Unexploited Potential

Civil aviation use of helicopters has remained underdeveloped due to regulatory, infrastructure and safety issues. The total number of helicopters in the civil domain is 292 (219 on non-scheduled operations, 30 privately owned, 11 with Border Security Force and 32 with state governments/PSUs).

Helicopters entered service in India during the 1950s, almost simultaneously in the military and civil domains. All the four arms of the defence forces (Air Force, Army, Navy and Coast Guard) now have large numbers of helicopters capable of performing all roles on and off the battlefield, in defence of territorial waters, and indeed, under low intensity conflict situations. However, use of helicopters in civil aviation has remained underdeveloped due to regulatory, infrastructure and safety issues. The total number of helicopters in the civil domain is 292 (219 on non-scheduled operations, 30 privately owned, 11 with Border Security Force (BSF) and 32 with state governments/PSUs). Considering the geographical extent of the country, this number is embarrassingly diminutive. In stark contrast, Air Methods, a US company providing medical evacuation services, has over 400 helicopters. Let us look at the reasons for the growth of civil helicopters to have remained stunted and what can be done to remedy this state.

Fighting for Space

A major proportion of helicopter flying in India occurs near Delhi and Mumbai, the latter being proximate to sea-based oil rigs to which extensive operations are carried out by 42 helicopters from Pawan Hans and another 23 from Global Vectra. Air space at both airports is overcrowded with fixed-wing scheduled and non-scheduled traffic. Standard arrival and departure routings are optimised for fixed-wing operations and rotary-wing craft are accorded lower priority. Responding to the oft-repeated refrain from helicopter operators about the enormous wastage of time and fuel due to delays in departures because of priority being given to fixed-wing traffic, some changes have been introduced. All helicopter operations in Mumbai were shifted to Juhu which is located within the Mumbai control zone. Dedicated corridors for operations under visual flight rules (VFR) were introduced vide AAI Supplement 9/2010 for helicopters at Delhi and Mumbai airports to enhance capacity and efficiency.

Constant efforts are on to put in place regulations that facilitate a streamlined flow of helicopter movements within Mumbai and Delhi control zones. However, these steps by the AAI have not removed the hurdles to smooth helicopter movements in these two cities because the air traffic controllers (ATC) who are actually AAI employees, have not fully accepted these corridors in usage. Helicopter pilots still continue to face difficulties due to high congestion at these airports. At some other airports such as at Bangalore, the AAI has felt the need to lay down corridors for safe movement of helicopters. Moving away from busy airports is another alternative for helicopter operators. Just prior to the Commonwealth Games, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) cleared proposals for heliports and helipads like the one at Rohini (Delhi). However, the actual utilisation of these helipads/heliports is limited as the cost of operation is high and delays/long detours ordained by ATC renders them even more so. There were two operators who planned on the helicopter services between the BIAL airport in Bangalore and the city in the past, and one actually built a functional helipad at the airport, but soon lost interest due to the cost factor.

Operational Safety

Safety in helicopter operations is another area of concern. The requirements of heliports/helipads are covered in three separate Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs), one each for heliports, regularly used helipads and temporary helipads. However, the requirements stipulated therein are frequently not met. Investigation into the Pawan Hans accident at Tawang revealed that not only were the fire fighting facilities inadequate on the day of the accident but had been so for the past two years. The operator, quite justifiably can be blamed for operating a helipad not meeting the minimum requirements. However, the culpability of the agency maintaining that helipad cannot be sneaked under the carpet. Moreover, diligent safety oversight by regulatory authorities could have detected these shortcomings and prevented an accident. The large number of helipads and the shortage of manpower in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) make that task a daunting one. Indeed, there is no authenticated directory of helipads available from a regulatory or state department. Currently, the Rotary Wing Society of India (RWSI) is in the process of compiling one for use by the helicopter operators in the country. Needless to say, an accurate and trustworthy helipad directory would enhance the efficacy of helicopter operations.

The DGCA is contemplating making it mandatory for helicopters to carry two pilots for some roles like operations at high altitudes above 10,000 ft as also for offshore flying, aerial work, helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS), law enforcement, search and rescue, winching, cargo sling, aerial photography, power line washing, news gathering as also pipeline and other surveys. There is a need to rationalise the use of single pilot operations in view of the industry practices in the US and Europe where single-pilot operations are the norm and where single pilot record of safety is fairly good. Single-pilot operations would bring down the cost of operations and boost the cause of helicopter operations.

Last year, the DGCA suspended helicopter operations from the AAI-operated Mahalaxmi Race Course Helipad in Mumbai for lack of permission, absence of standard operating procedures (SOPs), visual aids, emergency systems and security arrangements. The suspension served to highlight the fact that helipad operators need to keep pace with increasing weight/size of helicopters so that support facilities are in tune with types of helicopters using helipads. There is a need to imbibe that culture so as to instil higher levels of confidence in the use of helicopters especially over inhabited areas/cities.