Chopper makers hope Delhi heliport will fuel growth

NEW DELHI - Major international helicopter manufacturers Wednesday said that they were optimistic about the growth of the industry in India with the upcoming infrastructural facilities like a heliport in the national capital.

“Yes there is a lot of potential in the industry. We are very optimist about the growth in the industry through such infrastructural facilities like the heliport,” said Wing Commander (retired) B.S Singh Deo, managing director, Bell Helicopter India.

Earlier IANS had reported that the national capital will get its first heliport by mid-September, while the helipad near the Commonwealth Games Village is complete with only a minor portion of the work remaining.

The mega heliport at Rohini in north Delhi and a helipad for the Games village is being built by state-run Pawan Hans Helicopter Limited (PHHL) and is expected to be used for chopper travel within the region around Delhi, promoting travel and tourism, and generating business.

“The heliport will provide better connectivity, easy and convenience for chopper travel within this region. It will also promote travel and tourism and generate business opportunities,” PHHL Chairman and Managing Director R.K. Tyagi told IANS.

Currently the Safdarjung Airport is being used for the chopper flights of politicians and government functionaries. But others, such as corporate heads, who want to take a chopper flight, have to wait for long at the Delhi airport as priority is given to passenger aircraft.

“It will promote the helicopter travel as many companies in the capital have a base in other parts of north India. They can simply drive down to Rohini and take a chopper flight to their bases elsewhere,” Singh Deo added.

According to the PHHL, the Rohini heliport would cover helicopter operations, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and support a training academy for pilots and technical staff.

“The Rohini heliport will be a state-of-the-art feeder hub centre. It will have helicopter maintenance facilities, parking facilities for other helicopter operators. A business centre will also come up,” Tyagi said.

The choppers using the helipad would get a separate flight corridor to ensure that the air traffic at the IGI airport is not disrupted.

The PHHL, the largest helicopter operator of the country, would be deploying two medium-size choppers with a capacity of 10, he said.

“Yes indeed there is a considerable growth opportunity in the market not just for the Delhi region, but other places as well, if the heliport idea catches up,” said Captain (retired) K.V. Kunhikrishnan, general manager, AgustaWestland.

According to industry officials, there are 274 helicopters in operation in the country, with a 15 percent growth, while the numbers can double over 5 years if infrastructure like heliports are built in the country.

“The helicopter fleet in the country can double if the infrastructure issue like heliport and other facilities are built and some policy matters taken care of,” said a senior official of Rotary Wing Society of India (RWSI) on the sidelines of a seminar held here.

The Delhi heliport is coming up on a 25-acre plot for which the PHHL has paid Rs.19.5 crore. It is spending another Rs.45 crore for developing the facility. Cities like Bangalore and Mumbai have also shown increased interest in heliports, the official said.

“Many major routes like Mumbai-Pune, Bangalore, Kolkata and Chennai can be developed for helicopter industry, if the infrastructural facilities are made,” Singh Deo added.