Letter from Editor

Commissioning of the yetto-Be named Greenfield airport at Bangalore on May 24 is symbolic of the efforts being made by the Ministry of Civil Aviation to bring about qualitative change in the aviation infrastructure of the country. While teething troubles persist and the issue of high speed connectivity is yet to be addressed, transit through this new world class facility in times ahead will hopefully be a charming experience for both the domestic and international traveller. Coming close on the heels of the new airport at Hyderabad, the Bangalore International Airport is being heralded as the second proverbial feather in the ministry’s cap.

Infrastructure apart, there are a number of other daunting challenges facing the civil aviation industry today. The dual onslaught of rising fuel prices and increasing pressure to cut emission levels is expected to provide the much needed impetus for research targeted to confront the green challenge. While Joseph Noronha examines emerging trends in the development of low emission engines for airliners of the future, Ashwini Sachdev delves into the controversies surrounding biofuels, its future prospects clouded by the debate over the use of land for production of food or crops for an alternative to fossil fuel.

The civil aviation industry is under constant pressure from opposing forces. Perpetually rising cost of inputs and increasing competition are forcing airfares to hover at unrealistic levels threatening the already wafer-thin margins. Entrepreneurs are now exploring fresh avenues in the industry such as Air Cargo services. While Sajal K. Dutt reviews the state of this segment of the industry which is still in its infancy and examines future prospects, Joseph Noronha analyses the growth prospects of business aviation. Dr Ram Pattisapu, writing from the US, veers focus on the campaign for growth of general aviation in India through his treatise on Light Sport Aircraft.

In this issue, we have emphasised safety related issues such as new techniques for keeping runways free of birds and the need to strengthen communication among all personnel involved in the management of a flight through Crew Resource Management training. Dr M. Bish, a specialist in aviation medicine, dilates on the need for efficient emergency medical care at our airports.
Happy landings!