Helicopter sector set to take off as govt smoothens flight approvals

A beta version of the application called 'HeliSewa' was unveiled at Ficci helicopter summit earlier this month; system will be rolled out over the next few weeks

Helicopter flight permissions will become simpler and quicker as the civil aviation ministry is set to introduce an online application system.

A beta version of the application called HeliSewa was unveiled at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry helicopter summit earlier this month and the system will be rolled out over the next few weeks. The enterprise will help in the creation of a database of helipads thus, addressing a long-term industry demand. It will also provide accurate information on helicopter traffic in the country.

The initiative will be particularly useful for charter or private flights to temporary helipads. A temporary helipad is one which does not see take-offs or landings for more than seven days in a consecutive 30-day period. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has separate regulations on temporary helipads and the responsibility of safety lies with the operator.

According to the current procedure, a helicopter operator is required to obtain a no-objection certificate from the landowner where the helicopter is supposed to touch down. The operator is also required to alert the district civil and police authorities about the movement. However, the established practice has been to take formal approval from district collectors and local police. A few states insist on approvals from the health department and fire brigade, too, making the whole process protracted. Once in a while, the approval process even takes 10 days.

Under the HeliSewa system, an operator will submit a landing request with the date and time of the flight. An email will be automatically sent to the district administration. The system provides for a tacit approval. In case of denial, it will be communicated to the operator, along with reasons.  After the flight, the operator will be encouraged to share details about the helipad, including its photos. This will help in the creation of a helipad database, which will be useful for disaster management and relief-and-rescue operations, said an official familiar with the process.

“The existing process for obtaining permissions from district authorities for flights to temporary helipads is long-drawn-out, involving multiple agencies and in some cases, ambiguous. The time to complete the process varies between 2 and 7 days and as a result, almost six out of 10 enquiries originating from potential customers do not materialise. With the uniformed digitised process, as well as awareness, we hope the permissions will be received within hours. This will give a fillip to commercial helicopter operations across the country,” said Ajay Shah, chief executive officer, IndoCopters.

“HeliSewa will be a boon for helicopter operators and help the industry develop,” said Wangchuk Shamshu, co-promoter and director of Himalayan Heli Services, which operates flights to pilgrimage sites. “Even if it helps us in 70-80 per cent of the flights to begin with, it will be great,” he said.

He explained that there are no issues regarding Char Dham charters or Vaishnodevi shuttle service since the permission process has been standardised and the destination helipads approved by the DGCA.

Currently, there are around 250 helicopters in the country. Over 70 per cent of them are in the non-scheduled category, the rest in government and private ownership.

“Most of our helicopters are deployed on long-term contracts. The HeliSewa project will allow us to explore charters too and help us in improving fleet utilisation,” said Sanjeev Razdan, chairman and managing director of Pawan Hans, the country’s largest helicopter operator.

According to retired Air Marshal and Rotary Wing Society of India President Arvindra Singh Butola, the HeliSewa proposal is a great leap forward for the helicopter industry. “It will cut through red tape and hopefully make the process easier and efficient for operators. Since the system is not operational yet, we need to wait and watch, assess, and then comment on its success.”