Privatisation of airports to be done through clubbing model, 13 next in line

Radhika Bansal

14 Sep 2021

The board of the Airport Authority of India has approved to privatise 13 airports. This is the first major asset monetisation exercise by the government as part of the National Monetisation Pipeline. The government is aiming for private investment of INR 3,660 crore in airports by FY24.

The AAI board has approved the privatisation of six major airports-- Bhubaneshwar, Varanasi, Amritsar, Trichy, Indore, Raipur—along with seven smaller ones in Jharsuguda, Gaya, Kushinagar, Kangra, Tirupati, Jabalpur and Jalgaon, according to sources. The smaller airports will be clubbed with the six major airports for scale and size, thereby making them attractive for investors.

AAI will now appoint a consultant to prepare the bid document and determine the concession period and reserve price. The bids are likely to be called by early 2022.

The board of the Airport Authority of India has approved to privatise 13 airports. 

This is the first time the model of clubbing major airports with smaller ones will be used in the airport privatisation exercise.

“To ensure commensurate development of non-profitable airports along with the profitable airports with the help of private sector investment and participation, pairing /clubbing of smaller airports with each of the six bigger airports and leasing out as a package is being explored.” The National Monetisation Pipeline document prepared by Niti Ayog

While Jharsuguda airport will be bundled with Bhubaneswar, Kushinagar and Gaya airports will be clubbed with Varanasi. Kangra, Amritsar, Jalgaon and Trichy airports will be clubbed with Raipur Jabalpur, Indore, and Tirupati airports, respectively.

Prospective investors and consultants said airports would see good participation from bidders, though there will be pressure on valuation. They pointed out that Varanasi along with Gaya and Kushinagar will attract investor interest as all three airports fall on the Buddhist circuit and typically get international visitors.

"This round of privatisation could very well be the last chance for an entity looking to enter India's airport sector. With returns assured on aero assets, some of the existing players will look to increase their scale rather than allowing fresh entrants and competition." Jagannarayan Padmanabhan, Director and Practice Leader (transport and logistics), CRISIL

The regulatory regime followed in India gives airport developers a return on investments to upgrade assets through passenger fees, landing and parking charges as well as fuel charges. The return remains fairly visible and stable, according to analysts.

In the last round of privatisation, the Adani group bid aggressively to win all six airports- Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Mangaluru, and Guwahati. The bid amount in some cases was double that of the second highest bid.

The Adani Group will soon take over Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram airports and also build Navi Mumbai Airport. (Image Courtsey - Ahmedabad Mirror)

The airpots being developed and run PPP way so far include those at Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Mangaluru. The Adani Group will soon take over Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram airports and also build Navi Mumbai Airport. All these airports were privatised on a standalone bases. The promoter of Mumbai Airport gets the right to build Navi Mumbai Airport.

According to rating agency ICRA, the aggressive bidding would result in a windfall for the AAI, which could earn more than INR 600 crore per year as concession fees from the Adani group.

However, a senior government official involved in NMP said the government had done a study and gauged investor appetite in airport projects following the impact of Covid-19 on aviation. The study showed that despite the decline in passenger traffic and revenue of airports due to the pandemic, investor interest continues to remain stable.

(With Inputs from Business Standard)

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GMR Aviation School foundation laid by MoCA Jyotiraditya Scindia

Radhika Bansal

14 Sep 2021

Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday, September 11 laid the foundation stone of the new building of the GMR School of Aviation at Special Economic Zone of the Hyderabad International Airport.

Spread across 75,000 square feet on a 4-acre campus, the school will be developed in two phases. The construction of the building under phase I will commence from October 2021 and it is expected to be operational by June 2022.

Mr Scindia congratulated the GMR Group for taking the next steps in training and building human resources in the aviation sector in the country.

https://twitter.com/JM_Scindia/status/1436701957004029952

GMR School of Aviation, which is affiliated with National Aviation University, will be constructed by GMR Aero Technic (MRO) and GMR Aviation Academy, the aviation consultancy arm of GMR Airports Ltd— the holding company of the airports vertical of GMR group.

GMR Group has launched the first of its kind School for Aviation in India, catering to the needs of the growing aviation and aerospace industry for skilled personnel. The school will have Airbus as the proposed knowledge partner. It aims to be a premier Aircraft Engineering School, meeting International standards in terms of facility and quality of education.

“With the tremendous growth in the aviation sector in India, there has been an increasing demand for qualified and skilled aircraft maintenance personnel. To fulfil this demand, the GMR group came up with the idea to have a training institute for aircraft maintenance. The institution will give graduates a platform to kick-start their careers in the aviation industry. The training school will be well equipped with modern facilities, training devices with access to various national and international study resources. We hope that our academy will pave the way to inspire youngsters to dream of an aviation career.”GBS Raju, Business Chairman, GMR Airports

https://twitter.com/RGIAHyd/status/1436698313806385159

GMR School of Aviation will offer integrated DGCA-147 and EASA -147 approved courses. Recognized by DGCA India and EASA, students can pursue DGCA - B1.1 and B2 Aircraft Maintenance Engineering licensing program, EASA - B1.1 and B2 Aircraft Maintenance Engineering licensing program, Aircraft Specific Type Training Courses (From 2nd year of operation) and Ancillary Courses like Aircraft structures, Aircraft composite courses, Human Factors, Fuel Tank Safety, Safety Management System etc. (From 2nd year of operation) from the academic session 2022-2023.

From the academic session 2022-2023, courses will have an intake of 100 students for DGCA programs and 40 students for EASA in the initial years. The school will be affiliated with the National Aviation University and provide a degree-level graduate program to the students and various other certificate courses said a press release.

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Take off abandoned by Delhi-bound Air India flight after bird-hit at Raipur Airport

Radhika Bansal

14 Sep 2021

A Delhi-bound Air India flight had to abandon take-off after suffering a bird-hit while ascending on the runway of the Swami Vivekanand Airport in Raipur on Tuesday, September 14, officials said.

Flight AIC 469, with 179 passengers on board, was leaving for Delhi from the Chhattisgarh capital when the plane suffered the bird-hit at 10:05 AM, following which the take-off was cancelled, Raipur Airport Director Rakesh Ranjan Sahay said.

"The passengers were subsequently de-boarded. Pieces of a bird's carcass were found during the inspection of the runway by the airport staff. The Air India's engineering personnel are inspecting the aircraft." Rakesh Ranjan Sahay, Director, Raipur Airport

Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Renuka Singh was also among the passengers. She was going to Delhi to attend a meeting of the Union cabinet, her personal staff said.

According to officials, sometimes, bird hits cause major damage to an aircraft.

A bird hit can cause major damage to an aircraft. (Image Courtsey - The Hindu)

The exact damage caused to the Air India aircraft here will be ascertained after a complete inspection by the engineering staff, they added.

This is not the first time when an incident like this has taken place. In June 2021, a Bengaluru-bound IndiGo flight suffered a bird hit which caused severe damage to its engine. Researchers revealed that the majority of the bird-hits during the monsoon occur because flying termites become active in the season.

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Human factor or regulatory negligence? Food for thought

Prashant-prabhakar

15 Sep 2021

After a delay of about 8 months, the final report on the Kozhikode air disaster is out and one can't help but notice it emphasizes more on human error and non-compliance of SOPs as the major factor contributing to the accident.

While that may be true to an extent, air accidents don't take place due to a single factor and often times it's a result of numerous variables going wrong, that ultimately leads to a fatal incident.

So was it just blatant human error and non-compliance that led to the fateful crash of IX1344? Turns out there's more than meets the eye. Let's have a look.

Now that the final accident report is made public, although it does point out specific issues, it still fails to make a definitive conclusion of the accident.

Table top runway

Mangalore tabletop runway / Chat Zozo

Constructed on elevated terrain and mostly with very less space for last minute manoeuvres- table top runways pose a challenging risk to any pilots landing their aircrafts. India has 5 table top runways including the one at Kozhikode.

Tabletop runway at Kozhikode airport

Consequently, under/over shooting the runway can have disastrous consequences, as was the case with the Kozhikode crash.

Role of DGCA

DGCA is the watchdog of Indian Civil aviation and is primarily responsible for all aspects of Indian aviation, including safety.

Considering the risky runway that it has, it was only imperative that adequate safety buffers be installed where safety is critical. But, it was not to be.

Following are the minimum requirements to be met at Kozhikode airport:

1. The official publication of the Airports Authority of India(AAI) and the Aeronautical Information Publication(AIP) show an incorrect RESA with dimensions 240*90 m on either sides of the runway.

2. The reported undershoot RESA of minimum 90 X 90 m is neither notified nor published in the AIP. Furthermore, the source of the drawings aren't mentioned and the dimensions of the RESA mentioned are factually incorrect.

3. ICAO has emphasized that should there be a slope preceeding the runway, approach lights can be installed on the slope, something which neither the AAI nor the DGCA complied with.

4. DGCA had allowed AAI to operate the airport without the installation of CAT I ILS approach light system. The final report appears to have defended this, attributing the reason as "non-availability of land".

5. Absence of runway centrelights. The DGCA hasn't enforced the installation of these lights stating the lights are required to be installed only if the runway width is 50m and more. Width of the Calicut runway happens to be 48.5m. The Etihad airways accident report had also recommended that runway centrelights be installed at Calicut airport.

6. The perimeter road at Calicut airport have been found too narrow for more than a fire tender to pass through. Subsequent audits raised concern for the perimeter to be two-laned. The AAI complied , only to be later closed by the DGCA. In a further mockery of the system, a white divider was painted on the road keeping the width of the perimeter the same as before.

Safety Management System(SMS)

Baldwin Aviation

Regardless of the industry, safety is paramount. ICAO has mandated certain timelines for the implementation of safety management system. Clearly India fails to comply with the set standards as is evident from the AIX crash.

The accident report mentions that the pilot had Type II diabetes. Such acute conditions can severely affect the depth perception of an individual. The pilot's training record has reportedly highlighted several issues with regards to landing flare height and decision making. Training and medical, work in tandem with each other.

This points to the ineffective SMS in practise, which, otherwise would have connected the dots between the two and called for appropriate corrective action.

These are just few of the many variables that are involved. Safety and effective training are an indispensable part of any Commercial Operation program and hence they need to be prioritised equally. And soon. As is said, every accident is an event that could have been prevented in the first place.

So, what do you think? Was the air disaster at Kozhikode solely due to human error or was it a combination of all sorts? Let us know in the comments below

COVER: IndiaToday

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Lieutenant Yaduvansh Narayan Singh-India's unsung naval aviation maestro

Prashant-prabhakar

14 Sep 2021

A young Yaduvansh Singh / The Print

Seldom heard of, yet one of the most pioneering and decorated aviators of the Indian Naval Air Arm, Commodore Yaduvansh Narayan Singh has had a big list of "firsts" under his hat. In addition to being the very first Indian naval aviator, he was also the first Indian carrier pilot, the first Indian ever to pilot a helicopter, the first to qualify on amphibious seaplanes, and the first to command an Indian naval air squadron. Being the prolific aviator that he was, he also happened to contribute significantly to the initial plans of naval aviation, post independence.

When we think of naval aviation, our mind invariably drifts to the WWII days and for good reason. We think about that in the Indian context and we straightaway go back to the 1971 war. This war witnessed magnificent operations conducted by the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and its embarked Sea Hawk fighters, and Alizé anti-submarine aircraft. 

HAWKER SEAHAWK WITH THE INDIAN NAVY / Team BHP

The fighters of INAS 300 ‘White Tigers put up a spectacular display, flying sorties against airfields, harbours, enemy shipping and targets of opportunity ashore and at the sea.The Navy's maiden night strikes were carried out by the Alizés of INAS 310 ‘Cobras’, neutralizing innumerable enemy targets of their own.

INAS 310 COBRA

Owing to the 1971 Ops massive success, 9 naval aviators were awarded the Vir Chakra. The CO of Vikrant, Capt Swaraj Prakash, and CO INAS 300, Lt Cdr S.K. Gupta were awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, and the crew of Vikrant earned a further two Vir Chakras as well.

The Indian Naval Aviation was thereby honoured with the President’s Colours on 6 September 2021 at INS Hansa, Goa, in recognition of their selfless contribution to the nation in times of conflict and peace in the past 68 years.

PIB

Life and career of Lt. Yaduvansh Singh

Yaduvansh Narayan Singh was born on  1 November 1922 in Meghaul, Bihar. In Jan 1938,he joined the training ship Dufferin at Bombay, and then moved on to the Royal Indian Navy (RIN) in November 1940.The following year he joined  the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, England .He served in the Second Battle of Sirte in March 1942, and then went on to survive the sinking of the destroyer HMS Jackal in May 1942 by German Ju 88s from Lehrgeschwader 1 (Training Wing 1) while flying from Crete. After an eventful tenure, he was finally commissioned as an Acting Sub-Lieutenant in May 1943.

GRUMMAN WILDCAT / Wallpaper Abyss

Impressed by his performance in the Mediterranean, the Admiralty selected him for flying training upon his arrival to United Kingdom in October 1943.The following years saw him training at the No. 13 Elementary Flying Training School (13 EFTS) at Saint-Eugene in Quebec, Canada and Harvard trainers at Kingston, Ontario, where he was awarded wings in November 1944. The following month he returned to England and converted to Grumman Wildcat and Hellcat carrier fighters.He later went on to participate in several missions of war.

Post war duties

In 1946,he was posted at HMIS Kistna where he participated in the Indian Naval Mutiny of February, for his watchkeeping qualifications-being the only commissioned officer to do so.He was posted as Staff Officer (Air) at NHQ from 1947 to 1949, where the Navy’s air fleet arm had their very first post-Independence plan penned and in which Lt. Singh had a key contribution.

He worked closely with Commander (later Admiral) A.K. Chatterjee, the first Director of Naval Plans, Lieutenant Commander (later Vice Admiral) Nilakanta Krishnan, Staff Officer Plans, with Wing Commander (later Air Chief Marshal) P.C. Lal to form the "Outline Plan for the Reorganisation and Development of the Indian Navy".

This plan called for the Navy to be centred around a minimum of two light carriers, with attendant embarked and fleet support aircraft. With time and over the years, this plan conceptualised into what the Naval Aviation is today.

It would be impossible to pen down all his career accomplishments in one go although here are a few in gist:

1.In 1951,he commanded the the Navy’s first flying unit following acquisition of Sealand amphibians from the UK

2.He was double-hatted as Commander (Air) of the base as well, continuing in the role after the airfield was re-commissioned as INS Garuda, the Navy’s first air station, on 11 May 1953

3.He set up new shore establishments such as the School for Naval Airmen (SFNA) and supervised infrastructure developments, which continues to train officers and sailors to this day

4.On 4 March 1961, he was honoured as the commissioning Commander (Air) of INS Vikrant

Sealand Amphibian

In 1972,he retired in the ranks of Commodore before turning to family life in  1996.Commodore Y.N. Singh passed away in Patna on 21 December 2001, after suffering a brain haemorrhage at the age of 79.

Up until his retirement, Lt. Y N singh accomplished much of what could be done at the time.

The ultimate success of the Indian Naval Aviation is a cumulative effort of numerous stalwarts like Commodore George Douglas, slightly senior to Y.N. Singh, who also helped steer Naval Aviation towards what it is today.

Today, as the Naval Air Arm proudly celebrates the President's colour, it looks forward to branding new multiple helicopters and the ultimate goal of becoming a credible two-carrier force.

COVER: Rediffmail

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Mangaluru airport privatisation PIL rejected by Karnataka High Court

Radhika Bansal

16 Sep 2021

Karnataka High Court on Tuesday, September 14, dismissed public interest litigation (PIL) filed against the privatization of Mangaluru International Airport. The state-run airport operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), was taken over by the Adani Group on October 31 and has commenced commercial operations there.

The PIL filed by the Airports Authority Employees Union had sought to quash a 2019 cabinet decision approving the leasing of three airports including the one at Mangaluru, terming the same as “illegal, arbitrary and beyond the scope of the Airport Authority Act, 1994.”

Karnataka High Court dismissed public interest litigation (PIL) filed against the privatization of Mangaluru International Airport.

A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum however said that since the leasing Mangaluru airport was done based on a Government of India policy, there was no scope for the HC’s intervention.

In 2018, the Union government had announced an in-principle approval for leasing out six airports in India —Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram, and Mangaluru Airports through Public-Private Partnership (PPP). Adani groups, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Ltd, was the highest bidder, the Union government announced later.

The bench’s order copy is awaited.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, September 11, following protests, the tag ‘Adani airports’ was removed from the name boards of the Mangaluru International Airport.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, September 11, following protests, the tag ‘Adani airports’ was removed from the name boards of the Mangaluru International Airport. Following the takeover of operation on October 31, the logo of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) was replaced with the Advani groups logo. Changes were also made on Google Map where it was listed as ‘Mangaluru International Airport by Adani Airports’.

A reply received under the Right to Information (RTI) also revealed that there was no provision to change the airport name as per the agreement for operations and maintenance of the airport. A legal notice was served in March this year to the AAI and the MIA director questioning the ‘Adani’ tag attached to the name boards based on this RTI reply by activists.

The original name boards, before the Adani group taking over the handling of operations of the airport, have now been restored, social activist Dilraj Alva, who took up the issue with the airport authorities.

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