AeroTrans Services Pvt Ltd, a 2.5-year-old aviation company acquired by the owners of an Ahmedabad pharmaceutical firm, is now offering business and tourism charters from Gujarat, ranging from Rs 45,000 per hour to Rs 1.75 lakh per hour, just a month after beginning helicopter joy rides on the Sabarmati riverfront.
“We are looking at a full-fledged aviation charter business and our range includes single piston engine aircraft, jet aircraft and helicopters. We are looking to serve people and companies who would want to charter a helicopter or aircraft from Gujarat. We are getting bookings to go to Gir Sanctuary, Dahej, Somnath, Dwarka, Palitana and Dhordo in Kutch. Both families and corporates hire our aircraft,” said Rajiv Gandhi, who is the chairman of AeroTrans and managing director and founder of the Ahmedabad-based pharmaceutical firm Hester Biosciences.
The speed of the aircraft ranges from 230 kmph to 650 kmph. Aviation companies in Gujarat have been upbeat after the state government recently reduced VAT (Value Added Tax) on Aviation Turbine Fuel from the earlier 30 per cent to the present 5 per cent
“We were earlier operating charters out of Pune and Mumbai. We have shifted one helicopter to Ahmedabad. We have shifted our operational base partly from Maharashtra to Gujarat. We have stationed only two helicopters in Pune and all the rest have been shifted to Gujarat, which is now our focus area,” Gandhi said. The company has a fleet of six aeroplanes and three helicopters of which five are fully-owned by the company and the rest four are managed by AeroTrans for others who own the aircraft.
“We acquired Pune-based Oxford Enterprises which chartered a single helicopter. My daughter Priya Gandhi and I acquired it 2.5 years ago and changed the name to AeroTrans Services,” he added.
When asked why an owner of a pharmaceutical firm bought an aviation company, Gandhi said, “I was always keen on aviation and I used to be thrilled with small aircraft. In this case, the business is driven more out of passion.” Gandhi has invested Rs 35-40 crore in AeroTrans.
Blue Ray Aviation, a flying training school in Mehsana, is also owned by Gandhi and his daughter Priya, who are among the seven investors. This training organisation, which was previously based in Osmanabad, Maharashtra, was purchased in 2018 and its operations were relocated to Mehsana.
AeroTrans has reported 100 per cent occupancy for the joyrides conducted every week Friday and Saturday. The company operates 15 rides each on both the days. Each ride carries five passengers for a 9-12 minute-sortie that begin from the water aerodrome on the Sabarmati riverfront and stretch up to the Narendra Modi stadium at Motera.
“This is the first time such joy rides are being offered. It is more experimental and we did not want to fall short by over committing to the government,” said Gandhi about the joyrides which commenced on January 1, 2022.
AeroTrans currently operates a Bell helicopter 407 from the last Sabarmati riverfront. The company, along with the state government, is planning to offer similar joyrides from Science City located in western Ahmedabad. “For the remaining five days of the week, our helicopter will be used for charter services,” he added.