IAF's Sarang and The Global Star Team perform at opening day
(pix: Global Stars)
Wings India 2020, the biennial civil aviation and aerospace event from 12-14 March, had a stimulating kickstart with 100 plus exhibitors, over 20 states and 500+ delegates participating. Day 1 of the event bore positive response with many companies showing interest in collaborations and business acquisitions. Speaking on the first day at 'Wings India 2020', organised by FICCI, jointly with Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airports Authority of India, Mr. Anand Stanley, Chairman, FICCI, Civil Aviation Committee and Managing Director, Airbus India while addressing a press conference emphasised on India's requirement of nearly 1,900 new passenger and cargo aircraft in the next 20 years. These new additions would “help propel India's domestic traffic growth, which is one of the world's highest at this time”.
The aerobatic displays showcased the Extra 300L Mark Jeffery’s team and ALH Dhruv helicopters by Indian Air Forces' Sarang Team. On static display were the Embraer E195, Honda Jet HA420, Diamond DA42, Cessna 182T, Cessna 206, Bell 505 and Dornier 228.
With respect to the business opportunities, first day of the event initiated discussions and conversations from airlines, exhibitors and companies' combined to recognise and celebrate the excellence, triumphs and innovations of key stakeholders within the aviation industry.
The Indian aviation industry came together to work towards making 'Flying for All' a reality at Day-2 of 'Wings India 2020'. K T Rama Rao, Minister for Industries & Commerce, IT, Electronics & Communications and Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Government of Telangana, Malladi Krishna Rao, Health and Tourism Minister, Government of Puducherry, Arvind Singh, Chairman, Airports Authority of India, Smt. Usha Padhee, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt of India, Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint MD of Apollo Hospitals Group and Anand Stanley, Chairman FICCI, Civil Aviation Committee and Managing Director, Airbus India, inaugurated 'Wings India 2020' on the theme of 'Flying For All' with the support from state government, industry partners and companies.
Speaking at the inaugural session, K T Rama Rao, Minister for Industries & Commerce, IT, Electronics & Communications and Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Government of Telangana, stated, "The Indian aviation and defence ecosystem has witnessed a significant growth trajectory in the past few years. Telangana is the first state in India to take the union government's advice to slash VAT on the aviation turbine fuel from 16% to 1%, this has given significant boost to the regional airline industry prompting leading operators to expand their operational base in Hyderabad. In line with the theme of 'Wings India 2020', we are now planning to re-activate old airports and airstrips, create three greenfield and three brownfield airports, and also establish a chain of heliports to connect the remotest parts of our state."
Smt. Usha Padhee, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India stated, "India is poised to become the epicentre of growth for this sector. Civil aviation is extremely important for any developing economy, it is not only a beneficiary for good economy but also an enabler for growth of the economy. Every entity in the civil aviation ecosystem has to work in tandem, almost in perfect coordination to make sure air traffic is safe and secure. 'Wings India 2020' is a platform for us to come together to work towards ensuring the growth of the sector."
"The rapid expansion in India's airport and air navigation structure will definitely fuel the huge business and tourism opportunities in our great country. Indian aviation will be the epicenter of the growth trajectory and will present a whole range of opportunities and challenges and such industry initiatives like "Wings India 2020' are path breaking," stated Arvind Singh, Chairman, Airports Authority of India.
Mr. K T Rama Rao, Minister for Industries & Commerce, govt. of Telangana addressing Wings India 2020 inaugural
The venue a day before the event started
An IAF Dornier 228 at the event
P&W Customer Training Centre in India success
Pratt & Whitney also announced a record 10,000 student days of training at its Customer Training Centre at Hyderabad. Launched in 2015, the centre is one of the three Pratt & Whitney training centres operating globally which offer specialised DGCA and EASA Part 147 approved trainings. The cente offers advanced training for airline customers, MRO operators, as well as industry and university skill development programmes, to spur the growth of the aviation sector in India. Several leading aerospace organisations have extended their support to the skill development initiatives undertaken by Pratt & Whitney and will consider offering career opportunities to students trained by the company.
"In line with the Government of India's 'Skill India' and 'Make in India' programmes, we have strategically invested in a world-class customer training centre in Hyderabad," stated Ashmita Sethi, Pratt & Whitney Managing Director, India. "Through our centre here, we have been nurturing and developing talent in the aerospace sector since 2015. Our training centre underscores Pratt & Whitney's long-term vision and commitment of developing a robust skill development base in the country to support the growth of the aerospace ecosystem in India."
Pratt & Whitney showcases aviation expertise
With the curtain rising on Wings India 2020, Pratt & Whitney, showcased its ‘commitment to innovation and aviation growth in the region’. The company's presence at the show was anchored by its exhibit- a quarter scale model of Pratt & Whitney's GTF engine. The exhibit also featured a full scale model of the GTF engine's key differentiator technology, the fan drive gear system (FDGS), which enables all the engine's modules to run at their optimum rotational speed, reducing fuel, noise and stage count.
"India is one of the world's fastest growing aviation markets and Wings India is a key event for us to engage with our customers, partners, suppliers and other stakeholders," stated Ashmita Sethi, Managing Director, India for Pratt & Whitney. "Pratt & Whitney's history in India began more than 70 years ago and we look forward to the opportunity to share how the company's products, services and initiatives in the region contribute to the future of aviation in India."
To meet the growing demand for air travel, more than 150 GTF-powered A320neo family aircraft have been delivered to Indian operators to date. GTF engines have carried over 80 million passengers on more than 500,000 flights in India, and have saved Indian operators 90 million gallons of fuel and 880,000 metric tonnes of carbon emissions since entry into service in 2016.
"Pratt & Whitney wishes Embraer E195-E2, powered by our industry-leading PW1900G all the very best in the region": Ashmita Sethi
Airbus’ strong presence at Wings India
Airbus highlighted its products, technologies and services and at their stand visitors were able to experience a scale model of its single-aisle A220 aircraft, which is specifically designed and purpose-built for the 100-160 seat market. Displayed alongside it was a model of the A350-900 and a scale model of the Airbus H145 twin-engine helicopter. In addition, Airbus displayed its capabilities in data analytics and support programmes for its customers. These included the first-of-its-kind open data platform – Skywise, Flight Hour Services – Tailored Support Programme (FHS-TSP), Airbus Interior Services (AIS) and Training Services.
Anand Stanley, President & Managing Director, Airbus India & South Asia can be seen on the right.
Boeing showcase its commercial capabilities
Boeing highlighted its innovative commercial products and services and the company’s exhibit featured its commitment to innovation, safety and industry partnerships in developing India’s aerospace ecosystem in support of Make in India and Skill India. “India is one of the world’s fastest growing aviation markets and Boeing is honoured to partner with customers and industry leaders to enhance the country’s aerospace sector for the last 75 years,” stated Salil Gupte, President, Boeing India. “We look forward to being at Wings 2020 and having the opportunity to highlight our ongoing investments in India that span the development of aerospace technology, innovation, production capacity, supply chain, aerospace skilling centres, manufacturing and the modernisation of airport infrastructure and airspace.”
In addition to showcasing commercial aviation platforms such as the 787 Dreamliner and 777X, the Boeing exhibit focussed on the company’s services capabilities to enhance airline operations. “As India’s middle class expands and more consumers are able to fly, we’re seeing tremendous potential for the country’s growth as a commercial aviation hub," stated Darren Hulst, VP, Commercial Marketing, The Boeing Company.
Launch of India’s first autonomous buggy
Maini Group, a pioneer in electric mobility in India, announced the launch of India’s first Autonomous Buggy. This initiative has been completely conceived, designed and developed in India and is suitable for domestic and international markets.
Backed by highly-advanced technology with all the safety parameters being adhered to, this buggy which is capable of sensing its environment and driving with little or no human involvement, is ‘Safe, Secure and Suitable’ for a variety of uses. Lane detection/discipline, pedestrians, obstacle avoidance, emergency stop, app-based ride hailing are some of the key features of the vehicle.
“We are delighted to showcase this autonomous buggy and we believe that electric mobility and autonomous solutions are the key to the future. We are looking forward to sectors like the airports, IT, and other large campuses to take the first step and be the early adopters to use this new technology and lead India into the next decade,” stated Sandeep Kumar Maini, Chairman, Maini Group.
FSTC Hyderabad Training Facility inaugurated
FSTC (Flight Simulation Technique Centre), the Aviation Training Establishment offering ‘high quality training’ duly endorsed by DGCA and EASA, was inaugurated at the event showcasing its brand-new 8-bay pilot training facility in Hyderabad. The facility was formally inaugurated by the Minister of Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Industries and IT & Commerce, K T Rama Rao in the presence of dignitaries from MoCA, DGCA and Airline partners. Three bays of this HYD facility are already occupied by an A320neo, Bombardier Dash-8 and ATR72-600 simulator and with 5 simulators already positioned at the Gurugram facility, the total number of simulators with FSTC as on date are eight.
Thales committed to India’s vision of “flying for all”
We caught up with Mr. Emmanuel de Roquefeuil, VP & Country Director, Thales in India and he had a lot to say on the Indian market. “The Indian aviation market is set on a high growth trajectory. Currently the ninth largest civil aviation market in the world, India is also now the fastest growing aviation market in terms of domestic tickets sold. It is expected that in the coming years Indian carriers will increase their fleet strengths while freight traffic will rise, and the number of brown field and green field airports will continue to increase. While Indian aviation has seen challenges in the form of the demise of a few well-known carriers, the prospects for the future remain strong. UDAN, the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) is an important initiative of the government with a vision of ‘flying for all’. Another recent initiative of the government is ‘Digi Yatra’. Digi Yatra is promising as it seeks to employ the best of technology to provide a hassle free and paperless airport experience. Imagine an airport where entry, check-in, baggage drops and claim, and various other aspects are driven by face recognition technology! Thales’ Live face identification system overcomes the need for a physical ticket while providing a fluid and secure traveller experience. These initiatives bring together scale and technology which will power tomorrow’s aviation”.
Emmanuel de Roquefeuil continued, “Globally two out of three aircraft take off, fly and land using Thales solutions. Overall, Thales solutions make life better and safer for all the stakeholders such as governments, airports, pilots, crews and passengers each day. From air traffic management, training and simulation solutions, nose-to-tail aircraft connectivity and in-flight services, Thales enables and connects all parts of the aerospace ecosystem in the air, on the ground, and in between. Thales is a world leader in ATM and provides integrated gate-to-gate solutions ensuring airport safety and efficient traffic handling operations and seamless handover operations between territories. Thales is actively present in the Indian civilian aerospace market and some of its successful references includes retrofit of avionics and in-flight entertainment (IFE) for Air India, critical avionics to IndiGo and Navigational aids to Airports Authority of India (AAI)”.
“By offering its expertise and strengths in aeronautics, defence, transport and digital identity and security markets, Thales has been a perfect match for India’s ambitious objectives. The company’s engineering competence centre (ECC), launched in Bengaluru last year, is focused on providing high value-added software in the fields of air traffic management, complex avionics systems, cockpit, flight management, connectivity and video systems, radar software and airborne ISR tactical management systems”, the Country Director concluded.
Mr. Emmanuel de Roquefeuil, VP & Country Director, Thales in India