By Staff Correspondent
The government of Gujarat’s nodal agency for aviation development was honoured with the “Best State with a Dedicated Outlook for the Sector” award.
The Gujarat State Aviation Infrastructure Company Limited (GUJSAIL), the nodal agency for developing aviation and related infrastructure in Gujarat, has won a top award at Wings India 2022, Asia’s most significant event on civil aviation.
GUJSAIL has been bestowed the award for the “Best State with a Dedicated Outlook for the Sector” on Thursday. The Wings India Awards are given to aviation-related companies and institutions that have created benchmarks and made notable contributions in civil aviation.
“We are honoured to be the recipient of the Wings India 2022 award for Best State with a Dedicated Outlook for the Sector. The award is an apt recognition of the initiatives the government of Gujarat has taken to spur the growth of the civil aviation sector in the state. The sky is the limit for what Gujarat can achieve in aviation,” said Captain Ajay Chauhan, CEO, GUJSAIL, and Director, Civil Aviation Department.
GUJSAIL has focused its efforts on the growth of civil aviation in Gujarat by developing world-class aviation infrastructure, promoting air operations to small towns and remote places, prompting air sports, encouraging training schools that can provide career opportunities in the aviation sector, and promoting regional airlines for intrastate connectivity, among others.
To foster inclusive, comprehensive, and sustainable growth of aviation as a sector within Gujarat, GUJSAIL is also looking at promoting allied activities and encouraging innovative services such as seaplane-based travel heli-tourism and others. GUJSAIL is also looking to boost air cargo volumes in the state by developing airstrips for cargo movement and related infrastructure for perishable cargo, high-value cargo, and more.
Recognising the need for more aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul facilities, the state government has established a general aviation MRO facility in Ahmedabad and encourages more such facilities to come up in the state.
To develop the manpower for the aviation sector, GUJSAIL has allotted space at Mehsana and Amreli airstrips to establish flight training organisations. It is also setting up the country’s first Aviation Park at the upcoming Rajkot airport. The Park will have a slew of facilities, including an airstrip, training school, helipad, and space for small manufacturing units.
Among other initiatives, GUJSAIL has launched helicopter joyrides as a pilot project at Sabarmati Riverfront to boost the aviation and tourism sectors. It is also developing Heliports in Ahmedabad, Somnath, Dwarka, Ambaji, Saputara to promote Heli tourism.
Further, GUJSAIL has taken initiatives to provide essential training of pilots at their facilities through qualified trainers in helicopter pilot recruitment training, B200 pilot recruitment training, CL650 pilot recruitment training, etc.
The state government has also signed an MoU to establish a Centre of Excellence for aerospace to offer training and certification to students and working professionals, various courses in aircraft manufacturing, planning & execution, R&D and engineering, and MRO.
WINGS India 2022 is organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation to cater to the rapidly changing dynamics of the civil aviation sector and focus on new business acquisition, investments, policy formation, and regional connectivity. It is taking place at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad from March 24 to 27.
