VISTARA - Get...Set....Go.....

Chocks-on                                                                      07 NOV,2014

AN INDIAN AVIATION INDUSTRY PORTAL 

So there it is, at last ! VISTARA all set to get the A.O.P. this Tuesday. With this it will clear a major hurdle in its stride to take wings. If the JV is able to take off at the earliest, then it would be the most opportune time for it – the Peak Season on the one hand, and the dwindling seat capacities of Spice Jet on the other. This, coupled with an iconic brand behind it, VISTARA has all but success waiting for it……..!!

Read on……….

Joint venture of Tata, Singapore Airlines will get air operator permit by Tuesday

Vistara, the airline jointly owned by Tata and Singapore Airlines, will finally get its air operator permit by Tuesday, after it successfully cleared its last hurdle by flying 10 hours of proving flights in the last two days.

 Vistara, which had planned a Diwali take-off, was forced to defer its plans as its flying permit had been held up for the last three months by the Fight Standard Directorate, a newly formed wing of DGCA, to comply with the requirements of US aviation regulator -- the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and better its case for an upgrade of India's aviation ratings.

In the last three months, Vistara officials had to go back and forth several times. "The Flight Standards Directorate kept picking on them for additional work to be done on the manuals, even though most of it was good. First time around, it was issues with the flight operations manuals. The next time the process was delayed for making changes to engineering manuals," a DGCA official said.

On Monday, Union civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, during a review meeting, questioned the delay. Not satisfied with the DGCA officials' response, Raju issued orders that the airline be issued its flying permit within 10 days.

Accordingly on Thursday evening, officials ordered Vistara to conduct a proving flight the same night. Since none of the officials were prepared, they scampered for slots to flying from Delhi to Mumbai and back. Originally scheduled for 8 pm, the flight took off only after 10 pm, as officials got caught in traffic. A repeat proving flight was carried out on Friday evening. The flight, bearing registration VT TTB, touched down in Mumbai at 9 pm. During its return flight, the DGCA officers told the pilot to declare an emergency mid-air and divert the flight to Ahmedabad, finally reaching Delhi only at 2.30 am, so that its preparedness could be tested.

 The Flight Standards Directorate officials, however, denied they were being excessive in their demands. "It is a dynamic process. It keeps going back and forth between us and the airline. It was expected to take two-three months and we have conducted the proving flights now," a flight operations inspector, said, declining to be named.

Vistara, in which Tata Sons holds a 51 per cent stake and Singapore Airlines the remaining 49 per cent, was also forced to go slow on inducting aircraft due to the delay in flying permit. Against its target of five aircraft by March, so far it has taken delivery of only two planes on lease. The airline was scheduled to take the third aircraft last month but has deferred it owing to the delay in the obtaining AOP.

More the merrier is what we have always said. And the time has come now.

Welcome to The Fold Vistara !! GOOD LUCK

 

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