Aircraft - Rugged & Legendary

From jagged trainers to high-performance turboprops, Florida-based Piper Aircraft, Inc. is giving wings to all—newbie pilots, adventure-seekers and business travellers

According to the Report of the Working Group on Civil Aviation for formulation of the Twelfth Five Year Plan, India currently has over 4,500 pilots, including 400 expatriates. With the doubling of fleet size expected by 2017, India will require a total of around 9,000 pilots by 2017. Currently, in India, 23 out of 40 institutes for pilot training are non-operational. The remaining 17 institutes offer training facilities for commercial pilots with an annual turnover of over 100 pilots. There is an acute shortage of trained type-rated pilots/commanders in the country. While the report states that there is a need to increase the number of pilot training academies and also the capacity of existing academies, the prerequisite for good trainer aircraft is nonetheless apparent. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) like Piper are trying to fill this gap.

From rugged, reliable trainers to high-performance turboprops, Florida-based Piper Aircraft, Inc. is giving wings to all—newbie pilots, adventure-seekers and business travellers. Y.N. Sharma, Chief Operating Officer, Chimes Aviation Academy states, “Flying a Piper aircraft is like driving a Maruti 800—comfortable, safe, and reliable. A trainer aircraft should be easy to fly, give beginners adequate exposure, should not be maintenance prone; and the Piper Seneca flown by Chimes has proven that all.”

Early this year, Piper has delivered three new Piper Meridian turboprops in France and a Piper Mirage pressurised single in Switzerland. Additionally, the company has five more M-Class single-engine aircraft set for delivery to retail customers in Europe this year. According to Piper officials, the company’s global market share is growing. Piper has experienced an increase in sales outside the United States with more than 50 per cent of products being exported. Though its strongest market outside the US has been Brazil; the company is beginning to experience growth throughout the Pacific Rim and anticipating that the Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) nations will play an increasingly significant role in future aircraft sales of the company.

“Piper’s recent growth is a result of the company’s aggressive globalisation programme. The company is expanding its dealer network around the world to develop greater relationships with a wider customer base. Our recent moves in the Indian aircraft market reflect this initiative,” corroborates Piper Aircraft’s Asia Pacific Director Sales Dana Cox.

At India Aviation 2012 in Hyderabad, the company declared the Aircraft Search and Aviation Professionals (ASAP) as its dealer in India. The aircraft sales vertical of ASAP is thereby being known as Piper India, which also has a strategic alliance with Saraya Aviation Pvt. Ltd, for maintenance and servicing of Piper aircraft in the country.

Piper Aircraft have been flying in India since the 1940s. Many flying schools operate Piper airplanes; and the age-old Piper Cub and the Cherokee can still be found at numerous flying schools across the country. “The Bombay Flying Club still has a Piper Cub which was purchased in 1956 and has been restored and is still working,” says Sudeep Narula of ASAP. “Piper aircraft are rugged, low in cost and easy to maintain and hence both training schools and corporates are going for Piper.” To this Sharma adds, “Getting spare parts for a Piper craft is never an issue. One can buy it from Piper authorised dealers or can easily import from dealers abroad.”

On being asked about the budding Indian market, Cox opines, “The Indian market has huge potential. We have the right partner, ASAP, and have the right products to establish our presence here. ASAP has created a specialised entity named Piper India and it is going full steam ahead spreading awareness that Piper is present in India and offering all its products and services through its Indian dealership. We generated significant interest at the India Aviation through our dealer’s participation and our Piper India is in constant touch with prospective clients, flying schools, organisations and also simultaneously identifying new prospects.”

He further states, “India’s economic growth has created a demand for pilots and that Piper’s training aircraft can fulfil that role. With the growth of Tier-II and -III cities and the growing need for air connectivity in India, our aircraft will start filling up the Indian skies. Indian flying schools are good prospective clients. Additionally, organisations having business interests in remote regions are ideal for Piper airplanes. Our aircraft have short takeoff and landing capabilities. They operate on unpaved runways making them ideally suited for operations in areas with limited infrastructure.”