Interview

During a recent visit to Air Astana’s headquarters in Almaty, Vishal Kashyap, Managing Editor of Aviation World sat down with the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ibrahim Canliel. Having previously served across marketing, commercial planning, revenue management, and most recently as CFO through the company’s IPO, he brings a unique, 360-degree perspective to leading Central Asia’s premier aviation group. In a wide-ranging conversation, he shared key insights on the airline’s strategic pivot toward high-demand markets like India, navigating operational detours around closed airspaces, scaling domestic training and MRO infrastructure, and expanding the group’s fleet to 86 aircraft by 2030. Excerpts…  AW: You’ve been with Air Astana for a long time across various roles. How do you see your personal role in shaping the company’s core vision, particularly when it comes to corporate culture and operational strategy? A: I’ve had the unique benefit of moving through the company almost like a nomad. I worked across Marketing, Sales, Commercial Planning, and Revenue Management before taking over as head of the commercial team. At that point, I felt I had exhausted my challenges—until our CEO at the time, Peter, invited me to step into the CFO role, specifically to lead us through our IPO process. It’s been an incredible journey with a steep learning curve that keeps me deeply driven. Regarding our culture, when Air Astana was founded 24 years ago, our shareholders established three core principles that still define us today: Best International Standards: Operating with the highest global benchmarks for safety and service excellence. Strong Corporate Governance: A commitment to transparency, equal opportunity, and a strict meritocracy. Financial Independence: Operating without government subsidies or shareholder handouts—even during COVID-19, when we didn’t take a single penny. Being financially self-sufficient allows us to make purely commercial decisions that best serve our company, employees, and shareholders. Ultimately, our biggest competitive advantage is our people. Competitors can buy the exact same aircraft or seats, but they cannot replicate our human touch. That signature customer experience is why Skytrax has named us the best airline in the region for 15 consecutive years and recognized our staff service for 10 straight years. We are constantly improving our product and training to ensure that competitive gap only continues to widen. AW: How you’re targeting to enhance the airlines network with direct long haul routes further into Europe and Asia? A: In Asia, we’re very clear and very ambitious, and we’re already executing on that strategy. As soon as the Gulf stabilises, we’ll start right back up where we left off six or seven months ago, when we were growing very strongly across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar. We also have our eyes on a few more destinations there and want to increase our frequencies. For Europe, our business case has been impacted by the longer flight times due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Because we don’t fly over or via Russia, our flights into Europe are about an hour and a half to two hours longer than what the great circle route would suggest. Of course, that makes things a bit more difficult, but certainly not impossible. We’re still growing—this past year, we grew our existing destinations in Frankfurt and London, and we also added Larnaca, Cyprus  to our network. We’re currently looking at multiple destinations along the European Mediterranean coast, as well as other points in Central, Eastern, and Western Europe. Naturally, if the Russia-Ukraine situation eases in the future and flight times are shortened, that would significantly accelerate our expansion plans into Europe. AW: How about the status of fleet expense and plans? And are they well on as per your schedule?  A: We are on track. This year, we’re currently operating at 63 aircraft, and we plan to close the year with 66. Looking ahead, our goal is to grow the fleet to 86 aircraft by 2030. At the end of last year, we placed the largest order in our company’s history—as well as for the country and the entire region—for up to 65 aircraft. That includes up to 50 A320-family aircraft and up to 15 Boeing 787-9s. Moving forward, we’ll continue to review our trajectory in line with our ambitions, adjusting our plans as we get closer to those key dates. AW: Given recent geopolitical tensions, jet fuel prices have been highly volatile. How has this fluctuation impacted your flight operations ? And as a follow-up, have you had to pass those costs on to passengers through higher airfares or added fuel surcharges? A: I’ll divide the question into two parts. First, we source 80 per cent of our fuel domestically in Kazakhstan, which is an oil-producing country. The government generally maintains a specific fuel price policy, and as a result, our domestic fuel prices—including jet fuel—have remained broadly stable throughout the entire year. Second, for our international flights, when we uplift fuel outside of Kazakhstan on the way back, those prices are roughly double what they were at the beginning of the year. Naturally, that has had an impact, and we’ve had to increase fuel surcharges on our international network. But relatively speaking, our exposure is much smaller than our competitors’, who have to import or buy 100 per cent of their fuel at market prices. In our case, at least 50 per cent of an international round trip operates on domestic fuel, so we only see price increases on the inbound leg. That has put us in a very strong relative position. Being backed by domestic fuel availability is definitely a huge relief, especially at a time when most other airlines are having a very tough time. AW: You operate two destinations into India right now. So is there any plan to add on more stations and seek increase in bilateral limits? A: We would love to add more. Unfortunately, the bilateral agreement is quite restrictive at the moment. We would love to see both more cities and higher frequencies, as we see great scope for developing air connections between

As the Asia-Pacific region solidifies its position as the undisputed engine of global aviation growth, the spotlight is increasingly turning toward the massive scale of infrastructure development, digitalization, and hub evolution required to keep pace. To dive deep into these transformative trends—from India’s exponential airport expansion to next-generation terminal technology and regional hub dynamics—Vishal Kashyap, Managing Editor of Aviation World speaks with Mabel Kwan, Managing Director at Alton Aviation Consultancy (Singapore). In an exclusive conversation, she shares strategic insights on how global consultancies are guiding stakeholders through an era of unprecedented transition and resilience. Excerpts…  AW: What’s the current overview of the airport infrastructure development in Asia Pacific region? A: The COVID-19 pandemic forced governments and investors to pause and take stock of airport development. It was a timely reality check for a region that had been expanding at a breakneck pace and is once again projected to be the primary engine of global aviation growth. This pause compelled the industry to re-evaluate the future of airports across three critical vectors: (i) Operational Resilience (ii) Security (iii) Technology. Out of that reflection, two major themes emerged. First, we saw a massive leap in stakeholder integration. Before the pandemic, airport operations were heavily siloed—airlines, ground handlers, and immigration authorities largely operated in their own bubbles. But remote-work realities and paperless mandates forced the entire ecosystem to collaborate to survive. Today, that digital integration has become a permanent blueprint; digitization is no longer an isolated airport initiative, but a synchronized effort connecting airlines, border control, and ground services to enable real-time, data-driven decisions. Second, physical restrictions and a subsequent post-pandemic talent drain—as younger workers sought stability in other sectors—accelerated the adoption of automation. Technology became a solution to labour constraints, driving a pervasive yet thoughtful shift in how airports position themselves for the future. Q: As a global consultancy, how is Alton Aviation actively engaging with these progressive developments in airport infrastructure? Could you elaborate on your specific role and how you plan to expand your involvement moving forward? A: Our work reflects the increasingly connected nature of aviation, where airport development extends well beyond physical infrastructure. We support airports in long-term planning, new businesses development such as cargo, aerospace, ground handling, operational efficiency and technology integration, as well as improving the passenger experience and workforce journey. Beyond airports, we work with airlines, maintenance, repair and overhaul providers, cargo operators, ground handlers and aircraft manufacturers. This breadth gives us a perspective across the full aviation value chain, helping clients understand how decisions in one area affect the wider industry. Looking ahead, our focus is on building on that experience to help clients plan for change and translate their strategies into practical outcomes. Aw: With airports increasingly digitizing every aspect of the passenger terminal—well beyond just e-gates—many are still transitioning from legacy systems. As a global consultancy, how do you view this gradual migration process, and how do you help airports navigate the transition? A: True digitization goes far beyond simply converting paper files or people’s records into digital formats. It requires a holistic, end-to-end journey. Just as we used to map physical passenger experiences, we now need to map the entire digital passenger journey. This transformation doesn’t begin at the terminal gates—it starts long before a passenger even leaves home, and extends all the way through to air traffic services, integrating every touchpoint along the way. The real bottleneck, however, isn’t the technology itself; it’s the data. Questions around ownership, compliance, and a reluctance to share information remain major hurdles to achieving true, end-to-end real-time data visibility. AW: We’ve recently seen significant disruptions to airport operations in the UK, often driven by IT or digital system failures that severely impact the entire ecosystem. As an advisor, how do you see airports mitigating these operational vulnerabilities moving forward? A: When we talk about resilience, cybersecurity and data security are core priorities for airports. As reliance on technology grows and digital systems replace manual processes, resilience needs to be built into planning from the outset. That means defining clear cybersecurity requirements before systems are developed and embedding them in both day-to-day operations and the underlying system architecture. Equally important is operational continuity: airports and their partners need regularly tested contingency plans, clear responsibilities and fallback procedures to maintain essential services during a disruption. Resilience is not only about preventing failures, but also about how effectively the airport responds and recovers. AW: Turning to the Indian market, the government has laid out an ambitious roadmap to develop 100 new airports over the next decade. Given this massive scale of expansion across Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, how does a global consultancy view this exponential growth, and what are the primary structural challenges in making it sustainable? A: It is a natural evolution. With one of the world’s largest populations and a rapidly expanding middle class, India checks all the macroeconomic boxes required to drive tremendous growth in aviation traffic. However, to sustain this trajectory, airlines alone aren’t enough—we need a complete, robust ecosystem. That means developing the entire value chain: Ground Handling, MRO services, Cargo, and Airport Support Services must all grow hand in hand. Looking purely at raw passenger numbers tells only part of the story. Over the long term, we may see some airports evolve or transition to serve specialized roles within this broader ecosystem—whether as dedicated cargo hubs, logistics centre, or aerospace and MRO-focused facilities. Developing the infrastructure to support these specialized functions is just as critical as building passenger terminals. AW: When looking at major international hubs like Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, how do you see the landscape evolving? Are there emerging contenders positioning themselves to capture the massive traffic flows in this region? A: There is often an unnecessary obsession with building ‘hubs,’ but a true hub relies heavily on international-to-international transit—and that is a very high bar to clear. To capture international transfer traffic, you need immense infrastructure, a base airline with a matching network model,

As Saudi Arabia accelerates its push to become a premier global aviation hub under Vision 2030, the strategic steering of its commercial engine is crucial. In this exclusive interview with Vishal Kashyap, Managing Editor, Aviation World, Arved von zur Muehlen, Chief Commercial Officer of Saudia Group reflects on the operational and strategic shifts redefining the region. From scaling international connections and boosting religious and leisure tourism to managing capacity in an evolving competitive landscape, he provides an insider’s view on driving long-term commercial transformation. Excerpts:  AW: With Saudi Arabia’s National Aviation Strategy targeting 330 million annual passengers by 2030, how is Saudia scaling its fleet, network, and bilateral partnerships, particularly in high-growth sectors like India? A: Saudia’s growth plans are closely aligned with the ambitions of the Saudi Aviation Strategy and the wider objectives of Vision 2030. Our focus is on expanding capacity in a disciplined way, strengthening international connectivity, and building partnerships that extend the reach of our network. Today, Saudia operates 153 aircraft across more than 100 destinations on four continents, and we expect the fleet to reach 216 aircraft and the network to grow to 145 destinations by 2030. This expansion gives us greater flexibility to increase frequencies in high-demand markets and pursue new international opportunities. India is an important part of that strategy. It is already one of Saudia’s largest and most diverse international markets, with demand spanning Hajj and Umrah, business, leisure, employment and family travel. As economic and tourism ties between the two countries continue to grow, we see considerable opportunity to strengthen direct connectivity while also connecting Indian guests through Saudi Arabia to our wider international network. AW:Following Saudia Group and Air India’s strategic MoU on code sharing and loyalty integration, how will this partnership reshape aviation dynamics and passenger experience between Saudi Arabia and India? A: The codeshare significantly expands connectivity between Saudi Arabia and India by combining the strengths of both networks. Saudia guests can connect through Delhi and Mumbai to key destinations across India, while Air India guests arriving in Jeddah or Riyadh gain access to Saudia’s domestic network, including cities such as Dammam, Madinah, Abha and Taif. For our guests, this provides greater choice and a simpler journey, with flights booked under a single itinerary and baggage checked through to the final destination. lt also strengthens our ability to serve the growing movement between the two countries across religious travel, business, tourism and family travel. Looking ahead, the wider cooperation creates opportunities to expand codeshare connectivity further and explore additional benefits through the airlines’ loyalty programs. AW:Beyond core religious travel, how is Saudia scaling it to capture the surging demand from Indian leisure, MICE, and business travellers? A: India is one of Saudia’s key international markets, with strong Hajj and Umrah demand complemented by growing leisure, business and MICE travel.Saudi Arabia’s expanding tourism and events offering is broadening the reasons for Indian travellers to visit the Kingdom, from leisure destinations such as AlUla and Abha to business and major events in Riyadh and Jeddah. We are responding to this broader demand by strengthening our engagement with the Indian travel trade, corporate partners and digital platforms, ensuring our offering continues to reflect the different needs of the market. AW: How does the Saudia Group plan to leverage its dual-brand model—deploying both full-service Saudia and low-cost carrier flyadeal—to expand its network into India’s rapidly growing tier-2 & 3 cities? A: Saudia Group’s dual-brand model gives us greater flexibility in how we approach a large and diverse market like India, with Saudia and flyadeal serving different travel needs through distinct operating models. As international demand develops beyond India’s major gateways, we see potential in emerging regional markets. Having two airline models gives the Group more options to respond to these opportunities over time, based on the characteristics and demand of each market. This gives us greater flexibility to grow in a measured way, while preserving the distinct role and proposition of each airline. AW: As flyadeal expands into India, how are you positioning Saudia as the premium flag carrier alongside a LCC to capture the price-sensitive travellers as well as the luxury tourists? A: Saudia and flyadeal allow us to serve different traveller preferences without defining the market purely by price. flyadeal provides a streamlined low-cost proposition, while Saudia offers a full-service experience across Guest, Business and First Class. For Saudia, we continue to invest across the full guest experience, from new and upgraded cabins, free high-speed inflight connectivity, enhanced entertainment and digital services, to premium products and the award-winning service of our cabin crew, recognized by Skytrax as Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East, reflecting the authentic Saudi hospitality at the heart of the Saudia experience. Together, this gives travellers in India greater choice in how they travel, while allowing both airlines to maintain clear and complementary propositions. AW: With King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah developing as a primary transcontinental hub, how is Saudia optimising its connection infrastructure and transit experiences to capture high-volume traffic moving onward to Europe, Africa, and the US? A: Jeddah is central to Saudia’s future network strategy. We are progressively concentrating more aircraft and connecting capacity at King Abdulaziz International Airport to strengthen its role as our primary international hub. This includes aligning schedules into coordinated arrival and departure waves, improving the efficiency of connections between flights and increasing the number of aircraft based in Jeddah. Saudia plans to grow its Jeddah-based fleet from approximately 102 aircraft in 2026 to around 186 by 2030. The ambition is also reflected in connecting traffic. International transit volumes through Jeddah are expected to increase from more than 2 million guests in 2026 to more than 5.5 million by 2030, supported by stronger connectivity between Asia, Europe, Africa and other international markets. Operational reliability is central to supporting that growth, with Saudia ranked the world’s No. 1 airline for on-time performance by Cirium for three consecutive months, from May to July 2026. Alongside efficient connections, we

With decades of expertise in precision machining and pressure-and-flow control, PHINIA is expanding from automotive into high-precision aerospace. By partnering with Safran to supply critical components for the Rafale fighter jet’s M88 engine, it is applying automotive-grade scalability and quality control to solve pressing supply chain bottlenecks in defense and commercial aviation.  In this interview with Aviation World, Emmanuel Simon, PHINIA’s Program Manager and Aerospace Leader, outlines the company’s global footprint, expanding certifications across Europe and Asia, and its vision for the aerospace sector.  Excerpts…   AW: Tell us about the products and vertical that PHINIA deals into? A: PHINIA is a diversified industrial company operating into different sectors. The range is from heavy-duty trucks tolight commercial vehicleswhere we supply components for them; marines, off-highway vehicles, like agricultural equipment or construction equipment. We also supply equipment for industrial, like power generation sets and automotive industry. Recently, as a diversified industrial company, we have started our production with Safran in the aerospace sector. Our skill set is precision machining, pressure and flow control and we have decades of expertise in this particular segment. This includes work for hydro-mechanical components, for diesel and gasoline equipment, injector, pump for piston engine or rotary engine. As we can use off-the-shelf product coming from PHINIA so this is why we believe we can give an added value to this sector. We have been diversified to supply components for turbine engine that require precision machining, high knowledge and skill in pressure and flow control. Due to this capabilities, Safran has selected us for the first production that has started this year. AW:Where is PHINIA’s HQ located? How about your APAC presence? A: PHINIA is a US-based company and has presence in more than 40 locations in above  20+ countries. We have approx. 13,000 people working and our annual revenue last year was 3.5 billion US dollars. Our first site in France is located in Loire which is certified for aerospace production. We have not yet our presence in Asia-Pacific but we have sites in China and India. This is why we have certified, and we are certifying this year another site in UK, our Stonehouse site. It will be certified EN-9100 before the end of 2026. AW:From India, what services you provide?  A: In India, we are providing and manufacturing hydro-mechanical components, and we have also services for software systems. AW:What area of work does you have with Safran? A: With Safran, I cannot share all because we have NDA. We have started our first production this year for one product that equips the M88 engine, which is fitted on the Rafale fighter jet, which has been sold to India. There is a plan to sell 114 Rafale fighters to the Indian government and this should be tied up and signed before the end of the 2026. We have started the production in March. We are SOP another product for the same engine and within next year, we will SOP for another product for this engine. So, this is about Safran industrialization, but also we are collaborating with Safran for advanced development project, where here it’s military and civil. AW:How do you see your presence at the Farnborough Airshow? A: Here, we highlighted the fact that we are convinced that PHINIA with his decade of expertise can bring an added value to the aerospace sector, because we are coming from the automotive industry. Currently, as I said, we are diversified across multi-sector of the industry and we can bring added value to perform fast track development. This is our DNA from the automotive industry and we have a vertical integration. We have a strong quality approach which is now standardized also at the aerospace. This quality approach is giving us a guideline to make sure that we are developing products to answer the right requirements according to the right process. This is a strength that PHINIA has and we have also the scalability. Currently, the supply chain in the aerospace manufacturers are struggling with the supply chain because many suppliers are small and they struggle to deliver and to answer the increased demand due to the growth of this sector. ( This interview is also published in the Aviation World Sept-Oct 2026 Print Edition)   

As civil aviation across the SAARC region—led by India’s massive fleet expansions— airspace modernisation, safety infrastructure, and fleet compliance have taken center stage. In this exclusive interview, Vishal Kashyap, Managing Editor of Aviation World, speaks with Ron Nye, President of Avionics at Acron Aviation, about the company’s strategic push into the South Asian market, modernising safety compliance with advanced flight recording systems, rollout of NextGen ADS-B surveillance, and localised sustainment partnerships. Excerpts… AW: What are your key priorities for Acron Aviation’s avionics division in the SAARC region? A: Our top priority across the SAARC region is bringing Acron Aviation closer to the customers who rely on our systems every day. That starts with our avionics MRO center in Bangalore, which is already reducing turnaround times and logistics costs for operators across South Asia, and began with flight recorder repair and will expand over the next three years to cover TCAS and display systems. Beyond the physical footprint, we’re focused on three things: building deep local technical talent, aligning our safety systems with each country’s evolving regulatory requirements, and making sure our supply chain can keep pace with the region’s growth. India in particular is one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world, and we intend to grow with it, not just sell into it. AW:How is Acron Aviation navigating current global supply chain dynamics and rising demand for its products and services in India? A: Like most of our industry, we’ve had to build more resilience into our supply chain over the past few years, qualifying additional sources for critical components, carrying strategic inventory closer to our customers, and investing in regional repair capability rather than routing everything back through our home facilities. India is a good example of that shift: rising fleet growth and traffic there have driven real demand for our recorders, displays, and surveillance products, and our Bangalore facility is a direct response. It shortens the loop between when a customer needs a repair and when they get their aircraft back in the air. We’re planning our capacity in India around where the market is going over the next five to ten years, not just where it is today. AW: India’s defense sector is strongly prioritizing “Make in India” and defense offset obligations. Is Acron Aviation looking into joint ventures or local manufacturing partnerships for avionics assembly in India? A: We take “Make in India” and the country’s offset framework seriously, because they reflect where a lot of our customers’ fleets and defense programs are headed. We’re actively evaluating what local manufacturing and assembly could look like for parts of our avionics platform, and conversations with potential Indian partners are ongoing. I don’t have a joint venture to announce today, but our approach with ACSS, our long-running venture with Thales on surveillance and collision-avoidance systems, shows how we like to build these relationships: deep technical integration, not just a label on a factory door. Any move we make in India will be built the same way: substantive, long-term, and aligned with what the Indian government and our customers actually need. AW:How do your latest flight data recorders and surveillance systems address specific regulatory frameworks across India and neighboring countries? A: Regulatory frameworks across India and its neighbors aren’t identical, and our systems have to work within each one. Our flight and cockpit voice recorders are already designed to meet the toughest applicable standards, including ED-112 crash-survivability requirements, and our Bangalore facility is pursuing DGCA CAR 145 certification now, with FAA, EASA, and CAAC approvals planned so we can support operators flying across multiple regulatory regimes on the same day. On the surveillance side, our SafeRoute+ and Lynx systems are built to the ICAO standards and regional mandates driving ADS-B adoption. Our job is to stay ahead of where each civil aviation authority in the region is heading, not just where the rules stand today. AW:To meet the airspace challenges, how are Acron Aviation’s TCAS and ADS-B solutions helping its customers improve flight path efficiency and airspace safety? A: South Asian airspace is getting busier every year, and that puts a premium on precise, predictable separation. Our Lynx ADS-B In/Out systems and SafeRoute+ surveillance platform give operators and air navigation service providers much more accurate real-time position data than legacy radar-based separation allows, which supports tighter, more fuel-efficient routing and reduces the padding controllers have to build into flight paths. On the collision-avoidance side, our TCAS systems, developed through our ACSS partnership with Thales, remain a core layer of protection as traffic density increases. Together, those systems let our customers fly more direct routes and closer schedules without compromising the safety margins that matter most in crowded airspace. AW:What initiatives are being taken toward expanding Acron Aviation’s MRO and customer support network? A: Bangalore is the clearest example of where we’re headed: a full-service avionics MRO center that started with recorder repair and is expanding over three years to cover TCAS and display systems too. But it’s part of a broader pattern for us. We want repair and support capability closer to where our customers actually operate, not concentrated in a handful of legacy locations. That means continued investment in field support, engineering resources, and spares availability across the Asia-Pacific region, built on the same quality standards across our global network. Customers should get the same turnaround and the same quality whether their aircraft is being serviced in Bangalore, London, or the United States. AW: What role do strategic partnerships play in Acron Aviation’s product roadmap moving forward? A: Partnerships are central to how we develop products, not an afterthought. Our joint venture with Thales through ACSS has shaped our surveillance and collision-avoidance roadmap for years, and our agreement with Deutsche Aircraft to supply flight recorder and standby systems for the D328eco program shows how we like to work with airframers early, as programs are being defined, rather than bidding after the fact. Going forward, I expect partnerships — with OEMs, with airlines, with regulators, and potentially with

As India’s regional connectivity needs continue to grow, Textron Aviation is positioning the Cessna SkyCourier as a flexible, lower-cost aircraft built for commercial, government and special mission operators. In an exclusive conversation with Aviation World Managing Editor Vishal Kashyap, Bob Gibbs, Vice President, Defense & Special Missions Sales, Textron Aviation, explains why the SkyCourier’s simple, durable design makes it well suited for India, Asia-Pacific and a wide range of mission needs. Excerpts: AW: Could you brief us the key capabilities of the Cessna SkyCourier, and share your strategy for expanding its footprint in regional markets? A:The Cessna SkyCourier is our newest clean-sheet aircraft, and it has been in production since 2022. We designed it to do a few things very well: keep operating costs low, deliver strong dispatch reliability and give operators an airplane that is simple to maintain and designed for quick loading, unloading and turnarounds. The flexibility is the key point. SkyCourier can operate as a dedicated freighter, a 19-seat passenger aircraft or a combi aircraft with passengers up front and cargo in the back. The seat tracks run the length of the cabin, so operators have a lot of freedom to configure the aircraft around the mission. Crew requirements depend on the country, configuration and operating rules. In markets where regulations allow single-pilot operations, SkyCourier can give operators additional flexibility, while the 19-passenger configuration requires two pilots. For multi-mission operations, that flexibility matters because a commercial operator, government agency or military customer can configure the aircraft around what it needs to accomplish that day. AW: Focusing on the technical side, what specific engines power the SkyCourier, and how robust are its and avionics in rugged operating environments? A:The SkyCourier is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65SC engines and McCauley aluminum propellers. That combination gives operators dependable performance, strong reliability and lower maintenance costs. The aircraft uses the Garmin G1000 NXi avionics suite. The cockpit was designed to feel familiar for pilots coming from aircraft such as the Cessna Caravan or King Air. That was intentional. We wanted the transition to be straightforward, especially for operators moving pilots into their first larger twin-engine turboprop. In markets where regulations allow single-pilot operations, operators can tailor passenger-and-cargo layouts to meet local requirements, keep utilization high and still match the aircraft to the route. That is why we offer that combi-configuration. If an operator faces a regulatory threshold at nine seats, it can reduce passenger count, add cargo and still complete the mission efficiently. AW:Is this flexibility the primary reason commercial operators in APAC are choosing this specific configuration for their fleets? A:Yes, flexibility is a major reason operators are interested in the aircraft. In Asia-Pacific, public operators include Air Marshall Islands and operators in the Philippines, with continued regional interest across Asia-Pacific. Those operators are looking for an aircraft that can move passengers, cargo or a mix of both without adding complexity. Some missions will use the combi setup. Others will be all passengers or all freight. The point is that the aircraft gives operators choices. They are not buying a single-purpose airplane; they are buying a platform they can put to work in several ways. AW: In terms of performance, what is the aircraft’s maximum range in nautical miles, and what is its service ceiling? The SkyCourier is not pressurized, so most operators typically fly it in the 10,000- to 12,000-foot range. The aircraft is certified up to 25,000 feet, which gives crews flexibility when terrain or weather requires it. For operations above 14,000 feet, passenger oxygen requirements apply, but most missions do not need to operate that high. The aircraft offers more than 900 nautical miles of range, depending on configuration. In day-to-day commercial service, the sweet spot is usually a one- to two-hour sector, or roughly 200 to 400 miles. It can go farther when needed, but the economics are especially strong on regional routes. AW: What kind of special missions or specialized roles can this aircraft be configured for? A:The short answer is almost anything. We continue to develop air ambulance configurations and related special-mission capabilities. We are also working on additional utility-mission options, including jump-door and related configurations, subject to program timing and customer requirements. For surveillance and security missions, we are looking at provisions for electro-optical/infrared cameras, radar pods, LiDAR and aerial survey equipment. Those kinds of missions are exactly where the aircraft’s cabin size, payload and endurance become valuable. So whether the need is maritime patrol, border surveillance, medical evacuation, mapping, cargo, personnel transport or disaster response, SkyCourier gives customers a practical platform they can adapt to the mission. AW: Regarding the emergency medical services configuration, how many stretchers can the aircraft accommodate at once, or is that layout customizable for the operator? A:Air medical configurations can be tailored around operator requirements, including one or two medical beds and standard life-support equipment such as oxygen, vacuum, defibrillators and stretchers. Operators can also adapt the layout for mission-specific medical equipment, depending on their requirements. We are also evaluating medical-evacuation layouts that could support disaster response or mass-casualty missions, depending on customer requirements and release approvals. That is different from a traditional air ambulance. It is more about moving several patients safely rather than providing full bedside care in flight. AW: Are you targeting this aircraft primarily at government and institutional clients rather than private or commercial buyers? A:No. Both markets are important. Commercial operators have been important early customers, and government interest continues to grow. Operators are using the aircraft for regional airline service, charter, air taxi and freight. Government interest is strong as well, but those programs tend to take longer. Military and government customers often need more time to validate the aircraft, define requirements and move through procurement. That is normal. The important point is that the same aircraft can support both commercial and government missions. AW: What is the current production and delivery status of the Cessna SkyCourier program? A:SkyCourier deliveries continue to grow, with aircraft operating across

In an exclusive conversation with Aviation World, Sudhir S. Rajeshirke, President – Aerospace at Jubilant Enpro Pvt. Ltd. shares insight on aircraft management reform, regional turboprops and the coming HEMS market. Excerpts… AW: Help us understand the role of Jubilant in representing two global OEMs in a market like India, and how has that role evolved? A: Jubilant’s aerospace business has represented OEMs since 1995 and now we represent top aerospace brands such as Bell Flight and Textron Aviation in India. As far as I am aware, we are the only firm in India representing both fixed-wing and rotary-wing OEMs in India. We front-end customer relationships right from the time they first engage with us on assessing the right aircraft for them through the entire life cycle of the product. Our key role is to develop market and ecosystem for an eventual sale of aircraft in India.  When a customer is ready to take delivery, we ensure that the pilots, maintenance infrastructure, training, spares and other support systems are available for a seamless induction and operation of Textron and Bell aircraft in India. In addition, by taking active role in leading industry bodies, we work in development of aviation policies that are conducive to the growth of business aviation in India. AW: The Ministry of Civil Aviation and DGCA have been working on enabling provisions for aircraft management, and eventually for shared ownership. You have argued for this for the better part of a decade. What would be likely impact when the changes come through?  A: Today, a huge hassle for any aircraft customer, typically the companies, State Governments, large institutions, is they have to  start and operate an aviation company which is outside their core domain expertise. They have to hire flight crew, engage maintenance agency and carry out quality, procurement, regulatory activities. This is a huge deterrent as large liabilities are involved. Further, due to complex structuring, customers don’t receive depreciation benefits.  That’s a huge financial loss for an expensive asset. Under an aircraft management model, a professional entity spreads crew, quality systems and administrative capability across a fleet. This model separates the ownership and operation between two parties.  The customer gets ownership and depreciation benefits, the aircraft management company provides professional aviation services, which is it’s core expertise.  Both win. Secondly, the regulator’s job gets easier. Today the DGCA has to oversee a very large number of small operators, many holding one or two aircraft, each with its own systems. That is an enormous supervisory burden on an organization that is already stretched. If a professional aircraft management service provider holds operational and compliance responsibility for several aircraft, the regulator monitors one competent entity instead of many uneven ones. That is better for safety oversight. Thirdly, aircraft management regulations will lay the foundation for aircraft fractional ownership. It is better that these are bought sequentially and not simultaneously as you cannot attempt the second without having proved the first. AW: Turning to regional connectivity, how do the Cessna Caravan and SkyCourier fit India’s requirement? A: The Ministry of Civil Aviation’s UDAN’s Regional Connectivity Scheme succeeded in upgrading tier-2 and tier-3 airport infrastructure and in making air travel affordable on routes that were never served before.  However, two major challenges still exist.  Firstly, airlines need to offer a price that’s affordable at even subsidized levels.  Secondly, planes, need to fly at least half full for profitable operations. These challenges have impacted airlines to serve profitably on aircraft that have more than 70 plus seats but need to serve short-thin routes.   The economics don’t work. The Grand Caravan EX is built precisely for that. It carries up to ten passengers and an airline is able to fill the aircraft on almost all routes. The cost of acquisition and operation helps airlines using Caravan become profitable on RCS routes.  India One Air has been an exemplary example. They built a business model on short-thin routes in North East region and opened up access to locations that were previously unserved in the region.  Another new operator Megamax Aviation will be launching services next year with Grand Caravan aircraft thus making it an obvious choice for RCS operators. The SkyCourier operates a notch above. It is a twin-engine turboprop that carries between 15 and 19 passengers, including cargo combination versions.  For India, e-commerce and pharmaceutical logistics are pushing volume into tier-2 and tier-3 cities faster than the feeder air-cargo network has developed. A twin-engine aircraft with containerized loading and low operating cost is a very sensible answer to that. AW: You have also spoken about HEMS and search and rescue (SAR). Where is that market today? A: India is, to my knowledge, the only major economy still substantially under-served by air medical and search and rescue services. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has made a start: The Sanjeevani pilot, with a helicopter stationed at AIIMS Rishikesh was an important proof of concept. But pilot projects need scale. For HEMS to become a genuine industry in India, three  things need to be resolved. The first is the funding model. Somebody has to pay for the helicopter acquisition and missions. In mature markets that is a combination of insurance reimbursement, state health budgets and subscription schemes. In India, the funding model is not yet developed.  So we need to enable hospital chains to pay for acquisition and have management companies to operate HEMS missions. The second is infrastructure and air congestion within cities for HEMS operations. The third is regulatory and airspace clarity  specific to the mission. HEMS and SAR operate under time pressure and need to occur at a moment’s notice and not wait for any approvals. Initiating search and rescue (SAR) missions need inter-ministerial coordination framework to carry out widespread SAR missions that save lives in times of emergencies such as floods, earthquakes and other natural calamities. AW: How does Bell position itself in that segment? A: Bell has been at the forefront in championing the cause of HEMS and SAR

As the Asia-Pacific region faces an unprecedented surge in air travel and fleet expansion, the demand for highly skilled pilots and robust operational readiness has never been higher. At the Asia Pacific Aviation Training Summit (APATS) in Bangkok, Vishal Kashyap, Managing Editor of Aviation World caught up with Simon Azar, Vice President Civil Aviation, Asia Pacific at CAE, to discuss how the global leader in flight simulation and pilot training is addressing these challenges. In this exclusive interview, Azar shares insights on scaling training capacity across Asia-Pacific, leveraging next-generation simulation technologies, and ensuring safety standards remain uncompromised amidst the region’s rapid growth. Excerpts… AW: With rapid fleet expansions across India and Southeast Asia driving demand for local support, how is CAE strategically evolving its regional footprint to balance global expertise with localised training capacity? A: India is a very important market for us, as we have been operating in India since 2013 through our training network in partnership with InterGlobe. Recently, we inaugurated our fourth training center in Mumbai, where the first A320 simulator is already operational with the second one is coming into operation as we speak. CAE is nearly an 80-year-old training company and our expertise lies in simulation &training, including the development and delivery of advanced pilot training programs. We are bringing all of this to India, both in terms of our footprint, which we continue to expand to keep up with our customers’ growth, and in terms of training expertise as-we work with different stakeholders to put in place the best training programs for both, airlines and new pilots entering the industry. AW:As civil aviation authorities across the region accelerate their adoption of Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA), how is this measurable shift redefining pilot proficiency compared to the hour-building models? A: The Competency-Based Training as the name says, is really a framework that’s built around pilot’s  behavioural competencies rather than assessing tasks and performance. We believe t it it’s a program that is better suited to delivering well-rounded pilots. This is significant in market like India where there are so many new pilots coming into the ecosystem. When a pilot enters training, the quality of the program is very important and Competency-Based Training and Assessment is what we believe to be a significant step forward for Indian aviation and for the industry globally. Program. This is an approach that we have adopted across the region with that we have adopted across the region with several customers, and we continue to see strong interest in its ability to better prepare pilots for real-world operational environments. AW:With pilot talent remaining a bottleneck for expanding Asian carriers, how is CAE helping airlines scale up without compromising training and safety standards? A: We are working closely with a range of flight schools and airline partners to help develop the next generation of pilots and support their transition onto aircraft platforms such as the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737. It’s very important for us to have these advanced training programs and curricul to make sure that we’re delivering the best possible workforce to our airline partners. We have a large network of instructors, both in the region and in India, which is essential for training more aviation professionals while maintaining the quality needed to uphold safety standards. At CAE, that’s what we do. We are here to prepare people for the moments that matter. Whether its pilots, or cabin crew, or technicians, that’s essentially our reason and purpose and we’re doing that very actively in India to help the ecosystem scale up. Of course, we know airlines are preparing to take delivery of a large number of new aircraft. At the same time, India is continuing to invest in aviation infrastructure. The industry needs people to keep up with that growth, and that’s where we come in. AW:How is CAE engaging with the Indian DGCA and local carriers to scale MPL adoption? Also, is there any scope where India is finally ready to embrace MPL to fast-track its pilot pipeline? A: MPL is a program that we have been delivering for a long time. It’s an approach we believe is highly effective for delivering the right competencies for cadets coming into the workplace. In India, where there is a large number of new pilots required to come into the industry, we believe that MPL is a program that’s more adaptive and more effective to prepare the workforce of tomorrow, using training that is closely aligned with an airline’s operating environment and procedures. That is why we firmly believe in it. We have a framework that’s adaptable to MPL and instructors who are well-trained for it. Our curriculum is well-designed and we have a lot of data from past programs, so we’re able to continuously adapt it to make it even more effective. That’s what we want to bring to India to help scale the talent of its aviation ecosystem, which needs to grow to at an accelerated rate sustain everything that’s happening with the aircraft deliveries and so on. AW:Have you discussed this program with the existing clients like IndiGo or Air India? Are there any positive sign-off responses or are they still in the thinking process? A: No, I think there’s a very positive response from the airlines. It would need to be approved by the DGCA and there many constructive conversations taking place between all of the different stakeholders. CAE brings a lot of experience in MPL as we’ve been delivering this program in Europe and Asia for many years and at scale. A: Currently, we bring this experience and perspective to the table which we share with our airline partners and authorities, and together, a decision will be made on its place in Indian aviation. AW:Any timeline that you expect? A: No, it’s difficult to say in terms of timelines. I think the conversations are active and constructive, but difficult to say what the timeline would be. AW:As low-cost and regional carriers in Asia-Pacific modernize with

At the Farnborough International Airshow, Indian Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) pioneer The ePlane Company (Ubifly Technologies) highlighted its technology vision and announced key global and domestic strategic partnerships. These strategic agreements spanning advanced avionics, aerospace-grade fasteners, composite materials, electrical wiring, modular cabin interiors, and emergency healthcare operations are designed to solidify the e200X ecosystem as it advances through airworthiness certification and industrial production.   During the event, Vishal Kashyap, Managing Editor of Aviation World, sat down with Dr. Satya Chakravarthy(Founder & CEO) and Divya Manchanda (EVP of Business Partnerships & AAM Strategy) to discuss how ePlane is positioning itself to lead the urban air mobility revolution in India and across emerging markets. Excerpts from the conversation: Dr. Satya Chakravarthy, Founder & CEO Q: Could you elaborate on the MOUs signed at the Farnborough International Airshow? At the Farnborough International Airshow, we announced a major strategic partnership with Apollo Hospitals to create an integrated emergency response model combining both our e200X electric air ambulances for critical patient transport and medical delivery drones (via our subsidiary, Amber Wings) for rapid movement of blood products, organs, vaccines, and diagnostic samples. We also announced formalized agreements with several strategic supply chain partners: Azista Composites for composite materials supply. Hensoldt for advanced avionics systems. Ankit Fasteners for aviation-grade fasteners. SASMOS for wiring harnesses, including high-voltage design, application, and on-aircraft installation. AMS Heli for modular interiors and seating, which will support our initial air ambulance variant and allow seamless conversion to future air taxi and cargo configurations. Q: Regarding technology, what system configuration and technical architecture does ePlane employ?    Our aircraft uses a lift-plus-cruise configuration, which means it has separate propulsion systems for vertical take-off and landing, and for forward flight. For vertical flight, the aircraft uses dedicated lift rotors that operate similarly to a helicopter but are controlled using distributed electric propulsion, much like a drone. Once airborne, the aircraft transitions to forward flight using dedicated cruise propellers, allowing it to fly like a conventional fixed-wing aircraft. This architecture eliminates the need for complex tilting mechanisms found in tilt-rotor designs, resulting in a simpler, lighter, and more reliable system. From a safety perspective, the aircraft features a hex-rotor configuration for vertical lift. This provides redundancy, enabling the aircraft to continue safe flight even if one lift rotor or its associated motor or battery were to fail. Similarly, the aircraft is equipped with four forward propellers, allowing it to safely handle a one-engine-inoperative scenario during cruise flight. Another key differentiator is our proprietary Synergistic Lift technology. We have developed an in-house method of utilizing the vertical lift rotors during forward flight to improve the aerodynamic performance of the wings. This enables us to achieve a highly compact aircraft without compromising efficiency or performance. The result is an aircraft that can fly both slowly for safe urban operations and efficiently at higher speeds, maximizing the number of short trips that can be completed on a single battery charge. This innovation is protected by patents granted in approximately 15 jurisdictions worldwide, including the United States, underscoring the uniqueness and strength of our technology. Q: When can we expect the ePlane prototype to be operational?   Our full-scale PT-01 prototype is built and currently undergoing ground testing. We expect to initiate flight testing shortly before transitioning to our second prototype, PT-02. PT-01 serves as an unmanned experimental scale technology demonstrator. PT-02 will be our conforming aircraft, built specifically for the air ambulance configuration and to demonstrate compliance to certification requirements. We plan to build PT-03 as an identical sister ship to PT-02, allowing both aircraft to jointly accumulate certification flight hours through 2027. Toward the end of that period, we will introduce the air taxi variant, pursuing additional certification above the air ambulance baseline. Our target timeline is to obtain Type Certification by mid-2028. Q: What services will be offered during the first phase of operations?    Our initial go-to-market focus is the air ambulance variant. Urgent medical transport addresses a critical societal need in India, where traffic congestion frequently delays emergency responses, trauma care, cardiac treatment, and organ transit. By partnering with hospital networks like Apollo Hospitals integrating both electric air ambulances for patient transfer and delivery drones for urgent supplies, we aim to drastically lower operational costs and bring medical logistics down from hours to minutes, making air transport eligible for health insurance coverage. The second one is the air taxi variant which could cater to a lot of other use cases like for example not just doing the air taxi within urban areas but also airport shuttles which is again a time critical need, remote area access like hilly terrain and so on plus tourist attractions, pilgrim centers.  Q: This sector is still at a very nascent stage and requires lots of planning and infrastructure. How do you  assess such situations? One of the key differentiators of our aircraft is its exceptionally compact design, which sets it apart from many other eVTOLs being developed globally. Our proprietary Synergistic Lift technology enables the vertical lift rotors to work in conjunction with the wings during forward flight. This allows us to achieve a much smaller wingspan and overall footprint without compromising performance or efficiency. The compact form factor offers a significant operational advantage. It enables our aircraft to use many existing helipads, allowing us to leverage current infrastructure during the initial phase of deployment rather than waiting for an entirely new network of vertiports to be built. As the ecosystem evolves, we will develop dedicated vertiports optimized for our aircraft. Because of the aircraft’s compact footprint, these vertiports can be even smaller than conventional helipads, making them easier and more cost-effective to deploy in dense urban environments. By combining compatibility with existing helipad infrastructure and the ability to build smaller, purpose-designed vertiports in the future, we believe we can accelerate the adoption of Advanced Air Mobility Q: Is there any global affiliation required as well for operations?   There are two aspects to this. First, the

Aviation World exclusive Interview with Capt. Vaibhav Goutham Suresh, Director,  School of Aviation, Logistics and Tourism Management (SALTM), Galgotias University AW: Aviation, logistics and tourism are different sectors, yet Galgotias University chose to bring them together under one school. What was the core philosophy behind uniting these three fields in a single school? VAIBHAV:  Because in the real world, they were never truly separate. A passenger’s journey, a cargo consignment and a traveller’s experience all move through the same connected system- an aircraft, a supply chain and a destination that succeed or fail together. When a flight is disrupted, logistics and hospitality feel it within the hour. We built SALTM around that reality. Housing aviation, logistics and tourism under one roof means our students learn to see the whole movement economy rather than a single silo. An airline manager who understands supply chains, or a tourism professional fluent in aviation operations, is far more valuable than a narrow specialist. We are not teaching three unrelated subjects; we are teaching one interconnected ecosystem through three doors. AW: There is often a gap between academic curriculum and real industry requirements. How is SALTM breaking away from the traditional learning model to ensure students are genuinely ‘plug-and-play’ when they enter the workforce? VAIBHAV: The gap between higher education and the aviation sector exists because the two operate on fundamentally different timelines. Consequently, by the time a syllabus catches up, the challenges it was designed to solve have already shifted, leaving graduates fluent only in yesterday’s aviation. Closing this gap requires more than superficial adjustments or formal agreements; it demands a fundamental shift in educational design. We have inverted the traditional model, which prioritises years of isolated theory and hopes relevance follows by engineering our curriculum backwards from actual employer requirements. We adapt simulations, live projects, case work and real operational problems from the very first year.  The centrepiece is a full semester-long industry internship: our students do not visit the industry for a week; they work inside it for months, so they graduate with genuine operational experience, not just a transcript. By the time they enter the workforce, they have already done the job. That is what ‘plug-and-play’ means to us- a graduate who is productive on day one, not after six months of hand-holding. AW: You describe running the school on the principles of a ‘High-Reliability Organisation HRO).’ What does that mean inside a university? VAIBHAV: Aviation is the textbook High-Reliability Organisation. An industry that works in genuinely hazardous conditions yet achieves an extraordinary safety record, because of a particular culture rather than luck. I believe an institution that educates for that industry ought to run itself the same way. In practice, that means a few things. A preoccupation with failure: we treat a disengaged student, or a graduate who was not quite ready, as a near-miss to be studied openly, not an embarrassment to be buried. A reluctance to oversimplify: we resist reducing a young person to a single grade or a single metric, because the real story is always more textured. A sensitivity to operations: leadership stays close to the classroom, because that is where the truth of an institution actually lives, not in the boardroom. And a deference to expertise over rank: in a well-run cockpit, the most junior officer can speak up and be heard, and the same must be true of a junior colleague, or a student, who sees something the rest of us have missed. Reliability, in the end, is not a rulebook. It is a culture of honesty and attention, and if we intend to send that culture out into the industry, we have to live it ourselves first. AW: Travel has changed enormously in recent years. How have you rewired the curriculum to prepare students for this ‘new normal’? VAIBHAV: Travel today is digital, experiential and personalised in a way it never was before. Today’s traveller researches, books and shares almost entirely online, expects authentic and sustainable experiences, and behaves very differently from a decade ago. We have rewired our tourism curriculum around that reality- digital travel technology and online distribution, experience and destination design, sustainable and responsible tourism, and the data skills to actually understand the modern traveller. We have also moved the classroom closer to the field, with hands-on exposure to how destinations, hospitality and travel technology really operate. The goal is a tourism professional fluent in this new, technology-driven, experience-led economy, not the travel industry of twenty years ago. AW: The logistics sector is increasingly driven by AI, automation and data analytics. How are you embedding these next-generation tools directly into the academics? VAIBHAV: You can no longer teach logistics as trucks and warehouses; it has become a data-and-technology discipline, and we have embedded that directly into the academics. Our supply-chain students work with data analytics, automation concepts and the digital tools that run modern logistics, from analytics-driven decision-making to the AI and automation reshaping warehousing, freight and last-mile delivery. Just as importantly, we teach students to think with data, not merely about it. A modern logistics manager must be as comfortable with a dashboard as with a loading dock, and that is exactly the professional we are building. AW: Aviation has long trained people on the job. Why does it need a dedicated university education at all? VAIBHAV:  Because aviation is not a set of tasks, but a system, and a safety-critical one. You can train a task on the job; you cannot train judgement, systems-thinking and professional temperament on the job alone. Education’s role in a field like ours is to form the whole professional: someone who understands not only their own function but how the entire machine fits together, who can make a sound decision when the manual runs out, and who carries the discipline this industry quietly depends on. As aviation grows more complex, with more technology, more regulation, and more interconnection between everyone in the value chain, the case for deliberate, structured education only strengthens.