Editor’s Note

After two months of lockdown due to Covid-19, the Indian government began to progressively ease the restrictions on operations by Indian carriers, a decision that helped the MRO industry as well to resume normal operations. This decision was supported by a number of measures by the government to boost this segment of the industry. This issue of SP’s Airbuz carries a report by Pulak Sen, Founder Secretary General, MRO Association of India, on the turbulence this segment has gone through on account of the Pandemic. Also, this issue of the magazine carries articles on the MRO industry, by three other authors, that deal with the global scenario of the MRO industry, opportunities and challenges for India in this segment as also India’s potential to become a major hub for the MRO industry.

After surviving a torrid 2020, things have started to slowly look up for the civil aviation sector as more and more planes take to the air. In the lead story in this issue of SP’s Airbuz, Rohit Goel, looks at the engines for wide-body aircraft in the world. In another article, Ayushee Chaudhary looks at the developments in the Pratt & Whitney GTF engine family as the engine manufacturer continues its way up the market ladder.

As there are signs of increase in demand for air travel globally, Embraer, the globally established manufacturer of regional jet liners, has released a fresh market outlook for aircraft in the 150-seat category. According to the report, the global pandemic has led to some fundamental changes that are reshaping air travel patterns and consequently, the demand for new aircraft, especially the need for the acquisition of airliners of the right size. Ayushee Chaudhary gives us excerpts from this Embraer market outlook in this issue of the magazine.

In recent times, the role of the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) towards the Business and General Aviation segment of the Indian civil aviation industry, has become a subject of concern. There appears to be total apathy on the part of this regulatory body towards small aircraft operators leaving no option with them other than to seek legal recourse to resolve issues. AERA has thus lost its relevance for this segment of the industry. A report on this problem by Rajesh K. Bali, a specialist in business and general aviation, has been included in the magazine.

Despite the pandemic, the global civil aviation industry was privileged to participate in the National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA) inaugural Virtual Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (VBACE) 2020. A detailed report on this and related events by Ayushee Chaudhary has been included in this issue of the magazine.

All this and more in this issue of SP’s Airbuz. We welcome you on board and wish you many happy landings!

Jai Hind!