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Mehair Seaplanes News -- Part 1

 
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747-237
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 3:41 pm    Post subject: Mehair Seaplanes News -- Part 1 Reply with quote

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/2/201210202012102004593017083c964ee/Soon-seaplane-services-to-your-weekend-getaway.html

Soon, seaplane services to your weekend getaway
October 20, 2012

Tourist destinations near the city will soon be just a plane ride away. By the end of this year, Mumbai will have seaplane services ferrying passengers from the Juhu airport to select locations at an economical cost.

A single-engine Cessna 208 amphibian aircraft - which can carry 9 passengers and 2 pilots at a time - will fly from the Juhu airport to dams at Pawna, Bhandardara, Mula and Varasgaon as part of phase 1 of the project.

The service will drastically cut down travel time to a fraction of the time taken to reach these locations by road.

The facility will be started by private operator Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Private Limited, which launched its pilot project in India at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The project was kick-started last year when Maritime Ltd approached the state tourism department with its proposal and gave a presentation to tourism minister Chhagan Bhujbal.

On October 9, the operator got the thumbs up from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority to erect temporary jetties in the sea for passengers. It also got permission for phase 2 of the project, in which the aircraft will operate over sea and transport passengers to Tarkarli, Ganpatipule and Harihareshwar.

“We will get the aircraft next month and have the requisite permissions to operate on the dams. The second phase will be initiated once we have permission from defence,” said Siddharth Verma, director of Maritime Ltd.

While Maritime Ltd will be operating and funding the project, it will work in collaboration with the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC). “Since our funds are limited, we will not get financially involved in this project, but will support it fully. This service will definitely give tourism a major boost,’’ said a senior MTDC officer.





EDIT: Title of thread changed to make it more inclusive.
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Last edited by 747-237 on Thu Aug 28, 2014 5:55 am; edited 1 time in total
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 10:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sounds nice sadly they are competing with Volvo bus fares,

Altough the flight to Lavasa seems a feasible one if priced well and tied up with Lavasa township

Karan
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 10:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Soon-seaplanes-to-link-Mumbai-with-dams-beaches/articleshow/18126885.cms


Soon, seaplanes to link Mumbai with dams & beaches

Jan 22, 2013

Tourists in the state may soon have the option of travelling by amphibious aircraft that can land on runways or in water bodies during the course of a single journey.

The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) and Mumbaibased Maharashtra Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt Ltd (MEHAIR) have signed a memorandum of understanding to start seaplane services in Mumbai, Pune and Nashik.

Prominent routes on the drawing board are between Mumbai and Lavasa, Murud Janjira (Murud sea), Harihareshwar , Trimbakeshwar, Bushi dam, Ganpatipule and Pavana dam. An MTDC official said the service could later be started to any place near a sea, lake or water body, including dams. "Travelling by road to coastal destinations takes a lot of time. Amphibious planes can land in water and significantly reduce travel time," he said.

MTDC MD Jagdish Patil said, "We have received the most important environmental clearance for the project from the Centre." The corporation is awaiting clearances from the BMC, the MbPT, the Maharashtra Maritime Board and the state irrigation department for landing these aircraft on water at places like Girgaum Chowpatty, Juhu beach and major lakes and dams in the state. However, MEHAIR has already acquired permission to use Juhu airport, said Patil.


MTDC has tied up with MEHAIR to start amphibious aircraft services in Mumbai, Pune and Nashik from April. The idea is to cut travel time as road journeys to coastal destinations are quite timeconsuming . Amphibious planes can land in creeks, lakes, dams and significantly reduce travel time

Initial routes

Mumbai-Pavana Dam 22 minutes Mumbai-Lavasa 25 minutes Mumbai-Murud Janjira 25 minutes

Other destinations include Harihareshwar and Bushi dam near Lonavla

All flights will take off from Juhu airport. Return trips are also planned

Price

Sources said tickets will be reasonably priced. For example, a seaplane service from Pune to Lonavla (which will take about 10 to 15 minutes) will cost between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,000 per person

Three seaplanes expected by year-end

MTDC plans to introduce amphibian aircraft services to popular destinations in the state.

"The amphibian aircraft facility requires floating jetties and speedboats to take passengers up to 100 metres inside the water body and hence permissions from the maritime board and the irrigation department are necessary," pointed out MTDC MD Jagdish Patil. He said the service could be extended to destinations such as Tarkarli, Murud-Janjira , Lavasa , and Shirdi.

MTDC may also provide jetty services with the help of the maritime board. "Also, buildings near the jetties that are not in use can be converted into terminals. But the modalities have to be worked out," said an MTDC official.

Siddharth Verma, director, MEHAIR, said, "The first such amphibious aircraft is expected to start services by April this year while the second will become operational after monsoon. Both the seaplanes will be nine-seaters . A third twin-engine 19-seater is expected to carry tourists by the end of the year." Explaining the landing procedure, he said that when the seaplane lands in water , passengers get down on floating docks ( small floating platforms, anchored to the seabed or waterbed and away from the shoreline). From here, they are taken to the shore via speed boats.

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 11:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

We should plan a joy ride if and when it starts.

Sadly this year, maharashtra is facing severe water shortage with dams running dry as early as Jan. So Mumbai to Dams is not going to come true this year
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 3:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Have they got permission for Bushi dam, for one? Isn't it too close to a restricted area - the Jalvayu Vihar in Lonavla?
Cheers, Sumantra.
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 8:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

According to Patil, MEHAIR has shown interest in promoting tourism in Maharashtra and the first stage of the project will involve covering five tourist spots: Ganpatipule, Mumbai, Lonavala, Navi Mumbai and Murud-Janjira using the firm’s services.
“We are awaiting Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) and Irrigation Department clearances and we expect to start the services in the first week of April, in time for the tourist season,” Patil said.


http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=MIRRORNEW&BaseHref=MMIR/2013/02/11&PageLabel=10&EntityId=Ar01000&ViewMode=HTML
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 8:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/1820006/report-defence-ministry-keeps-seaplanes-at-bay


Defence Ministry keeps seaplanes at bay

Apr 8, 2013

The Maharashtra Tourism Department Corporation’s (MTDC) plan to begin the seaplane services in April has hit a major roadblock as the ministry of defence (MoD) is apparently going slow in issuing a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) for the project.

Sources said the MoD is studying the proposal minutely in view of security reasons and has sought answers to its various queries from M/S Mehair Ltd, the operator of the project.

A defence spokesperson said, “The NoC application is under process.”

M/S Mehair Ltd did not respond to the calls made by DNA. The MoD had earlier refused to give similar NoCs to industrialist Mukesh Ambani for constructing a helipad atop his residence, which is located in South Mumbai.

Once ready, passengers will cover the distance from Juhu airport to Nariman Point in three minutes (take off and landing time not included).

MTDC officials said the journey will cost Rs500 per trip per passenger as compared to over Rs700 charged by radio taxis for the same distance and takes more than an hour.

Apart from Nariman Point, there are plans to operate amphibian planes to Vashi – another top commercial and residential area. The state would further extend the services to other tourist attractions like Bhandardara, Shirdi, Ganpatiphule, Murud-Jangira.

MTDC managing director Jagdish Patil had earlier claimed that all the project-related work would be over by March.

MTDC officials now admit that the project may get delayed indefinitely as nobody knows how much time will it take to get final clearance from the MoD. Initially about five aircraft with a capacity of nine passengers will be operational.
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 24, 2014 7:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Seaplane-set-to-take-off-on-Monday-will-link-Juhu-Lonavla/articleshow/40634553.cms

Seaplane set to take off on Monday, will link Juhu, Lonavla

Aug 22, 2014

The much-anticipated seaplane service in the state will take off, on Monday. The inaugural flight will be from Juhu to Lonavla, where the amphibious aircraft, the nine-seat Cessna 208 or the four-seat Cessna 206, will land in Pawana dam.

The journey will take 30 minutes and cost Rs 2,999. The frequency is one charter flight a day from Monday to Thursday and two flights a day on weekends. Services will also be from Juhu to Shirdi, Meherabad and Shani Shingnapur (landing for all three in Mula dam), Mahabaleshwar (Dho8om dam), and Na8shik (Gangapur dam), but the ticket rates are not yet decided.

Bookings can be done online on mehair.in, which belongs to the operator, Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt Ltd (MEHAIR). The two models of aircraft to be used for the service can carry up to nine passengers. "This mode of transport will provide connectivity to destinations where there are no airports," MEHAIR director Siddharth Verma said.

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PostPosted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 3:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Whats the feedback on the 1st day.
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 10:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Call it a bit silly, but the prospect of an 8 seater single-engine Cessna snaking its way, (perhaps exclusively VFR) across the Sahyadri mountain ranges from Pawna or Dhom dam or elsewhere, rarely exceeding 150kts IAS is a bit unnerving to me.
What about foggy, windy conditions? And what about engine malfunction upon take off ? What is the chance of the Cessna gliding to safety with mountains all around it if that happens ?

Operating a seaplane in Andaman or a Maldives (for example) is a totally different piece of cake.
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 10:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/First-seaplane-service-from-Mumbai-takes-off-for-Lonavala/articleshow/40868277.cms?imageid=31790506#slide3

First seaplane service from Mumbai takes off for Lonavala

Aug 25, 2014

The Mumbai-Lonavla seaplane service, which launched on Monday from Juhu aerodrome, was delayed by almost an hour and 30 minutes due to visibility issues and an enthusiastic media contingent, which crowded around the plane clicking photos. " The Air Traffic Control gave us a ten-minute clearance around 11am but since we couldn't clear the space, we missed that time slot," explained Mansi Shirodkar, who is handling the public relations for Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt Ltd (Mehair), which launched the service along with the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation.

While seven passengers boarded the Cessna 208 Amphibian at 11.55am, only three returned around two hours later to a red carpet - or rather, red staircase - welcome. Real estate consultant, Vishesh Verma, described the experience as "superb" and "amazing". The plane, which flies at a height of about 7,000 ft, gives passengers a bird's-eye view of the city. "It's different from flying in a normal aircraft because the clouds are all around you and you can see what you are flying over the entire time," added Verma.


The plane, which landed on Pawana dam in Lonavla, was manned by Captain Priyanka Manuja, who has been flying sea planes for Mehair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for the last three years. After landing on the dam, passengers were whisked to a small boat club via a speed boat. But even while alighting, none of them showed the slightest hint of trepidation though the youngest passenger was only nine. " Everyone loved it and the nine-year-old was the most excited passenger on board," said Manuja.







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PostPosted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 6:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nashik/Seaplanes-to-reach-Gangapur/articleshow/40949821.cms

Seaplanes to reach Gangapur

Aug 27, 2014

After Pawana dam in Lonavala, the next stop of the seaplanes taking off from Juhu in Mumbai will be Gangapur dam in Nashik.

The water resources department, Nashik, on Tuesday confirmed that the seaplane services would start in Nashik. "A nine-seater seaplane will land in the backwaters of the Gangapur dam. We are in the process of finalising an agreement with the engineers concerned. On behalf of the water resources department, the Godavari Mahamandal is engaged in the agreement process with the executive engineers," executive engineer of the water resources department Sunil Bafna told TOI.

Though the project for Nashik is in its nascent stage, the departments concerned are in the process of completing all formalities for the extension of the seaplane services to the city.

Bafna said there was definitely a plan for landing the seaplane in the backwaters of the Gangapur dam, but the date was yet to be finalised. "Once the agreement is done, we will have to seek environmental clearance. We can start the service only after getting the nod from the environment ministry," he added.

"The entire project is still in the primary stage. But the plane that has been launched in Mumbai will also land in the backwaters of the Gangapur dam. From here, people can go to Shirdi as well," Bafna said.

The engineer, however, said he was not aware about how long it would take for the entire procedure to be completed. At present, the cost of tickets, the distance and other formalities are to be decided.

An official said this would be a tripartite agreement between the company, the MTDC and the water resources department. The company would have to seek the clearance from the civil aviation ministry for landing as people's safety has to be considered and there should be no damage to property.

Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt Ltd (Mehair) has started the service in association with the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC). On Monday, it launched the maiden seaplane service to Lonavala from Mumbai, marking its first operation from the mainland. The first commercial seaplane flight with nine passengers onboard a Cessna 208A aircraft, took off at around 12 noon from the Juhu aerodrome for Pawana dam in Lonavala. The company also plans to set up a training facility for seaplane pilots to meet the demand.

The company, which has so far invested Rs 15 crore including in aircraft acquisition, will have five seaplanes by December this year. At present, it has a four-seater Cessna 206 (leased one) and nine-seater Cessna 208A aircraft owned by it.

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PostPosted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 5:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nashik/Bad-weather-hits-seaplane-trial-landing-at-Gangapur/articleshow/41042651.cms

Bad weather hits seaplane trial landing at Gangapur

Aug 28, 2014

The trial landing of the proposed seaplane service between Juhu and Gangapur dam was postponed on Wednesday because of poor weather conditions in Mumbai. The maiden service of the seaplane began on Monday between Juhu in Mumbai and Pawana dam in Lonavala and will soon be extended to the backwaters of the Gangapur dam in Nashik.

"The inspection by the civil aviation ministry for the project is pending. Wednesday's landing was supposed to be the trial of the service," Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) managing director Jagdish Patil told TOI.

MTDC regional manager Pradnya Bade-Misal said the trail landing was postponed barely a couple of hours before the sea plane was supposed to take off from Juhu because of bad weather conditions. He, however, added that the trial landing would be done soon, but did not specify the date.

Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt Ltd (Mehair) has started the service in association with the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) and on Monday launched the maiden seaplane service to Lonavala from Mumbai. Mehair director and co-founder Siddharth Verma said, "The trial landing was to take place on Wednesday but had to be postponed because of poor weather condition in Juhu. If the weather conditions are favourable, we may carry out the trial landing on Thursday. Else, it could be postponed to next week."

There has to be a 5,000-metre visibility on both sides — from the take-off point and the landing spot — which was not there and the trial landing had to be postponed as a result.

On the permissions needed for the landing of the seaplanes, Verma said, "We have received the permission of the water resources department, environment clearance and all other nods. We had applied for all this two years ago. Parameters for all dams are same. Only the civil aviation ministry needs to inspect the landing."

An official in the office of the principal secretary (command area development) said the project was a tripartite agreement between MTDC, water resources department (WRD) and the seaplane company. "The inspection for the trial landing would be for checking people's safety as well as that of the property here," said the official.

Eenvironmental activists hoped the authorities would maintain caution to ensure that the seaplanes did not affect the flora and fauna found in abundance in the Gangapur dam. "I hope that seaplane service does not cause harm to the birds found at the dam," said Bishwaroop Raha, founder-president of Nature Conservation Society.

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PostPosted: Fri Aug 29, 2014 12:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quick connectivity and good aerial view will be the pluses.


However how effective is the craft in catering to IFSD/Bad weather enroute.

It needs to park near the boarding bridge to be effective.
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 7:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Since they do not reply to emails, yesterday I posted the following on Mehair's Facebook page :

" Mehair seems to be using "MW" as its two letter code on its flights. MW, is the IATA code for Mokulele Airlines operating in Hawaii. So is Mehair using MW without IATA approval ? "

Today those punks not only deleted the post, but adjusted their FB settings to where no one can post to their page/wall. Hmmmm.....
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 9:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ssbmat wrote:
Call it a bit silly, but the prospect of an 8 seater single-engine Cessna snaking its way, (perhaps exclusively VFR) across the Sahyadri mountain ranges from Pawna or Dhom dam or elsewhere, rarely exceeding 150kts IAS is a bit unnerving to me.
What about foggy, windy conditions? And what about engine malfunction upon take off ? What is the chance of the Cessna gliding to safety with mountains all around it if that happens ?

Operating a seaplane in Andaman or a Maldives (for example) is a totally different piece of cake.


Not sure about mountainous terrain, but they work perfectly well in foggy conditions. Say for example from Vancouver to Vancouver Island. Here is one

DSC_0055 by Lord of the Wings©, on Flickr

VT-ASJ
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 9:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I saw them land at VAJJ around 1230 on fridayafternoon,

Counted 6 people getting out of the aircraft

Wonder how long they will sustain the dlights

Karan
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 31, 2014 3:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

747-237 wrote:
Since they do not reply to emails, yesterday I posted the following on Mehair's Facebook page :

" Mehair seems to be using "MW" as its two letter code on its flights. MW, is the IATA code for Mokulele Airlines operating in Hawaii. So is Mehair using MW without IATA approval ? "

Today those punks not only deleted the post, but adjusted their FB settings to where no one can post to their page/wall. Hmmmm.....


That speaks a lot Smile
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 11:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/mehair-conducts-trial-for-first-intra-city-service-in-mumbai-114102200757_1.html

MEHAIR conducts trial for first intra-city service in Mumbai

October 22, 2014

County's first seaplane operator Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt Ltd (MEHAIR) successfully carried out the trial run for its first intra-city service today.

The city-based firm already operates daily seaplane services from Mumbai's Juhu aerodrome to Lonavala and Pawna dam in association with Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation.

Mehair had launched its maiden seaplane service to Lonavala from Mumbai in late August this year.

Trial landings for the proposed seaplane services between Juhu and Girgaum Chowpatty were successfully conducted today and Mehair expects the flight between the two most popular beaches of the city shortly, a release said here.

"With the proposed commercial launch of the service, Mumbai will become one of the few cities in the world that have a seaplane service originating in the heart of the business district. We are confident that the public at large will see the value of the service and take full advantage of it," Mehair co-founder and director Siddharth Verma said.

Mehair, along with MTDC, has been working on the project for nearly last two years and has already obtained regulatory approvals from all agencies concerned including the Ministry of Defence, Coast Guard, Indian Navy, Mumbai Police, Port Trust, environment department and the Airports Authority of India among others, the release said.

Besides, the company has also successfully conducted trial landings for its another proposed seaplane flight to Mula dam (Meherabad/Shirdi) and its commercial operations are likely to commence next month, the release said.

As part of trial landings, a Cessna 208A amphibian aircraft took off from Juhu Aerodrome in Mumbai and successful splashing touch-down in the waters off Girgaum chowpatty exactly seven minutes later, the release said.

Once the services are launched, the travel time between the two destinations will be reduced to less than 10 minutes from 30 minutes now.

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PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 7:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Mumbai-Nashik-seaplane-runs-into-rough-weather/articleshow/44926819.cms

Mumbai-Nashik seaplane runs into rough weather

Oct 24, 2014

Activists, NGOs oppose landing site at Gangapur Dam, says it will affect birds.

A plan to connect Mumbai with Nashik by seaplane has run into rough weather. The proposed landing site at Gangapur Dam, near Nashik, has been opposed by activists and NGOs, who say the activity will affect thousands of migratory and residents birds.

Based on two separate complaints — by Bombay natural history society and by Bishwarup Raha, honorary wildlife warden, Nashik District — the directorate general of civil aviation is taking a relook at flight operations to Gangapur.

Raha, a birder of over two decades, said, "Gangapur Dam is an important bird area and home to 3,000 resident birds, besides 10,000 migratory birds. I was aghast to hear a seaplane would be allowed to land here. It will disturb the bird ecology, and the plane will be at risk of a bird hit. I wrote to DGCA opposing the plan."

According to Raha, the dam attracts migratory birds such as shovelers, flamingos, pintail ducks, pochards and gulls among other species. It is also home to birds such as cormorants, spoonbills and others.

BNHS director Asad Rahmani also confirmed writing to DGCA. "It is an important bird area and seaplane activity will create a lot of disturbance. We hope DGCA will not allow it."

Senior DGCA officials said they are examining the objections. "Permission to carry out operations will have to wait," an official said.

Seaplane operations in Mumbai are run by Maritime Energy Heli Air Services (Mehair) along with MTDC, with regular flights between Juhu Aerodrome and Pawna Dam in Lonavla. On Wednesday, a trial flight was operated between Juhu and Girgaum, making it the first intra-city flight.

"We've worked on the Mumbai-Nashik project for two years and have received clearances from several authorities including coast guard, Indian navy, Mumbai Port Trust, DGCA and AAI," a Mehair spokesperson said.

When asked, co-founder and Mehair director Siddharth Verma said he wasn't aware of the bird problem. "I'm not aware of any such issue or complaints to DGCA," Verma said.

The company also said it was ready to launch flights to Gangapur Dam if clearance is given. Connecting Dhoom Dam in Mahabaleshwar with Mumbai is their next plan.


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PostPosted: Thu Nov 06, 2014 2:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-mehair-to-begin-intra-state-flights-in-gujarat-2032474

MEHAIR to begin intra-state flights in Gujarat

5 November 2014

For better intra-state air connectivity, the Gujarat government has selected a private airline to operate flights between different cities of the state, state civil aviation minister Saurabh Patel said today. According to a press release, Patel said that Maritime Energy Heli Air Services (MEHAIR) has been awarded a contract to operate services between various cities in Gujarat.

Initially, the company would start flights to cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar, Bhuj, Kandla, Keshod, Porbandar and Rajkot, Patel said. "Within two months, the service will be operational in the state. State owned Gujarat State Aviation Infrastructure Company floated a tender earlier and selected MEHAIR to operate the service in Gujarat. It will help buisnessmen and other citizens reach their destinations quickly," Patel said.

For the regional airline service, the company would deploy two aircrafts with a seat capacities ranging from nine to 19 passengers each, the release said. In the coming days, a timetable of flights would be released by the company.

MEHAIR has selected Ahmedabad and Surat to park its aircraft, Patel said.

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PostPosted: Thu Nov 06, 2014 10:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Do these guys have additional aircraft or stretching the existing ones all across ?

I was checking on the fare and availability for the Mumbai Pawna run, it was 4k each way and available across the month.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 6:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/36535-indias-mehair-to-partner-ventura-airconnect-in-gujarat-services

India's Mehair to partner Ventura AirConnect in Gujarat services

Mehair (MW, Mumbai Int'l) is to partner Ventura AirConnect (Ahmedabad) in offering domestic flights within the province of Gujarat after its own services struggled to gain traction.

Having won a tender issued by the Gujarat State Aviation Infrastructure Co. Ltd to offer the flights late last year, the Times of India says Mehair has struggled to make its flights from Ahmedabad to Porbandar, Bhuj, and Jamnagar work clocking just 85 hours of flying time in the last three months and ferrying just 60 passengers in total.

Though the Gujarati state government subsidizes the flights to the tune of 20%, the incentive is contingent on Mehair performing at least 100 hours of flying time per month.

As it stands, the Mumbai-based carrier has now chosen to partner local Gujarati operator, Ventura AirConnect, in a bid to revitalize its operations there.

"We are in talks with MehAir for the joint venture. We can fly on half of the routes, while MehAir on the rest," Captain Kartikey Garasia, the CEO of Ventura AirConnect's parent, DAL (Diamond Aeronautics Ltd), said. "This way, it will ease the burden on the company to procure more aircraft for the services in Gujarat as we are already flying from Surat to Bhavnagar and Rajkot."

Since its take over by DAL late last year, Ventura AirConnect has gone on to successfully operate its own local flights using a fleet of Cessna (single turboprop) 208B Grand Caravans to serve Bhavnagar and Rajkot from Surat.

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PostPosted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 8:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/42929-mehair-secures-goa-seaplanechopper-contract

Mehair secures Goa seaplane/chopper contract

Mehair has signed a contract with the government of Goa to provide helicopter and seaplane services to remote locations within the western Indian state.

The contract, which comes into being from January 6, will see Mehair deploying its seaplanes on scheduled flights to tourist locales on the Mandovi and Chapora rivers. This will be followed by helicopter operations on January 15.

The Mumbai-based airline will use Goa International Airport in Dabolim as its hub of operations.

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 11:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Soon-enjoy-a-seaplane-ride-between-Juhu-and-Girgaum-Chowpatty-for-Rs-1000/articleshow/50631385.cms

Soon, enjoy a seaplane ride between Juhu and Girgaum Chowpatty for Rs 1,000

Jan 19, 2016

After reviewing the seaplane services project between Juhu and Girgaum Chowpatty, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said the services will soon take off.

While clearance from the Union ministry of defence —permissions from the Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force —was received in February 2015, the Mumbai port trust recently gave its nod. The project now only awaits clearance from the collector.

State officials said the project is expected to take off in the next three months. The fare for a seven-minute, one-way flight between Juhu and Girgaum will not be more than Rs 1,000, said a state official.

The government has appointed Mehair, a private charter company, to set up the seaplane services and will acquire space near Girgaum Chowpatty to set up porta cabins to provide basic passenger facilities.

The seaplane services project was mooted by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) to boost tourism in the state, but it was stuck for want of permissions. "The project is in its final stages and will soon be th-rown open to the public. It will be a huge success and will help the government to boost tourism," said an MTDC official.


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PostPosted: Wed Jun 29, 2016 4:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/47404-indias-mehair-to-start-seaplane-air-taxi-services-in-3q

India's Mehair to start seaplane air taxi services in 3Q

Mehair (MW, Mumbai Int'l) is planning to begin Mumbai Juhu to Girgaum Chowpatty and Pipavav port air taxi services using Cessna (single turboprop) Grand Caravan 208EX amphibians in September. The first of the turboprops has already been secured on lease from an undisclosed Hong Kong-based firm.

Once operational, the carrier will deploy its smaller Cessna 208 Caravan Amphibian and its Cessna (single piston) 206 Stationair Amphibian on flights to smaller destinations such as Shirdi and Aamby Valley as well as the coastal tourist towns of Ganpatiphule and Tarkarli.

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PostPosted: Sun Jul 03, 2016 7:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No news on this lately....what the update.
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 09, 2018 9:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

During this recent RCS allocation round, seaplane specialist Mehair was awarded the Kargil-Srinagar–Kishtwar–Jammu route for which it intends to add Let 410 equipment in the coming weeks. The carrier said in a statement that the Let Kunovice turboprop will initially be deployed on flights connecting Mumbai Int'l with Nanded, Kolhapur, Sholapur, Shirdi and Nashik before being used to connect other airports in Maharashtra state.

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/65132-indian-carriers-gear-up-with-new-types-ahead-of-rcs-ii-ops
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 03, 2022 5:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/117918-indias-mehair-granted-gujarat-seaplane-contract

Mehair granted Gujarat seaplane contract

02.08.2022

Mehair (Mumbai Int'l) has been awarded a contract by the Indian state of Gujarat to relaunch seaplane services between Ahmedabad and Ekta Nagar (previously known as Kevadia), close to the Statue of Unity tourism attraction, using a nine-seater Cessna (single turboprop) 208B Grand Caravan amphibian.

The service was previously operated by SpiceJet (SG, Delhi Int'l) subsidiary SpiceShuttle, which suspended the route on April 10, 2021, on the back of financial difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now the Gujarat State Aviation Infrastructure Company Limited (GUJSAIL) has awarded the tender to Mehair, which is in the final stages of importing a pre-owned Cessna Grand Caravan 208 amphibian from the United States. The aircraft is expected to arrive by mid-August to begin proving flights, according to GUJSAIL Director for Civil Aviation and Chief Executive Officer Ajay Chauhan.

"The letter of operations has been handed out to Mehair, and they were given 120 days to procure the aircraft from the US. They are currently in the last phase of the procedure for procurement of a pre-owned Cessna Grand Caravan. Since new amphibious aircraft are not manufactured in big numbers, we have approved the procurement of a pre-owned aircraft. We are expecting it to arrive in Gujarat by mid-August, following which, the formalities for the registration, technical acceptance, and flying tests by the DGCA will begin."

Mehair was not immediately available for comment.

India's longest-standing seaplane operator, Mehair will operate the aircraft under the Gujarat government's Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme instead of the RCS-UDAN scheme of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, which had launched the service through SpiceJet in 2020, reports The Sunday Express newspaper.

Officials confirmed that Mehair will operate two daily flights between the Sabarmati Riverfront and Dyke Three of Sardar Sarovar Dam, located near the Statue of Unity.

Gujarat Aviation Secretary Hareet Shukla blamed the failure of the SpiceJet service on the pandemic, which had resulted in the closure of the tourism industry. "Things are different now. This time we are working out better viability for the project to sustain itself. We have not set a deadline, but it will happen soon," he said.

The SpiceShuttle service had been short-lived – from October 31, 2020, to April 10, 2021 - and had remained suspended for 47 days due to maintenance requirements. The operator's single DHC-6-300 amphibian, wet-leased from Maldivian (Q2, Malé), had to be sent for mandatory maintenance in the Maldives due to a lack of wet and dry dock facilities in Ahmedabad. The ill-fated project cost the Gujarat state INR77 million rupees (USD1 million).

As reported, tenders for the three-year contract were reissued in January 2022. Three carriers were reported to have expressed interest, Mehair, Ventura AirConnect (Ahmedabad), and an unnamed private firm from Gujarat.

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PostPosted: Mon Jul 10, 2023 7:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/129545-indias-mehair-orders-50-jekta-electric-seaplanes

Mehair orders 50 Jekta electric seaplanes

10.07.2023

Mehair has ordered fifty PHA-ZA 100 from Swiss manufacturer Jekta with deliveries to begin in 2029. The Indian seaplane operator has paid deposits for the first ten electrically-powered amphibious aircraft which will be configured for 19 passengers.

Jekta confirmed the order for 50 PHA-ZE 100 units, saying it would "transform the way India travels". "India is primed for the amphibious revolution, and we are creating an airframe that operates wherever there is land, wherever there is water, which adds real value to Mehair operations.

Mehair director Siddharth Verma agreed that with a 7,400km long coastline and a rich diversity of rivers, lakes, and backwaters, India was readying for "the amphibious aircraft revolution". "We are one of the fastest-growing aviation sectors and the world's largest untapped seaplane geography. The PHA-ZE 100 checks all the boxes for meeting this amphibious potential, and we are confident that the affordable airframe will transform the way India travels."

Mehair already operates seaplane services supporting air travel between cities and destinations virtually inaccessible by land infrastructure. It is now adding new routes under the Indian government's UDAN regional connectivity scheme.

The electrically-powered, all-composite PHA-ZE 100 will be certified to EASA CS-23 and US FAA FAR-23 standards for fixed-wing passenger aircraft. It is powered by ten electric motors supplied with energy from batteries or hydrogen fuel cells. Its initial flight endurance on battery power is projected at 60 minutes, with a 30-minute reserve.

The aircraft will be able to operate from coastal waters in waves up to 1.2 metres high, as well as lakes, waterways, and runways, the latter using a retractable wheeled landing gear.

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