The aviation industry in India has two distinct sectors: Commercial and Military. Commercial aviation includes passenger airlines and cargo planes, international air services, air taxi and charter operations being their major functions. Military aviation is comprised of the Indian Air Force and the aviation arms of the Navy and Army. Fighter bombers such as the MIG27, MIG 29 Jaguar, MIG 25, MIG23, MI 35 and Mirage 2000 as well as transport aircrafts and helicopters form the military fleet. Coast Guard too has sea harriers and helicopters. Military and para military aircrafts are used during war time as well as for rescue operations.
Commercial aviation industry includes Airports, Airlines and the people working in these. This chapter details Commercial Operations of airlines, jobs at the airport which are largely administrative in nature, jobs with airlines both in flight and on the ground, and lastly jobs with the technical wing which is involved in aircraft maintenance and serviceability as well as the communication networks. Finally the manufacturing segment has been included.
The structure
Apex body - Director General of Civil Aviation in India (DGCA) -
The commercial aviation industry follows regulations given by the DGCA. The main function of the organization is control, standardisation, licencing of air crews, conducting investigations of incidents and accidents and carrying out regulatory functions. Aircrafts need certification for airworthiness. From framing of rules to licencing of air crew as well as engineers is the responsibility of DGCA. At the head of the Directorate of Civil Aviation is the Director General. Civil Aviation Research and Development Organization gives constant relevant inputs to the Director General for improving air travel in the country.
Commercial sector -
Commercial sector includes airlines operations, maintenance, marketing and finance divisions. The operations division conducts day to day activities of the airline, overseeing the pilots and flight attendants, the flight despatchers, flight schedulers and ground crew. Engineering and technical division handles the maintenance of avionics and mechanics of the aircrafts, carrying out daily inspections, routine repairs etc.The marketing function involves selling services of the airline, creating market strengths, and supply through advertising, devising new programmes/services, attracting customers and controlling ticket reservations and managing material purchases. The finance division is concerned with managing the money flow. Several other professionals work for airlines such as interior decorators,who are assigned the task of decorating passenger lounges at airports and also aircraft interiors. Fashion designers design the uniforms of pilots, aircrew, check in personnel and others.
Commercial transport airplanes also form part of the commercial aviation industry. These aircrafts carry small packages as well as heavy machinery and equipments. Transportation of foodstuffs, fresh fruits and vegetables, seafood and meatstuff as well as fresh flowers is becoming a very large source of earning for the industry.
Airports -
Commercial aircrafts operate from the civil airports while mlitary aircrafts operate from military airfields and in exceptional circumstances from civil aerodromes. Airports are large townships which have their own security and rescue services, fire department, retail outlets, restaurants, construction and maintenance teams, warehouses for cargo and an independent transport system.
The operations at an airport includes its management, fuel supplies, hangers, repair and maintenance. A critical feature of airports is its communication system (control tower). Air traffic controllers regulate the flow of traffic in and out of the airport. There are additional air traffic control centres interspersing airways linking the entire system. International airports and airports near the country’s borders have custom and immigration departments.
Aircraft manufacture -
A very important part of the airline industry are the aircraft manufacturers. While most of the commercial aircrafts are bought from foreign manufacturers, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. as well as National Aeronautics Ltd. are the main Indian manufacturers.
Though their major work is related to maintenance these units have manufactured some indigenous airplanes. In the manufacturing sector work physicists, biologists, engineers, mathematicians, design engineers, technicians, accountants, lawyers and administrative staff. Industries supplying components and electronics also employ a range of specialists.
Manufacturers of parachutes, skydiving equipments are yet others who fall in the manufacturing segment.
