Prabhatam Aviation to add 4 helicopters to its fleet

Prabhatam Aviation, which is into religious tourism, plans to add four helicopters to its fleet in the next five months.

 

"We have decided to add 2 single engine helicopters in December and then 2 more single engine helicopters in the first quarter of 2014 to cater to the ongoing aviation market in India," Prabhatam Aviation Chairman Dinesh Gupta said.

 

"We are also going to own our in-house maintenance agency to service our flying machines at the end of the next year and to enter into fixed wing service down the line," he said.

 

The company also intends to enter into the fixed wing aviation market by launching regional airlines further down the line, he added.

 

Prabhatam Aviation, part of Prabhatam Group, started its operation with ferrying of pilgrims to Kedarnath, Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib, he said.

 

No matter by how many folds the company grows, it will always be identified by these three shrines, he added.

 

Besides, the company is also expanding in adventure tourism, helicopter charter services used by HNIs, politicians and corporate houses.

 

India is currently the ninth largest aviation market handling 121 million domestic and 41 million international passengers. Today, more than 85 international airlines operate in India and 5 Indian carriers connect over 40 countries worldwide.

 

Total domestic passengers carried by the scheduled domestic airlines between January and May 2013 were 25.998 million, as against 25.808 million during the corresponding period of previous year, registering a growth of 0.74%, as per the data of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).