Prior permission for private jets to fly out of India will no longer be required each time, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has said. The move will come into effect from Dec. 15.
“These revised regulations shall come into effect from 15.12.2017, and thereafter, Indian aircraft operators approved/authorized to undertake international operations shall not be required to obtain prior permission from DGCA for undertaking international non-scheduled flights from/to airports with custom/immigration facilities,” the regulator said in an official statement.
Scheduled and non-scheduled operators are certified by DGCA for undertaking international operations in compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and are given “area of operations” based on their operational capabilities. “Such operators approved for ‘international’ area of operations can henceforth operate international non-scheduled flights as per the area of operations endorsed on their Air Operator Certificate/Permit after filing a flight plan with ATC unit concerned,” the DGCA statement said.
Until now a precondition existed, where private jet operators who were flying India-registered aircraft to foreign countries, had to obtain DGCA’s permission. This is called “YA number” and it is mandatory before each flight for ensuring that the aircraft is suitable for operations.
The DGCA will also issue an authorization valid for five years for private aircraft operators to fly overseas. “The private aircraft operators shall also be issued an authorization with a validity of five years for undertaking international operations upon compliance of the laid down requirements as per ICAO SARPs. They can also undertake international flights as per authorization issued by DGCA, by filing a flight plan with ATC unit concerned,” the DGCA statement said.
“Doing away with YA number will ensure that Indian operators can fly overseas without delay and will help maintain the essence of business aviation,” Rohit Kapur, President, Business Aircraft Operators Association (BAOA), said, Livemint.com reported. He added that the move has been welcomed by the industry body and it will assist in the ease of doing business.
Kapur said that business jets are not only a luxury, but in many cases, they are also a necessity. Business jets help in gaining quick access and connectivity and allows business leaders to be productive, efficient as well as flexible, the report added.