Their activities include issuing licences and sponsoring teams for international events & world championships.
http://www.aeroclubofindia.org/aboutus.htmAero Club of India (ACI), established in 1927, is the apex body of all the flying clubs, gliding clubs and aero sports organisations in India, which are engaged in Powered Flying, Glider Flying, Skydiving, Hang Gliding, Ballooning, Microlight Flying, Parasailing, Aeromodelling and such aero sports activities. Aero Club of India and its 22 member flying clubs are basically non profit and non commercial organisations engaged in the task of basic training of Pilots and Aircraft Maintenance Engineers.
ACI is also a National Sports Federation as recognised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India. ACI is the member representative of apex International aviation organisation, Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) with its headquarters in Switzerland. FAI is sole International Sporting body in the world authorised to make and enforce rules to encourage and control all sport aviation events and records, both for aeronautics and astronautics. The Aero Club of India affiliated to FAI performs their functions in India and govern all Aero sports at the National level.
The main aims and objectives of ACI are :
• To encourage, protect and develop the study and practice of Aeronautics and Aviation in India and to provide a Centre of Information and advice on all matters pertaining to Aeronautics;
• To provide an all India authority to organize all Competitions, sporting events and controls in connection with Aero sports in India;
• To ensure, as the representative of FAI in India, that the rules and regulations and standards prescribed by FAI for the conduct of the Aero sports Competitions, are compiled with;
• To be the Co-coordinating representative body of various Clubs engaged in Aero sports activities in India and also to provide liaison with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Directorate General of Civil Aviation and other Government Departments and also the various Ministries in connection with these activities;
• To supervise and accord recognition to record making flights and maintain National Register on records.
The Royal Aero Club of India and Burma Ltd.(RACIB), as the present Club was known then, was inaugurated on 19th September 1927 alongwith Directorate of Civil Aviation(DCA). Sir Victor Sasoon, a noted industrial magnate and philanthropist, was the prime motive force in the formation of the Club. The primary objective of founding the Club was to encourage flying as a sport and to create air mindedness among the youth of the country. The idea also was to enable them to participate and find employment in the commercial flying and aircraft industrial activities in the years to come.
The Club received official support and patronage from its inception. The Viceroy of India and Burma was its Patron-in-Chief and the Commander-in-chief of India, the President, the Director General of Posts and Telegraphs was the Vice President. The executive committee consisted of eminent men holding high ranks in the Government, Members of the Legislative Assembly as well as a number of leading public figures. The Constitution was drawn up on the lines of the Royal Aero Club of Great Britain. The Club was affiliated to the Royal Aero Club as well as to the Societe Aviation Internationale.
From the beginning, it was recognised that the objectives could be attained only by formation of Flying Clubs all over the country. Accordingly, the Aero Club took its first task as the formation of “Light Aeroplane Clubs”. The Delhi Flying Club was the first one to be inaugurated in May 1928. It was closely followed by similar clubs in Karachi, Allahabad, Calcutta and Bombay. The Aero Club was recognised by the Government and also by the two organisations to which it was affiliated. It was the only Authority in India to supervise and issue regulations for Flying Meets and to take official records of test flights in the country. This position is in force even today.
The Government of India provided assistance to all the clubs through ACI with two Pussmoth aircraft; eight Pussmoths were acquired at a cost of Rs.1.05 lakhs. Later, the Government extended financial assistance for their operation as well. The total annual flying performance in the early years of these Clubs was a little over 4000 hours corresponding roughly to about 3,20,000 miles. The number of pilots, who were trained, varied between 60 and 70 each year. The average cost to pupils up to 3 hrs. solo to qualify them for the Aviator’s Certificate was Rs.350 and the average time taken for qualifying for the Aviator’s Certificate, (flying license), was about 20/25 hrs. of flying.
ACI was the only Authority in India to supervise and issue regulations for Flying Meets and to take official records of flights in the country. ACI was the official agency for issue of Aviators’ Certificates up to 1949 which were duly recognised as per Aircraft Rules 1920, published in 1932. The important Certificates, to mention a few were :
• Certificate No.1 to “Jehangir R.D. Tata, Nationality – British” on 10-02-1929.
• Certificate No.5 to “Bhagat Behari Lal – Nationality Indian” on 25-03-1929.
• Certificate No.11 to first lady “Ms. Sylla Petit – Nationality British” on 08-05-1929.
• Certificate No.97 to “Mrs U K Parekh – Nationality Indian” on 17-05-1930.
In all 746 Certificates were issued. The Aero Club was also involved in the training and approval of Flight Instructors and Engineers with additional responsibility for functioning of the flying clubs, technically and financially.
Apart from the establishment and also overseeing the activities of the Flying Clubs in the various parts of the country, the Aero Club actively participated by providing support and facilities to the notable air races between England and Australia as it was the only recognised authority in the country to issue carnets and obtain diplomatic permits for certain countries. The Aero Club was also authorised to issue licenses for arms and cameras and wireless facilities to foreign aviators passing through India.
Notable flights were made during the early years of the existence of ACI. Special mention must be made of the flights between England and India by Mr. J.R.D Tata, Mr. Engineer, as well as Mr. RN Chawla. Mr. Engineer had only eighteen hours of flying experience, when he undertook the flight from England to India and won the coveted His Highness Aga Khan Prize.
The Aero Club functioned as a branch of the Royal Aero Club of Great Britain all along till Independence. Its activities were practically suspended during the World War II. After India became independent in 1947, the Club was re-constituted as the Aero Club of India Ltd. (ACI), with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India himself as its President. Pandit Hirday Nath Kunzru, Member, Constituent Assembly of India was the Vice President. In the year 1950 ACI became full member of FAI. In the year 1963 word Limited was deleted.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru whose enthusiasm for flying was well known, was its President from 1948 to 1957. His grandson Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, became its President in 1984 and continued to be its President till he assumed the office of the Prime Minister of India. In the year 1984 Capt. Satish K Sharma took over as President ACI and continues to be so since then.
The Aero club of India had nurtured the dream of having its own building. Due to many factors, mainly financial, the project remained on paper for a long time. This was realised during the stewardship of Capt. Satish K Sharma, President Aero Club of India, who has been taking active part in the Club’s activities ever since his membership. The Club moved into the new building in September 1985. The PUSS MOTH VT-AKH a three seat high Wing Mono Plane, first flew in 1929, was gifted by Shri JRD Tata to the then President, Capt. Satish K Sharma, in 1985 for display in the Aero Club of India building at Aurobindo Marg, Safdarjung Airport, New Delhi-110 003.
Mr. Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure as President was conspicuous for formulation of a modest Plan for organised development of aviation and aero sports in the country. A time-bound programme was framed and implemented. Under this Plan ACI imported 28 Cessna 152A trainer aircraft, 24 Husky Microlights, 8 L-23 Super Blanik Gliders, 23 Dhanush Diesel glider launching winches,
40 aeromodels, parachuting (skydiving) systems and parasails. Recently ACI has also procured 2 Sinus 912 Motor Gliders, 1 Hot Air Balloon, 15 Skyhawk Cessna 172 R GA trainer aircraft with glass cockpit and 1 Baron G58 Multi Engine trainer aircraft, out of Government of India grant. All the above equipment has been allotted to various ACI member organisations to promote and broad base Powered flying and aerosports in the country.
ACI is procuring 2 Single Engine and 1 Multi-engine simulators and the second Baron G-58 Multi-engine trainer aircraft. The equipment is likely to be delivered by December 2009.
Today ACI has 22 Flying clubs as its members. The Flying Clubs have been rendering pioneering and very valuable services in our country in regard to ab-initio training of aviation pilots and engineers. ACI along with its member flying clubs have contributed commendably in the civil as well as military sector and are truly national assets.
Aero Sports encompasses all sports activities in the medium of air, right from
Aeromodelling to Space Travel and occupies a unique position in a very large number of countries. Competitions, Meets, Seminars, Rallies and Races are held regularly every year in various branches of aero sports at National and International levels. Apart from these events attempts are made for establishing World Records in many aspects of Aero Sports in distance, speed, altitude and duration of time.
In addition to Powered Flying, ACI and its members have excelled in Aerosports of Glider Flying, Hang Gliding, Hot Air Ballooning, Microlight Flying, Parasailing, Skydiving and
Aeromodelling etc. There are many individual members of ACI who have made mark in Aero Sports in the country as well as at International level which are motivating and aspiring the youth to aviation and aerosports. Many of its members have been conferred with National Awards for achieving distinction in Aero Sports. Dr. Vijaypath Singhania, has the distinction of achieving World Record in height in Hot Air Ballooning. FAI honoured him with “Diplome de Record du Monde”.
Important Licences and Certificates issued for Aero Sports persons who are still continuing with their respective aero sports are Ballooning Licence No.1 to Shri Vishwa Bandhu Gupta and International Parachuting Certificate (FAI) No.1 to Shri Sanjay Thapar.
ACI is continuing in its efforts to broadbase and promote flying training and aerosports in the country. This is being achieved under the able leadership and vision of Capt. Satish K. Sharma MP, who himself is a distinguished aviator. ACI is thankful to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Government of India for it's active support to ACI for its above achievements. In the never ending process of our aspiration for excellence, ACI is confident that with the cooperation, dedication and full support from its member flying clubs and institutions, ACI will continue to play a major role to boost the aviation sector and Aerosports in the country in years to come.
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