Hyderabad:
With all the major players vying for supremacy in the yet-to-be tapped market, the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) is all set to take wings in the country and the India Aviation 2012, inaugurated in Hyderabad on Wednesday, provided it a perfect platform.
Seeking to leverage the opportunities for the business expansion, all the four major players- Bell Helicopter, Eurocopter , Agusta Westland, and Sikorsky – set shops at the five-day civil aviation expo and their preferred focus is HEMS, a quick medical service benefiting high net worth individuals (HNIs), that is expected to emerge as a potential sector in India in 2013. “We are aiming a foray into the Indian market in HEMS towards the end of this year. Our presence in the country with the largest market share in charter, utility and heli-tourism is well established and entry into HEMS would be an expansion of our existing boundaries ,” said Sameer A Rehman, managing director of Bell Helicopter Asia (PTE) Ltd.
With the presence of Augusta Westland , a sole player with one helicopter, HEMS is a virgin sector in India and with Eurocopter pledging to be numero uno over the next five years, strong dynamics are foreseen that it would be this service that would keep the sector on high growth trajectory. “If the government responds positively for the demands of the helicopter players to formulate the regulations, the HEMS will reap rich dividends for players, operators , and the clients in equal terms,” said Devesh S Agarawal, an aviation sector expert.
As Xavier Hay, CEO of Eurocopter India puts it, regulations in terms of day and night flight, pick up, emergency need to be relaxed. At present, the carriers need clearance 48 hours prior to take off that is a major impediment for the HEMS model of business. While the players are hoping for a positive change, officials from ministry of civil aviation said the proposal was under serious consideration . “We are looking at a major policy shift of the aviation sector that includes setting up of a regulatory authority. While the regulatory authority is mainly for tariff control, deliberations are being done to bring in licensing issues into its preview. Once we are clear on it, we can able to address the issues like the requirements of the players in HEMS,” said an official.
Counting on the success of its supportive role played during the Formula-1 held in Noida last year, Agusta Westland has already embarked on the expansion plans and it is in talks with corporate hospitals and other operators. It had provided the HEMS support for the Formula-1 with an AW 101 and service is being continued with the helicopter.
“It needs a wide range of ground preparations apart from getting regulatory issues cleared. We need to train the stakeholders including hospitals and individual clients to be prepared for the service. We are in talks with the hospitals to get them prepared for the infrastructure development required for the service,” said Abhijt Roy, a senior manager of OSS the operator of Agusta Westland in India.
While it is into expansion plans in terms of increase in the number of helicopter into service, Agusta Westland is also mulling technology adoption to enhance the effectiveness of HEMS that includes having telemedicine facility on board of the chopper. “At present the patient is treated by paramedics on the board while he is being airlifted. The next step would be to bring in telemedicine facility on board where in the patient can be operated upon if it is emergency ,” said Roy.
Bell Helicopter is operating three 429 helicopters in India and is planning to enhance the number as they are perfectly suitable for HEMS in Indian conditions . “Bell 429 is the ideal platform for HEMS in India and we are in talks with the operators and depending on their requirement we will increase the number,” said Sameer Rehman.
source: http://www.TimesofIndia.Indiatimes.com / Home> Business / by B.V. Shiv Shankar / TNN / March 15th, 2012