Hope triumphs over experience at `India Aviation 2014’, the biennial civil aviation show more popularly called the Hyderabad air-show. The show opens in somewhat dampened times when Indian carriers are expected to notch up combined losses of close to $1.2billion. The country’s safety rating has just been downgraded by the FAA, casting doubts at the capability of its regulator. Added to this is the niggling unease in everyone’s mind about the fate of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, which went down last weekend.
Yet, for all the gloom and reality checks, there is undiminished hope among participants at the show. Union civil aviation minister Ajit Singh is all set to inaugurate the five-day event at the Begumpet airport. The organisers, FICCI and the ministry of civil aviation have made sure all the bells and whistles in place. For flying enthusiasts, colourful aerobatics by a team of two British barnstormers will surely be the highlight of the day.
It is not clear which airline will actually announce orders for new aircraft at the show. Aviation consultancy CAPA expects Indian carriers to order close to 400 planes this year. Airlines often order planes even when they are flying through losses; this is because the delivery cycles are long and airlines have to think long-term.
12/03/14 Cuckoo Paul/Forbes
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Yet, for all the gloom and reality checks, there is undiminished hope among participants at the show. Union civil aviation minister Ajit Singh is all set to inaugurate the five-day event at the Begumpet airport. The organisers, FICCI and the ministry of civil aviation have made sure all the bells and whistles in place. For flying enthusiasts, colourful aerobatics by a team of two British barnstormers will surely be the highlight of the day.
It is not clear which airline will actually announce orders for new aircraft at the show. Aviation consultancy CAPA expects Indian carriers to order close to 400 planes this year. Airlines often order planes even when they are flying through losses; this is because the delivery cycles are long and airlines have to think long-term.
12/03/14 Cuckoo Paul/Forbes
