Aerospace Diary

by   Neelam Mathews  -  March 1, 2015, 10:59 AM A uniform rate of import duty on private and charter operators was not included in India’s budget for the financial year (April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016). The nation's Business Aircraft Operators Association had hoped the budget would introduce equal taxation, which it believes is essential to strengthening the business aviation sector in the country. Under the current rules, the levy on an aircraft imported for personal use is between 19 and 21 percent, while charter operators pay approximately 3 percent. The differential tax structure often leads private operators to import aircraft as “nonscheduled operators.” This complicates monitoring the aircraft, and the  BAOA  is working with the Ministry of Civil Aviation on requirements to regulate aircraft for categorization (similar to the procedure for commercial aircraft) to become eligible for similar duties, according to  BAOA  secretary...

Mehair flies its Cessna 208 in the Andaman Islands and recently started services in Mumbai and nearby cities in the state of Maharashtra. (Photo: Mehair) Neelam Mathews Nov 14, 2014 In an effort to encourage regional airline connectivity, a new aviation policy in India set for release in January will no longer distinguish commercial airlines from charter services operating under Non Scheduled Operators Permits ( NSOP s). According to the new guidelines,   NSOP   operators will have the option to convert themselves into Scheduled Commuter Airlines ( SCA ), allowing them access to tax exemptions enjoyed by the country’s commercial airlines. Those that do not opt for   SCA   status will now fly under the category called Air Charter Operators. Already, state governments have sought to benefit from the policy. While Madhya Pradesh in central India became the first to appoint an operator for air-taxi services three years ago, the western state of Gujarat recent...

Posted by- Neelam Mathews April 4, 2014 There is change in the air. Government bodies will need to understand their God-like status is waning. And why not? Business is about partnerships. Almost on cue, Please see our story of April 2 - http://aerospacediary.blogspot.in/2014/04/dgca-chopping-arms-to-save-legs.html  BAOA has lashed out at DGCA. All we can say is, it’s about time. Two partners shouldn’t wash their dirty linen in public. Pity the DGCA wasn’t open enough to discuss this internally. Hopefully it won’t become a war fought in the media. Here is the Statement by BAOA Secy RK Bali Business Aviation industry is deeply distressed by DGCA casting aspersions on Non Scheduled Operators by selectively leaking observations of its routine checks in public forums. Most of the cases brought to light have been minor and level 2 observations which do not even prescribe the grounding of aircrafts or penalties. The reports in media initiated by DGCA are a clear...

AINALERTS  »  AUGUST 27, 2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS August 27, 2013, 3:30 PM India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation ( DGCA ) has banned non scheduled air operator permit ( AOP ) holders–including indigenous business jet operators–from flying to international destinations unless certification documents adhere to the international air operator certification manual. This follows an  ICAO  safety audit of India last December that found “significant safety concerns,” with deficiencies in  AOP  holders and maintenance. Last month, an Indian-registered business jet was refused landing by Singapore as it did not have  AOP  documentation. In the past week an  ICAO  team carried out a follow-up on aviation safety and regulatory practices in India and found no “significant safety concerns.” Before the follow-up audit, the  DGCA  grounded Eon Aviation, a Mumbai-based charter company, af...

Neelam Mathews March 9, 2013 At a recent IACC summit on March 6, a question I put to the DGCA, Arun Mishra  on what it would take to make Kingfisher Airlines fly again, had an immediate reply: “He (Vijay Mallya) must pay people their salaries.” Though it was essential he cleared his dues, he said. He added a postscipt: “However, KFA need not pay ALL the dues…” Which was news. AerospaceDiary learns that Sanjay Agarwal, CEO, KFA who was to have left the airline on Feb 28, and has now decided to stay on, when he met ministry officials on March 7, was assured KFA- anxious to start operations- could apply for its NSOP next week. However, how the recent decision by the Supreme Court dismissing the TDS appeal, will affect this decision has to be seen. AerospaceDiary could not confirm any of the above and sources were unwilling to be quoted. We also hear KFA is getting NOCs from airports, oil companies and banks to enable it to fly again. However, Mallya's ACJ remains grounded...

AINALERTS  »  OCTOBER 18, 2012 by    NEELAM MATHEWS October 18, 2012, 3:25 PM The Indian government looks set to reform complex rules that have made it hard for charter operators to expand services. The country’s Business Aviation Operators Association ( BAOA ) is in talks with the Ministry of Civil Aviation to permit nonscheduled operators to enter into codeshares with scheduled airlines to provide feeder services to remote destinations with short and unpaved runways. “Discussions are also on for [merging] the scheduled operator permit with the nonscheduled operator’s permit [ NSOP ] under a common air operator permit, as is the global norm,”  BAOA  president Rohit Kapur told  AIN . As things stand  NSOP  operators cannot legally publish or advertise flight departures or sell tickets to individual passengers. In practice they have to quietly take bookings from passengers and then coordinate the departur...