased the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) and reduced the fare cap, said Scindia. “Along with this, we have also started single window service platform of HeliSewa. Through this, you will be able to get all the approvals from Air Traffic Control (ATC) on your mobile,” he said.
The Government has been working to enhance the scope of the UDAN Scheme in India’s remote and hilly terrains and expanding the country's rural-to-urban connectivity. Helicopter operations could benefit these areas greatly.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also inked at the event, between Pawan Hans and Jetserve for advancing the helicopter and small aircraft sector in India.
Scindia said India’s civil aviation sector has been democratised in the last nine years. “Along with the number of airports, there has been a vast expansion in the number of aircraft and the market size. And in this expansion big metro airports and large airlines are as important as small town airports, small airlines and helicopters,” the Minister stated.
In this period, Scindia said, 148 airports, including nine heliports and two water aerodromes, had been developed and that in the next four years, this would go up to 200.
The Minister also inaugurated the Flyola Aviation Academy (Jet Serve Aviation) – Helicopter FTO, a new flight training academy for helicopters, which will provide Commercial Helicopter Pilot License (CHPL) training. It presently operates two Robinson R44 helicopters for pilot training.
Enhanced Scope
The launch of UDAN 5.2 will further enhance much needed aerial connectivity to remote and regional areas. The last-mile connectivity will be achieved through two types of small aircraft, those with less than nine and 20 seats. The MoCA has for now awarded 22 routes under UDAN 5.2 for small aircraft.
Under the previous rounds of RCS-UDAN, 46 helicopter routes were operationalised, benefitting several hilly and North-Eastern states. UDAN 5.2 will aim to grow the coverage to a much larger number of routes.
Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) – UDAN 5.0 is the 5th iteration of the Government’s efforts to further enhance regional connectivity. UDAN 5.1 was aimed at enhancing connectivity to remote areas in India and achieve last mile connectivity through helicopters, providing the helicopter industry a much needed boost.
It was under UDAN 5.1 that operations with helicopter routes were specifically targeted. The regulations now allow routes where one of the origin or destination locations is in a priority area. Earlier it was mandatory to have both locations in priority areas.
To make flying in helicopters more affordable for passengers, airfare caps have been reduced by as much as 25%. The VGF caps has been increased substantially for operators with both single and twin-engine helicopters, which will enhance their financial viability for operating the awarded routes.
These changes in regulation are expected to facilitate the growing appetite for helicopter operations, particularly those related to tourism.
Enhancing Ease Of Operations
The HeliSewa portal is an initiative of the MoCA under Digital India to create a common platform for an ecosystem between the helicopter operators and the district authorities. It will promote travel, tourism and enhance last mile connectivity as operators will be able to file their landing requests and intimate the district authorities online using a digital platform.
This will be especially useful for helicopter flights which need to be undertaken at short notice such as: Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS), corporate charters, VIP flights, etc.
The HeliSewa portal facilitates helicopter operators in obtaining permissions, approvals and clearances, etc. within 48 hours due to removal of the need to obtain permissions in physical format. The dynamic portal will also act as a ready reckoner for the operators and district authorities with an option to update new helipads being developed over a period of time.
Local district authorities now have the facility to upload/ update helipad details in their respective districts for updating the available infrastructure at the respective helipads. This will further aid helicopter operators as they will be able to gain information quickly on new/ upgraded landing pads.
A Heli-hub/ heliport is now also planned to be built at Gurugram by the Government of Haryana, in consultation with the Government-owned helicopter operator Pawan Hans. Haryana is presently finalising the site selection, while Pawan Hans is undertaking the feasibility survey.
The development of a Heli-hub in Gurugram will boost helicopter connectivity of the residents of various parts of the State to the National Capital Region. It will also aid in the growth of the helicopter MRO industry in the region.
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