The Minister of Civil Aviation, P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, who was at Aero Expo recently in New Delhi, used the right words to describe India’s civil aviation scenario that it is at an “inflection point”. How true. The process of transformation is on and the world is not only keenly observing the changes taking place, but also has shown avid interest in being part of the growth story. And at Aero Expo, the Ireland Minister Pat Breen endorsed this view and subsequently in an exclusive interview with SP’s Aviation indicated that Ireland would be interested in participating in the ‘Make in India’ initiative as it has strong aviation background. Ireland is known for its aviation leasing business and India would do well if the aviation sector here has easy access to funds and the complete support of the government!

The topic of leasing, among others, did come up at the first Aero Expo which focused on regional and remote connectivity. We have a report on Aero Expo which highlights how the government is trying to create an ecosystem for aviation growth, though there are hiccups yet on tardy government approvals. For instance, Zoom Air, which was slated to take-off last month, is yet to get the nod from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. The Ministry also launched the AirSewa portal and mobile app to offer convenient and hassle-free air travel experience.

The Business Aircraft Operators Association (BAOA) has brought out a report on the status of the industry, hoping that it would make a difference to how the segment is perceived by the powers that be. We have a report by Rohit Goel, while an interview with the BAOA President Jayant Nadkarni highlights among other things how business aviation is a productivity tool.

Our team was in Dubai for the Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) event. The continued slump in business aviation in the region is worrying experts and they feel it is time to reinvent itself and also to consolidate. The Middle East continues to be a region of utmost interest for the aviation industry, despite the volatile nature of the economies over there.

In this issue, we also have an exclusive interview with Lufthansa Technik which is the top-most maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) player in the world. The Vice President of Lufthansa Technik Wieland Timm outlines the nature of business and how the group is expanding its global presence at what it does the best, with innovation at its core.

As regards regional aviation, Embraer is on a roll. It recently celebrated delivery of its 1,300th jet in China where it has a significant presence, thanks to Tianjin Airlines. The President and CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation, John Slattery, in an interview has pointed out how the airframer is extending its global presence with product innovation and the E-Jets E2 would make a marked difference in the coming years.

On military aviation, Ranjit Kumar has written about the farewell visit of US Defense Secretary, Ashton Carter, to Delhi in December this year and the prospects of the sale through the foreign military sales route to India of the flight refuelling aircraft, the KC-46 Pegasus, the latest from the stables of the American aerospace giant Boeing. With the Indian Air Force planning to acquire combat aircraft both single and twin-engine, in fairly large numbers through the ‘Make in India’ programme of the government, prospects for the original equipment manufacturers in the US are indeed bright! And now that the Indian Navy has decided not to induct the naval variant of the light combat aircraft Tejas Mk IA, there is a possibility that Boeing may come up with the offer the F/A-18 Super Hornet, a well established carrier-borne combat aircraft, to the Indian Navy for its two-carrier fleet.

All this and more in the wrap-up edition of 2016 of SP’s Aviation! We wish all our readers a Very Happy New Year!!