India Looks At Seaplanes For Inter-Island, Tourism Service

Travel/Distribution Systems
Aviation Daily Apr 30 , 2010 , p. 15
Neelam Mathews

InterGlobe General Aviation, a subsidiary of InterGlobe Enterprises, has added Dornier Seaplane Company, including the Dornier Seastar CD2, to its growing business aviation portfolio, buoyed in part by the tourism industry, which is looking at seaplanes to transport tourists to islands.

“We are examining it,” Nigel Harwood, CEO, InterGlobe General Aviation, told The DAILY. “The problem is Dornier is not ready for production till 2011. We will look at an interim solution till then if required before that.”

Despite India having a vast coastline, the country does not have a single seaplane. Government-owned Pawan Hans Helicopters has been planning for two years to start seaplane operations to Andaman and Nicobar islands, which attract 1 million visitors a year, and for use in inter-island connections. It had plans to lease out at least four seaplanes.

Harwood said the company was also examining business prospects in the Maldives, Mauritius and Sri Lanka. “The Dornier seaplane is economical, advanced and is backed by the Dornier heritage,” he adds.

“The potential for seaplane sales in our region is very large, and we see a fantastic opportunity with this product. There is also a big opportunity to replace the aging fleet of 50 seaplanes in the Maldives,” Harwood says.

"This new market for amphibious aircraft is a very important part of our future plans, and we are confident that this partnership with InterGlobe General Aviation will add value and strengthen our base in the region considerably. The Seastar provides the fastest cruise speeds, the most comfortable cabin and the greatest reliability of any amphibious aircraft available, making it apt for these vast coastlines," Joe Walker, CEO of Dornier Seaplane Company, said recently.

InterGlobe General Aviation, is currently the exclusive representative for Hawker Beechcraft Corporation, Atlanta Jet, Aircraft services Group and most recently, Sikorsky Helicopter Corporation.