Interviews

Aviation Sector in APAC region is growing on all verticals and it is projected that within a short time frame, India would lead all the way in this region. To explain the overall scenario, Joshua Ng,Director, Alton Aviation Consultancy from Singapore in exclusive interview with Vishal Kashyap, Managing Editor, Aviation World speaks out the various factors that could lead to achieve these milestone. He is joined by Bhavya Aggarwal,Engagement Manager at Alton Aviation. Excerpts. What are your views on the present MRO sector and the projected growth? JN: We do see a lot of growth in the sector as the fleet is growing and therefore the MRO is also growing.The fleet has recovered to the 2019 baseline in 2023 but then the fleet age is older, right? Because Airbus and Boeing and the aircraft programmers are not producing as many aircraft as before So airlines are forced to use older aircraft and that requires a lot more maintenance. We see MRO spending being quite strong right now and then coupled with the fact that there are new engine issues, that also helps contribute to the span in the sector.But we do expect some of this to eventually normalise. As the fleet age comes down, as the engine reliability goes up, we should probably see some tapering in the growth in the next five or ten years. Recently, Air India has started one of the biggest retrofit programs of all its Boeing Aircraft and has set a deadline into it. How do you see this kind of initiative by one of the biggest airlines into the Asia region? JN: We do see cabin retrofits, reconfiguration is a very big part for many of the flight carriers because they have business classes that they need to upgrade and refurbish and to compete with the other airlines that also have better products. So, for Air India’s case, it could be your likes of your Emirates or your Qatar. I think they have a plan but unfortunately that plan has been derailed by some of the supply chain issues and there’s something that they need to recover from otherwise, there’s still going to be that gap. BA: In India, the fleet is fairly new as if we look the two major carriers, Air India is looking to renew its fleet, IndiGo has a fairly new fleet and with the large orders, the fleet is expected to almost grow to about 2-2.5x over the next 10 years. The MRO demand in India is especially expected to rise exponentially. When you talk about the supply chain, we have seen airlines struggling into getting things managed. But do you think that what’s the market perspective on the restoration of the supply chain issue? Is that subsided or still the problem is nagging the airlines right now? JN: The problem will continue definitely for the next at least 18-24 months, though we are seeing some signs of a recovery. If you look at aircraft production rates, to know how well Airbus, Boeing and the other OEMs are producing the aircraft, there is some stability in the rates. It’s consistent and it’s not up and down which shows there’s not a lot of volatility. I think particularly so in the Boeing supply chain, there is some weight stabilization as well which helps on the production side. Then on the MRO side, which is where the airlines would then buy and consume parts is a bit more tricky because when you maintain aircraft, you are not trying to change everything out. It’s not a very defined bill of work so there are ups and downs in terms of which parts you need for maintenance and which parts you don’t need for maintenance. So I think the supply chain there will take a bit longer to start to get to normalisation. With many regions enhancing their presence into the regional connectivity, the demand for mid-size aircraft like ATRs or Embraer has increased. How do you see the growth and scope for such type of carriers in today’s perspective? JN: If you look at the order books, Airbus and Boeing on their popular products like the 737s, the 320s have a very, very long order book.If you bought an aircraft today, the earliest you’ll get an aircraft is in the 2030s. It makes it very difficult for airlines to plan to grow their network, their fleet, because there’s just no aircraft available. ATR and Embraers have a smaller order book, and therefore they will be able to deliver an aircraft much quicker. We are potentially seeing some airlines using that as a mechanism to grow their fleet. As the narrow-body jets grow up in size, one can fill the bottom with regional jets like the Embraers, or the ATRs. How do you see the growth in cargo sector in the APAC region? JN: Air cargo generally grows with GDP. So if there’s trade, economic growth, then air cargo will increase proportionately with it. There’s of course going to be some ups and downs depending on other transportation modes. If you see like the Suez Canal crisis, it led to higher air cargo prices and of course higher profits for some of these cargo carriers. BA: With the tariff, there’s obviously going to be some uncertainty in terms of how the supply chain will reorganise itself.If you talk about a specific perspective, we see that e-commerce specifically is picking up a lot in India and that’s driving a large part of the cargo growth. On the supply side, we see that there’s no real freighter carrier that is there in India. How do you see the impact of US tariff in the aviation and aerospace sector? JN: The fundamental thing is the tariff percentages which is changing every day, so not to comment too much about that. But I think the takeaway from all these tariffs is there’s going to be a bit more uncertainty in the market. From an air travel

Indian Aviation is rapidly growing and the need for skilled manpower is at all time high. The growth further intensifies the robust training programs with job security. To highlight the concept better, Jaffer Mohiuddin, CEO, Gomsons Aviation in an exclusive interview with Vishal Kashyap, Managing Editor, Aviation World shares his insight about the current Aviation training program, prospective amendments in curriculum, Part-147 training organisations, challenges and many more key issues. Over the years, he had pioneered India’s first EASA Part 147 satellite training centre, securing DGCA-approved in-house OJT for both fixed-wing and rotary aircraft, and integrated VR-based immersive technology into training programs. We hope that this the inputs of the interaction will be useful for our readers. Excerpts… In India, MPL system of Pilot Training might be introduced as the regulator and stakeholders are evaluating the process. How do you see this change looking into the growing demands for pilots? The introduction of the Multi Crew Pilot Licence (MPL) in India has the potential to significantly transform how we produce airline-ready pilots. MPL, when implemented under the training framework outlined in ICAO Annex 1 and Doc 9868 (PANS-TRG), creates a structured pathway where cadets are trained in a multi-crew environment right from the early stages. This not only accelerates operational readiness but also ensures competency standards are globally aligned. Given the rapid growth of India’s airline fleet and the increasing demand for skilled pilots, MPL could help meet that demand more efficiently. However, the real success will depend on strict regulatory oversight, standardised curriculum, and active collaboration between Regulatory, Airlines, and Approved Training Organisations. The focus must remain on maintaining the highest safety standards while delivering pilots who can transition seamlessly into airline operations from day one. Despite of sudden surge in FTOs in India, still aspiring pilots prefer getting CPL done from some overseas location. What’s the factor that drives them to do so? India now has 38, flying schools, many aspiring pilots still choose overseas training for one key reason time and training efficiency. Leading academies in the USA, Australia, and South Africa offer year-round flying weather, larger training fleets, and higher instructor availability, enabling students to complete their CPL in 12–18 months instead of the 2–3 years it can sometimes take in India. A growing number of students now complete their DGCA ground school training and CPL theory exams in India before leaving, so they can focus entirely on flying once they reach a foreign school. This streamlined approach allows for quick course completion and avoids the delays often caused by weather, aircraft availability, or scheduling bottlenecks in India. Training in India is improving rapidly. Several new FTOs are investing in modern fleets, upgraded infrastructure, and better simulators, raising domestic standards significantly. However, demand remains extremely high due to the current boom in the aviation sector, which often leads to waiting periods and extended timelines for completion. Overseas training continues to appeal because it combines faster completion, exposure to diverse airspaces and ATC procedures, and advanced training technology. The regulatory streamlined licence conversion process makes the return to India relatively straightforward. In many cases, the time saved abroad even offsets the additional costs, making it a competitive and attractive option for aspiring pilots. In India, soon students from arts and commerce streams might be allowed to pursue CPL training, however many other countries already have such provisions. What’s your take on such amendments? The upcoming amendment to allow arts and commerce students to pursue Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) training may seem like a new development, the reality is that Indian Flight Training Organisations (FTOs) have, in many cases, already welcomed such candidates. Traditionally, these students have been trained in both ground school and flying the key requirement has been to complete Mathematics and Physics papers before applying for their CPL licence to the regulatory. Internationally, countries such as the USA, Australia, and South Africa have long followed this open eligibility model, focusing on a candidate’s aptitude, medical fitness, and aviation training rather than their academic stream. Formalising this pathway in India, the process will become smoother and more transparent, reducing delays for aspiring pilots from non-science backgrounds. However, bridging programs remain essential. Subjects like aerodynamics, navigation, and meteorology rely on core physics and mathematical principles, and ensuring every student masters these foundations is critical to maintaining safety and training quality. In a rapidly growing aviation market, such inclusivity could significantly expand the talent pool, help address the pilot shortage, and inspire a more diverse generation of aviators all while bringing India in line with global best practices. To make the aviation training more robust in India, what initiatives need to be implemented? What are the roadblocks? To truly strengthen aviation training in India, we must look beyond pilot training and develop a holistic aviation ecosystem. This involves investing in world-class infrastructure and expanding the scope of training to include Aircraft Maintenance Engineering(AME) PART 147, Cabin Crew Training, Airport Operations, Air Traffic Control (ATC), and other specialised aviation disciplines.A transformative step would be the creation of a world-class Aviation University a single integrated campus housing Flight Training Organisations (FTOs), Aircraft Maintenance (PART 147) training centres, cabin crew academies, ATC simulators, and airport management programs under one roof. Such a facility could generate a steady pipeline of skilled professionals across every segment of the industry. In parallel, India needs to expand training fleets with modern aircraft, introduce state of the art simulators, and adopt global best practices in curriculum design. Aligning training modules with international standards, integrating Safety Management Systems (SMS), and including real world operational scenarios will significantly raise competency levels across the board. The main roadblocks today are high training costs, a shortage of experienced instructors, and weather related disruptions at certain FTO locations. Addressing these through regulatory reforms, strong industry academia partnerships, and targeted investment, India can position itself not only to meet domestic demand but also to become a global exporter of aviation talent. The next ten-fifteen years is going to be transformative year

Delhi based Helicopter Company Syandan Aviation started a unique pilgrimage heli-services catering to services between Delhi- Khatu ShyamJi and Salasar Balaji. The six-seater helicopter Bell 407 will operate daily from Rohini Heliport, Delhi and will provide all inclusive services to the devotees. At the inauguration, Mr. Abhinav Sahay, MD, Syandan Aviation in a candid interview with Vishal Kashyap, Managing Editor, Aviation World shares his views on the the new services and the other operational details… Excerpts.. What services does Syandan Aviation have started in its helicopter operations? Syandan Aviation has launched a daily helicopter service between Delhi and Khatu ShyamJi and Salasar Balaji in Rajasthan.We would be completing this round trip in 6 hours including time for VIP darshan, travel and transport from helipad to temples, lunch and time for rest and rejuvenation. We are hoping that this time saving trip is going to provide an option to pilgrims and devotees from Delhi that they did not have previously. What is the tariff that you have kept for this particular round trip? Right now every seat is priced at Rs.95, 000/-. It is a full package which covers end to end costs including your transportation from helipads to your temples. The amenities that we are providing at Khatu ShyamJi for devotees after their more than hour long flight to freshen up and get ready for their temple darshan. The costs involve arranging VIP darshan, prasad, bhog and obviously the transport from helicopter. So all of that is included in this package. Everything is taken care of, once you step into our helicopter at Delhi then it is our responsibility to bring you back while keeping you safe, comfortable, well fed and spiritually aligned till we drop you back to Delhi. T To operate in this segment which type of helicopters you are using and also what’s the seat configuration? Currently the helicopter that will be used routinely for this service or it has been year marked for this service is Bell 407.There are 6 passenger seats available on Bell 407 which means that at least 6 seats will be available every day for this round trip. What will be the operational schedule? We are planning to operate this flight at least once a day and the time is likely to be 9.30 AM. Initially, we are trying to study the market and see how the market adapts to this service and depending upon the response that we get we can also consider introducing another aircraft for this service. It can be also modified as a customised charter service or like a shuttle for different passengers if required? Yes, it can also be a charter service. Since there are only 6 seats available on the daily flight, right now we want to take as many people as possible and give them the experience of flying on this. As VIP charters are a completely different equation and a different service that we offer and that service is available via a completely different port. Tell us a bit about the company Syandan Aviation? Syandan Aviation is a start-up found by professionals who have had legacy experience of aviation sector, have studied and participated in the Indian aviation sector for some time and they are now looking to contribute to the growth of the rotor wing aviation sector in particular. That is where Syandan Aviation comes in. We are looking to work not just alone but along with our partners such as Skypulse to, as the idea is to transform the rotor wing aviation sector. What’s the expansion plan of your company? We are focusing on three service deliveries or three business verticals. One, obviously is the religious pilgrimage network expansion, second is the air ambulance network setting up and third is the general regional connectivity through rotor wing helicopters.

“CAE is not just about developing a state-of-the-art full-flight simulator; it also provides world-leading training for pilots, maintenance technicians, cabin crew and air traffic controllers” According to CAE’s biennial Aviation Talent Forecast, an estimated 1.5 million civil aviation professionals will be needed worldwide by 2034 – with the largest percentage required in the Asia Pacific region. The comprehensive 2025 edition of the forecast analyzes the need for pilots, aircraft maintenance technicians, cabin crew, and, for the first time, air traffic controllers, predicting that 71,000 controllers will be needed globally over the next 10 years. At the recently concluded International Paris Air Show, Mr. Michel Azar-Hmouda, CAE Division President, Commercial Aviation in an exclusive interview with Vishal Kashyap, Managing Editor, Aviation World shares the insight of CAEs presence into India and the plans ahead on the map. Excerpts… Q: CAE published the requirement of talent forecast needed over next 10 years. So, would you elaborate in details, about this forecast and specific to the numbers for Asia, and India in particular? A: I will share with you the mechanics around and how we look at this forecast in terms of a 10-year view. There are really two components to it; one is the aircraft deliveries coming to a specific region. Based on how many aircraft are coming to a region or country, we work out on the required numbers of cabin crew, maintenance crew and pilots that will be required. In the Asia-Pacific region, of course, India plays a major part. It’s clear when you look at all the announcements and the growth that’s happening in the country. The second component to how we calculate our Aviation Talent Forecast is that we look at the demographic of the active workforce today that’s providing the current manpower; whether it’s pilot, maintenance, or cabin crew. We look at when are some of these people are expected to retire, when we believe some of these people will leave basically, we look at the anticipated turnover. After looking at these two sets of data, we map out expectations in terms of how many people are required to be hired and trained over the next decade. Asia-Pacific is the region in which we see the most demand in terms of pilots: we calculate that, some 100,000 pilots will be required in the Asia-Pacific region alone over the next 10 years. This talent forecast helps us at CAE, to strategize priorities, although of course, our customer needs are also a main vector for our strategy. Both these elements help us identify where we need to grow our infrastructure in terms of training centres and number of simulators so as to be able to train the required number of pilots and help them achieve their career goals while also supporting the airlines to make sure that they have the employees needed to operate safely. Q: What types of simulators does CAE have in India? A: We have a mix of simulators at training centers in India. Most are for the Airbus A320, as that’s the most common aircraft operating in India right now. We are also looking at adding an Airbus A350 as IndiGo has announced ordering those aircraft and of course the simulators have to be in place before they take delivery of the aircraft so that the pilots are ready to fly. We also have Boeing 737 MAX simulators which supports Akasa Air and some of Air India’s needs as they ramp up their own capacity. We also have ATR 72 -600 simulators, which supports IndiGo’s regional fleet. Q: New airlines are coming up in India and the existing ones are also adding new aircrafts gradually. This is creating demand to enhance training infrastructure. How do you see that situation? A: At present, CAE, including its partnership with IndiGo, has 17 full-flight simulators in India based at three locations- Greater Noida, Gurugram and Bengaluru. Eventually, we hope to add simulators to expand training capacity. We are also enhancing our presence in cadet flight schools – we do already have a presence in ab initio training in India. Working with regulators is also extremely important. At the IATA AGM in Delhi, I met with some of the DGCA officials and we’re moving forward towards getting MPL approved in India. MPL (Multi Crew Pilot Licence) Training Programme is basically a programme in which less time is spent in a flight school and more is spent in a simulator. With this programme, the infrastructure requires more simulators versus more flight schools – and adding simulators is a little simpler to implement than creating new flight schools. This will help us provide more volume of training for the future generation, mainly on the pilot side. Q: So, you talked about the cadet training programme. Can you highlight about the CAE IndiGo Cadet Pilot Programme that is in India? A: We have a cadet programme in India with IndiGo based out of Gondia in Maharashtra. This dedicated facility for ab initio pilot training welcomes a little over 100 cadets per year. They train on Diamond 40 and Diamond 42 aircraft. The training at Gondia is the first phase: students come with zero hours of training and we train them to become a pilot. Then, they go to CAE’s New Delhi (NCR) Greater Noida – CAE Simulation Training Private Limited (CSTPL) training centre, and are trained to become first officer to go fly for the airline. Q: Is there any further expansion plan for the flight school? A: The expansion plan we’re looking at currently revolves around the simulators especially if the MPL programme goes ahead. If it gets approved, a lot more simulators will be required. So, we’re trying to focus on and prioritise the training centre footprint expansion. As for the ab initio flight school side, we may do more partnerships instead of fully owning and operating them. Q: With presence of other Sim operators and with new one coming, do you think that the India market is getting

In this exclusive interview, Mr. Subhas Menon, Director General, Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) shares his insight with Vishal Kashyap, Managing Editor, Aviation World on key topics of the Aviation sector and the role of his organisation in addressing and resolving issues of its member airlines impacted from the global challenges. Excerpts… As DG of AAPA, what are the priority areas for your member airlines? Priorities are always Safety, Sustainability and Seamless air transportation. Civil aviation was established more than 80 years ago as a force for the good of humankind. Aviation would not have thrived as it has if not for the dedication to safety. Sustainability is not only environmental protection but also safeguarding food and energy security as well as making sure that the wellbeing of future generations is also safeguarded. Air transport is an integral part of the global economy but must not be unduly inhibited for it to work its magic. How does AAPA contribute towards addressing the issues of its member airlines? AAPA proposes the annual agenda and the Assembly of Presidents of the member airlines endorses it for AAPA to deploy the annual plan. The aviation world is dynamic so AAPA adapts to the changing needs. For instance, reciprocal tariffs was not the issue when the Assembly of Presidents considered the outlook for 2025 in November 2024. But we must incorporate this subject into our advocacy programme as it strikes at the very core of the industry’s raison d’etre – Connectivity, Global Trade, and Sustainability. At present, how many airlines in the region are members of AAPA? Does your body work specific to local regulatory issues as well? We have 18 members. Sometimes we consider local regulations especially if they depart from global standards and ICAO’s agreed structures. Consistency and connectivity are the main principles we consider regulations by. In a recent report issued by AAPA, it mentioned that airlines across APAC demonstrated financial resilience in 2024.What are the probable reasons for such numbers? Air transport is often a socio-economic necessity in APAC which is neither a contiguous, nor compact region. Other modes of transport are poor substitutes. Air transport and the economy have a symbiotic relationship. On both fronts APAC growth is double the global average. Trade and tourism are the bread and butter of the region. With the largest youth population, air transport is the perfect conduit for the most dynamic region in the world. Air India is also a member of AAPA. Due to the major incident last month, do you find the airline’s operational goodwill has been impacted? It was a very unfortunate incident, and our hearts go out to all those impacted by this very sad event. We must wait for the final report by the AAIB to understand how such tragedies can be avoided. Air transport is the safest mode of transport because it has always improved its safety record. Information and best practices are shared so that we improve continuously. In comparison to other geographical regions, how do you see the aviation potential in APAC? How is India performing in comparison to other states? APAC is the fastest growing air travel and cargo market. By 2050, it is expected to account for more than 40% of all air travel and freight transportation. After a buoyant and profitable 2024, the region is still growing in 2025 by double-digits. This is amid the threat of unprecedented tariffs, as well as geopolitical and trade tensions. The underlying factors are all positive for APAC. India was the first market to overtake pre-pandemic levels of traffic and is still growing strongly. India’s civil aviation authorities have a robust and regenerative vision for the county’s aviation landscape to satisfy Indians’ penchant to connect with the rest of the world and to open India for business, as well as tourism. The world is now her oyster from AAPA’s vantage point. Cargo is getting impetus as well but is it achieving the projected/expected FTK? Cargo is often the barometer for the world economy. There is a lot of uncertainty in the world economy. Air cargo growth has moderated as a result. Furthermore, tariffs affect exports which affects trade and air cargo. Nevertheless, where one door shuts, two other windows of opportunity spring up elsewhere. Intra-regional cargo-flows and those to/from Europe and Latin America are looking buoyant. The upcoming APASS 2025 in Manila will focus on “safety”. With so many aircraft incidents in recent times, does it impact the reliance over air safety as people fear to travel with certain types of aircraft. How can one reinstate such trust factor? APASS 2025 is timely and in line with what the industry has always done: Put Safety Front and Centre of everything that we do. By sharing best practices and enhancing collaboration across stakeholders, we get better and better at what we do. We also need to communicate with consumers and the travelling public on our efforts, which is why we are inviting members of the media. What are the future plans of AAPA? Also, what’s your projection of aviation growth for the coming years? Focus for the year is on damaged supply chains and frequent air space closures which have implications for safety, sustainability and seamless connectivity. The continuing supply crisis is a drag on air transport growth, environmental performance and efficient operations. Operating older equipment also retards carbon emission reduction. Air space closures disrupt and prolong flight times when flights are diverted impacting safety and sustainability. This industry’s success has a lot to do with efficient supply chains by taking advantage of free trade. Tariffs undermine supply chains.

At the Media Reception hosted by Embraer during the Paris Air Show, Vishal Kashyap, Managing Editor, Aviation World had a candid discussion with Mr. Francisco Gomes Neto, President & CEO of Embraer. In this brief interaction, Mr. Neto highlighted his vision for India and why this country is important for Embraer in both commercial jets segment as well defence sector . Excerpts… India is an important region for Embraer, so what all opportunities you see here? We are very excited about the opportunities in India. Recently, we inaugurated our subsidiary office in India where besides sales and marketing, we are bringing together engineering, procurement, communication, and government relations. Embraer sees lot of opportunities in Defence sector with Indian Air Force for the MTA ( Medium Transport Aircraft)project; Commercial jets, we see a good opportunity for us to replace the old turboprop, because now India is building a lot of highways. They are competing with the turboprops that are slow and cannot fly longer and we believe, we have a good opportunity for our E-Jets, either the E-175 or the modern E-195 E2. Star Air is your prominent client in India having all Embraer fleet only. Is there any query from other operators as well in India? We are very happy with Star Air as they are doing a good job showcasing our aircraft, showing how good it is to operate with jets to improve the connectivity between the cities. On new query, yes we are in talk with other airlines in India as well. What’s the objective behind setting up an office in India? It’s for our procurement team as we want to find suppliers in India to help Embraer to expand its production capacity. In addition, to prepare for localisation of the C-390 Millennium in case we win the race and also, as our engineering team are looking for opportunities to cooperate in software field, for example, where India is very good. How much optimistic you are specific for the India market? I am very optimistic and that’s why we are investing in India. We do believe, we have the best product for the Indian Air Force and also to help India to improve, to increase the connectivity between small cities, under the UDAN project.