Pune-Nashik seaplane service to begin from June 15

[Hindustani78]

Updated: June 11, 2015 17:34 IST
Pune-Nashik seaplane service to begin from June 15 - The Hindu
MEHAIR and MTDC launched the "Seaplane" service in Maharashtra in February 2014.

In what will bring down the journey time between Pune and Nashik to 50 minutes, the private-run seaplane service connecting the two destinations will begin from June 15.

City-based private operator Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt Ltd (MEHAIR) on Thursday said it will launch its regional air connectivity between the two places on Monday.

“There is a strong need for such a service between Pune and Nashik given the long and difficult road journey between these two places,” MEHAIR’s co-founder and director Siddharth Verma said in a statement.

Flights between these two centres-Lohagaon in Pune and HAL Airport in Nashik-are likely to reduce the travel time of people from up to seven hours down to barely 50 minutes, he said.

The services will be operated with a Cessna 208A amphibian aircraft, which is capable of both runway and water operations in the course of the same flight, he said.

The company has fixed a fare of Rs. 5,999 for the service, which will be applicable till June 30. However, from July 1, the fares will increase to Rs. 6,999. Passengers can book for the service online on its website Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt. Ltd. (MEHAIR)

“Post launch, we will make full utilisation of the aircraft’s amphibian capacity and offer the same flight between Pune airport and Gangapur Dam to reduce travel time for the passengers for whom Ozhar airport falls outside the main city,” Mr. Verma said.

Over the weekends, he said, the aircraft will be used for offering short seaplane joy rides to people which will involve take off and landing from the waters of Gangapur Dam.

“We are also planning to launch similar service between Nashik and Mumbai post monsoon,” Verma added.

The company, which launched its first service in Andaman & Nicobar, started similar operations in Maharashtra from last September connecting Juhu Airport with the tourist destinations of Lonavala (Pavna Dam), Ambay Valley Lake and Meherabad/ Shirdi (Mula Dam).

A trial run was also conducted in Gangapur Dam (Nashik), Dhom Dam (Mahabaleshwar), Ganpatipule and Girgaum Chowpatty (Mumbai).

 

[Guynextdoor2]

What happened to the Sea Plane service proposed in Cochin?

 

[Hindustani78]

What happened to the Sea Plane service proposed in Cochin?

SEAPLANE SERVICE WILL START FROM JULY END

 

[Hindustani78]

What happened to the Sea Plane service proposed in Cochin?

Some more News regarding Sea planes from Kerala.

Seaplanes may take off after Aruvikkara by-election - The Hindu
Steps to allow operators begin commercial operations in the offing
The government is keen on extending official support to facilitate the operation of seaplanes. Some important decisions to enable prospective seaplane operators to begin commercial operations will be taken after the by-poll in the Aruvikkara Assembly constituency, a top official associated with the project told The Hindu on Friday.

Itineraries

The itineraries of the seaplanes will include Kochi, Alappuzha, and Thiruvananthapuram in the initial phase, the official said. The aircraft could take off from the Cochin international airport and connect backwaters in Ernakulam and Alappuzha. He exuded confidence that Vattakkayal in Alappuzha could be the seaplane hub in Alappuzha. The venue for the proposed waterdrome in Alappuzha was shifted to Vattakayal on the basis of an expert committee’s recommendations.

The committee had been appointed by the government to examine the apprehensions raised by fishermen that the seaplane operations would hamper fishing operations. The committee had observed that the operations would not affect fishing, but suggested changing the waterdrome project to Vattakayal where little fishing activity took place.

Two or three operators are understood to be gearing up for the operations. A Kochi-based operator has purchased a brand new seaplane from the U.S., and the mandatory test flight for 200 hours is being completed at the manufacturing facility. The aircraft is expected to reach Kerala within a month. Preparations to begin operations are in full swing, the operator said. The private enterprise, managed by a few experts in aviation, plans to launch operations within Kerala and outside, mainly to Lakshadweep.

The commencement of flights in the State is expected to boost tourism. Private aircraft owned by businessmen are already flying in the Kerala skies.

Some of the new operators are expected to provide contract services.

 

[Manindra]

But both Pune & Nashik does not located near Sea shore.

 

[Hindustani78]

Lohagaon in Pune - Gangapur Dam (Nashik)

 

[Hindustani78]

More sops for seaplane operators - The Hindu

Updated: July 7, 2015 05:39 IST
The government has extended additional sops to seaplane operators. It will guarantee a government quota of seats as part of the incentive.

As per an order on June 26, the government will guarantee four seats in each trip of 30-minute duration to 60 minutes subject to a maximum of four trips a day, for 250 days a year for two years from the date of start of operations by a particular operator. The early-bird incentive may be granted to the first two aircraft or operators who start operations using amphibian aircraft of at least nine seats. The order says in case of seats guaranteed by the government going vacant, the corresponding amount equivalent to the number of vacant seats will be paid by the government. The guaranteed trips can be between waterdromes, regular airports or between both.

The operator will have to ensure that the amphibious aircraft is made available for at least 20 days a month for all calendar months, to be eligible for the incentive. The incentives are applicable only for operations using amphibious aircraft of at least nine-seat capacity.

A committee constituted by the government for rate fixing will have to approve a list of eligible travellers who can avail themselves of seats guaranteed by the government. The list will include senior government officials of the State government, departments, government guests, senior officials of State PSUs, tourism promotion activities, and familiarisation tours organised by the Tourism Department, according to the GO.

The government had already offered early bird incentives by waiving the user fee at waterdromes and exemption of sales tax on aviation turbine fuel for seaplanes. The government had also issued orders permitting officers eligible for air journey to travel by seaplanes for official purposes.

Panel formed

A committee was also constituted to fix the rates of journey for government business. The rates at which the government would pay for the above seats shall be Rs.30 per km per person, which would be reviewed after six months from the start of operations, officials sources said.

A senior official associated with seaplane operations told The Hindu that the operators would be allowed to choose the date of resumption of flights as the government had officially launched the operations two years ago. It would be for the operators to choose locations. Kollam, Alappuzha, Thiruvananthapuram, Bekal, and Lakshadweep are among the itineraries.

Guarantee of government quota of seats part of incentive

 

[Hindustani78]

What happened to the Sea Plane service proposed in Cochin?

Seaplane tourism set to take off - The Hindu

The amphibian aircraft, bought by an Ernakulam-based aviation group, scheduled to land in Kochi next week.

Cost of the flight estimated at Rs. 50,000 an hour
he idea of seaplane tourism, which went into a state of hibernation amid much uncertainties after a hugely hyped official inauguration two years ago, is now all set to take off.

A brand new seaplane, owned by an Ernakulam-based aviation group, will arrive in the Kochi skies within the next few days. The seaplane, a Quest Kodiak 100 amphibian aircraft, was bought from the U.S. recently. The company, co-owned by a pilot, has made arrangements to have the aircraft flown to Kerala after a mandatory test flight for 200 km in the U.S. The aircraft is on the final leg of its homeward flight, company sources told The Hindu . “It has crossed the Atlantic and is scheduled to land in Bahrain within two or three days. The flight is slated to reach Kochi by the end of the first week of October,” sources said.

The flight will undergo training sessions once it reaches Kerala. Though the company has got initial clearances for operation from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the aircraft will require some formal sanctions from the DGCA once it reaches India. It probably take a month to have the DGCA documents ready, during which time the company will roll out its operational blueprints.

The nine-seater aircraft can fly at 300-plus kilometres an hour, a top official of the company said. The company had prepared plans to fly in the Kerala-Lakshadweep sector, considering the huge tourist traffic potential in the route. Other routes such as Kochi-Bekal and Kochi-Gokarna were also under consideration. The flight could be made available for chartered operations. The cost could be around Rs.50,000 per hour.

The services of the aircraft could also be utilised for emergency medical requirements or evacuations. In the absence of waterdromes at places such as Kochi, Alappuzha, and Thiruvananthapuram, the seaplanes would have to chart out suitable itineraries as it can make use of airports and airstrips.

The nine-seater aircraft can fly at 300-plus kilometres an hour

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...ling-for-a-year/article9195428.ece?ref=tpnews

Delay in getting airworthiness certificate from Director General of Civil Aviation
The seaplane project of the government, launched ceremonially amidst much fanfare as well as protest, has been dawdling for over two years now.

The brand new seaplane brought to Kerala by a private aviation group in October last year is yet to launch commercial operations, mainly because of the delay in getting airworthiness certificate from the Director General of Civil Aviation. It has remained idle for a year at the Cochin international airport.

A representative of the group told The Hindu that the process for receiving the certificate was lengthy. Aviation Department officials would have to undertake a series of tests prior to issuing the certificate, he said. He was unable to give any time frame for operating the flights in the absence of the required certifications.

The operator has been planning to launch flights in the Kochi-Lakshadweep sector initially. Parking charges for the aircraft, idling at the airport, will have to be paid by the operator though the commercial operations have not commenced.

Interestingly, a report published in The Hindu in July this year on the state of affairs in the seaplane sector in Kerala has been tagged on the Facebook page of the International Seaplane Pilots Association and has attracted comments from aviation experts. The association responded to the news item, saying “Unsure buddy. This country has had an incredibly difficult time getting things off the ground”.

“ The Hindu refers to a ‘10-seater amphibian aircraft’, most probably a Caravan.. Good luck to those guys with a heavenly administration, red tape and bribes,” Christian Fournier, Captain, Gulfstream G450/G550, Corporate Flight Department, Ras al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, said.

Kaiser Sosay, an aviation professional in Vancouver, British Colombia, commented: “What is it they say? The British invented bureaucracy, but the Indians perfected it.”

Significantly, State governments are vying with each other on ease of doing business in order to woo large investments. The seaplane project could be a bad testimonial for Kerala, as things stand now.

A seaplane operator, Mehair, launched flights in Maharashtra in 2014 but the operations have reportedly not been able to reach break-even so far. Nevertheless, the operator is understood to be planning to widen its reach. The Union government had recently hinted at seaplane operations between Mumbai and Goa. Perhaps such a development could be a good augury for Kerala’s seaplane operators.

 

[Hindustani78]

Private firm to launch operation in the Kochi-Lakshadweep route
The long-awaited seaplane operations are expected to commence within two months. The preparations undertaken by a private operator for flying to Lakshadweep are in final stages.

The operator had been waiting for DGCA certifications and clearances. The procedures were in final stage, a top representative of the Kerala-based company told The Hindu. “It is hoped that the service could be started by January-end or February,” he said.

Amphibian aircraft

The company, Seabird Seaplane Private Limited, had flown in a brand new amphibian aircraft, a Quest Kodiak 100, with a seating capacity of 10 persons including pilot, from the U.S. in October 2015. Eight seats will be available for passengers. One more aircraft is being added to the fleet. The company plans to commence operations in the Kochi-Lakshadweep route which has a high tourist traffic. The flights will be of 1 hour and 35 minutes duration. The flight will land at Kavaratti and Minicoy.

Other destinations

Other destinations planned by the operator are Bengaluru, Bekal, Kadavu, Kumarakom, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram. The flights can land either on waterbodies or at airports and airstrips. Landing on water has been planned at Kumarakom and Kollam. Kadavu is on the banks of the Chaliyar river in Malabar. Apart from carrying tourists, the flights could be chartered or utilised for evacuation purposes in times of emergency, company sources said.

Alappuzha, one of the initial itineraries selected by the government, has not been included in the initial stage as the waterdrome has not been built there. The original plan to build the waterdrome at Punnamada was opposed by fishermen and the location was shifted to Vattakkayal, a few kilometers away. The equipment required to set up the waterdrome had been transported to the location, but subsequent works were not executed.

In 2013

The State government had officially launched the seaplane operations at Kollam in June 2013, but the move to arrange regular flights from Kollam to Alappuzha was opposed by fishermen’s organisations on the ground that the flight landings on waterbodies would affect fishing, the means of livelihood of a number of people. The government had constituted an expert committee to study the issue. The panel had recommended shifting of the waterdrome from Punnamada to Vattakayal. It had drawn the government’s attention to the need for a package to fishermen.

Travel to all those out-of-the way lakes and rivers you’ve always longed to visit. Haul hunters, fishermen or supplies to those locations that can’t be reached any other way. Designed from the outset for float operation, the KODIAK is ready for the float installation of your choice.

Every KODIAK float plane is corrosion-proofed both externally and internally to provide the owner with the best protection and least maintenance cost for their investment, making operations in saltwater environments no problem.

The KODIAK float plane takes off the water in 1,658’ at full gross weight. It will climb out of those remote lakes at 1,200 feet per minute.

 

[RISING SUN]

But both Pune & Nashik does not located near Sea shore.

Water bodies are only required, not sea necessarily.

 

[Hindustani78]

Water bodies are only required, not sea necessarily.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/seaplane-yet-to-take-wing/article19779270.ece

Procedural delays have caused unexpected loss to the venture
Come October, a brand new seaplane flown into Kerala, will complete two years of its idle phase. The craft, brought by the Kochi-based Seabird Seaplane Private Limited, is yet to get the necessary clearances for commercial operations.

The company had charted out ambitious plans for launching flights in the Kerala-Lakshadweep sector. The Quest Kodiak 100 seaplane has a capacity of 10 persons, including the pilot.

Procedural delays have caused unexpected loss to the venture, but the company is hopeful of getting the required certifications from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) soon. Permissions are required from different authorities in Kerala and Lakshadweep, apart from the DGCA. “No dates have been set for the operations to commence,” a spokesperson of the aviation enterprise said.

Obviously, the company does not want to announce the dates until all the preparations have been completed. In fact, the targets set earlier could not be met. The company wanted to bring one more seaplane to make full fledged services, but the plan for the second craft has been kept in abeyance, the spokesperson said.

Apart from Kavaratti and Minicoy, the itineraries planned included Bengaluru, Bekal, Kadavu, Kumarakom, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram.

Alappuzha, one of the initial itineraries selected by the government when the seaplane flight was inaugurated in Kerala in 2013, has not been included by the operator this time. The plan to build a waterdrome in the backwaters of Alappuzha has reached nowhere.

Why is seaplane operations having a seemingly tough time in India? The question, posted during an online chat to the International Seaplane Pilots Association by The Hindu recently, received a cryptic reply from the other end: “Politics, that appears to be the main problem. Too much corruption as well as lack of professional services. Things are not being done correctly or safely.”

Nevertheless, several operators nurture plans to launch seaplane services. Mehair, which had operated in Maharashtra, and another well known private aviation company operating regular commercial flights in the Indian skies, are understood to be among such entities.

 

[RISING SUN]

Thanks for the image but didn't understood why you quoted my post with this image. Any sufficient water body can support the water-plane services. Thank You.

 

[Hindustani78]

Thanks for the image but didn't understood why you quoted my post with this image. Any sufficient water body can support the water-plane services. Thank You.

Shipping vessels should not be allowed to main land ports as we have already saw what has happened in Ennore Port .

All shipping vessels and passenger vessels should be stopped at the Islands only.