Author name: Aviation World

Acron Aviation is making massive strides in India’s aerospace sector, backing its ambition with significant investments in next-generation avionics and advanced surveillance infrastructure. Already a dominant player in the region—most notably through its widespread deployment of ADS-B Aircraft Surveillance & Tracking Systems—the company is firmly positioning itself as a cornerstone of India’s modernized airspace. In an exclusive conversation with Vishal Kashyap, Managing Editor, Aviation World, Robin Glover Faure, Chief Customer Officer, Acron Aviation, dives deep into the company’s strategic alignment with the ‘Make in India’ initiative, its expanding footprint within the Indian defense sector, and the technology defining the future of Indian skies. Excerpts from the interview… AW: Verticals: What verticals is Acron currently working in within India? ROBIN: India is one of the most dynamic aviation markets in the world right now, and Acron is engaged on two fronts. The first is avionics and surveillance: through ACSS, our joint venture with Thales, we supply ADS-B, TCAS and flight recorder product lines across India’s commercial, regional and general aviation fleets. The second is flight data intelligence: our Flight Data Connect platform brings FDM/FOQA services to Indian operators, backed by our role as an analysis partner in IATA’s Flight Data eXchange. One thread runs through both — helping India’s operators fly safely and efficiently through one of the fastest fleet expansions in aviation history. AW: What is Acron’s current market presence with ADS-B Aircraft Surveillance & Tracking Systems in India? How can it work as an alternative to secondary surveillance radar at remote regional airports? ROBIN: Consider what India is attempting. The UDAN regional connectivity scheme has already brought scheduled service to 95 airports, heliports and water aerodromes across more than 660 routes, and the newly approved Modified UDAN programme commits ₹28,840 crore to develop a further 100 airports over the coming decade. Many of these sit in the Himalayas, the Northeast and on islands — exactly the places where building and maintaining secondary surveillance radar is slow, difficult and expensive. ADS-B turns that problem on its head. Instead of a ground radar interrogating the aircraft, the aircraft determines its own position via GPS and broadcasts it continuously to air traffic control and to other aircraft — no rotating antenna needed on a mountaintop. DGCA’s own ADS-B Out guidance makes the point: satellite-based surveillance fills the gaps in remote and high-terrain areas where radar coverage is difficult or uneconomical, complementing the existing radar network rather than simply replacing it. That ground-infrastructure-light model is precisely what a fast-expanding regional network needs. And Acron is ready for that build-out today. Our surveillance portfolio — the NXT 600, the Lynx ADS-B In/Out transponder and display system, our Mode S transponder line and SafeRoute+ — is built on ACSS heritage, certified by the FAA and EASA, and designed for exactly this kind of regional and mixed-fleet deployment. Nor are we arriving from a standing start: ACSS-manufactured TCAS 3000SP and T3CAS systems and Mode S transponders already fly with Air India, Air India Express and IndiGo, and selected ACSS surveillance solutions are installed on aircraft platforms manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. From the country’s largest airlines to its indigenous aerospace programmes, we are already on board. On the heels of our highly successful ADS-B Evaluation program with the FAA and American Airlines, Acron is exploring the opportunity for a similar pilot program in India. In partnership with Indian air carriers, the DGCA and the Airports Authority of India, this program would serve to validate the operational and safety benefits available to the airlines while also demonstrating the value ADS-B technology brings to the modernization of the Indian airspace management infrastructure. AW: As DGCA progressively aligns with global ADS-B Out mandates, how do Acron’s transponders maintain dual compliance with Indian CAR and international standards for cross-border operations? ROBIN: Our answer is simple: we build to the standard the world builds to. DGCA’s ADS-B Out requirement has been in force since June 2023 for aircraft operating at or above FL285 on specified ATS routes in Indian continental controlled airspace, and it was deliberately designed to align with the global shift toward satellite-based surveillance under ICAO’s Aviation System Block Upgrade framework. Acron’s transponder and surveillance systems — including the Lynx ADS-B In/Out transponder and our Mode S product lines — are certified to the international technical baseline that underpins all of these mandates: RTCA DO-260B for ADS-B message formats, ICAO Annex 10 Volume IV for surveillance systems and DO-160G environmental qualification, carrying FAA TSO authorisations and EASA STC approvals. Because DGCA’s regulatory framework is built to be interoperable with ICAO standards and with FAA and EASA precedent, the same transponder that carries an Indian operator across international boundaries also satisfies domestic carriage requirements. No India-only hardware variant, no fork in the fleet, no compliance surprises as the route map grows. AW: How do you pitch the ROI of upgrading to ADS-B In (like SafeRoute+) to a cost-sensitive LCC in the region? ROBIN: I would start by reframing the question: SafeRoute+ is a retrofit, not a re-equip. It’s a software upgrade to existing T3CAS or TCAS 3000SP computers plus addition of a low-cost ADS-B Guidance Display. The system integrates with the aircraft’s existing displays and control units. As a result, both the capital outlay and the aircraft-on-ground time are a fraction of a traditional avionics upgrade. Then look at what it returns. SafeRoute+ gives pilots a 180-nautical-mile forward-field view of surrounding traffic, and the results from American Airlines’ FAA-evaluated trials at Dallas–Fort Worth and in Albuquerque Center airspace are hard numbers, not projections: roughly 490,000 pounds of fuel and 700 metric tonnes of CO₂ saved at DFW in the first year alone, the potential for four to five additional landings per runway per hour, and tighter in-trail spacing with fewer go-arounds. American has since extended the capability across nearly 300 of its A321s. For an LCC flying dense short-haul rotations through congested, capacity-constrained hubs, every minute of holding, every avoided go-around and every kilogram of fuel drops straight to the

– Wg. Cdr. Prem Kumar Garg (Retd.), CEO, IndiaOne Air Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Modified UDAN scheme with a ₹29,000 crore outlay over the next 10 years, marking a major step toward strengthening regional air connectivity and advancing the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. But what will it take for this ambitious next phase to achieve lasting success? In conversation with Vishal Kashyap, Managing Editor, Aviation World, Wg. Cdr. Prem Kumar Garg (Retd.), CEO & Accountable Manager of IndiaOne Air, shares his expert perspectives, operational insights, and recommendations with Vishal Kashyap, Managing Editor, on the opportunities, challenges, and the roadmap for making the revamped UDAN scheme a transformative success. Excerpts… Q: You call IndiaOne “The Baby Airline”. How do you foresee the baby growing into a more mature airline? A: When I call IndiaOne Air “The Baby Airline,” it reflects our stage of evolution rather than our ambition. Every successful airline starts small, learns continuously and builds resilience over time. We are proud that despite operating one of the smallest scheduled fleets and the smallest aircraft in India, we have connected underserved regions, completed over 15,000 commercial flights and served about a lakh passengers including lot of first time travellers. Our vision is not to become the biggest airline but to become India’s most trusted regional connectivity airline. The next phase will focus on strengthening operational reliability, inducting larger regional aircraft, expanding into new underserved markets and building a sustainable regional aviation ecosystem. Like every child, growth requires patience, support and the right environment. Q: How do you analyze the outcome of the modified UDAN scheme in supporting sustainable and viable flight operations? A: The UDAN Scheme has been one of the most transformative aviation initiatives undertaken anywhere in the world. It has democratized air travel and brought aviation to regions that had never experienced scheduled flights. However, the next phase must focus on sustainability rather than only route creation. The modified UDAN scheme is moving in the right direction by encouraging states to take greater ownership of regional connectivity. Long-term success will depend upon stable policy support, infrastructure readiness and innovative financing models for regional small aircraft. Regional connectivity cannot be evaluated solely on airline profitability. Its economic and social multiplier effect including tourism, healthcare, education and business development is many times larger than the aviation investment itself. Q: Due to non-continuation of VGF, you had to suspend a few key sectors. How do you manage such situations in terms of business loss and passenger trust? A: Suspending routes is never an easy decision because regional airlines build relationships, not just networks. Whenever support mechanisms change, we evaluate every route based on commercial sustainability while ensuring safety is never compromised. We communicate transparently with passengers and continue engaging with state governments and stakeholders to restore services when viable. Passenger trust is built through honesty. Most of our customers understand that regional aviation operates under unique economic challenges. Our objective is always to return stronger rather than continue unsustainable operations. Q: Is this also part of the strategy due to mounting ATF prices, which could not make operations viable on smaller aircraft? A: ATF certainly remains one of the largest cost components for every airline, but for small aircraft operators the impact is significantly higher because fuel costs are spread over fewer seats. However, some portions of it is catered due to VGF indexation calculations based on for RCS flights. Moreover, sustainability is influenced by multiple factors like fuel prices, airport charges, maintenance costs, taxation, infrastructure and route economics. IndiaOne Air continues to focus on cost optimization, operational efficiency and partnerships rather than relying solely on fare increases. In being under Regional aviation serves a national purpose. Therefore, its economics must also be viewed differently from large trunk-route operations. Q: What is the future plan of action? Are you looking at leasing a mid-size aircraft to strengthen your operations? A: Yes. Our long term fleet strategy involves gradual induction of larger regional aircraft while maintaining our expertise in last-mile connectivity. We believe there is a significant gap between 9-seat commuter aircraft and larger regional jets. Aircraft in the 19-40 seat category are ideally suited for India’s regional markets and can substantially improve route economics. However, choice of aircraft is well planned and mostly based on airport we are targeting to connect. Our expansion strategy will always remain measured and financially disciplined. Sustainable growth is more important than rapid growth. Q: What is the status of the LoI that you signed for 10 Twin Otter Series 300-G aircraft? A: The Letter of Intent reflects our long-term confidence in the future of regional aviation in India. The Twin Otter Series 300-G offers unique capabilities, particularly for short runways, remote destinations, island operations and difficult terrain. We continue to engage with the manufacturer and various stakeholders while evaluating financing options, market conditions and policy developments. Fleet induction decisions will always be aligned with commercial sustainability rather than timelines alone. Q: Despite Government initiatives, smaller aircraft operators are still struggling to achieve long-term sustainability. What, according to you, is holding them back? A: The challenge is not demand. India has enormous untapped regional aviation potential. The issue lies in economics. Small aircraft operators face disproportionately higher operating costs and per seat costs while serving socially important routes with lower traffic density. Three structural issues remain: a) Limited availability of suitable regional aircraft and affordable leasing. b) High fixed operating costs despite smaller capacity. c) Short-term support mechanisms instead of long-term ecosystem development. Regional airlines should be viewed as public infrastructure partners rather than simply commercial transport providers. Q:  Very precisely, what are the three key policy measures still required to make RCS routes viable for smaller operators? A: If I had to prioritise only three, they would be: Sustainable Aircraft Financing Establish dedicated leasing and financing mechanisms for regional aircraft, including support through GIFT City and state-backed ownership models. Long-Term Operational Support Transition from short-duration VGF to predictable, performance-linked support