It gives us great pride in announcing that SP Guide Publications is yet again the “Key Official Media Partner” of Aero India 2013. We have lined up a series of programmes at the show and hope to see you there.

The year 2013 has begun in right earnest. For the aviation industry, particularly in India, the year will be a crucial one as the industry comes to terms with managing market turbulence. Though some of the airlines in India are grappling with myriad issues, there is a silver lining. Passenger and cargo growth are consistently moving north and policy measures are slowly falling in place, all of which should positively perk up the industry.

On the other hand, Indo-Pak diplomatic endeavours have failed to bring desired results. The series of ceasefire violations in the recent past by Pakistan along the LoC is being perceived as attempts by Pakistan to revive terrorism in the state. Air Marshal (Retd) B.K. Pandey’s ‘Viewpoint’ is that while Pakistan is in turmoil, what ought to be of greater concern for the nation is the approach of the Indian Government in handling the obdurate neighbour.

The article on Indian civil aviation outlook examines the trends in the next 10 years with regard to airliners, airports and air cargo, and the writing is on the wall—good times are ahead....only that the stakeholders should get their act right. It is assumed that market dynamics will drive the stakeholders towards that. Aviation infrastructure development is happening, though not at the pace the industry desires, but it is happening. Less than two decades from now the skies are going to see some radically new airplanes moving about at astounding speeds—between Mach 5 and 6. We are looking at a future which is going to be driven by ‘need for speed’, ‘environment-friendly’, ‘efficiency—fuel and otherwise’ and ‘comfort in the skies’. Aviation scientists, designers and researchers have gone back to their drawing boards to design/develop aircraft that meet these criteria.

The cover story on “Shaping The Future” by R. Chandrakanth takes a look at some of the major futuristic global programmes unfolding with regard to commercial and military aviation. Some of the designs are radically different, but the bottom line of all efforts remain consistent—to reduce fuel burn among other factors. The original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are investing a lot in upgrading the product lines and one of them is Airbus Military which has demonstrated its capability of refuelling combat aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) of both Russian and western origin. Air Marshal Pandey was in Spain to get a first-hand account of the developments. India is looking at buying six of these platforms to substantially enhance the strategic capabilities of the IAF in the years to come. SP’s Special Correspondent reports that Airbus Military has emerged victorious in the IAF midair refuelling tanker bid and a $1 billion contract is likely to be signed between the Indian Government and Airbus soon.

Also in this issue, A.K. Sachdev has written about how regional aviation is struggling despite a well-intentioned policy framework. There are challenges which the industry will have to negotiate at the earliest and there are platforms/forums where they can be discussed and resolved. One such is the mega aerospace event—Aero India 2013, happening in Bengaluru from February 6-10. India’s growth story continues and the country is going ahead with its big ticket purchases. Hence, Aero India promises to be a great show. It gives us great pride in announcing that SP Guide Publications is yet again the “Key Official Media Partner” of Aero India 2013. We have lined up a series of programmes at the show and hope to see you there. We wish our readers a very happy and prosperous New Year!