Message from President, BAOA

MESSAGE

It’s that time of the year again. BizAvIndia Conference and Awards time! Being held on March 15, 2016, in Hyderabad. These events are still quite young – this is just the second BizAvIndia yet. But given the feedback received after the maiden event held last year in Bengaluru, this year’s BizAvIndia promises to be an even more exciting and informative event. As most of you know, BizAvIndia consists of twin events—a Conference (focused on business aviation affairs) and an Awards Evening (focused on recognising excellence and achievements by operators and individuals). We also get together as an industry and instil the feeling of camaraderie that we’re all in it together. Indeed, there is no other platform in India so focused towards business aviation as BizAvIndia is.

At the risk of repeating myself, I would like to say that BAOA stands by its commitment to keep evolving to include the concerns of all personnel involved in business aviation in our country. Give us time for this. How old are we after all?

Well, BAOA is five years old this March! Our formation was in March 2011. Ever since then we have come a long way, although we fully agree that we still have a long way to go. To that end, we are constantly soul-searching and course correcting ourselves. Please also feel absolutely free to e-mail your suggestions and comments to us at feedback@baoa.in and they will be looked into.

One big moment, or rather small moment, for us has been February 29 when the Union Budget completely overlooked us. We had worked hard with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, but now realise that this effort needs to be more broad based across ministries. The need of the hour is not to lose heart. We still have the new National Civil Aviation Policy under formulation. Although, it’s quite possible that we will be ignored again (despite the strongest representations from BAOA). We do have a very receptive and open Ministry of Civil Aviation, however clearly, the big optics for the government is to address the 5/20 rule (where rival airline groups are slugging it out in full media glare), getting the remote connectivity mechanism in place, enabling MROs to take root and so on…the big optics! But one thing is for sure—that once these bigger priorities get addressed, it will be our turn next.

In the meantime, we will utilise every platform and channel available to change the perception of business aviation, and to show to the government that they need not also wait. They can easily usher in high growth in business aviation, which will only further create growth, jobs and give a booster dose to the economy. Indeed, these effects will not just be within business aviation, but across sectors such as trade, tourism and myriad benefits to local economies. So the final beneficiary is also the common man! That’s not so intuitive to grasp. But that is the perception we all need to change.

More on these efforts will be seen by you in the coming days. Watch this space.

I would like to end by congratulating SP’s Aviation for bringing out this excellent publication– BizAvIndia, which is proving to be a great platform to air our views!

Happy landings.