SpiceJet may use seaplanes for flying on regional routes

NEW DELHI: Seaplanes may soon be used for air travel in India as low budget airline SpiceJet on Wednesday said that it is exploring possibilities of using seaplanes/amphibian planes for air travel under the regional air connectivity scheme. The low-cost air carrier said that it is looking at ordering small ten and fourteen seater amphibious aircrafts from Japanese aircraft maker Tsuneishi Group for providing air connectivity to the remotest parts of the country. The advantage of amphibious planes over regular aircrafts is that they can take off from both land and water bodies and therefore, they can connect small cities where airstrips are not ready.

Sources said that the deal between SpiceJet and the Japanese firm may be finalised in 6-12 months and the Northeast will be among the first places to get this new small plane service.SpiceJet said it has already conducted trials of the seaplanes in Nagpur and Guwahati.

 In a statement issued on Wednesday, the airline said, “In a groundbreaking initiative – the first by a major Indian airline – SpiceJet is exploring the introduction of smaller fixed-wing aircraft to provide air connectivity to places which have hitherto remained unconnected due to infrastructural challenges... Reliable, tough and resilient these smaller fixed-wing aircraft can land on water bodies, gravel and grass.”

SpiceJet chairman Ajay Singh said, “While India is one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets, only about 3% Indians travel by air. Infrastructural challenges have been a key deterrent for providing air connectivity to smaller towns and cities... With the ability of land in small and confined space, smaller wing aircraft are the perfect flying machines that can effectively connect the country's remote cities and airstrips”
 Japan’s Setouchi Holdings Inc., a pioneer in the small aircraft aviation industry, is a part of the Tsuneishi Group of Hiroshima Prefecture. Setouchi Holding owns QUEST, the manufacturer of specialized amphibious and non-amphibious range of aircrafts globally. The statement issued by the airline also quoted Go Okazaki, executive MD of Setouchi Holdings, who said, “We have already executed land plane demonstrations in Nagpur and Guwahati. As a next step, we would also like to go for seaplane demonstrations soon.”