If in the run up to the general elections you may find an increase in the number of leaders criss-crossing the country in their flying machines, do not be too surprised.
There is a huge interest among mid-sized industrialists willing to set aside up to Rs 10 crore to import either a helicopter or a small sized turbo-prop aircraft which can then be given out to political parties for election purposes.
“In the past few months, we have had at least 10-15 inquiries many of which are coming from small towns in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Some of these inquiries could crystallise into orders at the Air Show in Bangalore which begins on February 11,” said a representative of a company which acts as a one-stop shop for import of aircraft and helicopters.
While the dates for general elections have not yet been announced, the new Lok Sabha has to be in place by June 1 this year.
Industry watchers point out that for up to Rs 10 crore, a person should be able to import a 7-10 year old King Air C-90 aircraft which can seat six passengers and two pilots or a helicopter which would carry 4 passengers and two pilots. Currently, such aircraft are available in large numbers in Europe and the US and are generally the preferred means of travel for politicians.
This is because not only do these aircraft allow a politician to decide on hisdeparture times but they also give him the flexibility of landing at a make shift air strip close to the venue of his political rally. Importing these aircraft should not pose a problem if the politicians have a US JAR 1 certification, which allows an aircraft imported to be put in to use here.
Source : Business Line