Founded in 1935 as Bell Aircraft Corporation, Bell Helicopter has set the pace for the industry. Besides being the first to obtain certification for a commercial helicopter, Bell has delivered more than 35,000 aircraft around the world. John L Garrison, president and CEO, Bell Helicopter talks to
HT on growth opportunities in India. Excerpts:
How important is the Indian market for you?
We are the leader with a 42% marketshare. There are 107 bell aircraft operating in India. I would be disappointed if we don’t see double-digit type percentage growth in India.
India’s airline market has grown fast, but helicopters have lagged behind. Why?
There is need for a change in the regulatory environment. If you look at the emergency medical services in India, you have to take pre-clearance before take-off and that defeats the purpose of an emergency helicopter. We also need infrastructure, helipads, heliports.
What is your strategy going to be in India?
Jubilant Enpro has been our independent representative for 16 years. They have done a great job and we are very pleased with our partners in India. There are tremendous opportunities in tourism sector and emergency medical services. We will build our supplier base and are talking to companies