Amended laws to give aircraft lessors greater confidence: Minister

To give a boost to start-up airlines and international aircraft lessors, the government on Thursday said it has amendment the aircraft rules.

"In order to facilitate the start-up airlines, when exploring new routes or during seasonal fluctuations and sudden peaks in demand, operation of foreign registered aircraft by Indian crew has been published as new draft guidelines," Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju told the Lok Sabha.

According to Raju, recently liberalisation has been made to the Aircraft Rules, 1937, to boost the confidence of international aircraft lessors in India.

"Rule 30 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, was amended in 2015 to facilitate deregistration of aircraft promptly on the request of the lessor," the minister informed Parliament in a written reply.

"Recently, further liberalisation has been made in the Aircraft Rules, 1937, by introduction of Rule 32 A, whereby the lessor upon cancellation of registration of an aircraft can approach government for permission to export the aircraft within five working days for physical transfer of the aircraft."

The minister elaborated that the new amendments will help in giving greater confidence to lessors by ensuring speedy transfer of deregistered aircraft, reducing lease rentals and increasing the availability of lessors.

"With the incorporation of IDERA (Irrevocable De-registration and Export Request Authorisation), provision in the Aircraft Rule, fresh consent of operator/lessee is not required for de-registration of an aircraft. Owner/lessor can apply for de-registration of an aircraft in accordance with provisions of above sub-rule," the minister added.

--IANS

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