Demand for non-schedule, private helicopter services on the rise

PUNE: A solution for the time-pressed traveller, be it a politician wooing voters, religious tourist or a corporate big shot visiting distant factories, is the helicopter. While a market size for these and other segments who can use non-scheduled helicopter services is hard to come by, one operator has seized the nascent opportunity.

Silver Jubilee Traveller Ltd, a Pune-based travel agency which diversified first into offering ground related services at airports, has now begun helicopter services to places around Pune. Its first helicopter, a three-seater Robinson R 44, began services three months ago and has already clocked 50 hours, Ashok Shinde, CEO and director, Silver Jubilee Traveller, said.

"Full services can begin only after the monsoons so although we have already clocked 50 hours on this helicopter since July, we expect this to rise now that the monsoon is over. Depending on the response to the service, we could expand the fleet in the next fiscal, adding at least one more machine. We are also scouting for land of our own to set up a private helipad with a lounge and space for maintenance and spares. We are currently using the Oxford Aviation helipad near Bavdhan," Shinde said, adding that they are looking for investment for future expansion. Each helicopter requires less than half an acre and Pune already has four-five private helipads.

He added that they have begun to get inquiries for use of the chopper by politicians. "Next year, six states go to the polls including the large state of UP. The larger the state the greater the requirement for options like helicopters because it allows the politician to meet the maximum number of people and it attracts people so a mass meeting can be held right there," Shinde explained.

Silver Jubilee Traveller Ltd, formed through the merger of travel agency Travellers with Silver Jubilee Motors, a Mahindra and Mahindra dealer, offers aircraft towing tractors at six airports, including Pune, Srinagar, Goa, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and soon at Aurangabad. These tractors tow the aircraft into position prior to take off. It had a turnover of Rs. 10 crore last fiscal and Shinde said they expect the first year of the non-scheduled helicopter services to generate Rs. 1-1.5 crore gross revenue.

There are three categories in chopper services, the private which is owned by a corporate or private individual, the scheduled which is operated by recognised airlines and non-scheduled such as Silver Jubilee Traveller
While rentals are now at Rs. 50,000 per hour, Shinde said this could be lowered if customers give commitments for longer use. "We have begun to get inquiries from corporates who want 25 hours a month. Then, that rate of Rs. 50,000/hour will be lowered," he said.