From The Editor-in-Chief

Dear Readers,

The news that the Ministry of Civil Aviation has come out with the revised draft of the National Civil Aviation Policy, which we hope to see soon taking industry’s reactions into consideration, in indeed a positive step in the right direction. We keenly look forward to the great outcome out of the deserving emphasis being given to the regional connectivity. We have all the reasons to be sure that the General Aviation and Business Aviation sectors will grow manifolds in our country provided the necessary corrections and improvements are implemented timely enabling conducive environment in our country.

Currently, the challenges are little far too many. While this issue includes a first-hand account of Rohit Kapur, an operator and also the in-charge of acquiring business jets, on the trauma a potential owner/operator has to go through. This also includes deliberation by Sanjay Julka as to how a business jet was stranded on ground for over six months due to paperwork shows the apathy that continues to exist in bureaucratic corridors. The pillar-topost syndrome still persists. Even now the vast majority of bureaucracy prefers such redtapism as they stand to benefit, while the industry suffers.

Nonetheless, we can sense a silver-lining that today there is a government in place, which is willing to listen, although it’s the process of implementations which will eventually bring in ‘Achhe Din’ (good days for all of us) and must receive the attention of the policy makers and all the associated authorities.

BAOA has constantly been on the job of exchanging the meetings and communications with the concerned agencies and the Ministry and we optimistically hope to foresee some fruits of their effort not in a very distant future.

It would be important to mention that we need to move to the scale of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) of the US which is not only a strong lobby but also an organisation which is promoting General Aviation and Business Aviation in a big way. The recently concluded NBAA Conference & Exhibition is testimony to its popularity. We should learn from the best practices which prevail internationally engaging well with the government too!

Best wishes for the New Year ahead!

J. Baranwal
Editor-in-Chief